| Featured in this Asia Pacific Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 29 October 2004 |
| Royal Garden Resorts takes full ownership of Mandara Spa | Return to Headlines |
| According to Bangkok Post, Royal Garden Resorts Plc (RGR) has taken full ownership in two companies developing and owning Mandara Spa operations in Asia at a cost of US$2.4 million. Mandara Spa (Thailand) Co Ltd and Mandara Spa Ventures Ltd were formed in 1998 and 2003 respectively, with 49% of each company owned by subsidiaries of Nasdaq-listed Steiner Leisure Ltd. RGR acquired the 49% interest in each company with funding provided by a loan from Kasikornbank and internal working capital. RGR operates 11 hotels and nearly 2,200 rooms under the Marriott, Four Seasons, Anantara and Royal Garden brands, in addition to 14 spas in Thailand and China under the Mandara and Anantara brands. | |
| Hong Kong and Shanghai hotels to invest hotel in Shanghai | Return to Headlines |
| According to Dow Jones, Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd. will invest approximately US$361 million, which include the total land price and the related construction and development cost, to develop a Shanghai project. The project is a mixed-use development which will include a Peninsula Hotel, Peninsula apartment hotel, a retail arcade and ancillary facilities at the site located at the northern end of the Bund close to the old British Consulate within the Waitanyuan area of Huang Pu District, Shanghai. The project will cover a land plot of 13,898 square metres for a 50-year land use right. Furthermore, the company has entered into a land grant contract with the Shanghai government for the purchase of the site on which the Peninsula Shanghai will be built. The construction costs, which include the cost of the land, will be split evenly between the company and its joint venture partner, Starwaly Properties (Group) Pty. Ltd. | |
| Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts to open hotel in Inner Mongolia | Return to Headlines |
| Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts will open a new hotel at Baotou in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region due to open in 2007. Shangri-La Hotel, Baotou will be located in the prime city center area, next to Yinhe Square in Qingshan District. Baotou is an industrial center on China's Huang He River - the site of a large integrated iron and steel complex and a manufacturing hub for heavy industry of China. The hotel will comprise 348 rooms, a range of restaurants including lobby lounge, coffee shop, Chinese restaurant and a Mongolian restaurant. The meeting and banqueting facilities will include 19,380-square-foot grand ballroom, and an additional ten function rooms with a total space of 12,900 square feet. Recreation facilities will include a 10,760-square-foot fully equipped health club and an indoor swimming pool. | |
| Arrivals to Singapore up 18% in September 2004 | Return to Headlines |
| According to Singapore Tourism Board, tourist arrivals increased by 18% to 658,224 in September 2004 compared to the corresponding period 2003. Compared to September 2002, arrivals increased by 10%. Main feeder market are Indonesia, with more than 139,000 arrivals, followed by Japan and China with more than 62,000 each. The average hotel occupancy in September was 84 %, 11 percentage points above September 2002. | |
| Best Western adds one in Australia | Return to Headlines |
| Best Western has added a new property to its portfolio in Australia. Sunnybank Star Motel & Apartments in Brisbane, Queensland joins the Best Western Australia hotel chain. Best Western Sunnybank Star Motel offers 60 units, 21 of which are 2 bedroom apartments or self contained studios, parking, pool, BBQ area and access to a 400 seat conference centre and an oriental restaurant. | |
| Mercure Resort Sanur Bali opens | Return to Headlines |
| Accor announced the opening of the Mercure Resort Sanur in Bali, Indonesia after completion of a major renovation. The hotel comprises 184 superior and deluxe rooms and five family rooms. Moreover, the resort offers two swimming pools and a ballroom to accommodate up to 500 people. The resort will launch the Arjuna Spa and Fitness Centre in January 2005. | |
