Check yourself into this 5-star hotel wrap. It’s spacious, luxurious and offers a delicious buffet. Ok, only one part of that sentence is true.

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, unveils stunning new Presidential Suite

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur has unveiled its new 440 square metre Presidential Suite, one of the largest in the Malaysian capital.

This expansive and elegant penthouse suite offers the ultimate in luxurious accommodation, with each room enjoying sweeping views of KLCC Park or the city’s iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers. Three beautiful bedrooms feature rich fabrics sourced from across the world, walk-in wardrobes and en-suite designer bathrooms. Malaysian artworks and objets d’art provide a gracious sense of place.

A welcoming entry foyer leads to the suite’s office and leisure lounge, ideal for private business meetings. When the meetings are finished, a mixologist can prepare cocktails and beverages at a bar handcrafted from Italian marble. A high definition smart TV and top-of-the-line Apple iMac provide great entertainment options and easy access to what’s happening in the world.

The lavishly decorated living room exudes grandeur with plush custom-made furnishings, hand-loomed carpets and a striking handmade crystal chandelier adorning its double-height ceiling. A 75” 4K Smart TV and Bang & Olufsen hi-fidelity sound system provide superb audio-visual offerings.

JW Marriott Khao Lak resort & spa sweeps World Luxury Hotel Awards

JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa was recognized at the 2017 World Luxury Hotel Awards held at the Kulm Hotel St Moritz in Switzerland last week.

During the glamourous evening, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa was the recipient of three awards, namely Global Winner of Luxury Beach Retreat, Global Winner of Luxury Private Beach Resort and Country Winner of Luxury Ocean View Resort – Thailand.

World Luxury Hotel Awards is regarded as the “Oscars of the hospitality industry”. The awards offer recognition for earning the respect of guests and key industry players. Winners are determined by the feedback from over 300,000 international travelers during a four-week online voting period. There are more than 2,000 hotels nominated for the awards in 99 different categories.

Daydream Island commences construction ahead of August 2018 reopening

Daydream Island in the Whitsundays has commenced its demolition and construction program ahead of its long-awaited redevelopment expected to be completed in August 2018.

Following the damage caused in March by Cyclone Debbie, Daydream Island has invested $86 million in the redevelopment of the island.

On Monday 27 November, construction officially began with Architecture firm, Hunt Design, leading the redesign of the island’s resort accommodation and venues.

Major works already announced will include redevelopment of the Arrivals pavilion, Reception, main Atrium area, Waterfalls restaurant, Lagoons bar, all room types and Mermaids Restaurant. Additionally, the Lovers Cove function area will be expanded and a new Asian-inspired restaurant will be built.

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas to launch Eat With Six Senses

An approach to food where guests leave feeling better than when they arrived.

Pick up your forks and rejoice. Eating and holidays go hand in hand, and now Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas guests can enjoy both without derailing their health goals thanks to fresh whole food that is nutritious and delicious.

Eat With Six Senses is an initiative that represents another pillar of the Six Senses Integrated Wellness philosophy and approach to food and drink. It is based on the guiding principles of natural ingredients, local and sustainable, and less is more, helping guests to reconnect with food safe in the knowledge that it’s good for them, and good for the world around them.

Eat With Six Senses will also have a positive outcome for resorts’ hosts, as the philosophy will be implemented in all employee dining outlets. It will serve to create an internal culture of health and wellness through healthier meal choices as well as providing knowledge to support the well-being of hosts and their families. Eat With Six Senses will have a positive effect not only for guests, but also for Six Senses hosts and Mother Nature.

AccorHotels partners with the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

AccorHotels is pleased to announce it is the official accommodation partner of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival presented by Bank of Melbourne.

Between 16 and 25 March 2018, AccorHotels will play a key role in the internationally acclaimed Festival which promises to once again deliver a curated celebration of food and wine. The Festival program includes a bumper line-up of events, with a focus around sustainability and community.

