Ascott Signs Three New Properties in China

Ascott has secured contracts to manage three more properties in China, including its first serviced residence in Hefei.

The 250-unit Somerset Swan Lake Hefei is slated to open in 2017 while the 150-unit Ascott Nanbin Chongqing and 167-unit Somerset Software Park Xiamen are both scheduled to open in 2015.

Somerset Swan Lake Hefei

Somerset Swan Lake Hefei is located in the New Municipal and Cultural District which is between two major Economic Development Zones in Hefei – Hefei Economic Development Zone and Hefei Hi-tech Industrial Park where many multinational companies are based.

The serviced residence is part of Park Lane Plaza, a mixed development that also comprises a premier hotel, offices and high-end retail outlets.

The property offers a view of Swan Lake, a key attraction in Hefei, and is very close to the Hefei Grand Theatre, Hefei Olympic Sports Center, Hefei Wildlife Park and Shushan Park.

Somerset Swan Lake Hefei is also surrounded by shopping centres like the MIXC mall of China Resource, Wanda Plaza, Sunny World Center and In-Time City, as well as banks, supermarkets, restaurants, universities and hospitals.

The Hefei West Railway Station, Hefei high-speed railway station, and Hefei Airport are within a 10, 15, and 45-minute drive away respectively.

Residents will be able to choose from a range of studio to three-bedroom apartments and penthouses.

Ascott Nanbin Chongqing

Ascott Nanbin Chongqing has a central location at Nanbin Road in Nan An District and offers a view of the Yangtze River.

Residents will be able to enjoy access to leisure amenities such as the Nanbin Yanyu Park, Nanshan Arboretum, and Chongqing Amusement Park, as well as shopping malls including Wanda Square, Parkson, ShangHai Town and Macalline.

The serviced residence is close to several grade A offices and is just 15-minutes’ drive away from the Yuzhong Central Business District.

Ascott Nanbin Chongqing will provide a range of studios, one and two-bedroom apartments.

Somerset Software Park Xiamen

Somerset Software Park Xiamen has a prime location in Si Ming District, which is the economic, cultural and political centre of Xiamen.

The serviced residence is part of the Xiamen Software Park, one of the largest software parks in China, which houses offices as well as research and development centres of many leading high-tech companies such as Microsoft, Cisco and Huawei.

The property is also near the Xiamen Airport, Xiamen Exhibition Centre, Dream World Carnie water theme park, a yacht club, shopping centres and supermarkets including S&M, Wanda Plaza and Tesco.

Residents will be able to choose from studios to three-bedroom apartments and enjoy convenient access to various parts of Xiamen via extensive bus lines.

Mr Lee Chee Koon, Ascott’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “China is our key market and we are growing rapidly through management contracts, investments and strategic alliances. We are on track to achieve our target of 12,000 apartment units in China by 2015. Hefei, the capital and economic centre of Anhui Province, is one of the world’s fastest growing metropolitan economies. Its economy and foreign direct investment grew respectively by an average of 16% and 11% annually in the last five years. Ascott is the first international serviced residence operator in Hefei. Ascott has so far entered six cities in 2013 – Hefei, Nanjing and Wuxi in China, Gurgaon in India, and Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Our global portfolio has expanded to over 32,000 apartment units in 81 cities.”

All apartments in the three serviced residences will come with a fully-equipped kitchen and separate work and sleeping areas.

The comprehensive facilities in the properties include a gymnasium, business centre, meeting room, breakfast and residence lounges, swimming pool and children’s play area. In addition, Somerset Swan Lake Hefei will provide a spa as well.

The three new properties will further strengthen Ascott’s position in China, where it now has more than 9,000 apartment units in 51 properties across 20 cities.