Reaching for the sky

Business Asia, April, 2004

The Grand Hyatt, Shanghai towers over most other buildings in this most frenetic and fashionable of Asian cities so it is perhaps fitting that the five-star Grand Hyatt took out the Best Overall Hotel Award in our Business Hotels of Asia annual competition for 2003.

To help celebrate their win, as well as five years of operation and steady growth, the Grand Hyatt, Shanghai hosted what they described as, "an indulgent evening in the Grand Ballroom to thank over 300 friends and supporters".

Themed "The Art of Hospitality" hotel staff created an evening aimed at expressing the artistic touch they say is often required in the management of a deluxe five-star hotel.

The evening was made particularly special thanks to the cooperation of ShangArt gallery, which provided over 30 art pieces for display around the ballroom from contemporary Chinese artists including Ding Yi, Yang Mian, Shen Fan, Song Tao, Artists-Zeng Fan-Zhi, Xiang Li-Qing, Pu Jie and Xue Song.

A 40 metre timeline led to the ballroom, graphically displaying some of the most significant moments along the journey from planning to building the Jin Mao Tower and the hotel.

The evening began with the hotel's general manager, Edward Tai, receiving Grand Hyatt Shanghai's award as Best Business Hotel in Asia 2003, voted by CNBC and readers of Business Asia magazine. The awards, now in their sixth year, have become one of the most sought after prizes in the highly competitive Asia Pacific hotel industry. Developed and produced by Business Asia magazine in conjunction with CNBC Asia, the 2003 awards involved over 85 hotels in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region with winners selected after nominees were put to a popular vote. This year saw the competition register the highest number of votes in the history of the event, with almost 17,000 registered votes from all over the globe.

Not too surprisingly, the evening of celebration developed into an entertainment extravaganza of music, lights and art.

First up was "What a Feeling", a group of five ladies playing chinese instruments with what can only be described as gusto? This was followed by opera singer Ms Hang Hong Yao singing arias from the opera Carmen. Later the hotel's chefs took to the stage and made their own finely choreographed rendition of a dance and rhythm extraodinaire!

Famous Hong Kong designer Alan Chan also took to the stage, captivating guests with his design insights, in particular those gleaned from his many hospitality-related projects (restaurants, bars, spas) in China and around Asia.

AUSTRALIA

CROWN TOWERS

8 Whiteman St Southbank, Melbourne Australia,

Ph: 613 9292 6666 Fax: 61 9282 6600,

www.crowntowers.com.au

The Crown Towers is ideally situated on Melbourne's Yarra River at Southbank, making the city's CBD and entertainment areas only minutes away. The hotel features 484 oversized guest rooms, including 84 suites and villas.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SYDNEY

199 George St, Sydney Australia,

Ph: 612 9238 0000, Fax: 612 9251 285 1.

www.fourseasons.com/sydney/

Situated minutes away from Sydney's historic Rocks district and just down the road tram the CBD. the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney is in an ideal location for both business and leisure travellers The hotel has 531 rooms and suites.

GRAND HYATT MELBOURNE

123 Collins Street, Melbourne Australia,

Ph: 613 9657 1234, Fax: 613 9650 349h

melbourne.grand.hyatt.com

Located in busy Collins St, the art and shopping heart of Melbourne, the Grand Hyatt Melbourne features 521 guest rooms with 18 surges, four deluxe suites, three diplomatic suites and one presidential suite Each room has three dual line direct dial telephones.

PARK HYATT MELBOURNE

1 Parliament Square, Melbourne Australia,

Ph: 613 9224 1234, Fax: 613 0224 1200,

melbourne.park.hyatt.com

The Park Hyatt wears its sophistication on its sleeve with specially commissioned contemporary artworks displayed throughout the hotel. Located at the top of Collins St (opposite St Patrick's Cathedral) it has 260 rooms including 26 Regency Club rooms and 14 Recency Club studios.

PARK HYATT SYDNEY

7 Hickson Road, Sydney Australia,

Ph: 612 9241 1234, Fax: 612 9256 1555,

sydney.park.hyatt.com

Those wanting gloat views of Sydney won't find much better than those offered at the Park Hyatt Sydney, Placed at the water's edge of the harbour, the hotel's 158 rooms and suites have views of the city skyline, the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, SYDNEY

176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney

Australia, www.shangri-la.com,Tel: (61-2) 9250

6000, Fax: (61-2) 9250 6250

The hotel is perfectly positioned between the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge where guests can enjoy the Sydney experience in comfort and style that is unmistakably five star" in an area that offers shopping and a wide variety of restaurants pubs and bars.

THE WESTIN MELBOURNE

205 Collins Street, Melbourne Australia,

Ph: 613 9635 2222, Fax: 613 9635 2333,

http://www.westin.com.au/m_index.html

All of the Westin Melbourne's 262 rooms have been designed with simplicity and elegance. With a choice of king, queen or twin-sized beds, the Westin rooms feature an extra large bath with separate shower. Superior rooms have bay windows overlooking St Paul's Cathedral.