At the heart of the Festival, Hotel Lindrum MGallery by Sofitel will be transformed into the House of Food and Wine Hotel by the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, in celebration of Victoria’s food community.

Over 10 days, the hotel’s kitchen, dining room and bar will be taken over by friends of the festival including leading chefs, world-class growers, winemakers and producers with a sustainable vision. Events include the ZeroFoodPrint dinner series, a festival showcase of sustainable eating over five courses with matching wines.

JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur – a star is reborn in the heart of Bukit Bintang

5 December, 2017 marked a new chapter for JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur as it celebrated the official re-launch after a complete year-long refurbishment. Officiating the auspicious occasion was Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Francis Yeoh, Managing Director of YTL Group of Companies, Dato’ Mark Yeoh, Executive Director of YTL Hotels and from Marriott International, Inc. – Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer and Craig Smith, President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific.

The JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur opened its doors on 12 July 1997 and went on to set a new standard in hospitality and style for Kuala Lumpur – a modern and cosmopolitan city unique for its melting pot of cultures and traditions. The prime location of the hotel right in the heart of Bukit Bintang, the city’s central business and entertainment district, has made it a choice hotel for both local residents and travellers – for business and leisure.

Known as the happening hotel, the vibrant 578-room JW Marriott continues its legacy of embracing the brand’s values, offering guests warm hospitality, friendly service, comfortable accommodation and interactive culinary experiences.

Mantra Group opens 24-hour Reservations Centre to keep up with increased demand

Mantra Group has converted its Reservations Centre at its head office in Surfers Paradise to a 24-hour operation to keep up with increased demand.

After seeing a significant increase in booking enquiries from customers, corporates and trade clients, General Manager of Mantra Group Reservations Centre, Anton Derham, said the Company needed to cater for the additional demand at the Reservations Centre and extend the trading hours.

The Reservations Centre takes national and international phone and email enquiries for all Mantra Group properties which includes Mantra, Peppers, BreakFree and just recently, the Art Series Hotels.

Centara Hotels and Resorts hosts gourmet appreciation events across Australia to thank key industry partners

Centara Hotels & Resorts Vice President of Sales, Paul Wilson has taken time out from his busy work schedule to tour across Australia this week to host a number of ‘Centara Appreciation Events’ in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.

Milestones for Centara this year included the unveiling and opening of the chain’s new millennial focused brand COSI Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui and the opening of Centara’s first ever property in the Middle East with Centara Muscat Hotel in Oman.

Currently Centara Hotels and Resorts have 57 properties across Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Still to come are new properties in Qatar, Dubai, Cuba and Turkey.

Taveuni Palms Resort, Fiji, win’s three World Luxury Hotel Awards

The opulent Taveuni Palms Resort, Fiji Islands has won an astonishing three awards at the World Luxury Hotel Awards held recently at the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz in Switzerland.

The awards include winning best Luxury Private Villa in Fiji; best Luxury Romantic Villa in Fiji and best Luxury Private Pool Villa in the South Pacific/Oceania.

The World Luxury Hotel Awards is the pinnacle of recognition of accomplishment by a hotel in the luxury hospitality industry. The awards are voted for by the public and reward luxury hotels, their world class facilities and service excellence provided to guests.

Acknowledged as one of the leading luxury resorts in the industry, Taveuni Palms has already won six awards this year. Other 2017 awards include winning ‘Australasia’s Most Romantic Boutique Hotel 2017’ ‘at the World Boutique Hotel Awards; Best Private Luxury Hotel of the Year – Fiji’ at the 2017 Luxury Travel Guide Asia & Australasia Awards; ‘Australasia’s Leading Boutique Island Resort 2017’ at the World Travel Awards; winning the “Signum Virtutis”, the Seal of Excellence 2017 at the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards and winning ‘Best Family Resort in Oceania’ and ‘Best Honeymoon Hideaway Resort in Fiji’, at the Haute Grandeur Global Hotel Awards.

