London/Singapore – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has achieved significant milestones in its global expansion strategy with a focus on Europe. Marking the debut of The Unlimited Collection brand and the expansion of the lyf brand, Ascott has signed six new properties in Europe. This addition increases Ascott’s European portfolio by 14%, bringing it to approximately 8,000 units across six brands and expanding its presence to 29 cities, including new entries in Colmar (France), Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, and Manchester (UK).
To further enhance its visibility in Europe and strengthen its global network, Ascott has entered into a multi-year partnership with Chelsea Football Club, becoming the Official Global Hotels Partner. From the second half of 2024, Ascott will manage the 232-unit stadium hotels at London’s Stamford Bridge, which will be rebranded as lyf Stamford Bridge London in the second half of 2025. This partnership will showcase Ascott’s hospitality to Chelsea fans worldwide.
Kevin Goh, Chief Executive Officer for Ascott and CLI Lodging, commented: “As a global tourism and business hub, Europe plays a key role in Ascott’s expansion plans. The diverse and dynamic nature of its hospitality sector offers plenty of scope for Ascott to drive more successful partnerships with owners. We will achieve this by leveraging Ascott’s flex-hybrid hotel-in-residence model, which is designed to meet the varying needs of owners and guests through a wide selection of brands and customised solutions, backed by experienced teams with deep local knowledge.”
Lee Ngor Houai, Chief Operating Officer, Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), South Asia and China, Ascott, added: “Our European portfolio has been delivering strong performance, driving average daily rates of almost 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, our properties in Europe far exceeded all other markets in terms of revenue per available unit (RevPAU) and contributed to almost 16% of Ascott’s global revenue.”
Starting July 2024, Ascott will become Chelsea FC’s Official Global Hotels Partner for the next four seasons. Leveraging Chelsea’s global fanbase, Ascott aims to introduce its extensive portfolio of hospitality brands to a new audience. This partnership will offer exclusive access to matches at Stamford Bridge and VIP visits to The Blues Cobham Training Ground for Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) loyalty programme members. Additionally, the Ascott brand will feature prominently at Stamford Bridge and across Chelsea’s digital channels, providing engaging content for fans.
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Tan Bee Leng, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascott, stated: “The partnership taps on the strong synergy between Ascott and Chelsea as storied brands with global ambitions and extensive networks. As the Official Global Hotels Partner, Ascott will collaborate with Chelsea on a series of innovative marketing and promotional initiatives to engage with millions of football enthusiasts across Europe and beyond.”
Ascott also organized its first global event as part of the Ascott Privilege Signatures programme. Held in London, over 80 guests from its platinum tier of ASR members and esteemed owners enjoyed an exclusive experience at The Championships, Wimbledon 2024.
For further information on the exclusive Chelsea experiences for ASR members and Ascott’s new signings in Europe, please refer to the provided annexes.
