ID :
194185
Mon, 07/11/2011 - 09:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/194185
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ARYANI RESORT-AN OASIS FOR SINGAPOREAN TOURISTS
By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah
SINGAPORE, July 11 (Bernama) -- For Singaporeans wishing to escape the busy city, and unwind on the beach, Aryani Resort is a perfect destination.
Located on the white, sandy beach of Peninsular Malaysia's east coast state of Terengganu, and facing the Redang National Marine Park, this boutique resort is for those wanting a peaceful vacation, especially newly weds on honeymoons, as Aryani offers privacy and personalised services.
Aryani’s managing director, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah, said, "We only have 25 rooms catering, especially, to the quiet crowd, including honeymooners, or people who are vacationing after their retirement.
"It is a very cultured set-up. People who like history and tradition will feel at home," he told Bernama.
Raja Kamarul was here, recently, for the Terengganu Seminar and Travel Mart, an event held in collaboration with the state government and Tourism Malaysia Singapore. The event sought to attract more Singaporeans to the state.
Kamarul said they intended to keep Aryani small.
"Almost all our guests tell us before they leave that when they come back next time they want to find Aryani in the same state," said Raja Bahrin.
PRIVACY AND PERSONALISED SERVICE
According to Raja Bahrin, "Our strength is the privacy that we can offer visitors, with personalised service. Only if we stay small - 25 rooms or so - can we give personalised and good services to our guests.
"I think that's why our guests keep coming back; it is a niche market. Aryani offers a very personalised service that they cannot get at other hotels, even five-star hotels," he explained.
He said the ambience at Aryani was different from elsewhere. In a place as small as this, the staff could establish a personal rapport with the guest. They could remember more than just the guest’s name - they could keep track of their favourite foods, or what time they preferred to be served lunch, for instance.
"Those are things that mean a lot to guests," he said.
Raja Bahrin said the personal touch at Aryani was a Terengganu
characteristic.
"It is something that even big hotels cannot do, because they are big, so they have a certain code and limit that they can achieve," he said.
"We are quite free to explore," he explained.
Raja Bahrin said he was planning to add several units to Aryani in its next phases of development, in the near future, but would ensure it would not grow too large.
TAPPING THE SINGAPORE EXPATRIATE MARKET
Talking about occupancy rates, Raja Bahrin said Aryani did not find it very difficult to maintain occupancy at about 80 per cent.
However, it had been affected a little due to the global economic slowdown.
He said Europeans were not travelling much, currently. The Japanese market had also been affected by the tsunami.
"It is not only us, but most of the travel industry has been affected," he said.
He explained that Aryani had relied more on foreign tourists, especially Japanese, in the past. They now wanted to shift their focus to Singaporeans.
In fact, Aryani is already an attraction for Singaporeans, especially educated ones, according to Raja Bahrin.
Many Singaporeans drove to Terengganu, and spent between four and five nights at Aryani.
"Now, we see a great potential in the Singapore market, especially from the great number of expatriates living here.
"We hope they will come to Terengganu and stay at Aryani.
"Like we have been saying, what we can offer at Aryani is what people in big cities like Singapore really yearn for; any hotel in Singapore can offer modernity and sophistication.
"When you come to Aryani, you go back to the basics. Simplicity of life and slow pace is what modern and high-flying executives need.
"You have just got to extract yourself, and get out of the urban scenario; that is the only way.
"That is what Aryani offers, an oasis of tranquility. Come to Aryani to escape and to slow down," said Raja Bahrin.
ARYANI'S ARCHITECTURE
Raja Bahrin, who is an architect, said Aryani has a unique and distinctive architecture.
"Every part of the resort reflects Terengganu's character - architecture, the food we serve and cook, and the way we present it," he explained.
While Aryani was designed for the comfort and convenience of guests, it also goes beyond that.
"The Aryani intends to impart a cultural experience to the guests. In order to do that, we assembled a team of architects, master craftsmen, master woodcarvers, traditional musicians and hoteliers," he said.
A unique feature of the Aryani Resort is the hundred-year-old, timber 'Heritage Suites', which have been dismantled and rebuilt on the resort site.
The 'Heritage Suite' is part of the original timber palaces complex of royal households of last century. It offers guests the unique experience of living in an ancient Malay timber palace.
All villa units have their own private garden and gateway, with an outdoor, sunken bathtub, in an intimate garden setting.
