After two decades in hospitality in Malaysia, New Zealander Aarron Nelson, is relocating to Thailand to become general manager of Meliá
Hotels International’s first INNSiDE property in the country.
The new role is Aarron’s first with Meliá Hotels International, a growing Spanish hotel group that has been expanding in Asia over recent years. He joins the team after five years as general manager of citizenM Kuala Lumpur. Prior to that, Aarron held leadership roles at Impiana Hotel KLCC, also in Malaysia’s capital, and Casa del Rio, a boutique 5-star property in Melaka.
Aarron started his career in hotel F&B when an internship led to a job at Millennium Hotel in Rotorua, New Zealand. He then worked his way up, through various F&B roles with Le Meridien Port Vila, Vanuatu, COMO Cocoa Island in the Maldives, and HPL Hotels & Resorts in Malaysia before shifting to rooms division management. His first hotel manager position was at The Lakehouse Cameron Highlands in Malaysia in 2012.
“Aarron brings with him a wealth of hands-on experience having both worked in and managed a range of different departments in lifestyle-driven hotels,” said Igancio Martin, Meliá Hotels International Managing Director for Southeast Asia. “His local and varied experience in the Asia Pacific along with his personality is the perfect match for our innovative INNSiDE brand, as we expand in the region.”
Over the twenty-eight years, Aarron has worked in the industry in Malaysia, the Maldives, Pacific Islands, Australia, and his homeland, but this will be his first position in Thailand – though working in the tropical nation has long been a goal.
“In 1996 while working in Rotorua, New Zealand, I was fortunate enough to be selected to go to Bangkok for a 10-day New Zealand food promotion at Novotel Siam Square,” said Aarron. “I was a young chef then and the experience left a lasting impression and knowing that one day I will see myself working in Thailand.”
The 208-room INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit is located in the city’s trendy On Nut neighborhood. The property will offer the kind of creative work and play spaces that underpin the INNSiDE brand. Guests can take in the vibrant cityscape from the towering windows of the hotel’s expansive co-working space on the 32nd floor. Further up the sky-high pool bar and open-air swimming pool occupy the two topmost floors. Dining options at the property highlight local cuisine and also honor the Meliá brand’s Spanish roots. A tapas restaurant will provide a culinary pilgrimage across Spain.
“Our INNSiDE hotels are designed for a new generation of travelers that combine both works and play as they explore the world,” added Ignacio. “With its stellar location and a design and philosophy that inspires creativity and connection, our first Bangkok property is the perfect hub for curious explorers to take in this vibrant city.”
This will be the fourth INNSiDE property in Asia and will follow the opening of INNSiDE by Meliá Kuala Lumpur Cheras on March 25th, 2023. INNSiDE properties are also located in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and Zhengzhou, China.
Meliá Hotels International opened its first property in Thailand, Meliá Koh Samui, an oceanfront resort in 2020, followed by another beachfront property, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao, the following year. In 2022 the Spanish hotel group opened its first city property in the country, Meliá Chiang Mai. INNSiDE Bangkok is the group’s first hotel in the capital.
