CapitalLand’s wholly-owned serviced residence business, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has opened Somerset Vientiane, its first serviced residence in Laos, after completing the first phase of a progressive refurbishment and rebranding exercise for the former Parkview Executive Suites.

The official opening of Somerset Vientiane took place on Tuesday evening in the capital.

Somerset Vientiane is the first international branded serviced residence in the country and will provide an ideal home-away-from-home for expatriates, project teams, and business travellers coming to Vientiane on short-term or long-term assignments.

The 116-unit property is owned by Gateway Enterprise Company Limited, a subsidiary of LCD Global Investment Ltd, which is an established real estate and hospitality group listed on the Singapore stock exchange.

Mr Tony Soh, Ascott’s Chief Corporate Officer, who oversees Ascott’s business development and operations in Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, said “We are delighted to introduce the Somerset brand to Laos through Somerset Vientiane. We have worked closely with the owners to put in place a comprehensive refurbishment programme that will progressively transform its apartment units, common area and guest amenities, in order to uphold our Somerset brand standards that are well-established across Asia.”

“Coupled with our internationally acclaimed and award-winning services, we are confident Somerset Vientiane will set a new benchmark for a gracious lifestyle and quality living in Laos.”

He explained the guest lobby and reception area have been widened and upgraded with contemporary furnishings and designed with a local touch, as have some select apartment units, while they have also enhanced high-speed internet connectivity for the building.

Mr Soh said they hoped to combine the progressive property facelift with customer-centric service provided by their well-trained staff to create a quality and memorable living experience for guests at Somerset Vientiane.

“As the pioneer of the serviced residence industry in the Asia Pacific region, Ascott has a strong 30-year industry track record and globally recognised award-winning brands. Through our global sales and marketing network, customers can avoid the hassles of going to different operators when travelling to different cities.”

“We have built strong hospitality management systems with a global account base of more than 45,000 contracted corporate accounts. Together with a strong team of staff who go the extra mile to ensure that our residents have a memorable experience, we are confident that our new property in Vientiane will perform well,” Mr Soh added.

Source: Vientiane Times