CapitaLand Investment’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott)has received the top honour of ‘Leading Serviced Apartment Brand’ in Middle East, Asia and Oceania at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2021. Ascott was the biggest winner with a total of 17accolades across the regions – the highest number of awards amongst serviced apartment companies. Ascott achieved these top recognitionsintheMiddle East and Asia for the sixth straight year, and in Oceania for the second consecutive year.
Voted by tourism professionals and business and leisure travellers worldwide, winners of the annual World Travel Awards are globally recognised as hallmarks of industry excellence. Ascott was recognised as Middle East’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand and Saudi Arabia’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand for the sixth and fifth consecutive year, and this year also achieved this feat in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
In addition to the regional and country awards, Ascott showcased its long-standing pedigree in the Middle Eastern and European serviced residence segments, with four properties achieving recognition for exemplary performance and excellent hospitality services in the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Cementing its position as the leading serviced apartments owner-operator in the UAE, its iconic Citadines Metro Central Dubai won ‘Dubai’s Leading Service Apartment’ 2021 award – a first for the vibrant property. Ascott Park Place Dubai racked in the accolades as well, attaining the coveted ‘UAE’s Leading Serviced Apartments’ 2021 award; marking the stylish property’s fourth win in the category. While, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh attained the award for ‘Saudi Arabia’s Leading Serviced Apartments’ 2021, for the second consecutive year. Under the Europe category, the group’s property,Somerset Maslak Istanbul triumphed as ‘Turkey’s Leading Serviced Apartments’ for the third consecutive year.
Commenting on this year’s awards, Ascott’s Managing Director for Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India, Vincent Miccolis, said: “Ascott has once again performed exceptionally well at the annual World Travel Awards, and we are proud to receive due recognition for four of our properties and two clusters as a result of the exceptional service and amenities we provided to our guests. Our business model enables us to rapidly adapt to the changing market conditions, offering convenient and affordable price points coupled with excellent hospitality – making Ascott the ideal go-to-serviced apartment brand for local and international travellers.”
Ascott is the first hospitality company to partner with International SOS to offer free global telehealth, tell counselling and travel security advisory to guests. Through this partnership, guests have greater peace of mind and feel safe with on-demand quality care from medical and security experts. The complimentary services are part of Ascott’s enhanced ‘Ascott Cares’ commitment to provide stringent hygiene and safety standards, wellness support and implement sustainable practices.
Ascott also launched its global online travel booking platform,discoverasr.com in July 2021with 14 brands on board, and enhanced ASRas well as the Discover ASR mobile app to provide greater value to guests.The platform unifies Ascott’s award-winning lodging brands on a single global online travel booking platform, providing guests with one-stop access to Ascott’s more than 400 serviced apartments, coliving spaces and hotels with a total of about 71,000 units in over 30 countries.
Despite COVID-19, ASR members continue to enjoy a slew of perks, from the ASR points purchase feature and promotions where members can purchase ASR points and be rewarded with bonus points; to the ASR Elite Status Match and CapitaStar-ASR Points Exchange programmes that allow ASR members to gain more perks or upgrade their membership tier.
Following the official launch of the Discover ASR mobile app in October 2020, it has received over 203,000 downloads to date. It provides ASR members with contactless services where they can search for deals, manage their membership, purchase and redeem ASR points, perform mobile check-in and check-out, and make contactless payment.
Discover ASR’s latest features include allowing guests to customise their stay by sharing their pre-arrival and in-stay requests; earn ASR points if they opt out of housekeeping service as part of Ascott’s Go Green initiative; and share feedback on their stay through a pulse survey in the mobile app. Guests staying with Ascott can access the in-app social wall and private messaging features, which allow them to interact with fellow guests or communicate privately with the serviced residence’s front desk. Guests will soon be able to purchase vouchers via the app for their next stay.
