Final countdown - Best hotels in Asia - Brief Article

Business Asia, August, 2000

THOUSANDS OF votes are in -- and within weeks the best of Asia's elite hotels will be rewarded at the Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards.

The awards, jointly organised by Business Asia and Bloomberg Television, are now in their final weeks in the run-up to this year's awards night on September 4.

In many categories, the count is tight, and close results could be swayed in the final days of the competition leading up to the August 11 voting deadline.

Fourteen country category winners will be named this year, along with the Best New Hotel, Best Hotel Conference Facilities in Asia, and Best Airport Hotel in Asia. An overall winner will also be announced.

Last year's overall victor, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, will host this year's awards night.

The awards, now in their third year, were initiated by Business Asia to recognise the importance of the business hotel sector to the region.

As the awards reach their climax, news on the hotel sector remains interesting in the wake of the 1997 economic crisis that swept the region.

In nations such as Singapore, business travel is on the rise as the all-important meeting and conventions sector picks up.

And other hotels in the Asia-Pacific region are moving to entice customers.

For instance, in Malaysia, leading city hotels are installing high-speed internet access service as a means to attract more business travellers.

In June, Dorsett Regency Hotel became the city's second hotel after Hotel Nikko to install the broadband internet access service.

Yet, the hotel sector still bears some of the scars of the crisis.

Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) reported recently that a new breed of hotel owner has emerged out of Asia's debt-laden banking system.

These new owners are the Asian Asset Management Companies (AMCs) -- temporary custodians that have been appointed by governments to oversee more than US$5 billion in hotel assets.

According to JLL, this makes them the "most important hotel stakeholders in Asia".

THE FINAL CONTENDERS

In this edition, we profile finalists from India, Vietnam and the Best New Hotel category as they battle to win awards in the Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards

INDIA

The Oberoi Grand, Calcutta

Located in Chowringhee, The Oberoi Grand has become a historic landmark of Calcutta while still keeping pace with the modern facilities of hotels around the world. The hotel has in-room safes, fax machines and laser-discs. Business facilities include board and seminar rooms as well as an executive centre.

The Oberoi Towers, Mumbai

This 350-room hotel has been designed with the corporate traveller in mind. With elegant desks, in-room fax and laptop connections, and one of the lowest rates for international direct dialling, the business person is given an option of working in their room rather than in an impersonal office set-up. The hotel's executive centre has internet access, translation and interpretation, and computers.

The Regent, Mumbai

The Regent Mumbai, located in the historic Band Stand area of Mumbai and just 10km from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, has more than 500 luxurious guest rooms and suites, all with views over the Arabian Sea. In addition to a dramatic three-storey marble lobby, the hotel also offers The Regent Club accommodation, designed for business travelers. Facilities include a 24-hour business centre and health club, and a large outdoor swimming pool. A notable feature of The Regent is a butler facility, available for every room.

The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai

The flagship of The Taj group of hotels, The Taj Mahal is located just minutes away from the city's commercial and shopping hub, and 32km from the airport. Built in 1903, the 582-room Taj Mahal Hotel is a landmark on the waterfront. Its 24-hour business centre spans the entire first floor of the hotel's west wing and features secretarial services, a courier, independent computer workstations and internet access. The hotel's corporate meeting rooms can cater for meetings of up to 15 people.

The Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi

The Taj Palace has more than 400 rooms, all of which are decorated in warm colours to provide an old-world feel. For the discerning traveller, there are the deluxe business floors that offer modern work facilities. The hotel also has a round-the-clock business centre with secretarial services, computers, small meeting rooms and audio-visual equipment.

Welcomgroup Park Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Madras

Located in an exclusive residential enclave, the Sheraton Towers has more than 300 rooms. Corporate travellers are catered for through the Towers Club, which has 24-hour butler service and a library. As well as the Towers Club, the hotel has 30 executive club rooms, with guests having access to the business centre and an executive club lounge and bar.

VIETNAM

Hilton Hanoi Opera

Situated alongside the Hanoi Opera House, this hotel has been designed to capture the colonial essence of its famous neighbour. All 269 rooms in the hotel offer a view of the city or Opera House. Standard features include in-room safes, direct dial telephones, satellite channels and luxuriously fitted bathrooms. Business facilities at the Opera include two executive floors, the Clubroom Lounge and a business centre.