Dining/Drinking

A new affordable lifestyle brand from Dusit International was launched in Bangkok in September 2020. ASAI Hotels is a lean and sustainable hotel concept targets millennial-minded travellers seeking authentic local experiences.

The opening of Asai Bangkok Chinatown in the heart of the city’s renowned Chinatown district will be followed by six more properties all operating under the new hotel concept.

Drawing on Dusit’s unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, Asai Hotels is positioned to offer ‘lean-luxury’ by providing thoughtfully pared-back services while focusing on in-stay essentials. Large communal spaces featuring sustainable and locally inspired lifestyle and dining experiences will be central to its offerings.

Another Asai hotel will open within 12 months in Bangkok’s stylish Sathorn district, followed by three in Cebu, the Philippines; one in the old Yankin area of Yangon, Myanmar; and one in Kyoto, Japan.

Asai Hotels is Dusit’s sixth hotel brand and represents the company’s expansion into the affordable lifestyle segment of the lodging spectrum. Its other brands – namely Dusit Thani, dusitD2, Dusit Princess, Dusit Devarana, and Elite Havens – cover upper-midscale through to luxury.

“By expanding our offerings across the lodging spectrum, we are not only tapping into the fast-growing market of millennial-minded customers who desire local experiences, but we are also offering new stay experiences to our existing customers too,” said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International.

“Easily accessible and equipped to cater to the needs of all kinds of travellers, from solo and groups to business and leisure, Asai Bangkok Chinatown is a great option for lodging in Bangkok’s fascinating Old Town,” said Mr Siradej Donavanik, Managing Director, ASAI Holdings Company Limited, which operates Asai Hotels.

“We have all the elements in place to appeal to the tastes of modern travellers who appreciate sustainability and who want to experience the true essence of a destination. From our minimalist, locally inspired design with considerate technological touches, to our unique locally-inspired lifestyle and dining experiences, our hotel is set to become a hub of the community, offering highly comfortable, affordable stays for our curious and dynamic guests, and serving as an attractive and happening venue in which to work, rest, eat and play for Bangkokians at large.”

The Chinatown debut property features 224 thoughtfully compact rooms (ranging from 18 – 26 sq m). Each room’s contemporary and clean design emphasises in-stay essentials, such as superior quality beds, high-pressure rain showers, luggage space, and a work desk with USB charging station. A large communal area, meanwhile, includes large and comfortable work areas, a small gym, a bar highlighting craft beers and creative cocktails, a large courtyard with organic herb garden, and Jam Jam restaurant serving a creative twist on local and international favourites.

The hotel is located adjacent to Yaowarat Road, only 100 metres from Wat Mangkon MRT underground station, the hotel also puts guests in the heart of a vibrant neighbourhood renowned for its lively fresh markets, historic temples, traditional shop houses, hidden coffee shops and a vast array of street-side eateries. The Rattanakosin Island area, home to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, is only two stations away on the MRT. The city’s major commercial districts can also be easily reached via the underground network.

The overall brand concept is: ‘Live Local’. Each hotel in the ASAI portfolio will be geared to reflect its local character in terms of design, style and restaurant offering.This approach will be further evident when Asai Hotels opens its second hotel, in Bangkok’s Sathorn district, which will fully embrace the modernity of its inner-city setting to offer a complementary-yet-distinctive stay experience that differentiates it from the Chinatown property.