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Volume 3, Issue 30, [ACTUALDATE] |
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Fifteen years ago only a handful of non-descript hotels were allowed to host foreign visitors to the Pearl River Delta. Even five years ago international business travellers visiting factories in China’s “workshop for the world” struggled to find reasonable accommodation once they strayed away from Shenzhen and Guangzhou, where the genuine 5-star standard properties could be counted on one hand.
However over the last few years, after establishing themselves in the nation’s more glamorous first-tier cities like Shanghai and Beijing, international brands have been creating some fabulous properties in the PRD.
Last week saw the opening of the latest luxury hotel in the region, the 409-room Sofitel Dongguan Humen Oriental Hotel. Located on floors 29 to 62 of a new retail and wholesale fashion mall, and as luxurious as any Sofitel property, the hotel’s rooms start at 55 square metres and feature L’Occitane and Hermès amenities and Sofitel’s signature MyBed.
“We are challenging the reputation of Dongguan as a manufacturing town by building a world-class tower, with an amenity and technology level commensurate with Sofitel luxury standards, which will also make this a prime business address for multinational companies,” said David Baldwin, general manager, Sofitel Dongguan Humen Oriental.
Dongguan itself is a sprawling city of more than 6 million people. Originally the centre of much of the PRD’s garment production now it is shifting focus to “cleaner” technological industries. The new Sofitel joins another unexpectedly luxurious hotel in the city, the Hyatt Regency Dongguan, situated improbably beside a lake in a green field science park.
Just along the road even the city of Foshan has new options. Only two years ago accommodation was limited in this centre of ceramics, furniture and electrical appliance production, home to over 5 million people. Choices swayed between preposterously opulent hotels, where gilded handles came off in your hands, to low-key run down properties with limited services and facilities.
Today in Foshan the air is just as gritty from the factories’ pollution but there are more hotel choices. InterContinental Hotels Group opened the InterContinental Foshan and the tallest building in the city is now the Swissôtel Foshan.
Back at the border between Guangdong and Hong Kong, Shenzhen now has two Shangri-La Hotel & Resorts properties, an InterContinental, a Westin, a Grand Hyatt and the superb Ritz-Carlton Shenzhen.
All the new PRD 5-stars are worth investigating for both the quality of the properties and best of all some exceptionally good rates outside peak trade show and “buyer seasons”.
Greater demand for travel means Singapore Airlines is increasing frequency on a number of major routes between Oct. 31 and March 26, 2011. Capacity to and from Russia and the United States will increase from five times a week, with flights on the Singapore (SIN)–Los Angeles (LAX) and Singapore–Moscow (DME)–Houston (IAH) sectors operating daily. The Singapore–Munich (MUC)–Manchester (MAN) service will also increase from five-times a week to daily. Within Asia, the Singapore–Seoul (INC) route will increase from 18 times a week to 21 times a week. Services to Japan will also be enhanced with more flights between Singapore and Osaka (OSA). Tokyo Haneda (HND) will join the network from Oct. 31 with twice-daily flights. Singapore Airlines is also increasing capacity to Australia by replacing a 278-seat Boeing 777-300ER with a 471-seat Airbus A380 service on the Singapore–Sydney (SYD) route.
Kempinski has opened its 64th property worldwide in Bangkok. The 303-room Siam Kempinski Hotel is conveniently located in central Bangkok adjacent to the Siam Paragon lifestyle mall, a five-minute walk from a BTS SkyTrain station and close to the new airport train link. Featuring hundreds of Thai art works throughout the property, all rooms look onto tropical landscaped gardens with extensive water features and three saltwater swimming pools. “Kempinski is delighted to open such a magnificent property in the heart of what many people consider to be Asia’s most vibrant and colourful city,” said Reto Wittwer, president and CEO, Kempinski.
The 322-room Hilton Beijing Capital Airport Hotel has opened at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). Starting at 45 square metres, the hotel’s rooms are some of the largest in Beijing, and all offer soundproofed floor-to-ceiling windows and wireless Internet access. Executive rooms include complimentary access to a private meeting room and the executive lounge. A one-minute shuttle bus journey transports guests from the airport’s Terminal 3. Downtown Beijing can be reached in 16 minutes via the Beijing Airport Rail Line. The Hilton Beijing Capital Airport is the second luxury airport hotel to open in Beijing this month and follows on from the launch of Langham Place’s first airport hotel.
