A few years ago when I first learned about ASAI I was skeptical about the concept. Another ‘lifestyle’ hotel among so many others around the world that aims to cater for ‘millennials’? So what’s different?
I have met Siradej Donavanik, Managing Director of ASAI Holdings Company Limited which operates ASAI Hotels, a number of times during press conferences and other social events, and always found him to be truly passionate about what he’s doing. In turn, he has helped me to understand what it takes to build an authentic brand, thoroughly dispelling my initial skepticism.
How to build an authentic brand
Get localized
At ASAI Chinatown, the hotel invited a Chinatown expert as a curator to help travelers find their way around this area. The experiences they want to offer certainly aren’t the ones you will find in any guidebooks
People love activities
Siradej is involved in one of the biggest music sustainability festivals, ‘Wonderfruit’, which is loved by so many people around the world. He successfully uses the space of the hotel and aligns the two components together as part of the experience at ASAI.
Be genuine
Good hotel branding starts with the founder who is often bold, and wants to do something different. People love a brand they perceive to be genuine. These people will love your brand for what it is. Your brand can’t be for everyone, however. It caters to a certain group and if it’s for a millennial-minded group of people, so be it.
Operation and service
No matter how cool or funky your brand is, service and hospitality need to be there. ASAI has its advantages because it is the sixth of the brands operated by Dusit, which is one of the most loved Thai hospitality groups among world travelers, so ASAI definitely has a solid foundation.
You can see a full interview with Siradej Donavanik on Hotelintel here.
As Scott Cook said, “a brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is - it is what consumers tell each other it is,” - and in this regard, ASAI is now very well positioned.