Country overview: 25,000 rooms in Malaysia’s hotel pipeline [Infographic]

Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam, Malaysia

Malaysia’s hotel market is growing steadily with a strong focus on Kuala Lumpur where over a quarter of the country’s new projects are planned, according to our exclusive analysis of the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database.

A look into the database shows that 86 hotels with 24,928 rooms are slated to open in Malaysia in the coming years. We find out more about these upcoming projects.

Years of growth lie ahead

Our researchers have found that 16 hotels with 3,515 rooms are due for completion in the second half of 2020, of which ten are already in the pre-opening phase. 2021 is also looking strong with 26 properties and 7,677 rooms on the books.

Another 18 projects with 5,359 keys are underway for 2022 – and 26 more will be completed in 2023 and beyond, adding 8,377 rooms to the Malaysian hotel market.

57 of these new properties will be in the four-star category, while the remaining 29 will fall into the five-star segment.

Malaysia’s biggest urban hotel markets

Kuala Lumpur heads up the list of Malaysia’s top five urban hotel markets in terms of openings with 23 hotels in the works, which equates to an impressive 27% of the country’s entire inventory. These will bring 6,730 additional rooms to the capital’s pipeline.

Elsewhere, the popular seaside destination of Kota Kinabalu will grow its offering by eight properties with 2,708 rooms, and Melaka will see six openings with 2,072 keys. Penang, another famous destination known for its vibrant culture and excellent food, will get five new hotels with 1,301 rooms, while rounding out the list is the island of Langkawi with four openings and 1,241 keys.

Hotel brands growing their presence in Malaysia

As a quickly developing travel destination, Malaysia is becoming increasingly attractive for international hotel brands as well as extended-stay specialists.

Somerset Serviced Residence leads the list of international brands expanding in Malaysia with seven hotels and 1,984 rooms in its pipeline. Citadines apart’hotels plans to grow by six properties and 1,289 keys.

Meanwhile, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts is adding four hotels, while Meliá Hotels & Resorts and Parkroyal Hotels & Resorts will launch three and two properties respectively.

Watch out for these Malaysian hotel openings

Among Malaysia’s many interesting openings, the following trio particularly stand out.

Lexis Hibiscus 2, the largest project currently in our database for Malaysia, will provide 760 elegant rooms and some of the best dining and meeting venues in the state of Negeri Sembilan. Its key facilities will include a sunken aquarium with a built-in restaurant – the first of its kind in Malaysia – a musical fountain, and the Hibiscus Walk, an outdoor shopping and dining destination featuring street food-style stalls offering authentic Malaysian cuisine. Only an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport or Kuala Lumpur city centre, Lexis Hibiscus 2 Port Dickson will welcome guests to Pasir Panjang beach from Q1 2024.

Also, from early 2021, the 440-room Hotel Jen Kota Kinabalu will be open for business on top of PacifiCity, the premier shopping, entertainment and lifestyle destination. It will connect hotel guests to world-class shopping while offering expansive views of the South China Sea, coastal wetlands and the majestic Mount Kinabalu. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding area and local culture, Hotel Jen Kota Kinabalu will comprise two iconic towers and resort-standard facilities that are shared with the PacifiCity Club.

Lastly, Amari Penang will offer 453 rooms in a tower connected to Setia SPICE, the world’s first hybrid solar-powered convention centre. The complex also incorporates a 10,000-seat events arena, an aquatic and sports centre, and a lifestyle and retail village. Strategically located in the Bayan Lepas district of Penang island close to multinational corporate offices, Penang Golf Club, shopping malls and entertainment areas, the hotel will no doubt appeal to both business and leisure travellers when it opens in Q3 2021.

Below is our latest Malaysia hotel development infographic, which draws on information in the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database: