Banyan Tree unveils first Angsana in Malaysia

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts has unveiled its first ever property in Malaysia. Launched at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, the new Angsana-branded resort will be located on 3.2 hectares of land at Teluk Bahang, on the shores of Penang. The luxury development will comprise three main buildings with approximately 300 sea-facing rooms and suites, plus three swimming pools, five F&B outlets, and a 1,100m² spa with 12 treatment rooms. Building work is scheduled to commence in June 2014 and the first phase of the resort is expected to open its doors in early 2017. “When I first saw the beautiful sandy beach of Teluk Bahang, framed by lush tropical forests and the magnificent Andaman Sea, I knew I had found something special, and in its potential I saw a vision,” said Simon Foong, co-founder and group managing director of the resort’s developer, Senja Aman Group. “While we started on the foundations of Teluk Bahang’s future, we knew we had to find someone who was an expert in hospitality, who supported our unique vision and my personal business values. In time, we found just such a person in Mr Ho Kwon Ping and Banyan Tree. In them we found a partner who shared our vision, our values of sustainability, and sense of community”, he added. The resort will also include a collection of 150 two-bedroom luxury suites, which will be available for sale. Priced from MYR1.6 million (US$491,000), the suites range from 88-111m² and can be used for 60 days a year, and leased back to Banyan Tree to the remainder of the time. The Angsana brand currently operates a portfolio of 13 hotel and resorts in China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, the Maldives, Morocco, Thailand and Vietnam. Source: Travel Daily