Bill Black ’ s
NEXT
ADVENTURE
SilverNeedle sews up Constellation Hotels and aims to be a major player in Asia Pacific .
By Adam Kirby , contributing editor
SilverNeedle has a management contract for the Kiridara in Laos .
Anew player in Asia Pacific hotel investment and management burst onto the scene last September , but while the firm may not be familiar , the man leading it is .
Backed by the Bangalore , Indiabased Nadathur Group , Singaporebased SilverNeedle Hospitality is being positioned as an integrated hotel management , development and investment company with a focus on upper-midscale properties across Asia Pacific . SilverNeedle marks Nadathur ’ s first foray into hospitality , and the multi-sector conglomerate plans to be largely hands-off .
SilverNeedle ’ s president is one of the most respected hoteliers in the region , Bill Black , an icon from two decades with Regent International Hotels . In 2009 , Black ’ s BMC Management Corp . was acquired by Nadathur and rebranded as Ativa Hospitality . SilverNeedle has since absorbed Ativa ’ s framework while adding an investment focus and expanding its
focus beyond Thailand .
SilverNeedle made a big initial splash last September , acquiring Australia ’ s midscale Constellation Hotels group from Tourast Corp . Constellation ’ s portfolio includes 62 hotels and about 4,500 guestrooms under the Chifley , Australis , Country Comfort and Sundowner brands .
SilverNeedle ’ s portfolio also includes several management contracts formerly under Ativa : Silq Bangkok , Kiridara in Laos and 137 Pillars House in Chiang Mai along with Supatra Riverside Bangkok , slated to open in April . SilverNeedle also provides asset management for former Ativa clients Trisara Phuket and Indigo Pearl Phuket .
Next brand Using the Constellation system as an operating and marketing base , SilverNeedle is launching its own signature brand , Next Hotels and Resorts , to include both owned properties and third-party management contracts . Next is primarily aimed at road warriors , although the brand ’ s resorts will offer a family-friendly atmosphere and authentic local cultural experiences . In conceptualizing Next , SilverNeedle sought to eliminate offerings not central to the target traveler ’ s hotel experience — guestroom bathrooms will include luxurious showers but no tubs , for example . Operationally , Next properties will lack front desks and will focus on a team approach to services , with employees training across varied competencies . Average rates for Next ’ s city center properties will hover around US $ 125 , Black says .
With Next and the Constellation brands , SilverNeedle aims to capitalize on the region ’ s rapidly growing segment of middle-class travelers , a strategy that Robert McIntosh , executive director of CB Richard Ellis Hotels Singapore , believes will bode well . “ There ’ s a lot of focus on the prestigious hotels , the 5-stars ,”
18 HOTELS January / February 2012 www . hotelsmag . com