Hotels & Culinary ASIA (Sept-Oct'14)

September-October 2014

The Hospitality Magazine on Hotels, Food, Travel & Lifestyle

Preview : BAAN LAKSASUBHA RESORT Hua Hin, Thailand New Philips MediaSuite

Hospitality TV

How Chefs CAN END FOOD WASTE! Exciting CULINARY DELIGHTS

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4 Big Trends in Hospitality & Travel Technology for 2015

By Alan Young, CEO of Puzzle Partner

1. “Three Screens” is Out, Universal Digital Is In Vol.1 No. 5 | September-October 2014 | New Delhi, India

Annual Subscription: India: Rs.2000 | Overseas: US$250 They say the first bite is taken with the eye, and here’s an appetizer of what’s in store. Hotels & Culinary Asia (HCA) is a B2B magazine for the ever-growing Hotel, Food, Travel and Lifestyle Industries.

HCA, through print and online magazine is real time information network that connects you with latest information of the above industries, at the forefront of all the action and as the key media partner to the major industry events around the world, you can trust HCA to serve you with what you need.

A quick glance through our pages will lead you into the world of the now in-demand technologies, services and events and much more.

Our aim is to update you with the most happenings in the world of hotel, food, travel and lifestyle industries. Dive in, read, explore through our pages and we shall serve you to the best of our abilities and honour our commitment towards excellence.

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Preview : Baan Laksasubha Resort, Hua Hin, Thailand New Philips MediaSuite Hospitality TV International Tourism Shows Continued Strength How chefs can end food waste Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket named one of AsiaRooms Top Rated 2014 InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts Dishes up Exciting Culinary Delights Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts unveils next generation guest room for the modern business traveller Inaugural Rising Star Award Asia Pacific winner is announced HOSThinking a design award Product Review: Belmoca coffee -the ultimate selection A review: Hilton Hua Hin Feature: Bitcoin payments: coming to a hotel near you!

New Holiday Inn Hotel Opens in the Centre of Colourful Jaipur

The idea of three screens has been valuable in expanding our ideas and ability to reach travelers across a spectrum of devices, but we are past it now. The next year will be one in which innovations in travel technology are made in such a way that all methods of correspondence are available to travelers—text, email, voice—and all applications and software are available in the same format across all devices. Ultimately, it means that the guest has total control over the way they plan their travel and communicate while on the road.

2. Mobile Check-in Sets the Standard, But Not the Way You Think

To the above point, mobile check-in is one example of a technology that has previously been thought of as a device-specific capability, and thought of in this way, it is limiting. But what forward-thinking mobile check-in companies have created is more than a way to tell a hotel about impending arrival; it’s actually a means of communicating that has opened a door to allowing guests to check-in from any device with or without an app, to send and receive text message with the front desk, and to customize their stay with ancillary selections. In this way, mobile check-in sets the standard for guest communication as a whole.

3. The Face of Search Will Change

The idea that we still type “Maui hotel” in a search engine or OTA is hard to believe. Big data allows travelers much bigger capabilities than this. A spectrum of ways to empower travelers to search for what they really want (i.e., an all-inclusive, beachside resort with scuba diving and fine dining) in the form of Recommendation Engines will appear on the scene in 2015, we predict. We also think you’ll see the ability to search reviews and effectively include subjective terms such as “quiet” or “good service” or “nice location.”

4. Groups Will Demand Online Booking & Planning Capabilities

It is time! Groups deserve the same ease of planning as other travelers, if not more since they are so important to the bottom line. Moreover, they are going to demand it by deferring to hotels that offer the most efficient and effective planning process. This means finding rates and discounts online and the ability to plan at least some of their details online.

ALAN YOUNG, CEO OF PUZZLE PARTNER Alan E. Young, is the CEO of Puzzle Partner. Alan currently assists Puzzle Partners’ clients with overall business strategy and messaging in order to ensure their success. His experience in the travel and hospitality technology world helps focus and drive our clients to reach their short term and long term objectives.

Previously, Alan has held a number of executive level positions with Start-Up companies such as Newtrade Technologies, (acquired by Expedia), Hotel Booking Solutions (acquired by IBS Software) and TrustYou GmbH. Alan is past Chair of The Board of Directors of The OpenTravel Alliance, a global hospitality/travel industry technology standards association. Alan has also been very involved with other industry associations most notably AHLA, HEDNA and HTNG. He is also a highly requested presenter and has been a guest speaker at World Travel Mart, ITB, HITEC, Online Revealed, The HOT Conference and a number of other industry events.

By leveraging our experience and connecting you with the right people, we can help you drive your business. Speed in the start-up world is key

EDITORIAL: Reny, Sarvjit, Vishwapreet & Amrita (India), Anna (Sweden), Mike (UK), Liza (Singapore), Upi (Indonesia), Ying & Adrian (China), Arvi (Australia). Columnist: Doug Kennedy Public Relations Director: Winnie. Advisor: Rajiv Sanghavi. Design, Art & Web Development: Diamond Infomedia. Publisher: Milinia Inc. Founded by: Late Mr N.S. Kanwar. B-2-B Group Publications: PRINTING REVIEW, Medical Device ASIA, autoASIA, Plastics & Rubber Review, Electronics & Electrical ASIA, Beauty & Fashion World. Contacts: To advertise: advertise@ hotelsandculinaryasia.com, to submit a press release: editorial@hotelsandculinaryasia.com, to subscribe: subscribe@hotelsandculinaryasia.com.

Published, printed, & owned by Vishwapreet Kaur on behalf of Milinia Inc. at , D-182, PR House, Anand Vihar, 110092, New Delhi, India and printed by her at Technical Press, D-182/C, Anand Vihar, 110092, New Delhi, India.

Views expressed in this magazine are of the contributors, authors and companies and not necessarily of the publisher and/or editors’ and they do not take any responsibility for the errors and/or accuracy of the information published in this publication. No part or design of this magazine can be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher, who reserves the right to use the information published in this magazine in any manner whatsoever.

