The five-star property boasts certain security advantages over other luxury hotels.
The five-star Shangri-La hotel in downtown Singapore is widely expected to host the upcoming June 12 summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un.
The area around the hotel, consisting of the Tanglin, Newton and Orchard districts, has been designated a « special event area » from June 10 to June 14, the Singaporean government said in a Sunday statement about the high-profile event .
That means the summit venue will likely be in that zone, which is home to several luxury hotels such as the Grand Hyatt and St Regis. The Shangri-La, however, boasts certain security advantages that make it the most likely choice of venue, according to experts.
The 792-room property is located in a residential neighborhood surrounded by small roads, which makes it easier to control road and pedestrian access, said Ong Kok Leong, chief operating officer of security agency Secura Group.
Being in a residential area also means « the threat posed by neighboring buildings would have been mitigated through security screenings prior to the event, » he continued. Moreover, « with the hotel positioned on a hill top, its vantage points offer good visibility on surrounding activities, » allowing security forces to position themselves at various strategic positions, he added.
