The Ascott group is completing its conquest of Paris's beautiful districts by preparing to set up its luxury The Crest Collection on the Left Bank, quai des Grands Augustins. After La Clef Louvre, La Clef Tour Eiffel and La Clef Champs-Élysées, by 2026 the world leader in extended-stay hotels will be offering a fourth five-star address in the capital. The fifth in France, if we add the Château Belmont in Tours.
However, the Ascott group is no stranger to the area, as this project involves the transformation of one of its aparthotels, the Citadines St Germain des Près residence. A place steeped in historyThis was the site of the Grands Augustins convent until it was demolished during the Revolution, and then of a poultry market throughout the 19th century.e century. At the beginning of the XXeIn its place, a Hausmann-style building was built to house the headquarters of the Compagnie Générale des Omnibus, and later the Compagnie Générale des Omnibus. RATP until 1996, when it was converted into a Citadines aparthotel.
As owner of the building, Ile-de-France Mobilités decided last year to sell its assets to CapitaLand Investment Limited, the parent company of the Ascott group, as its finances were weighed down by the pandemic. A buyout prior to this move upmarketThe renovation phase is due to start in 2024, after the Olympic Games, and run until 2026. Once again, Ascott has entrusted the Studio Jean-Philippe Nuel, already responsible for the contemporary décor at La Clef Champs-Élysées, with the project.
" Three years after the delivery of this project, we are once again lucky enough to be working with The Crest Collection brand on an exceptional project." commented Studio Jean-Philippe Nuel. The hotel, the name of which will be revealed at a later date, will focus mainly on classic rooms, but will also offer residential accommodation. " We want to make it a flagship establishment on the left banksays Philippe Mettey, VP Sales & Marketing Europe at Ascott Ltd. When you look at the Paris hotel industry, there are very few four- or five-star establishments with 200 rooms. Apart from the big machines like the Pullman Montparnasse, the only Left Bank hotel with this capacity is the Lutetia." .
This project is also in line with the Group's commitment to " from revitalising The Crest Collection and expanding it geographically" explains Philippe Mettey. So, in parallel with this expected opening in Paris, Ascott has announced that two other establishments will be added to its collection this year. And it will no longer be a French collection, as the brand will be setting up shop in China and Singapore.
After renovation, the Riverside Hotel Robertson Quay in Singapore will be renamed The Robertson House by The Crest Collection, and is due to open in the third quarter of 2023. In China, the Yuexiu Hotel Guangzhou by The Crest Collection will open at the end of the year, offering 196 flats as well as a swimming pool and garden or video room, among other facilities. Next up, the luxury brand will appear in Hanoi in 2024A 28-suite exclusive property in Vietnam's largest integrated serviced residence project being developed on the shores of West Lake.
This will bring to eight the portfolio of a brand that is set to expand elsewhere, whether in Jakarta, Bangkok, Tokyo and Osaka in Asia or in the Middle East. in London, Europe. " The Crest Collection responds to the growing demand from hotel owners for an upscale positioning combined with the power of a global chain. We look forward to welcoming other hotels seeking to broaden their customer base and strengthen their global profile while retaining their own unique identity." said Tan Bee Leng, General Manager of Brand and Marketing at Ascott.
