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THE Singapore-based Ascott Limited is believed to be in negotiations to take over the Bayview Hotels - once a staple signature landmark of the late Penang tycoon Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew.
It is learnt that Ascott is not only taking over the Boon Siew Villa in Batu Ferringhi, but the operator is also actively seeking to manage the Bayview brand hotels in Penang - presently named as Bayview George Town and Bayview Beach Resort, among the oldest hospitality properties in the country.
Both hotels are the pride of a locally managed brand but over decades, the hotel business of its holding company - Oriental Holdings is said to have moderated under the management of Bayview International Hotels & Resorts.
There are five hotels under the management, which is now based in Singapore - two in Penang, one in Langkawi, one in Malacca and another in the island state.
The oldest is the Bayview George Town, which in the 1980s, was a happening property for food, accommodation and night entertainment.
Bayview International was founded in 1993, some 15 years after Loh, dubbed "Mr Honda" because he brought in the Japanese automobile giant into Penang, built his modest motel/villa in Batu Ferringhi.
An executive with the chain, confirmed that last year, they were informed that the management was looking for third parties to manage their properties under the basis of adding more value to it, and trying to attain higher yield.
"We do not expect any household changes but contract staffers may be affected. There might be an alignment of human capital within the affected hotels. As of now, there is nothing official about Ascott taking over the Bayview brands."
The executive cited that Loh's business dynasty in Penang, is now managed by his grandchildren, who may not have too much affinity to the state that Loh built his fortune on because they grew up in either Singapore or Australia.
Hence, the reason to allow Ascott to rebuild and manage the Boon Siew Villa despite the landmark being considered a heritage property within the state.
The villa, located at Shamrock Beach, has been torn down to make way for the upcoming 43-storey Ascott Residences Batu Ferringhi, a luxury condominium project set to be completed by January 2028.
Hoardings now surround the site, and construction is underway.
For residents and heritage advocates, the demolition is deeply felt.
“The villa was not just a house; it was a living part of Penang’s history,” said Clement Liang, president of the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT).
“It is deeply regrettable that the developer chose to demolish it rather than incorporate it into their plans.”
Another heritage advocate Khoo Salma Nasution had suggested that the developer built the condominiums around the villa, hence preserving its structure.
Ascott is a growing hospitality brand under the leadership of Singaporean technocrats, who have moved aggressively into Penang.
It is a leading hospitality management operator with plans to open six more properties in Penang despite concerns of a glut of rooms in the state.
Ascott, the lodging division of the Singaporean CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI), is optimistic that tourism and demand for accommodation would continue to grow post Covid-19, including in Penang.
In a statement, Ascott shared that it has 14 properties earmarked in Penang, comprising 2,019 rooms of which eight are now operational, including its flagship Ascott Gurney, offering up to 1,057 rooms.
Nationwide, it has 42 properties in existence or in development, comprising 8,870 rooms.
Ascott expects to create more than 12,000 jobs – including 1,500 property leadership roles – to support the opening of more than 300 properties worldwide by 2028. – May 30, 2025
