RESORTS World Sentosa (RWS) will open the doors to two new luxury properties on February 16—the 172-key Equarius Hotel and 22 exclusive Beach Villas.

Targeted at high-end guests from South-east Asia, the Middle East and Russia, the launch of the two properties will mark the completion of all accommodation offerings in the pipeline for the 49-hectare mega resort.

At a press conference held on February 13, Roger Lienhard, senior vice president, Hospitality Development and Projects, RWS, told the media that Equarius Hotel and the Beach Villas were positioned as urban getaways “which give guests the opportunity to experience a tranquil setting close to nature just minutes away from the fun at RWS, and the hustle and bustle of the city”.

No specific, independent marketing initiatives are in the works for either Equarius or the Beach Villas for now. Indeed, Lienhard believes that the “villas will sell themselves”. Both hotels will be marketed as part of the whole RWS development, with their “unique elements and characteristics on show,” so that potential guests can decide for themselves which property suits them best, he added.

Rack rates at Equarius Hotel start at S$800 (US$632) for a 51m² deluxe room per night and S$900 for a 139m² deluxe garden room, which comes with access to a private shared garden or pool. One-bed suites (102m²), of which there are six, start from S$1,600 per night. The Beach Villas conversely, cost from S$1,200 per night for a 62m² one-bed villa, to S$15,000 per night for the 731m² four-bedroom palace, which comes with its own pool, karaoke room, kitchen and outdoor space. Personal butlers service both hotels, which are expected to cater to VIPs.

Other facilities include seven meeting rooms, an event pavilion, a gym, a swimming pool and a 150-seat restaurant aptly named Forest, helmed by celebrity chef Sam Leong. The restaurant, encased in a glasshouse adjacent to the Equarius Hotel lobby, is managed by RWS, and will serve Chinese cuisine with a distinctive Thai influence.

The two properties will be just steps away from the resort’s upcoming destination spa, ESPA, which is scheduled to open sometime in May.

Lienhard projects that average occupancy for both properties will hit the 70 per cent mark within the first three months of operation, although RWS hopes to eventually reach 90 per cent occupancy, a similar figure to that of other hotels at the resort.

Special packages for both hotels will be available through RWS and authorised travel consultants from February 16 till March 31.