Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is consolidating its expansion campaign in south-east Asia with two new properties announced for Malaysia and Vietnam, both of which will open in 2018.

Strengthening its development plans in Malaysia, the Swiss hospitality firm has signed a deal to manage the 30-storey Mövenpick Hotel Kota Bharu, a 453-key five-star resort in Kelantan, a state on the country’s east coast undergoing a rapid transformation.

This takes the group’s portfolio in Malaysia to three properties strong, with an upcoming hotel in Kuala Lumpur and a beachfront resort in Terengganu.

In the same year, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts will open Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh Bay, an integrated beachfront resort located in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, spanning some 20 hectares and featuring 250 rooms, 100 residences and 100 villas.

This will be the fourth Mövenpick hotel in Vietnam.

The brand currently has a presence in Hanoi and new openings are scheduled for Phu Quoc and Quy Nhon in the next two years.

The two new management deals come as Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts prepares to unveil its fifth property in Thailand, with Mövenpick Siam Hotel Pattaya’s opening next month.

Debuts in the Philippines and Indonesia will follow hot off their heels, as Mövenpick Resort Boracay and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran in the south of Bali are both on track for a 2016 opening.

“We are rapidly cementing a solid presence in South-East Asia, where we have identified strong growth opportunities for the upscale hospitality concepts Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts delivers,” said Andrew Langdon, senior vice president Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

“With the new properties signed for Vietnam and Malaysia, we see our cluster strategies for these exciting markets start to be realised, while our debuts in new countries mark another milestone in our strategy to be a major player in a region where we plan to open at least 15 new properties by 2020.”

Mövenpick Hotel Kota Bharu in Malaysia is a certified ‘green building’, featuring the latest environment-friendly technology to save energy and reduce wastage.

Highlights of the hotel will include the 815-sqm Emperor Suite, which will occupy the top three floors of the hotel, a helipad, an expansive banquet hall for 1,000 guests, a restaurant and café, stylish boutiques and retail outlets, male and female swimming pools, spa and gym, club lounge and business centre.