Round-up of the Top Stories in the Last Six Months from WORLDHOTELS

48 new hotels in 2008
In 2008, WORLDHOTELS added 48 new properties to its portfolio of almost 500 unique hotels around the globe. The new additions to the group include 20 hotels in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), 14 in the Americas and 14 in Asia-Pacific. WORLDHOTELS’ expansion of its Asia-portfolio continues with new luxury hotels including exotic resort Villa Lawana in Koh Samui, Thailand and the recently renovated Sultan Hotel in Jakarta.

Expanding India portfolio
WORLDHOTELS further expanded in India, welcoming business hotels from Bangalore, Gurgaon and Chennai. Designer boutique style Park Premier Hotel is the newest 4-star business hotel in Gurgaon, the growing corporate hub on the outskirts of New Delhi. Also joining the First Class Collection is The Atria, the well-established business hotel located in the heart of Bangalore, India's 'Silicon Valley’. It is the closest 4 star hotel to the new Bangalore International Airport.

In Chennai, The Pride Hotel, located in the heart of the city's business and entertainment district, is the flagship hotel of the Pride Group, along with a new 5-star hotel under construction in Bangalore. Following the breakthrough into the market in 2007 with three hotels of Claridges Hotels & Resorts, WORLDHOTELS’ India portfolio has now grown to 7 hotels.

Plaza Royale Oriental Shanghai signals China expansion
The brand new Plaza Royale Oriental Shanghai, along Pudong Avenue just minutes from Shanghai’s financial district, joined the WORLDHOTELS Deluxe Collection. Standing an impressive 140 metres high and towering over the famous Yangpu Bridge, the hotel boasts spectacular 360 degree views of both modern and old Shanghai. It is the flagship for the recently established 5-star hotel group, Plaza Royale Hotels and Resorts, with further hotels under development in Hangzhou, Changsha, Changzhou, Ningbo, Chongqing and Xiamen.

CORPORATE NEWS

WORLDHOTELS Launches a Global 'Recession-Buster' Initiative entitled “Take 5” to Counter Economic Challenges

Take 1. MICE Incentive
The first initiative will boost the WORLDHOTELS group business with an extensive booking incentive for MICE professionals. Selected MICE clients will receive a €50 gift voucher for companies such as Amazon or iTunes for every €5,000 business booked in the five months from December 2008 until 5 May 2009. In addition, each month participating MICE clients have the opportunity to win a two-night stay for two at one of the properties in the region including flights.

Take 2. Corporate Dynamic Pricing
Exclusively for selected corporate partners, WORLDHOTELS has introduced the corporate dynamic pricing programme “Global Corporate Select (GCS)”. With this special corporate rate programme, WORLDHOTELS guarantees a rate five per cent better than the best available rate (BAR) for contracted as well as non-contracted destinations.

Take 3. Value-added Packages
To target leisure travellers and increase the number of bookings, two new value-added “escape” packages will be implemented. With the “Suite Dreams” package, guests booking two consecutive nights over a weekend receive an upgrade to a suite or deluxe room and VIP treatment including a bottle of wine, fruit-basket, local give-away, late check out and in-room breakfast. The romantic “Love-is-all” package for couples staying one night includes a 3-course dinner and bottle of wine, with such VIP extras as fruit-basket, chocolate treat and a bottle of sparkling wine.

Take 4. Partner Promotions
In addition, WORLDHOTELS has launched a series of attractive promotions and special offers in conjunction with its strong network of airline and credit card partners. By presenting their boarding pass, frequent flyers can receive additional benefits and collect extra miles with the mileage programmes of WORLDHOTELS’ airline partners such as Cathay Pacific, Air China, Thai Airways, Jet Airways, Qantas, Malaysia Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Asiana Club. Selected American Express card holders can collect extra Membership Rewards points.

Take 5. Promotion “Smart Savings – Unique Stays”
And finally, the hotel group is continuing its successful global promotion “Smart Savings – Unique Stays” with an extended validity of five months from December 2008 to 5 May 2009. The promotion attracts leisure travellers with special rates and included breakfast. It will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign including special mailings, advertisements in trade publications, as well as e-banners and Google campaigns.

WORLDHOTELS partners with leading technology providers
WORLDHOTELS is renowned for providing its affiliate hotels with unparalleled support in sales, marketing, distribution, yield management and performance optimization. Now, the global hotel group for independent hotels has introduced three new technology partnerships with MICROS Fidelio, IDeaS and Amadeus Tour Market (TOMA). They are designed to optimise revenue and profitability for its 500 properties and further increase their competitive advantages.

Lotte Hotel Seoul Opens First Ladies’ Floor
The Lotte Hotel Seoul – Downtown became the first hotel in Korea to dedicate an entire floor exclusively to female guests. Luxurious and elegant, it comprises a club lounge and 22 rooms, including one suite. The theme is nature, with the accent on flowers, trees, and forests. All rooms are equipped with Jacuzzis and hair dryers. Luxury amenities include cosmetics by L’Occitane, specially-designed towels, female slippers, organic and beauty beverages, and a small jewelry box. Renowned French florist Christian Tortu created the sophisticated interior decorations.

AWARDS

Award-Winning Year in Asia-Pacific
WORLDHOTELS celebrated an award-winning 2008 in the Asia-Pacific, earning a series of prestigious travel industry accolades. WORLDHOTELS was voted as the ‘Best Independent Hospitality Organization’ in the TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards 2008. The award recognises WORLDHOTELS’ commitment to state-of-the-art marketing and distribution for a fast-growing portfolio of some of the finest independent hotels in the Asia-Pacific. In the same awards, the affiliate Lan Kwai Fong Hotel in Hong Kong was named ‘Best Boutique Hotel in Asia’.

Other affiliate hotels also received top accolades. Indigo Pearl in Phuket was ranked in the ‘Top 25 Best Leisure Hotels & Resorts’ in Smart Travel Asia’s ‘Best in Travel Poll 2008’. Online hotel booking site Agoda meanwhile voted both The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Brunei and Sokha Beach Resort, Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia among its ‘Top 10 Beach Resorts’ in Southeast Asia.

The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences honoured both the StarWorld Hotel & Casino, Macau and Villa Lawana in Koh Samui, Thailand with Star Diamond Awards. Another affiliate hotel, The Garden Hotel in Guangzhou, China also collected the prestigious Platinum Five-Star Award 2008.

In the Australasian World Travel Awards 2008, Stamford Plaza Auckland was voted 'Best Business Hotel in New Zealand' and the brand also collected the award for 'Australia's Leading Airport Hotel'.

Best Hotels of 2008
WORLDHOTELS awarded the “Performing Excellence Awards” to its top hotels on 24 September 2008 at the Leadership Forum in Stockholm, Sweden. The Eaton Hotel Hong Kong was the winner in Asia Pacific, while the winner in worldwide and EMEA regions was the Grand Hotel Bohemia in Prague.
The Westminster Hotel in Livingston, New Jersey, and the Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis were jointly granted the best hotels in the Americas.

worldhotels.com polls top 10 dream hotels
Over 2,000 visitors to the website worldhotels.com voted for their favourite hotels in the WORLDHOTELS portfolio of almost 500 hotels around the world, with four Asia Pacific hotels chosen in the top 10. They were: Furama Resort Danang in Vietnam, The Claridges New Delhi, Hotel Stamford Plaza Auckland in New Zealand and the historic Goodwood Park Hotel in Singapore. Among almost 500 affiliate hotels, Hotel de Sers in Paris was pooled the most popular hotel.