Sautis Hotel Management Expands in Indonesia With New Hotels, Wellness and Sustainable Hospitality

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 Sautis Hotel Management (SHM) is developing its hospitality offerings in Indonesia through a local employment-oriented approach based on community engagement, minimising food waste and providing unique guest experiences. Travel And Tour World was in Indonesia at THINC Indonesia where Deddy P. Effendi, COO of PT SUNGAI MAS INTERNASIONAL, shared how the group is rolling out its boutique hotel and luxury resort operations and building up more projects in Jakarta and Umalas.

Effendi said the Sautis Group owns and operates Sautis Hotel Management and the Sautis Hotel brand, with other food and beverage and hospitality holdings, including a luxury hotel in Sumba. It is also expected to have a new service-residences-branded concept in Umalas in its pipeline.

Community participation is juxtaposed with commercial development, as the firm strives to bring property to its surrounding destinations.

Local employment sits at the heart of community engagement

Community engagement is a central part of the group’s operating philosophy, according to Effendi. He said the business uses approximately 99% local people, reflecting its belief that developing people from surrounding communities represents one of the strongest ways a hotel can contribute locally.

The strategy goes beyond employment. Effendi described the group as working openly and closely with communities surrounding its hotels.

In Sumba, he said this relationship also involves efforts to preserve nature as tourism develops. The objective is to connect hospitality operations with both local communities and the destination environment rather than operating properties separately from their surroundings.

The same approach extends to partnerships with nearby businesses and service providers. According to Effendi, Sautis seeks to give local tenants opportunities to provide services and activities for hotel guests.

Food-waste management shapes the sustainability strategy

Food waste is another major focus within Sautis Hotel Management’s sustainability approach.

Effendi identified food waste as an important hospitality-industry challenge and said the company seeks to maximise the use of ingredients purchased from local farmers. Its objective is to create a more sustainable food chain by reducing unnecessary waste throughout food preparation.

He offered examples from the company’s kitchens. According to Effendi, Sautis does not use MSG and instead produces its own chicken bouillon using bones that would otherwise have limited further use. These are dehydrated and incorporated into food preparation.

Vegetable ingredients are similarly used in different forms, including fresh and cooked preparations, as part of the company’s attempt to make fuller use of purchased produce.

The strategy connects procurement, kitchen operations and waste reduction while supporting sourcing from local farmers.

New hotel pipeline brings wellness into sharper focus

Expansion remains another priority for the group. Effendi said Sautis Hotel Management is planning further development as a hotel operator, with two hotels currently in its pipeline, including projects in Jakarta and Umalas.

For its Jakarta development, the group is exploring a broader interpretation of wellness.

Rather than approaching wellness solely through exercise, Effendi described a concept involving the body, soul and mind. The intention is to create opportunities for guests to slow down, be present and pay greater attention to their physical wellbeing.

Sautis does not intend to provide every wellness activity directly. Effendi said its boutique and business hotel model allows it to work with local tenants and external providers for activities including yoga, Pilates and sport.

One Jakarta property has also worked with the Indian Embassy on a yoga session, according to Effendi, illustrating the type of external collaboration the company is pursuing.

Different Sautis properties target distinct traveller segments

Sautis Hotel Management does not have a standard customer profile for its properties. Effendi said that the customer target differs according to the property’s location and positioning.

A property in the Blok M operation attracts families seeking to explore the neighbour around which the area is gaining in popularity and younger visitors. A separate property in Jakarta caters for those travelling on business due to its location near to government offices and the city centre.

Other properties are suited to expatriates, international visitors and people visiting who want quick access to nearby arts or sporting venues.

In Bali, they design for their targeted audience which is the international visitors and larger families with a three-bedroom villa accommodations.

The profile of its Sumba luxury resort, he added, is very different. “Our estimated market is approximately 99% European and 1% domestic market.” There will be “many features for tourists who love quiet and secluded environment, with amenities that have cultural aspects and water sport activities.

Food and beverage becomes a point of differentiation

Food and beverage is more important than ever to the Sautis identity.

According to Effendi, the company is trying to introduce programmes to promote healthier eating while still maintaining the emphasis on local ingredients and the no-MSG policy.

More importantly, the group is not trying to reproduce the same menu in the same restaurants at every hotel. Each hotel is, in fact, designed to have its own signature offering.

“As instances, he identified sushi and sashimi at one property, and Indonesian delicacies on the different,” he defined.

For Sautis Hotel Management this policy will integrate: local employment; community engagement; the use of ingredients; wellness; unique food experiences; and unique positioning of the hotel to the local market.

While its Indonesian pipeline is expanding, the group is aligning these philosophies as pillars for the way forward, while ensuring individual hotels remain rooted in the communities and destinations in which they sit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryqMaKsrJEI