On the western coast of the legendary island of Langkawi, the ethnic charm of the east meets the sophisticated comfort of the west at Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi. Designed in a modernised style of a traditional Malaysian village, this resort is the perfect tropical retreat packed with a smorgasbord of facilities and activities more than enough to fill the itineraries of event organisers. Set on 30 acres of award-winning landscaped gardens, guests can choose from one of the 350 air-conditioned guestrooms grouped in clusters of architecturally distinctive timber-wood chalets that have the sea, lake or pool view. Recently refurbished to a more contemporary look that blends with the sultry backdrop, these guestrooms were also upgraded with facilities that are in line with worldwide hospitality trends. With Langkawi’s increasing popularity as a MICE destination, Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi has put in plans to build an entirely new open-concept grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 400 guests by the end of June 2007.
Conference delegates will be able to soak in the natural lighting of the lush surroundings whilst enjoying the best audio-visual facilities and comfort of air-conditioning. Definitely a refreshing conference experience to be relished without the suppressed feeling of being in a meeting space!
Going from a Fishermen’s Night to Pirates Adventure and many other more themed dinners and activities that can be arranged to stimulate team building, guests will also be kept thrilled during their stay as the resort adds the extra touch of fun with masquerades. For a renewal of the body, mind and spirit, extensive spa treatments reflecting the beauty and refinement of the ancient times have been maintained and nurtured to soothe away the tensions and stress of guests at Teratai Spa by award-winning The Aspara located at the most tranquil spot within the resort’s compound. Parents with kids in tow will be delighted to know that there is an exclusive children’s club – KiKi Klub, offering all-day activities for young guests from 4 years old up to the age of 12 under trained staff’s supervision. From scavenger hunts at the beach, origami handicrafts, face and t-shirt painting to fun putting at the resort’s mini golf park, there is a host of jolly games to keep the young ones occupied. As part of the Meritus group’s initiative for meeting and event planners, ‘Meetings at Meritus’ provides a comprehensive set of useful tools and quality service standards to assist with the planning and execution of successful events. For easy reference, planners who are interested to find out more about the MICE offerings of Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi can visit www.meritus-hotels.com/meetings. So relax in the hands of the resort’s professionally trained team and enjoy the sun, sand and sea in the wondrous colours of Meritus ‘Pelangi’ (a Bahasa Malaysia word meaning rainbow).
FREQUENT GUESTS RECOGNISED BY MILLENNIUM & COPTHORNE HOTELS Millennium & Copthorne International (M&C) is reaching out to its frequent corporate guests by launching its exclusive global Frequent Guest Recognition (FGR) programme. M&C has rolled out the FGR programme in two phases starting first with 15 of its key properties in Singapore, London, New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles from November 2006. The latest research findings by a well-known international travel company show that corporate guests regard in-room internet access as the most important service feature in hotels. This was followed by complimentary breakfast, hotel business facilities and VIP check-in and out. The survey supports M&C’s initiative to create the FGR programme. In the FGR programme, members will enjoy complimentary internet access at the hotels - helping them stay connected for their business needs as well as keeping in touch with family and friends.
ACCOR EXPANDS INTO INDIA Accor is set to become one of the largest international hotel companies in India with up to 5000 rooms opening in the next five years. Accor recently signed the first of a number of significant partnership agreements that will see the group expand its network across the full spectrum of India’s hotel market, including budget Formule 1 hotels, economy Ibis hotels, mid-market Novotel hotels and deluxe Sofitel properties. In relation to its Sofitel five-star brand Accor has announced construction of the new 311 room Sofitel Mumbai in the prestigious Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), one of Mumbai’s most important precincts. The US$ 106 million project is due to be completed in 2009, and is being developed by a joint venture comprising Accor and prominent local developer, Naman Developers Limited. A second Sofitel – and Accor’s first resort property in India – is being built in Goa. Accor will manage the Sofitel Cabo de Rama, which is being developed by Uniworth Resorts, a member of the JB Group of Hong Kong. The resort is located on the oceanfront adjacent to the historic Cabo de Rama fort and will feature 260 rooms and a spa and is scheduled to open in 2009.
MEETINGS AT MERITUS A RUNAWAY SUCCESS Fresh from its recent launch the online extension of Meetings at Meritus has been warmly received by meeting planners with strong bookings from its website - www.meritus-hotels.com/meetings. Boasting an encompassing scope of MICE tools, the online assistance offers essential must-haves like detailed facility search and submissions of ‘Request for Proposal’ (RFP) for the convenience of meeting planners with just a click of the button. Another interesting feature of the Meetings’ web section is its highlights on specific dates to enjoy special deals at the respective Meritus properties, allowing users to plan future events around these dates to save costs. Advocating its motto of ‘Doing Business is easier with Meetings at Meritus’, the MICE programme also takes on a comprehensive printed guide equivalent to its online counterpart for easy reference. A copy of the printed directory can be requested from www.meritus-hotels.com/meetings.
SHANGRI-LA’S PHUKET RESORT AND SPA OPENS IN 2008 Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has signed an agreement with Durham Holdings (Thailand) Limited to manage Shangri-La’s Phuket Resort and Spa, opening at the end of 2008. The venue will be situated on the west coast of Thailand’s Phuket island on the five-kilometre Bang Tao Bay beach, 25 minutes’ drive from the Phuket International Airport. The 20-hectare property is set amidst lagoons, gardens and a natural river flowing to the sea. Designed by Arcadia Design Architects of Huelva, Spain, the 315-room resort hotel is comprised of 223 guestrooms and suites, and 92 grand/deluxe villas.
WESTIN HOTELS SOOTHES FRAZZLED TRAVELLERS Westin Hotels & Resorts recently began piloting a three-pronged Travellers’ Renewal programme designed to help guests ease the wear-and-tear of travelling. The programe, developed in consultation with experts at Prevention magazine, was created in response to Westin’s landmark attitudinal research study on the physiological and psychological effects of travel. The study examined the experiences of frequent travellers to help Westin better understand how its guests feel when they arrive, and how to help them renew their bodies, minds and spirits during their stays. The resulting suite of offerings is now being piloted in 20 hotels worldwide, including Westin hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, Sydney, Melbourne and Fiji. The three-pronged programme features a Travellers’ Renewal Menu, Station and Kit (in Asia-Pacific, the programme will feature the Renewal Menu and Renewal Station). The menu will offer remedies for common travel ailments, such as green tea to re-energise, aloe and pineapple sorbet to sooth sore throats and hot chicken soup to quell stomach upset. Travellers’ Renewal Stations will provide fruit, hand purifier and water in Westin hotel lobbies to help keep guests hydrated and healthy when they arrive and when they leave the hotel’s doors. The Travellers’ Renewal Kit will be available for purchase (at selected Westin hotels in North America), offering tools to make travelling easier, from a refreshing hand purifier to Sudoku games. For more information visit www.westin.com/travelersrenewal.
W ANNOUNCES FIRST HOTEL IN THAILAND W Hotels has announced plans to open its first hotel in Thailand. W Retreat & Residences – Koh Samui will be the brand’s third retreat in the world, following W Maldives which opened in September 2006 and W Vieques, scheduled to open in late 2007. The newly built 70-villa W Retreat & Residences – Koh Samui will cater to upscale leisure travellers when it opens in late 2008. There will also be approximately 20 luxury residential villas on the grounds of the retreat that will be available for purchase. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), the parent company of W Hotels, has entered into a management agreement with Amburaya Resorts to manage the hotel.
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