Some 15 hotels changed hands with a total purchase value of 22 billion baht last year

A global commercial real estate and investment management company facilitated the acquisition of approximately 15 large hotels in Thailand, with a combined value of around 22 billion baht, the company announced.

Krit Pimhataivoot, Head of Capital Markets at Jones Lang LaSalle (Thailand) Limited, stated that the transactions managed by JLL Thailand last year were significantly higher than the yearly average of 10 billion baht recorded since 2010.

He added that half of the deals involved hotels in Bangkok, followed by properties in Phuket and Chiang Mai.

Krit also noted that the highest transaction value among the deals managed by JLL was the acquisition of the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit, which marked the highest-value single-asset transaction handled by JLL Thailand to date.

The Grande Asset Hotels and Property Plc sold the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit to Grand Residence International Co Ltd for 5.055 billion baht.

JLL Thailand also managed the sale and purchase of several other hotels, including Lamai Samui Resort and Spa, Hilton Garden Inn Phuket, and Portfolio Service Apartment, which comprises 1,800 rooms.

Meanwhile, Pattarachai Taweewong, Director of Research and Communications at Colliers International Thailand, stated that both Thai and foreign investors were interested in purchasing Thai hotels, particularly those in Bangkok, Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, Krabi, and Chiang Mai.

Pattarachai further noted that Colliers Thailand projected hotel transactions in Thailand to reach a total value of approximately 18 billion baht this year, the highest in the past five years.

He stated that investors are particularly interested in acquiring hotels that meet the following criteria:

• Offering a return of 6% per year
• Buildings no older than 15 years, with a preference for those under 10 years old
• Hotels with more than 150 rooms