Yangon's luxurious Sedona hotel launched its new Inya wing on 1 October. The 29 story expansion to the existing Sedona Hotel Yangon includes 431 new luxury rooms, a grand lobby, high-end retail gallery and an all-day restaurant which will see the Sedona hotel increase its market share in Yangon's competitive luxury accommodation market.
Designed by award-winning Singapore firm Forum Architects in conjunction with renowned hospitality design firm Studio HBA, the design follows a distinctly Myanmar influence with traditional aspects of Myanmar culture infused with a modern Asian aesthetic.
The Inya wing offers un-impeded views of Inya Lake, the Shwedagon pagoda, and the city landscape. It rises from the ground in 3 interfacing blocks which enable its interior to be permeated with natural light. The focal point of the lobby is a lighting centrepiece modelled on the traditional Myanmar umbrella, a motif which runs throughout the new wing.
Golds from Buddhist influences and reds from indigenous lacquerware comprise the feature colours of the lobby while the rooms are finished with dark wood with elegant lamps, modelled off the Myanmar umbrella,that bring warmth and modernity to their design.
The Yangon Sedona Hotel first opened in Yangon in 1996 with 334 rooms, but 2015 sees Myanmar's tourist industry in stark contrast to the failed “Visit Myanmar 1996” tourist campaign initiated by the then ruling Military regime which was largely boycotted by international tourists.
Mr Ng Ooi Hooi, President of Regional Investments at Keppel Land, which owns Sedona Hotel Yangon feels they are well poised to handle the rise in competition.
“What separates us from our competitors is that we are distinctly Myanmar, our décor, our service it’s all very distinctly Myanmar.” he said
Keppel Land invested 80 million USD into the expansion project.
Today, Myanmar boasts huge growth figures in its tourism sector with 2015 set to break previous records for tourist arrivals. The tourism ministry estimates 4.5million tourist arrivals by the end of 2015 and 7.5 million by 2020.
Such growth has spurred a wave of foreign direct investment into Myanmar's tourist accommodation market with 489 new upper scale hotel rooms delivered in the first half of 2015 and several global luxury hotel chains set to complete development in Yangon in the next 2 years.