The Heritage and Modern Suites feature outdoor and indoor baths, giving guests a choice of enjoying both luxuries.
-- BERNAMA
SINGAPORE, July 11 (Bernama) -- For Singaporeans wishing to escape the busy city, and unwind on the beach, Aryani Resort is a perfect destination.
Located on the white, sandy beach of Peninsular Malaysia's east coast state of Terengganu, and facing the Redang National Marine Park, this boutique resort is for those wanting a peaceful vacation, especially newly weds on honeymoons, as Aryani offers privacy and personalised services.
Aryani’s managing director, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah, said, "We only have 25 rooms catering, especially, to the quiet crowd, including honeymooners, or people who are vacationing after their retirement.
"It is a very cultured set-up. People who like history and tradition will feel at home," he told Bernama.
Raja Kamarul was here, recently, for the Terengganu Seminar and Travel Mart, an event held in collaboration with the state government and Tourism Malaysia Singapore. The event sought to attract more Singaporeans to the state.
Kamarul said they intended to keep Aryani small.
"Almost all our guests tell us before they leave that when they come back next time they want to find Aryani in the same state," said Raja Bahrin.
PRIVACY AND PERSONALISED SERVICE
According to Raja Bahrin, "Our strength is the privacy that we can offer visitors, with personalised service. Only if we stay small - 25 rooms or so - can we give personalised and good services to our guests.
"I think that's why our guests keep coming back; it is a niche market. Aryani offers a very personalised service that they cannot get at other hotels, even five-star hotels," he explained.
He said the ambience at Aryani was different from elsewhere. In a place as small as this, the staff could establish a personal rapport with the guest. They could remember more than just the guest’s name - they could keep track of their favourite foods, or what time they preferred to be served lunch, for instance.
"Those are things that mean a lot to guests," he said.
Raja Bahrin said the personal touch at Aryani was a Terengganu
characteristic.
"It is something that even big hotels cannot do, because they are big, so they have a certain code and limit that they can achieve," he said.
"We are quite free to explore," he explained.
Raja Bahrin said he was planning to add several units to Aryani in its next phases of development, in the near future, but would ensure it would not grow too large.
TAPPING THE SINGAPORE EXPATRIATE MARKET
Talking about occupancy rates, Raja Bahrin said Aryani did not find it very difficult to maintain occupancy at about 80 per cent.
However, it had been affected a little due to the global economic slowdown.
He said Europeans were not travelling much, currently. The Japanese market had also been affected by the tsunami.
"It is not only us, but most of the travel industry has been affected," he said.
He explained that Aryani had relied more on foreign tourists, especially Japanese, in the past. They now wanted to shift their focus to Singaporeans.
In fact, Aryani is already an attraction for Singaporeans, especially educated ones, according to Raja Bahrin.
Many Singaporeans drove to Terengganu, and spent between four and five nights at Aryani.
"Now, we see a great potential in the Singapore market, especially from the great number of expatriates living here.
"We hope they will come to Terengganu and stay at Aryani.
"Like we have been saying, what we can offer at Aryani is what people in big cities like Singapore really yearn for; any hotel in Singapore can offer modernity and sophistication.
"When you come to Aryani, you go back to the basics. Simplicity of life and slow pace is what modern and high-flying executives need.
"You have just got to extract yourself, and get out of the urban scenario; that is the only way.
"That is what Aryani offers, an oasis of tranquility. Come to Aryani to escape and to slow down," said Raja Bahrin.
ARYANI'S ARCHITECTURE
Raja Bahrin, who is an architect, said Aryani has a unique and distinctive architecture.
"Every part of the resort reflects Terengganu's character - architecture, the food we serve and cook, and the way we present it," he explained.
While Aryani was designed for the comfort and convenience of guests, it also goes beyond that.
"The Aryani intends to impart a cultural experience to the guests. In order to do that, we assembled a team of architects, master craftsmen, master woodcarvers, traditional musicians and hoteliers," he said.
A unique feature of the Aryani Resort is the hundred-year-old, timber 'Heritage Suites', which have been dismantled and rebuilt on the resort site.
The 'Heritage Suite' is part of the original timber palaces complex of royal households of last century. It offers guests the unique experience of living in an ancient Malay timber palace.
All villa units have their own private garden and gateway, with an outdoor, sunken bathtub, in an intimate garden setting.
The Heritage and Modern Suites feature outdoor and indoor baths, giving guests a choice of enjoying both luxuries.
-- BERNAMA