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BAAN LAKSASUBHA RESORT HUA HIN, THAILAND

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aan Laksasubha Resort stands today on a foundation of prime Beachfront Lands discovered by HRH Prince Nares who established the first Royal Residence & Bungalows known at that time as Sansamran - Sukaves in the early 1900’s and to differentiate from the then known fishing village Laem Hin to new resort desitnation for Royal Households and Nobility. Prince Nares renamed these lands south of the southern tip of the rocky cape as Hua Hin as it is known today.

These same lands that Bann Laksasubha Resort occupies today has been handed down through the family generations to the Great Granddaughter and current owner M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon. In 1994, M.L. Laksasubha Kridakon built her family holiday home on these lands, then 15 years latershe decided to express her worldly travels, REsort design ideas, diplomatic service standards and importantly share the beauty of this unique beachfront land location, her home and heritage. Then on a beautiful December Morning in 2007, Bann Laksasubha Resort was created and opened its

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doors for a new generation to enjoy thes hidden oasis in the centre of Hua Hin. Resort & Location Come and enjoy a unique Royal Resort Experience at Thailand’s first Resort destination, Hua Hin. At the centre of this Royal seaside town is Baan Laksasubha Resort and without any question is the best Beachfront Resort central Location to all amenities like the night markets, a great choice of restaurants all within walking distance. However, even being in such a central position, as our guest you won’t forego the feeling of being in a private oasis of lush landscaped grounds and best white

sand swimming beach in this prime location. Baan Laksasubha Resort offers you a private setting with the choice of 5 spacious room types from 2 & 3 bedroom Garden & Veranda villas and studio apartments, with a family pool and one horizon pool on the sands edge. One can enjoy great food all day or night in alfresco style or air conditioned comfort at Oceanfront Restaurant or enjoy a cold beverage of your choice from the Beachfront L Bar, Pool Bar or Front Cafe. If you are looking for a private Resort feeling where all your needs are at your fingertips, Bann laksasubha Resort is well worth to stay. The Resort look forward to welcome you!

Below are some great facilities of the Resort : • 24 hours Guest Service & Information Desk • 24 hours Security Guards •Restaurants & Bars •Beach Restaurant for Banquets • Room Service from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.• Conference facilities • Wi-fi in all rooms •In Room Thai Traditional Massage Service •2 Swimming Pools • Pool Bar •Kids Swimming Pool •Kids Play Area •Tour Desk & Golf Services •Car Parking • Laundry & Dry Clearning Service •Baby Sitting Service •Limousine / Taxi Service •Concierge •Coffee Shop •Priave Beach Cornder with Sun Bed, Sun Desks and Bar Meetings & Conferences :

Baan Laksasubha is the place where business can come along with pleasure.

We have conference facilities to serve your business meeting at small to medium scales. Conference room can be arranged to accommodate up to 30 to 40 persons in air conditioned area. High quality LCD projector and notebooks can be provided. Team building activities can be arranged at different forms to strenghthen company’s culture & bonding.

Zaanti SPA or In-Room Spa Services

tion Office is located on Damnoenkasem Rd. For more information, call Tel:66(0)32-511-073 or visit www.railway.co.th

By Car: The approximately 200 km drive between Bangkok and Hua Hin can be traveled in 2 to 3 hours. The most direct driving route from Bangkok to Hua Hin is to follow Highway 35 south to Highway No. 4.

By Bus: Buses between Bangkok and Hua Hin are served by Bangkok’s Sai Tai Mai terminal, and depart every 20 minutes for the 3 ½ hour journey.

Fares for first class bus seats cost around 200 baht. There is also bus service that is scheduled to connect Hua Hin with Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Buses to and from cities in southern Thailand are generally overnight services, departing Hua Hin around 10 pm and arriving early in the morning; such busses cost between 750-1000 baht depending on destination.

By private taxi: Travel between Bangkok and Hua Hin by private taxi costs approximately 3,000 baht (please contact at reception desk ), and takes about 2 ½ hours. Pickup service from Airport or other locations, can be arranged by the Hotel.

For more information, please visit: www.baanlaksasubha.com

Zaanti means ‘peace’. Zaanti Spa is the best place to retreat your mind, body and soul. It is where you can experience the ultimate rejuvenation and relaxation withinthe resort or in room. Enjoy the mysterious arts of massage coming along with the ancient herbal remedies.

Getting to and from Hua Hin

By Train: Most trains headed south from Bangkok stop at the Hua Hin Railway Station, so there are numerous trains leaving throughout the day that provide service to Hua Hin. Generally speaking, the train ride takes between 4 and 6 hours; considerably longer than the 2 to 3 hour car ride.

However, train fare is cheaper than taxi fare, seats costing between 40 and 100 baht depending on the class and speed of the train. The Hua Hin StaHotels

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To ensure data privacy, MediaSuite TVs automatically delete personal information after use.

Customisation of app profiles to meet hoteliers and guests needs

AppControl allows hoteliers to add, delete and sort apps and create different profiles for different rooms.

Hoteliers can customise the look and feel of the Smart TV offering to fit their hotel’s corporate identity.

In order to optimise bandwidth management, hoteliers can offer full Smart TV services with premium options in selected rooms whilst other rooms can have a reduced feature set with apps requiring smaller bandwidths.

Connecting securely with guests’ smart devices

New Philips MediaSuite Hospitality TVs Provide Future-Proof Connectivity and Sophisticated Remote Management Tools TP Vision introduces a new range of energy-efficient Philips MediaSuite hospitality TVs. They provide great picture quality, versatile connectivity and many dedicated hospitality features, including smart remote management tools, interactive information pages and a Smart TV offering that can be individually tailored for each class of guest room.

MediaSuite hospitality TVs benefit hoteliers with low running costs and comprehensive service through a large Philips TV partner network. Philips MediaSuite features five models with screen sizes from 71cm (28in) to 140cm (55in) and will be available from the second quarter of this year in Europe, Middle East, Russia and APAC.

