Absolute Hotel Services (AHS) will launch its upscale U Hotels & Resorts brand in Pattaya next year. Set to debut in early 2015, U Pattaya will be set on a 5.5-hectare plot of beachfront land between Jomtien and Bang Saray. The property will feature 21 rooms and 21 villas, ranging from 40 to 148m². The villas all have private pools and include two-bedroom options. Other facilities will include a beachfront restaurant, rooftop bar, spa, outdoor swimming.

According to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the country welcomed 1.05 million visitors last month, up 22.6% year-on-year and breaking the previous record set in July 2013. The result boosted Japan’s first quarter tourism arrivals total to 2.87m, 27.5% more than in Q1 2013. The growth was driven by arrivals from China and Taiwan. Visitor numbers from Mainland China (+87.2% to 478,200), Taiwan (+45.8% to 596,600) and Hong Kong (+30.9% to 192,600) all saw strong double-digit growth, as did Thailand (+64.0% to 132,600), which was boosted by Japan’s recent visa waiver scheme for Thai nationals.

The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit hotel, which forms part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection, has relaunched its Grande and Premier Rooms, with the Luxury Rooms and Luxury Suites to follow in a later phase. The rooms have been styled by Australian designer Diana Simpson, and furnished in a contemporary Thai style using wood and marble. The beds now feature gold-coloured headboards printed with Thai patterns, while rooms also feature local artworks and antiques, along with new drapes and carpets. The bathrooms feature separate bathtubs and large showers, while in-room amenities include 40-inch flat screen Samsung LED TVs with an IPTV option, a media hub with HDMi, Bluetooth and a USB ports, and high-speed internet.

AirAsia X has launched a new regional subsidiary in Thailand. The new long-haul low-cost carrier was officially unveiled at an event in Bangkok on Tuesday (22 April 2014), with CEO Nadda Buranasiri announcing the airline’s first routes and in-flight products. Operating from its home base at Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport, Thai AirAsia X will start flying on 17 June 2014 with daily services to Seoul. It will then expand its operations with flights to the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka commencing later in the year.