A pre-opening specialist for Sentosa
Resorts World Sentosa has entrusted its hotel projects to Karim von Alvensleben, who announced at the end of September 2026 that he had taken up the post of Vice President Hotel Projects. The Singaporean integrated resort is pressing ahead with the transformation of its accommodation offering, illustrated in 2025 by the opening of The Laurus, Singapore’s first Luxury Collection Resort, developed with Marriott International.
The choice of profile is no coincidence. Over a career spanning more than twenty years, Karim von Alvensleben has been involved in the opening of around ten properties, from island resorts to some of Asia’s largest integrated resorts.
Launching Avani in Laos
Between November 2025 and June 2026, he served as Pre-Opening General Manager for Minor Hotels in Vientiane, responsible for launching the Avani brand’s flagship property in Laos. The assignment covered operational readiness and commercial strategy, working closely with the owners and other stakeholders.
Among other things, he oversaw the creation of four food and beverage concepts designed for the local market. Minor Hotels has announced Avani+ Lanexang Vientiane, its second hotel in Laos, a 197-room premium lifestyle property.
Macau, a school for integrated resorts
The core of his career unfolded in Macau. At Sands China, he was Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Londoner Court from 2020 to 2023; the property opened in September 2021 within The Londoner Macao. There he managed a pre-opening budget of USD 400 million (around EUR 345 million).
In 2023, the property recorded a guest satisfaction score of 96% and an average rate on the transient (FIT) segment of just over USD 3,000 (around EUR 2,600). Staff turnover remained below 3% in 2022 and 2023, the lowest across Sands China. Londoner Court earned its Forbes Five-Star rating in its first year of operation and joined the Virtuoso network.
The resort has since continued to move upmarket, with the arrival of The Luxury Collection at Londoner Grand.
Wynn Palace and The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
Previously, Karim von Alvensleben contributed to the opening of Wynn Palace from 2014 to 2018, first as Pre-Opening Director of Hotel Administration, then as Director of Hotel Operations. He led the recruitment of 1,700 employees for his division and the procurement of more than USD 10 million of equipment.
Between 2016 and 2017, rooms revenue grew by 14%, exceeding an average of USD 350,000 per day (around EUR 300,000). Wynn Palace and its 1,700 rooms earned Forbes Five-Star status in their first year, making it at the time the largest property ever to receive the distinction.
As Director of Rooms at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong from 2018 to 2020, he stepped in as acting General Manager every week and steered the hotel through months of protests followed by successive waves of Covid-19.
From the Maldives to Morocco
A 2003 graduate of the École hôtelière de Lausanne, he began his career as a management trainee with Six Senses in the Maldives and Thailand. His path then took him to One&Only Reethi Rah, Evason Hideaway at Zighy Bay during its pre-opening, followed by Mandarin Oriental, Geneva and Mandarin Oriental Jnan Rahma in Marrakech.
He also headed rooms operations at Hyatt Regency Casablanca and Mazagan Beach Resort in El Jadida, before joining Regent Beijing as Executive Assistant Manager, where he increased the average rate by 15% between 2013 and 2014.
THT analysis – For Resorts World Sentosa, the arrival of an executive who has led several pre-openings at integrated resorts of more than 1,000 rooms strengthens its ability to deliver on its hotel projects, in a Singapore market where upscale competition is intensifying.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Karim von Alvensleben joins Resorts World Sentosa as VP Hotel Projects
Role: Vice President Hotel Projects, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore (since September 2026)
Previous: Pre-Opening GM for Minor Hotels, Avani flagship in Vientiane, Laos (2025-2026)
Macau: opened Londoner Court for Sands China (2021) with a USD 400m pre-opening budget; Forbes 5-Star in year one
Track record: Wynn Palace opening (1,700 rooms, Forbes 5-Star in year one), Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, Regent Beijing
Education: École hôtelière de Lausanne (BSc, 2003)