Anantara to debut authentic Luxury in South America

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas will soon debut its authentic luxury in Brazil with the launch of Anantara Maraú Bahia Resort in mid 2018. The resort will offer an exciting new gateway to South America when it joins the brand’s luxury portfolio in July, following an investment of R$ 4 million in the renovation of the former Kiaroa Eco-Luxury Resort. It will be the first Asian hotel flag to come to Brazil.

Poised to be a flagship hideaway, Anantara Maraú Bahia Resort will boast a beach setting next to the Bay of Camamu on the Maraú Peninsula in Bahia, along a stunning stretch of Atlantic coastline. Proudly showcasing the country’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity, Bahia in northeast Brazil is renowned for its remarkable blend of African, indigenous and European influences.

Bringing five-star luxury with a sense of adventure to this extraordinary destination, guests of Anantara Maraú will arrive in style, jetting in by plane to the resort’s private landing strip. Lush forest surrounds create a natural haven of tranquility and the area basks in a year-round tropical climate, with pleasant temperatures ranging from 23°C to 32°C.

Sharp fall in international visitor expenditure delivers powerful message to Sunshine Coast tourism sector

The Sunshine Coast has recorded another strong increase in international arrivals with 8.2 per cent growth to 294,000 in the year to September 2017, but alarmingly, visitor expenditure declined 11.9 per cent to $235.6 million.

Statistics released by Tourism Research Australia in the latest International Visitor Survey (IVS) showed that the Sunshine Coast international visitor growth (8.2 per cent) topped the Australian growth figure (7.1 per cent) and was higher than the overall Queensland State – as well as individual destinations such as Gold Coast, Brisbane and TNQ – but a reduction in holiday travellers, shorter visits, and an increase in stays in unregulated premises meant that visitor expenditure on the Sunshine Coast wasn’t keeping pace with arrivals.

Some key international visitor statistics for the year to September 2017 included:

• New Zealand remained the largest international market with 65,000 arrivals
• UK visitation up 7.3 per cent to 57,000
• Germany up 24.2 per cent to 39,000
• Scandinavian countries up 31.8 per cent to 15,000
• Canada up 10.4 per cent to 12,000
• US down 2.4 per cent to 20,000

nahm at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok awarded one Michelin Star

For the first time in its 117-year history, the Michelin Guide has included restaurants in Thailand. This year, nahm at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok was awarded one of the guide’s coveted Michelin stars, putting it among the top restaurants in Asia.

COMO Hotels and Resorts are immensely proud to be making history with this recognition, with a restaurant that digs deep into the authentic cuisine and local produce that makes Thailand such a unique destination. The combination of hot, sweet, sour and salty flavours is an intricate balancing act for any chef; our city centre kitchen has excelled in the nuances, bringing innovation to the experience with a contemporary, golden restaurant overlooking a courtyard swimming pool.

nahm’s main space has a warm, honeyed glow with inspiration drawn from Thailand’s fourteenth to eighteenth-century Ayutthaya period. Hence the textured rusty-red brick-stepped columns reminiscent of Ayutthaya temples, and the hand-crafted wooden screens. Every design detail has been attended to, including the tableware. The handpicked selection includes Benjarong bowls from Thai Artisan ‘Pinsuwan Benjarong’ and Celadon plates from local manufacturer ‘Mengrai Kilns’.

Eclectic Contemporary Flair within the Suites & Villas of Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach

In the heart of Bali’s beloved Seminyak neighbourhood – an eclectic melting pot of culture, fashion, dining and lively entertainment – the design ethos of guest suites and villas within the talk-of-the-town new resort Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach brings together Bali’s ancient traditions with creativity and a vibrant sense of fun.

