Themed hotels aren’t uncommon – but would you stay at a durian-themed hotel? Singaporean director Jack Neo (梁志强) and Hong Kong actress Amy Yip (叶子楣) have recently announced that they’re joining hands to bring a new durian-themed hotel to Penang!
The two stars recently appeared at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur for the soon-to-open hotel. The establishment is said to be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia and will be in Penang. According to reports, Amy will serve as a non-executive director, while Jack will hold the position of creative director. This hotel is also the second Malaysian hotel the HK actress has invested in, following the Penang boutique hotel, The Leith.
Amy, who is reportedly looking to invest in four hotels in Penang, got into the hotel business after getting acquainted with the managing director of Evians Holdings. The company is also behind The Leith and the upcoming durian hotel. However, the durian theme was partly Amy’s idea, with her saying, “When I came (to Malaysia), I fell in love with durians.” The actress added that the four hotels she’s investing in will each have a unique theme to preserve local culture and heritage.
On the other hand, Jack’s involvement in the hotel came after he stayed at one of Evian Holdings’ properties while in Malaysia. After getting acquainted with the boss of the property, he learned about their plans to build a durian-themed hotel. The director, who once made a story about a durian farmer, said he had a lot of ideas surrounding the fruit and would try to incorporate it into the new establishment. Interestingly, the 64-year-old also said there is already interest in expanding the durian hotel concept to Pahang.
Unfortunately, there are no details on the exact location and opening date of the durian-themed hotel – but we’re sure it’ll be a hit with durian lovers when it opens. What are your thoughts on this hotel? Are you willing to book a room here?
Source: The Star