Oneworld alliance partners Finnair and Japan Airlines are expanding their codesharing network in Europe from Aug. 1 to offer enhanced connections between Japanese and European cities via Helsinki (HEL). In August, JAL’s flight number will be added on Finnair’s services connecting Berlin (SXF), Hamburg (HAM), Düsseldorf (DUS), Munich (MUC), Warsaw (WAW) and Brussels (BRU) with Helsinki. JAL and Finnair already have a codeshare partnership between Helsinki and Finnair's Japanese destinations Tokyo (NRT), Osaka (OSA) and Nagoya (NGO). “Finnair is very happy to serve European and Japanese customers with fast and competitive services between the respective markets, via Helsinki, together with our partner JAL,” said Paavo Virkkunen, responsible for Finnair's oneworld alliance relations.
Vietnam’s visitor arrivals have rebounded after a disappointing 2009 and more hotels are opening to serve international visitors. Figures released by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in May 2010 show that tourist arrivals continued to rise in the first four months of the year demonstrating a 35 percent year-on-year growth. After arrivals fell by 11 percent in 2009, Vietnam is now enjoying one of the strongest recoveries in the region. Regional tourism has picked up strongly, with Chinese arrivals to Vietnam growing by a whopping 95 percent year-on-year in April. Accor is just one of the hotel groups with expansion plans in Vietnam. The French hotel chain operates 13 hotels (2,147 rooms) in Vietnam and is looking to open 10 more properties and almost double this number by the end of 2012.
AirAsia X is cutting its Premium-class fares from Australia to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to as little as AUD 419 one way, for bookings made on the first two days of August only. AirAsia X’s Premium class is fitted out with Premium FlatBed seats, which are 20-inch wide with a 60-inch pitch and stretch out to 77 inches in the full recline position. Premium class also features universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen. Premium fares from Perth (PER) to Kuala Lumpur start from AUD 419 one way, and Melbourne (MEL) and the Gold Coast (OOL) to Kuala Lumpur from AUD 599 one way One-way Premium-class fares from Kuala Lumpur to London’s Stansted airport (STN) start from AUD 995. Tickets must be booked and issued on Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 only, for travel between Aug. 2 and Nov. 15.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has teamed up with the award-winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge, located in the Danum Valley in Sabah, Malaysia to offer a remarkable trip into the heart of Borneo. The award-winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge sits alongside the Danum River in the Danum Valley Conservation Area. Sabah's largest protected lowland rainforest with pristine and undisturbed tropical flora and fauna, the Danum Valley Conservation Area covers some 38 square kilometers (170 square miles) and is recognized as one of the world's most complex ecosystems. The Danum Valley Package starts from MYR 6,272 for four nights This offer includes two nights’ accommodation in a Tanjung Seaview Room at Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa with breakfast and two nights’ accommodation in a deluxe room at Borneo Rainforest Lodge with all meals included. Airport transfers and a private guide for jungle treks and night activities at Danum Valley are also included. This offer is available through Dec. 20.
Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa has launched what it claims is the first ladies-only gaming zone in Southeast Asia. Designed to provide female guests with a more luxurious experience, special privileges include access to ladies-only gaming tables, special complimentary beverages, welcome gifts and male croupiers and waiters specially selected for their friendly service. “We decided to introduce the new Ladies Club concept based on feedback from our female guests. Now that they’ve got their own space, they can enjoy the undivided attention of dedicated croupiers and service staff. We believe this innovative idea will be very well received. The Ladies Club offers a very different gaming experience like no other in this region. Our guests can look forward to new and refreshing enhancements from time to time at the Resorts World Casino,” said Jay Lee, senior vice-president gaming services, Resorts World Sentosa.
The last week of July is the last week of Starwood’s free weekend nights promotion. Registered Starwood Preferred Guest Members can still earn one free weekend night award for three eligible stays through July 31, with no earning limits. If you manage to squeeze in an extra stay at any of Starwood’s participating properties before the end of the month, you can redeem your awards any Friday, Saturday or Sunday night through Dec. 19 in more than 920 hotels and resorts worldwide.
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is offering special rates on meetings for selected dates in the second half of 2010. Extra Value Dates are designed to help anyone planning a meeting — for more than 10 people — to enjoy additional savings and benefits. The selected dates are: Aug. 1-31; Sept. 23-30; Oct. 1-9; Nov. 22-23; Dec. 1-5; and Dec.16-30. Room rates including meeting package for one person start from HKD 2,948 per night. Depending on the size of the meeting group, additional benefits include spa treatments, complimentary drinks in the Champagne Bar and cocktails and snacks for up to 80 guests in The Waterfall Bar. For more details email, hongkong.grand@hyatt.com.
