Ascott offers ‘Work in Residence’ and ‘Space-as-a-Service’

Looking for a comfortable, private space to work safely, study or organize fitness activities? The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has launched its ‘Work in Residence’ initiative at participating properties worldwide, transforming selected apartments into conducive work suites.

To extend its service offerings, Ascott is also providing its ‘Space-as-a-Service’ by exploring with multinational corporations (MNCs), entrepreneurs and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) different possibilities to optimize the use of space in its properties. These range from hosting cloud kitchens and Starbucks coffee kiosks, to organizing live streaming or fitness activities in its apartments, and serving as parcel collection hubs for convenient pickup of online orders.

Live, work, play and innovate in serviced residences

Mr Kevin Goh, CapitaLand’s Chief Executive Officer for Lodging and Ascott’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are evolving our lodging products and services to cater to new customer segments, uncover alternative revenue streams as well as deliver greater value for our guests and business partners.”

Mr Leong Teng Wui, Ascott’s Chief Development Officer, said: “With the launch of Ascott’s ‘Work in Residence’, we are seizing opportunities on the rising telecommuting trend to offer a comprehensive solution for guests to live and work in a safe and private space. Ascott’s award-winning interior design service team will work with the properties and owners to leverage our deep design capabilities to reconfigure and customize Ascott’s spacious apartments, to not only provide a home away from home, but also create a conducive, productive and well-designed workspace for our guests.”

“Through Ascott’s ‘Space-as-a-Service’, we are exploring ways to offer more services to guests while further optimizing the use of space at our properties and capitalizing on our properties’ adaptability and central locations to further grow Ascott’s business. This adaptive use of space and menu of new services will create an even more productive, conducive and stimulating environment for our guests to live, work, play and innovate in our properties,” added Mr Leong.

‘Work in Residence’ with on-demand services

With Ascott’s ‘Work in Residence’, guests, corporates and students seeking alternative location to work from home or study can easily book its spacious, conducive and self-contained work suites across over 60 participating properties in more than 30 cities and over 10 countries.

Ascott’s ‘Work in Residence’ offers flexibility, convenience and value through its fully-furnished and well-equipped work suites that enable guests to just check-in and start work with minimal disruptions, enabling them to stay productive and connected. Larger apartments with separate living and dining areas, kitchen and individual bedrooms are ideal for project groups.

Guests have the flexibility to choose either daily, weekly or monthly packages. Depending on the length of use and location, the work suites come with a dedicated workstation, regular housekeeping, complimentary coffee and tea or complimentary parking at selected serviced residences. Nespresso coffee machines are also available in selected apartments.

Telecommuting essentials such as high-speed WiFi, wide-screen monitor, webcam for videoconferencing, and Bluetooth speakers with microphones are available on demand.

To enhance the work-stay experience, Ascott properties provide guests with task lights, wireless charging stand for tablets and mobile phones, adequate power plugs and USB charging ports, as well as a stationery kit. Guests can also choose from a range of services which include food delivery, grocery shopping, printing, concierge or book-a-chef for in-room dining.

Book the ‘Work in Residence’ package with the promotional code ‘WORKSPACE’ to enjoy a special rate. Guests can also sign up for the complimentary Ascott Star Rewards loyalty membership to earn and redeem points across participating properties worldwide.

For corporate bookings, please contact: enquiry@the-ascott.com.

The launch of ‘Work in Residence’ follows Ascott’s successful pilot garnered positive feedback from corporates and guests in countries such as Australia, France, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Turkey.

‘Space-as-a-Service’ to enhance guest experience

Ascott is optimizing the use of space at its properties to enhance guest experience through its ‘Space-as-a-Service’ initiative.

Starbucks kiosks with coffee at special rates

Ascott has partnered with Nestlé to set up ‘We Proudly Serve Starbucks’ coffee kiosks in the lobby of its Citadines-branded properties around the world. Citadines Balestier Singapore and Citadines Fusionopolis Singapore are the first in the serviced residence industry in Singapore with these kiosks. Guests at Citadines can recharge their day with Starbucks coffee at special rates. The Starbucks self-service kiosks are expected to roll out to other Citadines properties in Singapore by January next year.

Plans are also in place to bring the Starbucks self-service kiosks to the rest of the Citadines properties starting with China, Malaysia and Japan by the end of 2020 and Europe in 2021.

Cloud kitchen and parcel collection hub

To offer guests more value-added services, Ascott is leveraging the strategic locations of its serviced residences by exploring with MNCs, entrepreneurs and SMEs to use the space at its properties to host cloud kitchens or as parcel collection hubs. In Singapore, Ascott has partnered with a food technology company to set up a cloud kitchen in the shared kitchen of lyf Funan Singapore to provide in-house guests with more dining options.

In the Philippines, Somerset Alabang Manila is piloting the conversion of under-utilized spaces within the property into a parcel collection hub where delivery firms can sort and store parcels. This will allow guests at Somerset Alabang Manila to receive their deliveries quicker at the property.

Live streaming and fitness studios

To provide guests and corporates with a comfortable environment to live, work and exercise, Ascott also converts the spacious apartments equipped with high-speed WiFi into live streaming or fitness studios.

Tapping into the popular live stream ecommerce business, Ascott Raffles City Shenzhen and Somerset IOC Hangzhou in China have provided selected apartments for live streaming events and photoshoots for long-stay guests which include internet celebrities and corporates from new media and ecommerce companies.

Ascott Raffles City Chengdu and Somerset Riverview Chengdu in China have converted some of their apartments into fitness studios where instructors can reserve them at special rates to conduct classes for the properties’ guests. In Vietnam, selected apartments have similarly been converted into yoga studios at Somerset Grand Hanoi, Somerset Hoa Binh Hanoi and Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City. There are also plans to introduce a referral program to attract more yoga instructors and practitioners.

At its properties worldwide, Ascott continues to deliver stringent hygiene and cleanliness standards as well as safe distancing. This is demonstrated through its ‘Ascott Cares’ commitment to continue providing safe homes for guests and a safe working environment for staff. Ascott has also partnered with Bureau Veritas to provide independent audits and certification for the hygiene and safety standards of its properties worldwide. In Singapore, Ascott’s properties such as lyf Funan Singapore, Ascott Orchard Singapore, Ascott Raffles Place Singapore and Citadines Fusionopolis Singapore  have been certified with the SG Clean quality mark for upholding good sanitization and hygiene practices. For more information on ‘Ascott Cares’, please visit: www.the-ascott.com/en/ascottcares.

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