The five-star stars - award winning hotels in various countries - Brief Article

Business Asia, Sept, 2000

Hotels around the world don't come much better than those in Asia's five-star bracket. And the hotels that win in the Best Business Hotel in Asia Award are at the top of a very impressive crop. The service and infrastructure of Asia's leading hotels is well known -- and that reputation is further being enhanced as the hotels serve business travellers in the era of the internet.

Business Asia profiles the deserving winners in the 2000 awards.

OVERALL BEST BUSINESS HOTEL IN ASIA & BEST BUSINESS HOTEL IN SINGAPORE

Winner: The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore

The news

The accolades are stacking up for the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, which repeats last year's two-pronged win in the 2000 Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards by winning the overall and Singapore categories.

General manager Nicholas Clayton makes no qualms about aiming to make the Millenia one of the world's great hotels -- and perhaps he is already approaching his goal.

Hotel IQ, a division of Singapore-based travel content provider Worldmine, recently ranked The Ritz-Carlton the top hotel in Singapore, praising its features ranging from in-room entertainment and business facilities to bathroom amenities.

And the hotel has also won rave notice from Conde Nast Traveller for the luxury of its rooms and the quality of its service.

What's so good about the Millenia? Well, guests can sit in their bathtub, a drink in one hand, and enjoy stunning views that take in the sea or bay. And business travellers have a 24-hour technology butler on call to help with IT problems.

Service is the key for Clayton. A story is increasingly doing the rounds about the hotel's employee who made a departing guest's day by jumping into a cab and dashing out to Changi airport to hand over the traveller's missing dentures -- just before the flight took off.

It's hard to beat that.

The hotel

Corporate guests have long been a focus for the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, with special services including "in-residence" business cards and stationery, a full-service business centre with secretaries, fax machines in suites, and private meeting rooms for rent. All 608 of the hotel's rooms, 19 one-bedroom suites and three two-bedroom suites have large marble bathrooms.

OTHER FINALIST

(Singapore category)

Conrad International Centennial
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Grand Hyatt Singapore
JW Marriot Singapore
Raffles Hotel
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL IN AUSTRALIA

Winner: Park Hyatt Sydney

The news

The Park Hyatt takes the gold medal this year in the Olympic City.

A haunt of rock stars and regarded as one of Australia's premier property addresses, the Park Hyatt is now wiring up its executive guest rooms.

The hotel is pumping large amounts of capital into e-business technology. Guests have internet access in all rooms via a large-screen television and cordless infra-red keyboard. The hotel also offers personal e-mail addresses that can be maintained on guest histories so they can be used on future visits.

The system lets guests plug their laptops into a permanent broadband link to the internet, bypassing the hotel's telephone system. The hotel supplies installation software.

The hotel

With its spot at the edge of Sydney Harbour, the Park Hyatt Sydney offers business travellers impressive views of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, plus close access to the city's business centre. This small boutique hotel has 158 rooms, all of which feature two direct-dial telephone lines, a personal voice mail message service, internet access televisions and CD players. Other guest services include wardrobe storage, a 24-hour butler service, in-room safety deposit boxes, spa, gym and a comprehensive business centre.

Meetings and banquets are catered for, with all meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment.

OTHER FINALISTS

ANA Hotel Sydney
Grand Hyatt Melbourne
Hotel Sofitel, Melbourne
Hyatt Regency Adelaide
Sheraton on the Park Sydney
The Regent Sydney

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL IN HONG KONG

Winner: JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong

The news

Corporate hotels in Hong Kong -- including the JW Marriott Hotel- have been buoyed by Asia's rebounding economies and increased occupancy rates. The Marriott has, in general, adjusted room rates upwards in an overdue move to reflect market forces. Marriott International area director of sales and marketing China, Daniel Lai, said recently there was "a tendency to raise prices" in the hotel sector in Hong Kong. However, he was quick to note that previously negotiated deals with corporate travellers remained.

The hotel

The Marriott is based in the CBD and has great views of Victoria Harbour or The Peak. The hotel has 601 guestrooms and a well-equipped business centre and health club and a heated outdoor swimming pool. The hotel is adjacent to The Mall, a sophisticated shopping environment with access to the Admiralty MTR Station. Marriott International, in conjunction with China Southern Airlines, has extended its highly successful "Instant Upgrade" program, which will now be in effect through the end of calendar year 2000. All China Southern Airlines' passengers worldwide, paying corporate rates, will get a room upgrade, food and beverage discounts and a 4pm check-out.