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Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ newest baby, M Social, is set to open its doors later this year. And, of course, it has a Philippe Starck touch.
Is our little red dot too saturated with hotels to accommodate something new? The answer is a resounding no for Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR). The group is launching a brand new concept, M Social, a stone’s throw away from the Singapore River, within the buzzing Robertson Quay precinct.
We ask Paul James, senior vice president of global marketing and branding for MHR, about M Social’s place in the hotel industry.
Why was Singapore chosen to launch M Social?
Paul James Singapore is Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ home town. When looking at a city that is both the emotional and commercial heart of our business, plus a true microcosm of the galloping changes in global consumer behaviour, then Singapore is the ideal laboratory for Millennium Hotels and Resorts to test a new brand aimed at a savvy, busy, global traveler.
There are always new hotels opening in Singapore — how will M Social standout?
James M Social is all about our guest. We know that travellers are design-savvy, tech-native, self-sufficient and experience hungry. We also know they are complex and sometimes contradictory… because at the end of the day, travellers are just busy people who need to stay away from home. Sometimes, a comforting meal and a couple of quiet hours with a movie is the order of the day; other times a late-night deadline; or a group of friends desperate to catch up will drive their agenda. Yes, M Social is brilliantly designed by Philippe Starck, yes it is wired for today’s connectivity needs, but most of all it is adaptive. It responds with service when and where our guest needs it, not when they don’t. It should feel like staying with really good friends.
What will M Social add to MHR’s portfolio?
James M Social Singapore is the first of many hotels which will appear in key cities around the world serving the needs of our savvy, busy, self-sufficient guests. It further negates the discussion of external “star systems” by delivering a premium design environment, within a select service culture. Our team will be there when our guests need them, otherwise they will be able to navigate their stay exactly as they need.
Who do you expect to see staying at M Social?
James Millennial-minded travellers from around the world. Busy business people and Singaporeans seeking the perfect staycation. The location on Robertson Quay is ideal for those who blend the work-rest-play mentality, those that are constantly connected, and blur the hegemony of life and business being somehow divided, rather than as a life lived whole.
Will M Social be introducing any game-changing innovations?
James M Social is in many ways the first manifestation of Millennium Hotels and Resorts renewed focus on delivering great guest experiences. This tech-savvy, design-led hotel will showcase new forms of automation in the lobby and restaurant, new in-room amenities and a wholly new take on staffing, from recruitment to uniform partners.
