Expect new brand signatures under Citadines’ brand refresh such as activ∞, For the Love of Coffee, cafe check-in experience, convertible features, Citazens’ barista training, and For the Love of Cities brand film.
The Ascott Limited unveils Citadines brand refresh while preparing for the company’s accelerated growth. It is the group’s fastest growing brand with over 180 properties to date across 56 cities. Ascott acquired the Citadines chain in Europe in 2004. It has since tripled its portfolio with 104 properties in operation, including its latest flagship property, Citadines Raffles Place Singapore, in the heart of the city’s financial district.
Citadines, which means ‘city dwellers’ in French, strikes a chord with travellers who seek quality city living. Because every city is unique, Citadines lives up to its tagline For the Love of Cities and offers travelers the comfort of a serviced residence and the flexibility of a hotel. The refreshed brand is anchored upon the commitment to provide guests with the best of city living while inspiring them to live, work, and play in infinite ways. The refreshed Citadines brand seeks to consistently curate unique experiences and service offerings that best meet the needs of its guests.
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Ms Tan Bee Leng, Ascott’s Managing Director for Brand & Marketing, said: “Citadines is an important brand in Ascott’s portfolio and we look to aggressively expand its footprint in key cities around the world. We have always believed in the market potential of aparthotel living. Supported by its design versatility, favourable guest demographics and resilient market fundamentals, the growth of the brand has been exponential.”
She adds, ” Over the past few years, the serviced apartment business has transformed. We have likewise pivoted our offerings towards a hybrid model that would not only allow us to offer the option of both hotel rooms and serviced residences, but also a robust programme that better caters to the lifestyle needs of our guests.”
Citadines introduces new brand signature programmes and celebrates opening of the flagship property in Singapore.
activ∞
As part of the refreshed brand and its ambition to promote a well-balanced lifestyle, ‘activ∞’, will be a key brand signature across all Citadines properties. A curation of amenities and programmes to jumpstart city living, activ∞ will ensure guests can live, work, and play seamlessly within the property and around the city. This includes resident events that are specially designed to activate the infinite possibilities of city living, fitness amenities and programmes that encourage an active lifestyle.
For the Love of Coffee
This signature programme is a collaboration with local communities to deliver unique coffee-related Citadines experiences to guests, wherever they are in the world. Through the universal language of coffee, Citadines aims to bring guests together, enabling a truly shared, immersive experience in every city. It aims to be a key feature in Citadines properties across the world. For example, Citadines Grand Central Sri Racha in Thailand launched an extensive line-up of activities during International Coffee Week last year, in partnership with Italian coffee company, illy, through a series of workshops, staff engagement programmes and complimentary coffee for guests. Citadines properties around the world will also be launching a series of coffee activation activities over the month of October this year, in support of #CitadinesLovesCoffee.
Café check-in experience
Other brand signature initiatives include the café check-in experience at Citadines Raffles Place Singapore, where guests will be greeted by an integrated reception incorporating the relaxing vibes of a café as they step into the lobby. At Citadines Bay City Manila in the Philippines, the social lounge has been revamped into a coffee bar, where guests can interact and chat over a cup of coffee.
Convertible features
This is another brand signature that allows for the transformation of rooms and property spaces to suit the daily work and lifestyle needs of guests. At Citadines Raffles Place Singapore, guests seeking to prepare their meals or host a private meeting in a more social environment may take advantage of the residents’ kitchen, a private dining space which doubles up for both meetings and intimate dining events. A shared workspace at the lobby is fitted with varying seating arrangements including communal tables as well as barstools at high tables to ensure that different working styles are met.
Barista training
Citadines associates, known as Citazens will undergo barista training and double-up as baristas, in addition to providing guests with the best hacks to navigate city living. This programme has since been successfully rolled-out at Citadines Sudirman Jakarta, and will be further expanded to other Citadines properties.
With the unveiling of the refreshed Citadines brand, guests can expect to experience the full suite of key brand signatures as properties progressively roll out all initiatives across regions including the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East by 2025.
Brand film
A brand film titled For The Love of Cities will roll out on various digital and social channels as part of the Citadines brand refresh. The film illustrates how each city offers its own unique sights, sounds, and experiences. It highlights Citadines’ commitment to deliver the best of city living, with every service offering catered to satisfy its guests in infinite ways. A regional TikTok campaign will kick off on 27 September 2022 across eight markets: Australia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
Leng concludes, “With the buoyant growth in both corporate and leisure travel across key markets, we are excited to bolster our expansion plans for Citadines. Especially as travel resumes, it is timely for us to embark on a brand refresh for this fastest growing brand. With the trajectory we’re seeing, we are confident to continue growing Citadines, which has one of the most extensive global footprints amongst aparthotel brands, to deliver value for both our guests and owners.”
For inquiries, please contact Associate Director for Marketing, Mary Eunice Lodripas at +632 7755 8872, (63) 9171531591, or [email protected].
Banner photo courtesy of Ascott International Management Philippines.
