Oriental takes top prize - Bangkok, Thailand, hotel

Business Asia, Sept 21, 1998

The Oriental hotel in Bangkok is the inaugural winner of Business Asia's Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Mr Bhichai Rattakul made the announcement at a gala evening on September 11 in Bangkok.

The Oriental beat a short-list of 70 hotels to win the overall title, while 14 other hotels received awards as the best hotels in their respective countries.

Award-winning CNBC Asia anchorwoman Ms Sydnie Kohara was the master of ceremonies.

More than 600 votes were entered by Business Asia readers and CNBC Asia viewers to decide on the best business hotels in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.

The votes were audited by Gould Ralph & Company Chartered Accountants.

Business Asia implemented the awards to recognise the importance of hotels to the business sector in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr Peter Charlton, chairman of The Charlton Group and publisher of Business Asia, praised all competing hotels for their contribution to the region.

He said the awards highlighted the excellence of Asia-Pacific and Middle East hotels, which he said were among the finest in the world.

The short-list of 70 hotels was nominated by a two-person judging panel of Mr Ken Cowley, a director of News Corporation and executive chairman of Ansett Airlines, and Mr Robert Stiles, group managing director of Howarth Asia Pacific and a board member of Hotels magazine.