Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts plans to spend more than 300 million baht to renovate the Four Seasons Bangkok next year, intending to cash in on the Asean single market when it kicks off in late 2015.
Vincent Hoogewijs, the Four Seasons Bangkok’s new boss, sees positive signs.
The renovation cost for each room is estimated at more than 1 million baht. Apart from the 354 hotel rooms, the lobby, function halls and restaurants will get a facelift as well.
The hotel's heritage feeling will be kept, but all facilities will be upgraded. The renovation will start next year and finish by the end of 2016.
Besides the Bangkok property, the group is renovating villas at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai, to be carried out during the low season. For the property in Chiang Rai, the hotel chain will upgrade all tents.
The Four Seasons Samui has just finished refurbishing villas and adding a new restaurant. A Thai boxing ring and children's club will be completed in the coming months.
"We want to continue to be known for our excellent, friendly and warm service and expand by opening new hotels," said Vincent Hoogewijs, the regional vice-president of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and general manager of the Four Seasons Bangkok.
"We want to continue to be an employer of choice and a preferred choice of our customers and business partners."
Mr Hoogewijs was appointed general manager of the Four Seasons Bangkok last December amid the rising political temperature. The hotel's occupancy fell by 15% during that time.
"After facing a very poor business environment in the first quarter of this year, we hope the situation will improve so that we can catch up what we lost in the first few months," he said. "We see a positive sign in the number of bookings coming through, so we are hopeful that by June or July, we should be back to the same business level as last year, if not better."
The strong points of Thailand such as history, natural sights, hospitality and food are expected to draw tourists even if travel advisories imposed by other countries remain in place.
Bookings have begun to pick up this month. The Four Seasons Bangkok predicts average occupancy of 70-78% this year, down from 80% last year.
The hotel's average occupancy rate was 40% in the first quarter, down from 80% in the same period last year.
Mr Hoogewijs said the hotel hopes to increase room rates by 2-3% in the fourth quarter, offering amenities such as free massage treatments and airport limousine service instead of cutting prices.
"I think Bangkok is a safe city," Mr Hoogewijs said. "I stay at Lumpini Park, which is next to the protest area. I can walk through the protesters to work. I think I would be more likely to be robbed if I were to walk in London."
Four Seasons is focused on Asia because the four biggest tourist markets for Thai hotels are China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, accounting for 40% of total customers. Shopping and dining are the main activities for these markets.