MediaSuite powered by Oxigen delivers superior hospitality solutions

Philips MediaSuite hospitality TVs are powered by Philips Oxigen, a comprehensive feature set designed to deliver the latest in connectivity to both guests and hoteliers, while ensuring low cost of ownership.

Easy remote maintenance benefits hoteliers

With SmartInstall hoteliers can save serious money. It allows hoteliers to set-up and maintain Philips MediaSuite TVs remotely with little effort. Hoteliers can load software upgrades and update 10 | September-October 2014 | Hotels & Culinary ASIA

SmartInfo pages via an easy to use PC tool without entering guest rooms. Channel mapping can also be carried out without disturbing guests.

Interactive, smart information system

Thanks to SmartInfo, hoteliers share customised information easily with their guests direct to the MediaSuite TV screen without the need for an internet or intranet connection. A well-designed choice of templates assists hoteliers in creating interactive info pages to promote value added hotel services, including spa and restaurant offerings, and to deliver all kinds of relevant tourist information.

Secure access to Philips Smart TV offering Philips MediaSuite TVs allow access to the cloud-based Philips Smart TV portal including a large number of online apps, exclusive hospitality apps, catch-up TV services and social media platforms.

Next to their broad selection of wired interfaces and ports, including USB, HDMI, and Ethernet LAN, Philips MediaSuite TVs offer hassle-free and secure wireless connectivity. Miracast and DirectShare allows movies, pictures and music to stream from guests’ iOS and Android smartphones and tablets to the MediaSuite TV in their guest room. Secure pairing mechanisms protect guests’ private content and data.

Integrated IPTV

Thanks to integrated IPTV, Philips MediaSuite TVs seamlessly connect to existing interactive systems as well as IPTV channels. Videoon-demand delivery, interactive hotel menus and information as well as online ordering systems are possible without a set-top box. In addition to delivering content over coax TV cables, hoteliers can now use an internet network to deliver TV channels or VOD directly to the TV.

Professional services enhancing ROI

Philips hospitality TV owners are served by a care team that specifically focuses on Hospitality TV. TP Vision’s hospitality TV business unit also runs a large partner network with local contacts offering professional and reliable services including on-time and on-location logistics.

International Tourism Shows Continued Strength

Pic: Hilton Hua Hin, Thailand

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nternational tourist arrivals worldwide grew by 5% during the first eight months of 2014 according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Despite geopolitical challenges and a lingering economic recovery, tourism demand was strong during the northern hemisphere high season of June to August, this year.

World Tourism Organization UNWTO International tourists (overnight visitors) travelling the world between January and August 2014 reached 781 million, 36 million more than in the same period of 2013. With a 5% increase, international tourism continued to grow well above the long-term trend projected by UNWTO for the period 2010-2020 (+3.8%).

The peak months of June, July and August, which account for about one third of the total of the year, saw an increase of 4% compared to the same months of 2013.

By region, the strongest growth was registered in the Americas (+8%), followed by Asia and the Pacific (+5%) and Europe (+4%). By subregion, North America (+9%) and South Asia (+8%) were the star performers, as well as Southern and Mediterranean Europe, Northern Europe, North-East Asia and South America (all +7%).

“International tourism continues to grow above expectations despite rising global challenges”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “Yet, increasing geopoliti-

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cal uncertainties and the fact that the global economy shows signs of weaker and uneven growth require our attention”, he added.

Commenting on the possible impact of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa on tourism, Mr. Rifai said “Although it is too premature to assess the full impact of the outbreak on the tourism sector, at this point we do not expect a major effect on the sector globally.”

“International tourism in countries where there is widespread transmission (Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone) represents less than 1% of all international arrivals to African destinations. Yet we have to be aware that misperception about the outbreak is affecting the whole of

Africa. On the upside, and according to information gathered from our African Member States and key tour operators and associations in major source markets, there are no significant cancellations to report, despite a certain slowdown in bookings”.

Mr. Rifai recalled that the 3rd meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 23 October 2014 “reiterated its recommendation that there should be no general ban on international travel or trade.”

“Most importantly, we need to urgently step up international ef

forts to support affected countries to contain the outbreak, ensure that WHO recommendations are implemented and provide, at all moments, transparent and timely information to fight misperception and fear, and minimize the spillover effects to the whole region”, he added.

The Americas: leading growth in 2014 The Americas (+8%) led growth during the first eight months of 2014, rebounding on last year’s subdued results. All four subregions – North America, Caribbean, Central America and South America – doubled the growth rates registered in 2013.

International arrivals in Asia and the Pacific increased by 5%,

consolidating the growth of recent years, with South Asia (+8%) and North-East Asia (+7%) in the lead, followed by Oceania (+6%). On the other hand, growth in arrivals slowed down in South-East Asia (+2%) compared to the strong results registered in 2012 and 2013.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s arrivals were up by 3%.

Europe, the most visited region in the world, posted 4% growth in international tourist arrivals through August, with strong results in Northern Europe and Southern Mediterranean Europe (+7% each).

By contrast, international tourism grew at a more modest pace in Western Europe (+3%) and was stagnant in Central and Eastern Europe (-1%).

China reinforces its position as leading source market

Africa’s international tourist numbers grew by 3% with North Africa consolidating its recovery (+4%).

International tourist arrivals in the Middle East are estimated to be up by 3%, though this figure should be read with caution as it is based on limited available data for the region.

Data on expenditure on travel abroad for the first six to nine months of 2014 indicates that growth among the world’s top ten source markets was highest in China (+16%), while France (+10%), Italy (+8%), the United States of America (+6%), Brazil (+5%) and the Russian Federation (+4%) also reported robust growth. Among the top 25 source markets in expenditure, double-digit growth rates were Hotels

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registered in India (+31%), Norway (+22%), Sweden (+12%), Taiwan (pr. of China) (+11%) and the Republic of Korea (+10%).

2014 to close above expectations For the full year 2014, international tourist arrivals are expected to increase by 4% to 4.5%, slightly above UNWTO’s long-term forecast of 3.8% per year for the period 2010 to 2020.

