IHG Hotels & Resorts and its long-term partner in Thailand, Asset World Corp Public Co. Ltd. (AWC), have unveiled Kimpton Pattaya. This will be their second collaboration for a Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants-branded property in Thailand.
Located within walking distance of Central Pattaya Beach and Central Festival Pattaya, the new-build, 193-room Kimpton Pattaya will be inspired by elements of nature. Scheduled to open in early 2028 in central Pattaya, the hotel will be part of Aquatique, a concept designed by AWC and an all-in-one seaside destination. The project will feature commercial spaces like a shopping mall, hotels, a theme park, an F&B food market and a performance art space.
Kimpton Pattaya will join Vignette Collection Pattaya and two more open hotels — InterContinental Pattaya and Holiday Inn Pattaya.
The strategic partnership between IHG and AWC includes the 302-key InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping (slated to open later this year); two properties in Bangkok’s Chinatown — the 332-key InterContinental Bangkok Chinatown and the 63-room Vignette Collection Bangkok Chinatown; the 234-room Vignette Collection Pattaya; and the 124-room Kimpton Hua Hin.
“The launch of the first Kimpton hotel in Pattaya comes after signing a multi-property agreement with IHG in 2020, with a fantastic brand offering a bold playful design and award-winning dining experiences for a memorable stay. By bringing world-renowned brands to a broader customer base, the Kimpton brand will also strengthen Pattaya as a global beachfront destination only a couple of hours drive away from Bangkok,” said AWC CEO and President Wallapa Traisorat.
Together, IHG and AWC have signed 1,250 rooms across six properties in the last three years in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin.
“This will be the fifth Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants property signed in Thailand which shows the confidence owners have in the brand. Together with Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, Kimpton Kitalay Samui and the upcoming Kimpton Khao Yai and Kimpton Hua Hin, the brand already has a strong following amongst affluent and discerning travelers,” said Rajit Sukumaran, MD, South East Asia and Korea, IHG.
The signing of the hotel marks a milestone for IHG in Thailand, as the company plans to expand its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio in the country by 50% and double its properties across all its brands by 2026.
As of December 2022, Kimpton has 76 open hotels and 41 more in the pipeline, which will see the brand exceed 100 properties globally.
With a steady and robust travel demand, projected domestic and international tourist arrivals into Pattaya are expected to surge from 18 million in 2019 to 25 million in the next five years. According to the Pattaya Entertainment Association, tourism in the city is now at 80-90% compared to pre-pandemic levels, driven by the return of tourists from India, Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Europe.