Basaga: Putting a twist to Kuching’s hospitality

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KUCHING: Located in a secluded corner of Jalan Tabuan, Basaga holiday residence provides a wonderfully serene option for tourists travelling to Kuching, while remaining in close vicinity to the city centre.

The 34-room establishment providers several room categories for guests to choose from – from its family rooms to the verandah and poolside rooms and last but not least, the courtyard rooms that come with open air showers, thereby giving a breath of fresh air into an otherwise mundane hotel room.

When asked what inspired him to set up this enclave surrounded by lush greeneries in Kuching, owner John Sia told The Borneo Post, “I have travelled to various tourist attractions across the globe, from Bali, to Phuket and have taken note of the increasingly prominent so-called boutique hotels at these places.

“I subsequently realised that there were no such establishments in Kuching,” he added.

Sia went on to highlight the existing demand for such boutique hotels as opposed to city hotels that occupy the traditional blocks of buildings. He believed that tourists that visit Kuching would welcome the idea of having a different option, and that was where Basaga came in.

Established in 2010, Sia harnessed his experience in restaurants and bars through his ownership of Soho and Kilkenny along Jalan Padungan into this larger scale project. With a set up cost of approximately RM2 million, the lobby of Basaga inhibits a 145 year-old house built by Indian merchants.

SERENE AMBIANCE: Photo shows the owner, John Sia, posing at the dining area of Basaga's restaurant and lounge.

“There’s a lot of wooden furniture and fittings in the lounge and rooms. I believe it provides a convenient escape for tourists,” Sia explained.

However, it has not always been all wine and roses for Basaga as Kuching was not known as a famed tourist attraction or business hub. With the many hotels all sharing the same ‘pie’, Sia confided that there was increasing competition in the market.

While the business saw consistent high occupancies during the weekends last year, things had slowed down this year which Sia attributed to the European economic crises. However, the businessman said that Basaga’s business was quite stable, hovering consistently above 50 per cent occupancy rate.

A CUT ABOVE: Basaga's salted pool, a rare type of pool in Kuching city which negates the use of chlorine in the water. The pool is located conveniently close the the poolside rooms and the verandah rooms.

He maintained his confidence of the competitive advantage his business has, with the ‘outdoor’ concept he adapted, not forgetting a salted pool located atop a hill, amidst surrounding trees. Its restaurant and bar provides another competitive edge.

“We serve both local and Western food, with the quality and hassle free Western dishes such as lamb chop and chicken chop to cater to walk-in diners, and the local delicacies such as laksa and umai which serve as eye-openers for foreign tourists,” Sia stated.

Sia was of the opinion that the restaurant and rooms could complement each other as income was diversified. When the rooms were experiencing a low season, the restaurant could see some income flowing in from the dining locals.

Basaga was currently undergoing a series of renovations which would see more dining areas being set up to cater to the increasing traffic in the restaurant and lounge.

When asked on tourism in Kuching, Sia opined that the local scene had developed quite well with the convenient ‘air-connectivity’ in the city, though much more could be done to bring it a step further.

He believed that Sarawak’s main attraction would be its cultural uniqueness and the natural attractions such as the national parks which could be upgraded to ‘international standards’ to attract more tourists.