Although the UNWTO Confidence Index shows some weaker levels due to the current geopolitical and health risks, results remain positive as 51% of respondents see prospects for the period SeptemberDecember 2014 as “much better or better” as against 35% who rate it as “equal” and 14% as “much worse or worse”.

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Captivate 38,000 Buyers with Your Coffee Products @ HOFEX 2015

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offee culture has been gaining momentum in Hong Kong, leading to the sheer number of coffee shops cropping up in the city and also a growing population of knowledgeable coffee experts. Last year, Ms. Pinky Hoi Yan Leung, representative of Hong Kong, crowned world champion in the Grand Final World Siphonist Championship 2013, held by the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan; while a few months ago, Mr. Derek Ka Po Chiu competed with over 50 national champions and won second place at the World Barista Championship 2014 - the preeminent international coffee competition organised by World Coffee Events (WCE).

Further propelling the coffee culture and facilitating the industry development, HOFEX 2015 – the most prestigious food and hospitality show in the Asia Pacific region to be held from 6 - 9 May 2015 – will put up a captivating sector catering to the coffee enthusiasts in the region. Located at Hall 1E, adjacent to the registration counter, Bean2Cup@HOFEX is guaranteed to seduce visitors with a waft of freshly ground beans when they reach the doorstep of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Exhibiting companies will showcase everything essential to deliver a nice cup of coffee, ranging from coffee beans, roasters, brewers, grinders and barista tools to espresso machines.

Industry brands who have already secured their spaces in the exhibition hall include Hiang Kie Coffee Group, Tsit Wing Coffee Co Ltd, Kampery Development Ltd, Walton Possesion Ltd, BunnO-Matic Corporation, Loveramics and many more.

A stunning brew of competitions and events will take place on-

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site to stimulate sharing of technical skills and knowledge, including Grand Barista Championship and Latte Art Competition. These activities will draw a great deal of media attention which in turns help participating parties gain broader exposure. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your products to over 38,000 trade buyers and build a strong brand image! Contact Hong Kong Exhibition Services Limited at +852 2804 1500 / exhibit@hkesallworld.com to reserve your space NOW! For more details, please visit HOFEX website: www.hofex.com

How chefs can end food waste

By Olivia DeWolfe

Rather than using what we have, Americans like cooking with recipes calling for very specific, often far-flung ingredients that may not get used up before being tossed. We also have a cultural need for “perfect food” so a lot of perfectly good food gets tossed on the delivery dock for having visual imperfections.

Though most professional chefs are passionate about feeding people, the world needs more chefs that are just as excited about ending hunger.

Anyone in food service knows that a huge amount of food gets wasted between the delivery dock and the customer’s plate. If you need further proof, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations commissioned a study that found that about “one third of the food that gets produced in the world for human consumption…is lost or wasted” and this number rises to almost one half in the United States. Ending food waste is one of the ways chefs can battle hunger.

Why do we waste so much food in the United States?

In her blog on Civil Eats, Amber Turpin makes relevant connections between the way food is handled in the United States and food waste.

She points out that because food (from vegetables to seafood) is farmed in massive quantities that must be stored and trucked all over the country, it leads to spoilage and is often thrown out before it can be safely consumed.

Turpin also discusses the consequences of food being so cheap in the United States. It’s just too easy to order an extra large french fry for $1 more and then throw out most of them. Alternately, in developing countries where food is often very expensive, it is rarely wasted on the consumer level.

Solutions to ending food waste Some of the ways chefs can end food waste include creating direct relationships with farmers and offering locally-made food, changing expectations around visually perfect food, offering reasonable portion sizes (or letting consumers choose their own portion size), composting, and educating themselves about storing fresh food for maximum usage.

For further ideas, the Environmental Protection Agency has created a this hierarchy of principals to help food services eliminate food waste (and save money):

using food scraps to create compost that gets sold or used in the campus vegetable gardens, converting used vegetable oil for bio diesel fuel to power campus vehicles, and donating leftover food to food banks.

Food waste is a natural concern for chefs who love to feed people. Not only can eliminating food waste help end hunger, but it can also save other resources as well: up to 10 percent of landfill space, as well as the fuel used and emissions created to transport it. Do what you can as a chef to keep good food from going to waste.

• Source reduction (decrease purchasing costs) •Feed hungry people (increase revenue from tax breaks for donating food) •Feed animals (decrease spending on waste disposal fees) •Create bio diesel with waste oils (decrease spending on waste disposal fees) •Create compost to amend soils (decrease spending on waste disposal fees and increase revenue by selling compost) •Culinary schools also have a vital role to play in ending food waste.

They are implementing programs to educate students and staff about preemptive techniques to keep food from being lost, as well as ways to use leftover food once it has been prepared. Programs include Hotels

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TP Vision Hospitality TV launches an augmented reality app for hoteliers

Introducing India’s newest Tourist Destination Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Augmented reality app displays the latest Philips TVs in your hotel room.

• New tourism logo unveiled • Development of the UTs as world class tourist destinations • Outlay for the UTs increased from Rs.660 crores to Rs.1360 crores

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rovides interactive information on technology and features to support hoteliers in their purchase decision process.

TP Vision has launched an augmented reality app for Android and Apple smartphones and tablets. With this easy-to-use AR app, hoteliers can virtually display a 3D picture overlay of Philips TVs in their hotel rooms.

The picture overlay is then displayed on the smartphone’s or tablet’s screen immediately showing how a new Philips TV fits in their rooms.

The app also provides direct access to the TVs’ technical details, specifications and background material such as videos explaining the benefits of the TVs’ features.

The app is free for download on Google Play and on iTunes.

App supports hoteliers’ in their purchase decision-making “Today, TVs are not just part of a hotel room’s technical equipment but a piece of furniture that needs harmonize with the interior design”, said Wouter Staal, Senior Global Marketing Manager at TP Vision Hospitality TV. “Our augmented reality app easily helps hoteliers decide, which screen size and TV model best suits the room.” It is also an ideal tool for Philips Hospitality TV’s distributors and sales partners. “Especially owners of small hotels who still have big CRT TVs in their rooms now have an easy-to-use application that graphically shows the potential to save space with a flat hotel TV,” continued Wouter Staal.

