Six Senses pulls out of Gallery

The new year started with two hotel companies ending partnerships. In Singapore, Six Senses pulled out of the Gallery Evason and in India, Mandarin Oriental had ties ended with Ananda, IndiaÕs first destination spa resort.

A legal suit is expected to take centre stage between the owners of Gallery Evason hotel in Singapore and Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas, which has prematurely ended its management of the property with effect from January 8, 2002.

Both sides are blaming the other for the end of the relationship and planning to sue each other.

A brief statement from the Bangkok-based manager and developer of luxury hotels and spas said it has Òterminated the management agreement with immediate effect.Ó

The statement from the managing director of Six Senses Bernhard Bohnenberger said Six Senses has been managing the Singapore property through associate company Xenith Holdings Pte Limited.

The management contract, which began in the first quarter of 2000, was to have run a 10-year term, leading the way for a possible breach of contract legal suit to be filed.

The hotel has been renamed The Gallery and Richard Sim has taken over as corporate general manager of the hotel.

The former general manager, Michel van der Hoeven has left the hotel.

Sources gave different versions why the management was terminated prematurely for the hotel which came onto the scene with much fanfare as SingaporeÕs first HIP hotel.

TravelWeekly East understands Six Senses had given notice a few months ago that some facilities and enhancements that were to have been provided by the owners were not fulfilled.

The spa is understood to be one of them.

Sim told TravelWeekly East that the operators were to be blamed for the termination of the agreement.

ÒIt was mismanagement of the hotel that caused the termination of the agreement.Ó

ÒThey had promised us it will be a HIP hotel; that they will get the average room rates and create awareness of the hotel. They didnÕt fulfill them. It was all empty promises,Ó he said.

Asked if the hotel would retain the hip image, he said his immediate task now is to improve occupancy and F&B revenue and try to solve the problems with the changeover. Current occupancy rates at the hotel are at 40 percent and heÕs targetting to bring it to 60 percent. HeÕs also working on bringing the rates down to US$115 from US$120. The Gallery Evason was designed as SingaporeÕs first riverside designer hotel. Located in the trendy Robertson Quay entertainment area, the hotel has received rave reviews. A contemporary collage of iron, steel, glass and bold colours, it has also received an award from the Singapore Institute of Architects for its unique design. The hotel has also teamed up with local art college La Salle to showcase works of local artists.

Meanwhile, van der Hoeven, is joining Sanctuary Resorts, a Hong Kong-based resort management company.

He will set up the South-east Asian regional office in Thailand and develop properties in the Mekong region.

Sanctuary presently has one property, The Bale in Bali.