The Empire Brunei is a luxury hotel located in Kampong Jerudong, near the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, in the Brunei–Muara District of Brunei.[4] Originally funded by Prince Jefri Bolkiah and completed in 2000, the hotel encountered financial difficulties that resulted in government investment and a transfer of ownership.[5] Relaunched in 2019 with updated branding,[6] the hotel offers a range of accommodations, including the "Emperor Suite".[7] The hotel has won awards, including for its golf course, and has hosted a number of ASEAN events.
History
In the 1990s, Prince Jefri Bolkiah financed the construction of a hotel valued at approximately US$1.1 billion.[1] The financial strain on state resources led the government to invest in what was initially intended as a private enterprise.[8] Construction commenced in 1994 and spanned six years, involving 220 architects and designers from the Australian firm McKerrell Lynch.[3] Initially owned by Amedeo Development Corporation,[9] and led by the Prince,[1] ownership was transferred to the Brunei Investment Agency following Amedeo's collapse in 1998.[1]
The hotel was formerly known as the Jerudong Park Hotel.[10]
The Empire Hotel and Country Club, developed over a period of six years with the collaboration of approximately 300 designers, technologists, and artisans, officially opened on 16 October 2000.[5] The opening of the hotel was scheduled to precede the November APEC Brunei Darussalam 2000 meeting, to help address a lack of hotel space in Bandar Seri Begawan.[10]
On 30 October 2019, the hotel was rebranded as The Empire Brunei to mark its 19th anniversary. The rebranding, managed by & SMITH, maintained the original name "The Empire" while adding "Brunei" to emphasise its location. The updated logo incorporates the national flower, bunga simpur, surrounded by lilies and employs a gold and teal colour scheme to represent the sea and woods.[6]
Design and features
The hotel is situated on a 180-hectare (445-acre) beachfront property overlooking the South China Sea.[11][unreliable source?] It offers both rooms and conference facilities.[2] It has been considered a "six-star" hotel.[12]
Recreational facilities include an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus–designed golf course,[13][14] other sports facilities, two private beaches,[15] restaurants, and a three-screen movie theatre.[2] The "Emperor Suite", the hotel's most expensive accommodation,[7] spans 665 or 675 square metres (7,160 or 7,270 sq ft)[16][3] of the seventh floor,[17] and includes features such as a private dining area, swimming pool, grand piano, sauna, Jacuzzi, private elevator access, and a movie theatre,[18] as well as security features, bulletproof glass, and private elevators.[18] Rates range from $16,600 to $23,000 per night.[19][better source needed] The suite is often reserved for high-profile guests.[18] Its first guest was United States President Bill Clinton who stayed there during the APEC Brunei Darussalam 2000 meeting. Other former guests include the then-Prince Charles.[7]
The sultan's 1521 welcoming of Ferdinand Magellan and his crew from the Bruneian coast is shown in a mural at the hotel.[20]
A meeting of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community was hosted at the hotel by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports from 28 to 29 May 2024.[22] In August 2024 the hotel hosted an ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) meeting.[23]
^Martin, Keith (24 October 2017). Strange But True Tales of Car Collecting: Drowned Bugattis, Buried Belvederes, Felonious Ferraris and Other Wild Stories of Automotive Misadventure. Motorbooks. p. 107. ISBN978-0-7603-5360-8.
^Rajna, Lisa Niver; Rajna, George (14 July 2013). Traveling in Sin: Eleven Months, Twelve Countries, Sixty Pounds and One Proposal. Lisa Niver Rajna. ISBN978-0-9897119-0-6.
