THE Waterfront Labuan hotel stands like a sentinel, facing the sea and overlooking a marina with boatmen going about their business in the shimmering distance.
Waterfront (forefront) viewed from the sea.
The 94-room establishment, strategically located at Labuan’s waterfront and adjacent to the Financial Park, has been a striking landmark in the area since 1994.
It was officially opened by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and has since hosted a number of VIPs.
It’s therefore, not surprising to see trees growing in the vast compound of the hotel. The visiting dignitaries have planted them to enhance the surroundings. The artistically pruned ornamental trees are quite attractive.
The hotel, developed on about four acres of reclaimed land, has adopted a contemporary architectural style with its external and internal decors, specifically designed to cater for the international financial and business community, according to Carmey Chua, the chief executive officer (CEO).
She stressed the selling point is the hotel’s history.
Opened in 1994, it quickly became the hotel of choice for many national and foreign leaders.
“It’s also part of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s vision to make Labuan an international financial hub with upgraded international standard facilities,” she said, adding that as an integral part of Labuan’s history, it’s important to keep the hotel as such.
There are also other aspects of the hotel that woo guests to return – and one is its service.
Carmey believes the hotel’s distinct feature is that it is family-owned and that it has a friendly atmosphere.
The services are on par with any international hotels and the staff is hospitable and helpful.
Spacious and airy
The rooms are spacious and well-aired. The furniture make the hotel homey for almost every class of people.
“These have actually been refurbished quite extensively – at a cost of RM30 million,” Carmey revealed.
“This refurbishment is the first phase of the overall upgrading of the hotel and designed to enable it to keep up with Labuan’s progressive economic development in line with the Prime Minister’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).”
She noted that Labuan’s economic activities had increased substantially due to offshore oil and gas exploration, production activities as well as Labuan Shipyards’ naval maintenance and ship-building.
“The overall population, including over 6,000 university students, and offshore banking and insurance business operations have also increased,” she said, adding that demand for higher hospitality standards and better quality rooms, conference facilities and food and beverage outlets, would also increase in the light of anticipated spike in flight frequency to Labuan.
According to her, with the completion of phase 1 (refurbishment), RM130 million has so far been invested in upgrading Waterfront Labuan. About RM1,400,000 is spent on each room, making the hotel the modern accommodation choice of both business and leisure travellers alike.
“The next two phases are part of our continued commitment to the strong and sustainable growth of Labuan.”
Carmey said the refurbishment exercise on all 94 guestrooms included light fittings, security cards and installation of wall-mounted LCD TVs with in-room wireless as well as data connections.
For the second phase, an additional 74 rooms will be added to the existing ones.
Carmey said the conference rooms are now being upgraded while a new VIP area and business centre will be set up to make Waterfront Labuan the ideal venue for small to medium-sized conferences and banquets.
Latest technologies
All facilities are installed with the latest technologies and the air-conditioning, mechanical and electrical equipment have been completely overhauled.
She stressed the hotel was the first to have a modern concept to which guests have responded positively.
The logo has been modernised as well with the display of a yacht. The previous one looked like two ‘yes’ marks.
The hotel – with one presidential suite, six suites, two junior suites and 85 deluxe superior rooms – boasts three food and beverage outlets such as the Spinnaker Restaurant, Sunset Bar and The Vintage Lounge.
It has five function rooms, a swimming pool, a tennis court and a gymnasium.
“We will organise historical tours of the hotel for visitors, and our guests, and may eventually include the public. These visits will last about half an hour as there are many stories to tell.”
International sports festivals can also help boost tourism in Labuan to augment its offerings of historical sites such as the War Memorial where the Japanese signed their surrender, and the old coal mine.
The 94-room establishment, strategically located at Labuan’s waterfront and adjacent to the Financial Park, has been a striking landmark in the area since 1994.
It was officially opened by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and has since hosted a number of VIPs.
It’s therefore, not surprising to see trees growing in the vast compound of the hotel. The visiting dignitaries have planted them to enhance the surroundings. The artistically pruned ornamental trees are quite attractive.
The hotel, developed on about four acres of reclaimed land, has adopted a contemporary architectural style with its external and internal decors, specifically designed to cater for the international financial and business community, according to Carmey Chua, the chief executive officer (CEO).
She stressed the selling point is the hotel’s history.
Opened in 1994, it quickly became the hotel of choice for many national and foreign leaders.
“It’s also part of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s vision to make Labuan an international financial hub with upgraded international standard facilities,” she said, adding that as an integral part of Labuan’s history, it’s important to keep the hotel as such.
There are also other aspects of the hotel that woo guests to return – and one is its service.
Carmey believes the hotel’s distinct feature is that it is family-owned and that it has a friendly atmosphere.
The services are on par with any international hotels and the staff is hospitable and helpful.
Spacious and airy
The rooms are spacious and well-aired. The furniture make the hotel homey for almost every class of people.
“These have actually been refurbished quite extensively – at a cost of RM30 million,” Carmey revealed.
“This refurbishment is the first phase of the overall upgrading of the hotel and designed to enable it to keep up with Labuan’s progressive economic development in line with the Prime Minister’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).”
She noted that Labuan’s economic activities had increased substantially due to offshore oil and gas exploration, production activities as well as Labuan Shipyards’ naval maintenance and ship-building.
“The overall population, including over 6,000 university students, and offshore banking and insurance business operations have also increased,” she said, adding that demand for higher hospitality standards and better quality rooms, conference facilities and food and beverage outlets, would also increase in the light of anticipated spike in flight frequency to Labuan.
According to her, with the completion of phase 1 (refurbishment), RM130 million has so far been invested in upgrading Waterfront Labuan. About RM1,400,000 is spent on each room, making the hotel the modern accommodation choice of both business and leisure travellers alike.
“The next two phases are part of our continued commitment to the strong and sustainable growth of Labuan.”
Carmey said the refurbishment exercise on all 94 guestrooms included light fittings, security cards and installation of wall-mounted LCD TVs with in-room wireless as well as data connections.
For the second phase, an additional 74 rooms will be added to the existing ones.
Carmey said the conference rooms are now being upgraded while a new VIP area and business centre will be set up to make Waterfront Labuan the ideal venue for small to medium-sized conferences and banquets.
Latest technologies
All facilities are installed with the latest technologies and the air-conditioning, mechanical and electrical equipment have been completely overhauled.
She stressed the hotel was the first to have a modern concept to which guests have responded positively.
The logo has been modernised as well with the display of a yacht. The previous one looked like two ‘yes’ marks.
The hotel – with one presidential suite, six suites, two junior suites and 85 deluxe superior rooms – boasts three food and beverage outlets such as the Spinnaker Restaurant, Sunset Bar and The Vintage Lounge.
It has five function rooms, a swimming pool, a tennis court and a gymnasium.
“We will organise historical tours of the hotel for visitors, and our guests, and may eventually include the public. These visits will last about half an hour as there are many stories to tell.”
International sports festivals can also help boost tourism in Labuan to augment its offerings of historical sites such as the War Memorial where the Japanese signed their surrender, and the old coal mine.