Easy to download, simple to share To see how the TV fits into the room the hotelier simply has to print a marker and place it in the hotel room. After selecting a new TV within the app, the smartphone’s or tablet’s display shows how the device looks in the room’s environment. To share the augmented reality view with others, the app allows easy storage, email, and sharing functionalities.

The app also offers one-click access to additional information including technical details and product benefits, videos, and a direct link to local representatives.

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he Union Territories of Daman &Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli unveiled their vision of promoting themselves as activity-filled, world class tourist destinations through a network of projects aimed at promoting infrastructure to attract tourists from India and across the world.

In this connection, a new tourism brand logo, common for both Union Territories was unveiled today by the Honourable Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture, Shri Shripad Y. Naik and the Honourable Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju.

Built around the tagline of ‘Small is Big’, the logo encapsulates the core appeal of the Union Territories – while they are small dots on the map, they have so much more to offer in the form of culture, heritage, wild life, architecture and natural wonders.

This will be followed by an extensive 360 degree marketing campaign to promote the varied facets of the Union Territories among tourist audiences. Ogilvy & Mather, who have designed the logo are also the agency that will manage the advertising and digital campaign for the same.

A special publication titled “Vision 2020 - Dadra & Nagar Haveli” was also released today by the Honourable Ministers. It showcases various landmark project plans, the investment and planned completion dates to boost tourism as well as improve infrastructure in the Union Territory. Tourism projects include water front development and establishment of state museums. Also on the anvil is an International Sports Complex at Saily which will boast not only of a 40,000 seat cricket stadium, but also an international standard Olympic pool as well as facilities for football, hockey, volleyball, table tennis and archery. Similar plans are being drawn up for the other Union Territories as well. To support this goal, the Budget outlay for the two Union Territories has been increased from Rs.660 crores in 2012-13 to Rs.1360 crores in the current year.

Mr. Bhupinder S. Bhalla, Honourable Administrator Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli said, “Our aim is to make Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli amongst the most exciting and activity-filled destinations in the world. Our marketing campaign will present the Union Territories at their finest. In addition, the projects presented here are a result of extensive discussion, dedicated planning and hard work by a large team of public representatives, government officers, architects and designers.”

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket named one of AsiaRooms Top Rated 2014

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usit Thani Laguna Phuket proudly announces that it has been named “Top Rated 2014” by AsiaRooms.com, the online travel accommodation website.

In order to be certified, a hotel must receive an average review score of 80% based on five criteria including customer service, cleanliness, quality of rooms, quality of food, family friendliness and value for money. The resort averaged a score of 93% across 233 guest reviews over the last twelve months. The resort also achieved a rating of 5 out of 6 points based on the combined average of the “overall review” and “would stay again” scores.

“It’s a matter of great pride to be recognised by the guests of AsiaRooms,” said Denis Thouvard, General Manager of Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket. “Every guest review is valuable to us and we will continue to focus on delivering excellent service to our guests so they make the most of their stay with us.”

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket will be nominated in the 2nd annual AsiaRooms.com Hotel Awards 2014 which kicks off in September. Winners will be announced at the end of December 2014.

To vote for Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket or to find out more, please visit http://www.asiarooms.com/en/community/hotelawards-2014 Hotels

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InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts Dishes up Exciting Culinary Delights for Children with New Menu IHG® Launches Planet Trekkers Menu Designed by Top Chef and Child Nutrition Expert to Encourage Food Exploration

InterContinental

Hotels Group (IHG) is rolling out its new signature InterContinental Planet Trekkers Menu, created exclusively for children, across its InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts properties. Hotels in Asia, Middle East and Africa are dishing up exciting and nutritionally balanced meals that promise to take young explorers through an exciting journey of food discovery.

As part of the menu’s development, Annabel and Theo conducted a test and learn tasting session with young guests to explore a variety of ingredients that appeal to all palates.

Theo Randall, Chef Patron of Theo Randall at the InterContinental said: “Dining whilst on holiday is as much a part of the overall adventure as sightseeing. For this menu we’ve experimented with a variety of

Designed exclusively for young InterContinental hotel guests by award winning chef Theo Randall and child food expert and best-selling international author Annabel Karmel MBE, the new menu was developed from start to finish with nutrition and food exploration at its core. It features delicious dishes with a myriad of flavours, textures, smells and tastes that will take children on an educational culinary voyage around the world while ensuring an enjoyable and nutritionally balanced meal.

Theo is renowned for creating simple, authentic dishes using the best and freshest ingredients, which has resulted in his Italian restaurant being lauded as one of the best in London.

Annabel has written over 37 books on children’s nutrition and cooking for children, and is internationally recognised as a leading authority on helping children to eat properly.

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Penne Pasta with Red Red Sauce

Iced Watermelon Popsicles

The 10th International Hotel Expo - Hotel Expo 2014 - A Comprehensive Trade Platform for the Hospitality Industry Macau’s Longest-Running and Most Well-Established Exhibition integrating the Hotel, Catering & Hospitality Sectors

flavours, ingredients and combinations to develop a range of dishes that would be familiar to a child’s palate yet create excitement around their dining experience at InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts around the world. I think the dishes we’ve created for this menu will leave as much of an impression on the children as the destinations they are visiting.”

With 181 hotels in more than 60 countries, InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to providing diverse, enriching experiences with local insight that comes from 67 years’ experience.

The new children’s menu is set to excite the junior palate through a variety of classic favourites and truly international delights that reflect the breadth of countries the brand is located in.

Simon Scoot, Vice President Global Brands, InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts and IHG Global Resorts said: “As part of IHG’s promise of delivering exceptional experiences for our guests, we are the first hotel company in the world to develop a signature children’s menu in collaboration with two culinary experts.

“With more than half a million children visiting our InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts each year, we want to ensure that we are giving them the opportunity to enjoy ‘Food Exploration,’ which was our guiding principle when creating the new menu.”

