Capella rooms still going for top dollar

Source : Straits Times - 25 Mar 2009

MOST hotels are lowering rates in this uncertain economic climate but not Capella Singapore.

The luxury hotel opening in Sentosa next Monday is sticking to its guns: Rooms start at $750 a night. And it already has 70 out of 110 rooms booked out for next week.

There had been some scepticism in the market about whether the hotel could continue drawing any business pricing itself so high in the current recession.

But Mr Horst Schulze, chairman and chief executive officer of the West Paces Hotel Group, which owns the Capella brand, is not losing any sleep over it.

He said: ‘Are there still people out there who want something special and reliable like us? The answer clearly is ‘yes’. All we have to do is find them.’

The German, in town to train hotel staff for its opening, said the number of tourists may have declined, but people are still travelling, including those willing to pay top dollar for the best-quality rooms and service.

He said what make Capella special are its surroundings in the resort island of Sentosa, its facilities and a flexible schedule for check-ins and check-outs.

If a customer wants a meal at 3am, consider it done. If the customer wants tickets booked for a concert, no problem. Mr Schulze said: ‘We will not tell you ‘no’.’