Hotels race tightens as judges meet - Brief Article

Business Asia, March, 2001

VOTERS WILL soon be able to have their say on who will take the top honours in Business Asia's 2001 Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards, with the event judges meeting this month to decide on the finalists.

Nominations have been pouring in for the Awards, which are now recognised as Asia's leading hotel awards. This year's judging panel -- PMP Ltd chairman Ken Cowley, Horworth Asia Pacific MD Robert Hecker, Bloomberg's James Ross, and First Charlton Communications chairman and Business Asia publisher Peter Charlton -- will meet later this month to decide the finalists from the hundreds of nominations from hotels across the region.

The 2001 Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards were officially launched at the JW Marriott Hotel, Hong Kong, on February 15. The event will culminate in a gala presentation night, also to be held in Hong Kong, on September 24.

Readers of Business Asia will be able to vote using ballot papers which will appear in every edition leading up to the Awards night starting with the April edition. Bloomberg viewers will be able to vote on-line from anywhere in the world.

To help our readers make informed choices, Business Asia will profile all of the hotels finalists.

This year's categories will include the best business hotel for Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Other categories include best business conference hotel, best business airport hotel and best new hotel in Asia. An overall winner will be chosen and named the best business hotel in Asia.

BEST BUSINESS HOTELS IN ASIA AWARDS HONOUR ROLL

                         2000                     1999

Overall Best Business    The Ritz-Carlton         The Ritz-Carlton
Hotel in Asia            Millenia Singapore       Millenia Singapore
Best Business Hotel in   Park Hyatt Sydney        The Ritz-Carlton,
Australia                                         Sydney
Best Business Hotel in   The Portman Ritz-        The Portman Ritz-
China                    Carlton, Shanghai        Carlton, Shanghai
Best Business Hotel in   JW Marriot Hotel Hong    The Peninsula
Hong Kong                Kong
Best Business Hotel in   Taj Mahal Hotel,         Taj Mahal, Mumbai
India                    Mumbai
Best Business Hotel in   Grand Hyatt Jakarta      Shangri-La, Jakarta
Indonesia
Best Business Hotel in   Imperial Hotel, Tokyo    The Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Japan
Best Business Hotel in   The Ritz-Carlton Kuala   The Ritz-Carlton
Malaysia                 Lumpur                   Kuala Lumpur
Best Business Hotel in   The George               N/A
New Zealand              Christchurch
Best Business Hotel in   Mandarin Oriental        The Makati Shangri-
The Philippines          Manila                   La, Manila
Best Business Hotel in   The Ritz-Carlton         The Ritz-Carlton
Singapore                Millenia Singapore       Millenia Singapore
Best Business Hotel in   The Ritz-Carlton,        The Grand Hyatt,
South Korea              Seoul                    Seoul
Best Business Hotel in   The Peninsula, Bangkok   The Oriental, Bangkok
Thailand
Best Business Hotel in   Grand Hyatt Taipei       Grand Hyatt Taipei
Taiwan
Best Business Hotel in   Hilton Hanoi Opera       Hotel Sofitel Plaza,
Vietnam                                           Ho Chi Minh
Best New Hotel           The Westin, Sydney       The Peninsula,
                                                  Bangkok
Best Hotel Conference    The Peninsula, Bangkok   N/A
Facilities in Asia
Best Airport Hotel in    Pan Pacific Hotel
Asia                     Kuala Lumpur
                         International Airport

                                         1998

Overall Best Business Hotel in Asia      The Oriental, Bangkok
Best Business Hotel in Australia         The Ritz-Carlton, Sydney
Best Business Hotel in China             The Palace Hotel, Beijing
Best Business Hotel in Hong Kong         The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Best Business Hotel in India             Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi
Best Business Hotel in Indonesia         Grand Hyatt Jakarta
Best Business Hotel in Japan             The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka
Best Business Hotel in Malaysia          The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur
Best Business Hotel in New Zealand       N/A
Best Business Hotel in The Philippines   The Makati Shangri-La, Manila
Best Business Hotel in Singapore         Raffles Hotel
Best Business Hotel in South Korea       The Grand Hyatt, Seoul
Best Business Hotel in Thailand          Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok
Best Business Hotel in Taiwan            Grand Hyatt Taipei
Best Business Hotel in Vietnam           Hotel Sofitel Metropole, Hanoi
Best New Hotel                           N/A
Best Hotel Conference Facilities         N/A
in Asia
Best Airport Hotel in Asia               N/A