As the largest casual dining operator in the world with more than 5,400 restaurants and bars, this menu launch is a key part of a renewed food and beverage focus for IHG, whose family of nine brands also includes Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts and Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts. IHG’s team of chefs and food experts are working on a number of new programmes to improve and enhance the food and beverage experiences guests can enjoy across the company’s portfolio of more than 4,700 hotels globally.

The InterContinental® Planet Trekkers Menu is available in InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts globally.

For more information on InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts and to explore exciting dining options at the various hotels around the world, visit www.ihg.com/intercontinental. To find out more about InterContinental’s Planet Trekkers Programme, visit: www.intercontinental.com/planettrekkers.

To explore IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s largest hotel loyalty programme, visit www.ihgrewardsclub.com and for more information on IHG, visit www.IHG.com. v

Being a premium event exclusively supported by Asia Hotel Industry League (AHIL) and International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IHRA), Hotel Expo 2014, in celebration of its 10th Anniversary, will be held at the Venetian Macao from November 26-28, 2014.

Hotel Expo is definitely an integrated hospitality event which features the widest spectrum of exhibits for the hotel, catering & hospitality sectors ranging from the respective facilities, equipment & supplies like tableware, kitchen utensils, beddings, linens, amenities, furniture, lighting, cleaning products, decorative materials, food & beverage, coffee & tea to hospitality technology, spa & wellness…etc.

A Market-Orientated Exhibition focusing on The Gigantic China & Asian Market In addition to the attendance of the key operators of the hotel & catering sectors from Macau & Hong Kong, delegations led by the hotel associations from China, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and China Food Association…etc. also attend the exhibition to enhance co-operation and development for the Asian hotel industry.

Backing with a favorable market situation…quite a number of large-scale luxury hotels and resorts in Macau will start operation in 2015 while there are many projects are being launched in China and Asia, Hotel Expo 2014 receives much more encouraging responses and active participation from worldwide industry operators.

A Significant Gathering and an Annual Carnival of Asian Hospitality Industry Hotel Expo is not just an exhibition An ocean of fascinating activities will be held during the 3-days exhibition, creating a perfect trade exchange platform and adding more attractions to the exhibition. Exhibition highlights include: • Asian Hotel General Managers Forum - gathering the attendance of as many as 400 general managers & senior executives of the Asian star-graded hotels • Seminar on Co-operation between Hotels & SMEs - providing the suppliers & hotel operators with as an interactive trade platform • Asia Culinary Contest – a competition being participated by the top chefs while the judging panel comprises the key executives of the hotel & catering sectors • Asian Star-Graded Hotel Award – an award to praise the star-graded hotels which strive for facilities & service excellence • Asian Outstanding Spa Award – an award to commend the top-notch spa centers • Spa & Wellness Forum - a platform for hotel practitioners and spa experts to confer on the spa products & services, and enhance business exchange and highlight the corporate image • Asian Best Hotel Suppliers Award – an award to commend the companies providing sophisticated supplies & service to the hospitality industry • Asia Green Award – a high praise for companies supplying eco-friendly products or service to hospitality industry • Macau International Lotus Cup Hotel Furniture Design Competition - Strive to dig out and commend for innovative ideas in order to advance hotel furniture design ideas • Best Hotel Furniture Suppliers Award – serves to promote quality hotel furniture enterprises to the world •Coffee Culture Workshop – outstanding professional baristas give demonstrations and offer the audience with free cupping Hotel Expo is definitely a must-attend event for all the operators and suppliers of the hotel, catering, hospitality & tourism industries. REGISTER NOW at www.hotel-exhibition.com to seek new market, products & services and to gain latest industry information and trend.

For further information, please contact: Website: www.hotel-exhibition.com or www.coastal.com.hk Hotels

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Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts unveils next generation guest room for the modern business traveller Cutting edge and intuitive design to help travellers meet the challenges of 24/7 and ‘always on’ business travel

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rowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, part of IHG® (InterContinental® Hotels Group), unveils its next generation guest room - an innovative design developed with industry-leading influencers and experts to meet the changing needs of today’s modern business traveller.

Guest room designs, particularly the placement of the bed, have remained virtually unchanged for the last 60 years, since standardised guest room dimensions were introduced by Kemmons Wilson, founder of the Holiday Inn® Brand. The new Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts guest room introduces a uniquely angled bed design, reducing noise levels and supporting a great night’s sleep.

Given the 24/7, ‘always on’, hectic pace of today’s business travel, modern business travellers are looking for a peaceful

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environment where they can be productive, without necessarily feeling like they are working.

As more Millennials enter the workforce, they also expect their ‘office’ to be wherever they want to be – as long as there is connectivity. And, all modern business travellers want to be able to recharge and revitalise – setting themselves up for success.

Working for the past two years with leading designers from outside the sector, Future Agenda and Pearson Lloyd, specialising in areas such as the future of workspace,

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts has developed an intuitive, cutting-edge design that radically challenges the traditional norms of business space in hotels, creating a modern environment to meets the needs of business travellers in the 21st century.

Keith Barr, Chief Commercial Officer, IHG said “At IHG we have a deep understanding of our guests and meet their differing needs through our family of brands. At the heart of Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand is a commitment to helping the modern business traveller meet

the challenges and hectic pace of today’s 24/7, ‘always on’, environment.

“Our innovative, intuitive guest room design creates a fantastic new space that will encourage them to be productive but also to rest and, crucially, to get a great night’s sleep. The response from guests has been outstanding. They tell us they can rest more easily and can focus more on what they need to do to be successful. We want to help all our guests to have a successful life - not just a successful stay.”

Like the ‘working triangle’ of a chef’s kitchen, the new Crowne Plaza room allows guests to move freely between three key areas – a cocooned bed, a flexible ‘nook’ and a streamlined workspace.

The room’s new layout also ensures that there is space to pace – and think. The key benefits are: • Rest- the uniquely angled bed has a padded, curved headboard which, along with insulated wall panels on each side of the room, dramatically reduces noise levels and helps with better sleep. In comparison to a typical hotel room, consumer testing revealed a 30% improvement in noise reduction.

