Hotel pipeline: Radisson signs Bay of Lights Sihanoukville, H World adds JI Hotels in KL and Phnom Penh

Published on Sep 23, 2025, 8:15 am CDT

5 min read

Radisson will plant a 176-key flag at Sihanoukville's Bay of Lights while H World expands its JI Hotel brand into Kuala Lumpur and deepens coverage in Phnom Penh. For value-minded travelers, the cluster of mid-scale signings points to more competitive rates, day-one loyalty perks, and better connectivity along well-traveled Southeast Asia corridors. Openings start in 2026 for Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh, with Sihanoukville targeted for early 2029.

Key Points

Why it matters: More mid-scale keys on main ASEAN corridors should pressure rates and improve availability.
Travel impact: H Rewards and Radisson Rewards members gain new earn, burn, and member-rate options.
What's next: JI Hotels begin opening in 2026, Radisson's Bay of Lights project is slated for early 2029.
KL's JI Hotel lands in the central Dang Wangi district, near transit and downtown venues.
Phnom Penh adds a CBD address and a Mekong riverfront site as the capital shifts to its new KTI airport.
Sihanoukville's Bay of Lights aims to pair leisure demand with meetings and events growth.

Snapshot

H World signed three JI Hotels, adding a 101-room JI Hotel Downtown Kuala Lumpur in Q4 2026, a 130-room JI Hotel Phnom Penh City Center in Q2 2026, and a 110-room JI Hotel Phnom Penh Mekong Riverside in Q3 2026. All three participate in H Rewards, which offers member-only rates and points across the group's brands. Radisson's newly signed Radisson Hotel & Suites Bay of Lights Sihanoukville is a 176-key new-build inside the Gateway District, the first phase of the 934-hectare Bay of Lights development. The hotel is planned with ocean-view rooms and serviced apartments, a rooftop pool, and short walks to private beachfront, with opening targeted for early 2029.

Background

Bay of Lights is a long-horizon coastal city project near Sihanoukville, envisioned with residential, retail, convention, and leisure districts, plus marina and cultural draws. Public statements have described a roughly $16 billion build-out over 934 hectares to reposition the province's tourism and business mix. Regionally, Kuala Lumpur's city center continues to densify lodging choice from luxury to mid-scale, illustrated by recent openings like Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur opens at Merdeka 118. Phnom Penh, meanwhile, shifted commercial air traffic to Techo International Airport (KTI) on September 9, 2025, a capacity upgrade expected to support new hotel supply and smoother access to the CBD and riverside neighborhoods.

Latest Developments

Radisson targets Sihanoukville's Bay of Lights meetings and leisure demand

Radisson Hotel & Suites Bay of Lights Sihanoukville is slated to open in early 2029 with 176 keys, mixing standard rooms and serviced apartments to appeal to longer stays. Plans call for three dining venues, a rooftop pool, spa, and fitness, set a five-minute walk from a private beach and a short drive from Serendipity Pier, the launch point to nearby islands. The site sits within the Gateway District and near the Bay of Lights International Convention Center, aligning the hotel with projected meetings and events traffic. Radisson cites improving access via Sihanouk International Airport (KOS) and the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway as catalysts, while positioning Radisson Rewards as the primary loyalty engine for earn and burn once the property opens.

H World brings JI Hotels to KL and deepens Phnom Penh footprint

H World's JI Hotel Downtown Kuala Lumpur, set for Q4 2026, lands in the Dang Wangi district with 101 rooms and the brand's 5.0 design language, aimed at clean aesthetics and efficient layouts. In Phnom Penh, the JI Hotel City Center will reflag an existing building in the CBD and government quarter in Q2 2026, while JI Hotel Mekong Riverside adds a 110-room new build with river views and direct access to cultural landmarks from Q3 2026. All three will participate in H Rewards, which aggregates earn, status, and member-rate benefits across H World's international portfolio, an attractive value lever for frequent regional travelers.

Analysis

For travelers who prize value and predictability, this pipeline concentrates mid-scale beds where they are most useful, along air and ground corridors that already move the bulk of intra-ASEAN trips. Kuala Lumpur's Dang Wangi location should resonate with guests who want city-center access without premium-tier pricing, especially with rapid transit and walkable dining corridors nearby. In Phnom Penh, pairing a CBD address with a leisure-friendly riverside option offers flexibility for short corporate trips, government travel, and weekend breaks. The airport transition to Techo International Airport (KTI) is a timely infrastructure boost that reduces friction, from larger gate capacity to modern ground access. Sihanoukville's Bay of Lights move is longer-dated, but the co-location with convention facilities suggests a dual-track strategy, courting both meetings traffic and beach-bound holiday demand. On loyalty, Radisson Rewards and H Rewards each bring immediate, tangible value, from member-rate discounts to faster progress toward status. That dynamic, plus rising regional capacity from low-cost and full-service carriers, should keep mid-scale rates competitive as openings come online.

Final Thoughts

Expect Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh to feel the benefits first as JI Hotels debut in 2026, expanding H Rewards earning and redemption. Sihanoukville's Bay of Lights looks like a bet on blended leisure and events demand with Radisson Rewards as the draw. For value-minded travelers planning multi-city swings across Malaysia and Cambodia, this Southeast Asia hotel pipeline promises more choice, more coverage, and more ways to stretch points and budgets. Watch these corridors; opening cadence and loyalty perks will shape the region's mid-scale playbook.