Centara Hotels & Resorts recently signed a contract to manage the first property under the new Centra brand, the Centra Ashlee Hotel Patong, in Phuket.

The new hotel will open in the end of 2010 and brings the total number of properties under Centara management in Phuket to six.

Centra has been developed to provide affordable quality accommodation in prime locations.

“We are very happy to announce the launch of the new Centra brand,” said Gerd Steeb, president of Centara Hotels & Resorts. “A lot of research has been undertaken and we are very confident there is a large market for hotels designed to exceed expectations but not over-deliver to a point that is not required by the guests.

“The name ‘Centra’ was chosen to be a recognisable part of Centara, yet to indicate that this is a property at the budget end of the scale, rather than the 4- through to mid 5-star range of a Centara hotel or resort.

“Other hotels under the Centra brand will be announced very shortly.”

The Centra Ashlee Hotel Patong announcement comes in the same month as the soft-opening of the Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket at Karon Beach, a property that is at the top end of Centara’s branding.

These two new properties bring the total number of rooms operated in Phuket by Centara Hotels & Resorts to 937.

Chris Bailey, Senior Vice President for sales & marketing at Centara Hotels & Resorts, said that Phuket is one of the Thai destinations on which the company is focusing.

“This time last year we had three properties in Phuket, and this has been increased to six as part of our expansion policy on the island.

“Phuket is a market that has matured immensely and can be defined into a number of distinct segments. We can now offer three destinations, namely Patong, Karon and Kata, and we cover the upper budget category through to the mid five-star category.

“Within this we are also able to offer holiday styles to distinct personal preferences, such as couples, families, and independent-minded travellers who want privacy and lack of distractions.

“Our room types go all the way from standard through to suites, to spa rooms with their own Jacuzzi on the balcony and to villa accommodation.”

Centra Ashlee Hotel Patong is a newly-built eight-storey property at Patong Beach with 106 guestrooms offering a choice of king-bed and twin-bed accommodation, and a rooftop pool and Jacuzzi. All rooms have their own balcony.

The hotel is 400m from the beach and is within casual walking distance of the main shopping and leisure areas.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s largest hotel operator, with 35 properties at prime locations throughout the country. Overseas, Centara operates resorts in the Maldives, Vietnam, Indian Himalayas, and Boracay and Manila in the Philippines.