• Connectivity – the innovative ‘nook’ area offers a multi-

purpose and comfortable space to hold informal meetings, doubling as an area to socialise and relax away from the traditional workspace.

• Space – the dedicated, multi-purpose workspace offers a clutter free surface with accessible outlets and adjustable lighting creating a productive environment for work as well as catering for vanity needs with a hair dryer in the drawer and mirror above the desk.

Testing of the new room’s benefits has revealed that, compared to a standard hotel room design, more modern business travellers feel that that new guest room design helps them to get a better night’s sleep, work productively and efficiently and makes them feel successful.

The new guest room will launch in the Americas region in 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Midtown Hotels

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and with early adopters. As one of the world’s fastest growing upscale brands, there is also a clear opportunity for a global rollout in the near future.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is part of IHG’s family of nine brands and is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world, at 400 hotels in more than 65 countries worldwide. IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies with over 4,700 hotels in 100 countries. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests’ needs whatever the occasion - from an award-winning InterContinental Resort to a city-centre Crowne Plaza Hotel.

For more information on Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts visit: www.ihg.com/crowneplaza

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Inaugural Rising Star Award Asia Pacific winner is announced

Christopher Hur of Host Hotels & Resorts Honored at HICAP the Asia Pacific region. Christopher Hur is a great example of a young person, in the hospitality industry, who is a natural leader and a superb strategist. It has been a privilege to get to know him and to recognize his accomplishments”, said Andrea Belfanti, Executive Director for ISHC.

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he International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) presented Christopher Hur with the 2014 inaugural Rising Star Award Asia Pacific. As the Vice President of Acquisitions & Development of Host Hotels & Resorts, Hur plays an important role in the investment decisions that Host makes in the Asia Pacific region. Hur has lived and worked in Asia for the past seven years and is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

“We are very pleased to have launched this important award at HICAP, and even more so with the amazing response it has received from the hotel industry in Asia Pacific”, said Jim Burba, President, BHN, and HICAP co-host. “The accomplishments already achieved by the candidates were truly impressive, and the future of the hotel industry in the region will be in good hands with these young leaders”, Burba added.

“ISHC is ecstatic to have this opportunity to honor a Rising Star in 22 | September-October 2014 |Hotels

The Rising Star Award Asia Pacific was created in 2014 by the ISHC and HICAP, to recognize emerging leadership talent in the Asia Pacific region from the hospitality industry. Award criteria require that a nominee be 35 years and under, be currently working and living in the Asia Pacific region and have a minimum of two of the most recent five years’ experience living in the Asia Pacific region and working in the hotel development and/or investment field.

About ISHC

The International Society of Hospitality Consultants is truly The Leading Source for Global Hospitality Expertise, represented by over two hundred of the industry’s most respected professionals from across six continents. Collectively, ISHC members provide expert services in over fifty functional areas and have specialized skills in virtually every segment of the hospitality industry. ISHC is dedicated to promoting the highest quality of professional consulting standards and practices for the hospitality industry. Candidates undergo a rigorous screening process, ensuring that all ISHC members have a reputation of integrity and are qualified by their experience, training and knowledge to develop and express sound judgment on &

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industry issues. Additional information about the organization, along with a directory of ISHC members, is available on the ISHC website at www.ishc.com

Gurgaon Delhi N.C.R.; Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA) conference in Miami; and Hotel Investment Conference Europe (Hot.E) in London.

About HICAP

The BHN website at www.Burba. com is the gateway for information about the conferences BHN produces, as well as a direct link to important players in the hospitality investment world.

HICAP is Asia’s largest and longest running hotel investment event, making it the most important gathering of hotel developers, investors, lenders, operators, and other industry executives for information exchange, trend spotting, and deal making. The 25th annual HICAP held in October 2014 in Hong Kong attracted approximately 800 delegates from around the world.

HICAP is hosted by BHN, Horwath HTL, and Stiles Capital Events.

About BHN

BHN is the worldwide leader in developing and organizing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. With almost three decades of experience, nearly 120 events completed todate, and over 80,000 international delegates, BHN conferences have become “must attend” events for industry leaders who come together to network, conduct business and to learn about the latest trends.

BHN events include: the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles; ALIS Law in Los Angeles; ALIS Summer Update; Alternative Ownership Conference Asia Pacific (AOCAP) in Singapore; Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) in Miami; Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Hong Kong; HICAP UPDATE in Singapore; Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) in

About Horwath HTL

Horwath HTL is the world’s largest hotel industry specialized consulting organization, currently with 50 offices in 39 countries. Since the set-up of Asia Pacific operations in 1987, Horwath HTL – Asia Pacific has been involved with over 3,000 projects throughout the region in all phases of the property lifecycle for clients ranging from individually owned businesses to the world’s most prominent hotel companies, developers, lenders, investors, and industrial corporations. Horwath HTL currently operates out of regional offices in Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Sydney, and Auckland.

About Stiles Capital Events LLC (SCE)

Stiles Capital Events LLC (SCE) – Event management, communications and marketing in the publishing, entertainment and hospitality industries since 1990. SCE has been associated with the development and organization of the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) since its inception and the subsequent launch of HICAP UPDATE in 2009. SCE is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Quality Solutions by E u r o s a f u r n i t u r e!

Eurosa Furniture Co (Pte) Ltd, provides OEM, ODM, and contract manufacturing service to world leading customers. We manufacture and export well-designed premium quality and elegant furniture in contemporary and transitional styles to the world market at competitive prices.

To achieve competitive pricing and to cater to wider customer base, our manufacturing facilities are strategically located in China and Indonesia. It has a strong network of business contacts to meet increasing demand.

Established in 1982, Eurosa is a leading manufacturer and exporter of American Prestige Furniture and European Contemporary Furniture. Eurosa incorporates the Total Lifestyle Concept with modern technology into her creation of a wide range of premium hotel, resort furniture & residential.

