Venues such as Villa Song Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City and The Sanchaya on Bintan are out to compete with the bigger hotels
Small boutique hotels with limited function facilities might initially seem no match for the marketing might of international chains when they pitch for meetings business.
The 23-room Villa Song Saigon says it held 28 MICE events in January 2018.
Yet, boutique properties can use their facilities and locations to win clients, as Villa Song Saigon does in Ho Chi Minh City.
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“Despite being a small 23-room boutique hotel, we actually do a lot of events,” says Yega Thiyagarajan, the property’s general manager. “In January 2018 alone, we did 28 events, big and small, including nine weddings.” Part of the Secret Retreats network, Villa Song Saigon offers one main meeting space and a smaller board room for meetings.
The Presidential Suite in the Éclat Beijing hotel reveals how boutique properties can offer exclusive facilities for smaller groups.
Boutique hotels often lack large ballrooms, but can still present a unique pitch. “We don’t compete with large hotels, [but] we do tailor-made bespoke events for companies that seek a difference in venue and feeling,” says Dany Lützel, general manager of the Éclat Beijing, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) network. The Éclat offers the 500-square-metre Cocoon, which is set in an Amazonian-type garden on its 21st floor, overlooking the Chaoyang central business district.
The Sanchaya beachfront hotel draws high-level groups to Bintan, Indonesia, which has ferry connections to Singapore.
“We have a world-class collection of venues just an hour from Singapore, but are a world apart”, says Jared Green, sales director of The Sanchaya, a 10-hectare beachfront estate and also an SLH member. Located on the Indonesian island of Bintan, and connected by ferry to Singapore, the property’s main Dahlia function area can accommodate up to 75 people and opens up to a terrace suitable for cocktails and outdoor events overlooking the 50m-long infinity pool and the ocean beyond.
“Boutique hotels exude an individual charm and identity of their own, where spaces speak to ‘guests’ and are designed to evoke memories and experiences,” says Adeline Quek, brand director of Bali’s L Hotel Seminyak. A small hotel with only 30 suites, L Hotel offers a rooftop location overlooking Seminyak and the beach that “gives a unique advantage to those who want an exclusive and eclectic feel to their event”, she says.
Many small boutique hotels primarily operate in the fully independent traveller market and often have little to no dedicated MICE facilities.
The Satri House is set in a quiet location and has become a popular place for meetings in Luang Prabang, Laos.
“We can accommodate only small groups with a maximum of 30 people if we use the restaurant as a meeting room,” says Giovanni Tebano, general manager of Satri House in Luang Prabang, a 31-bedroom Secret Retreats network property in Laos. Its only other space is a small garden that can seat 60 as a dining venue.
Boutique hotels exude an individual charm and identity of their own, where spaces speak to ‘guests’ and are designed to evoke memories and experiences
Adeline Quek, brand director of Bali’s L Hotel Seminyak
