Leaders in their field: as part of the 2002 Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards, Business Asia will profile all of the finalist hotels. In this edition, we take a look at Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines and South Korea - Best Business Hotels In Asia Awards - describes hotel buildings, organized by country - Industry Overview

Business Asia, June, 2002

The Heritage Auckland Hotel

Overlooking the famous America's Cup Village and Waitemata harbour, The Heritage Auckland Hotel is in the midst of the city's business, shopping and tourism district. Once a department store, the historic building is now a top class hotel boasting 467 luxury rooms and suites. A comprehensive range of conference and banquet facilities are available, suitable for groups of up to 400 delegates. When work is done, recreational facilities abound, including a rooftop heated swimming pool, all-weather floodlit tennis court, and well-equipped gymnasiums.

Quay West Suites Auckland

Quay West Suites Auckland provides stunning views of the harbour and the cityscape, and is positioned in the midst of the CBD area. Each of the 91 suites comprises a spacious living room, bathroom, fully equipped kitchen and laundry, and a choice of one, two or three bedrooms. The hotel can cater for functions of up to 150 guests, with stylish facilities such as the Cityscape Courtyard, which has state-of-the-art electronic roof and drop down walls for all-weather outdoor events.

PHILIPPINES

Makati Shangri-La, Manila

Only 20 minutes from the international airport, the Makati Shangri-La is in a prime position in the centre of Manila's commercial, business and shopping district. This makes it an ideal location for meetings and conferences, with a number of rooms available catering for small gatherings to large events. The 698 guest rooms complement the business traveller, with facilities including a full-size executive writing desk, high-speed internet access, computer dataport and international direct dial telephone.

Mandarin Oriental Manila

The Mandarin Oriental Manila is located in Makati, the heart of the city's business and financial district. Its 448 rooms and suites provide ample accommodation for the business traveller, including four Club Floors. Events are well supported at the hotel, which has 15 function rooms including a newly renovated ballroom that is able to hold up to 1000 guests. A fully equipped 24-hour business centre is also located within the hotel for those who need it.

The Peninsula Manila

Located at the centre of the country's financial and commercial district, The Peninsula Manila prides itself on its ability to cater for the international business traveller. The 249 rooms are spacious and feature large desks and modern business facilities. 13 function and meeting rooms are available, including a ballroom that accommodates up to 800 guests. A Group Business and Conference Department is on hand to assist with organising a range of events.

SOUTH KOREA

COEX Inter-Continental Seoul

The COEX Inter-Continental Seoul is part of the World Trade Centre complex, and is linked to the COEX Convention and Exhibition Centre and City Air Terminal. The makes the hotel a convenient location for accommodation and events. The 654 rooms and suites include business rooms with office equipment, dataport, ergonomic chair and an in-room Stairmaster for in between tasks. The 30-floor hotel also has 16 meeting and function rooms, accommodating up to 2600 guests. Audio-visual equipment, movie projectors, overhead and slide projectors are among the services and equipment available.