Located on the southern stretch of Seminyak’s Mesari Beach amongst 4.7 hectares of lush grounds, exotic plantings and vertical gardens, the Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach is a clever fusion of enchanting Balinese design and fresh modernity. The artisanal craftsmanship and traditional architecture of the Seminyak region is seen in design touches throughout the resort, framed within a context of contemporary style that feels elegant yet playful – such as the signature geometric lines that decorate the resort and which are the creative interpretation of the traditional Balinese weaving textile Songket.

Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach has 19 one- and two- bedroom villas designed for seclusion. They are set within the resort’s rendition of a traditional Balinese village or Banjar, and are inspired by the Balinese architectural concept and philosophy of Tri Mandala, where each area is divided according to its functionalities and spiritual meanings to repel adverse energy from outside and enhance the positive vibrations inside – creating a smart juxtaposition of contemporary design and ancient customs.

Luxury Hotel Operator is ‘All a Buzz’

Neighbours within a three kilometre radius of award-winning Queenstown property, The Rees Hotel Queenstown will come eye to eye with its new little community ambassadors this summer.

In a vacant site next-door to the lakeside property nestled amongst an enormous patch of broom in several custom-made galvanised steel hives are the ‘Rees bees’ – a brand new apiary operation and eco initiative backed by the luxury operator.

Local beekeeper, Nick Cameron who is managing the entire turn-key operation from hive to packaged product has identified the perfect spot for a young colony to thrive and build honey comb. Under the cover of darkness at 2am in the morning he transported the hives to the site to ensure that the entire workforce was moved all at once.

The Rees bee-friendly project in New Zealand’s top tourist destination is part of a global initiative amongst luxury operators like the Waldorf Astoria in New York, Mandarin Oriental in Paris and the Royal Lancaster Hotel in Hyde Park.

New Club Lounge opens at Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur has just celebrated the opening of their new Club Lounge exclusively built for their valued guests. With a sophisticated and contemporary design, the new executive lounge is located on the 14th floor of the property.

The Club Lounge will offer club guests complimentary breakfast served between 6:30am to 10:30am and complimentary evening cocktails will be served between 5:30pm to 8:00pm.

The new lounge also boasts a business and private meeting space which is available to Club guests throughout the day as well as a selection of complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.

Frasers Hospitality wins World’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand for fourth year running

Frasers Hospitality, a division of Frasers Centrepoint Limited (“FCL”), has won the World’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand for the fourth consecutive year, along with the highest property accolade – World’s Leading Serviced Apartments for Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Élysées, Paris – at the 24th World Travel Awards grand finals on December 10.

This recognition comes after garnering 17 other World Travel Awards titles earlier this year, which include the awards for the Leading Serviced Apartment Brand in Australasia, China, England, Hungary, Indonesia and South Korea, as well several property accolades for properties in Bahrain, Budapest, Jakarta, London, Scotland, Singapore, Switzerland and Sydney.

Other awards won by Frasers Hospitality this year include Best Serviced Apartments Company by Business Traveller Middle East; Best Serviced Apartment Operator of China by Golden Horse Awards and Best Luxury Serviced Residence Brand in China by Business Traveller China.

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts named World’s Leading Hotel Brand 2017 for the 11th time alongside five major wins at the 24th World Travel Awards

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has earned much-coveted recognition as World’s Leading Hotel Brand for the eleventh time at the 24th World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final Gala Ceremony, as well as walking away from the ceremony with five other award wins.

InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) luxury brand took home some of the top awards including World’s Leading Luxury Resort 2017 awarded for the fourth consecutive time to InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam; World’s Leading Wedding Resort 2017 awarded for the third time to InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort, Thailand; World’s Leading Executive Club Lounge 2017 awarded to InterContinental Sydney, Australia; and the World’s Leading Luxury Business Hotel 2017, which went to InterContinental Grand Stanford, Hong Kong.

Out of the six awards, three were awarded to InterContinental resort properties, including the World’s Leading Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant 2017 title awarded to La Maison 1888 restaurant at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam. Helmed by world-renowned and Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, La Maison 1888 is the number one gastronomic destination in Vietnam and captures the essence of haute French dining.