The company provides OEM manufacturing capabilities, contract manufacturing as well as outsourcing services to its customers. Its strong network of business contacts and manufacturing locations worldwide, especially in China, has enabled Eurosa to provide complete manufacturing and distribution services to key international industry players.

Today, it manufactures and exports its premium wood furniture & upholstery seating such as dining chairs, club chairs, wing chairs & Casegoods worldwide. To meet increasing demand for its products, the company has further extended its manufacturing facilities with an expanded production plant in China, as well as other facilities in Malaysia.

Basing its marketing and distribution centre in Singapore, the company also operates in Indonesia and has several gallery-concept stores in Central Asia.

Offers a product and service package to hotels, apartments and contract industry. We have supplied several hundred of thousand guest rooms ranging from the resorts to some of the most famous hotels in the world.

We work with top designers and developers to create furniture to extend the unique ambience of their property in to guest room. Eurosa Hospitality has the capabilities and expertise to meet your individual requirements and fulfill your projects.

We have many years of experiences in this field and with in depth knowledge of contract furniture. If you need furniture manufacturing backup in your project, we could be your valuable partner to provide our services. we will be honor to be your team in the hospitality/ residential project business.

CORE BUSINESS: Manufacturer and exporter of America Prestige, European Classic and Contemporary wooden furniture including l iving room sets, upholstery seating & chairs KEY STRENGTHS: Strong technological competencies; extensive regional coverage; good reputation for reliability and quality OUTLETS: Various manufacturing facilities in China and Malaysia, with marketing and sales centres in Singapore, and an operations office in Indonesia MARKETS: The USA, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Russia, SouthAfrica and UAE For more information: export@eurosafurniture.com | www.eurosafurniture.com

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IHG Launches ‘3D Connected Traveller’ Series, Exploring How Global Brands Should Respond To The Changing Needs Of 21St Century Travellers Trio of events highlight the need for global brands to deliver a globally coherent, locally relevant and personalised offering InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) has launched its ‘3D Connected Traveller Series’: three dynamic events designed to bring to life the themes of IHG’s latest trends report, The key to building successful brand relationships in the Kinship Economy, and deliver insights into the 21st century traveller.

IHG’s 2014 trends report, found that to win guest loyalty in the future, hotels need to deliver a global, local and personalised experience. The collision of these three dimensions, accelerated by the rapid rise of technology-enabled personalisation in recent years, is changing the experience guests expect when they travel. Hotel brands that are able to become truly “3D” – by delivering localised and personalised experiences through trusted global brands - will build the trust that is needed to sustain lasting relationships with guests and outperform in the future.

The ‘3D Connected Traveller Series’ will delve deeper into the idea of ‘3D brands’ and deliver insights into the 21st century traveller with interactive events taking place in New York, Dubai, and in China.

New York City: ‘Travel Well’ Delivering wellness to the 24 | September-October 2014 |Hotels

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21st century traveller (June 4th, 2014)

The ‘Travel Well’ event introduces IHG’s revolutionary EVEN™ Hotels, a new hotel brand created with wellness at its core to meet the large and growing demand for a hotel brand to help wellness-minded travellers keep their balance on the road. The wellness-themed event will be introduced by IHG VP Americas Corporate Communications Francie Schulwolf and will bring together key lifestyle and wellness experts as well as other IHG executives following the 2014 NYU Hospitality Conference. They will explore the concept of personalisation, consumer expectations and how this concept has informed the development of the EVEN Hotels brand. Panellists will feature wellness expert David Kirsch, personal technology expert Becky

Worley, work and travel expert Stowe Boyd, Editor in Chief of Women’s Health magazine, Michele Promaulayko, as well as, Jim Anhut, Senior Vice President, Americas Design & Quality, IHG. Journalist Barbara DeLollis will moderate the event.

Dubai: ‘Global Appetite, Local Taste’ Delivering local authenticity while maintaining the comfort of global consistency (June 16th, 2014)

‘Global Appetite, Local Taste,’ will be held at Reflets Par Pierre Gagnaire, the restaurant of three Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, at InterContinental® Dubai - Festival City. The event will explore the consumer demand for authentic local customisation of foods and how to deliver this on a global scale. Insights and expertise will be provided by travel and food industry leaders including

Phil Broad, Vice President, Food and Beverage, Asia, Middle East and Africa, IHG; world-renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire; and Andrew Day, CEO, Emirates Leisure Retail alongside renowned Emirati social television entrepreneurs Mohamed and Peyman Al Awadhi.

China: ‘The Customised Future’ Delivering insight into the 21st century Chinese Traveller (Late 2014)

Later in the year, a panel event in China will consider the ‘customised future’ and draw on the insight and experience that IHG has gained through thirty years of operating in the region. The event will focus on bringing to life the four priorities of the modern Chinese traveller - Tradition, Rejuvenation, Status Recognition and Enabling Space.

Karin Sheppard, Chief Commercial Officer, Asia, Middle East and Africa, IHG says: “This series of

innovative events will explore a key truth about global travellers today: that most want authentic and exciting experiences as well as the comforts of home, wherever

in the world they are. They expect global brands to be able to deliver this with consistency.

IHG is pleased to bring together innovators and captains of industry in each of these three international destinations to explore how global brands can best cater to tomorrow’s travellers.”

The ‘Creating Moments of Trust’ report shows that travellers are now looking for hotels to not only deliver consistently good service and to reflect local trends and customs, but to also tailor their stays to meet their personal preferences: • Today’s travellers feel that global brands and local cultures do fit together – 60% of UAE travellers and 58% of Chinese travellers disagree that “A global brand can never be a good fit with local culture”.

• Today’s travellers believe the Global can be Personal – and many expect it: 56% of travellers surveyed said they expect a hotel to tailor the experience they have to their personal needs.

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• 62% of Millennials claim that being able to access personal content – such as movies or music – would motivate them to return to a hotel, compared to 55% of travellers of all ages.

• And most feel optimistic about global hotel’s ability to deliver personalisation: 63% feel that ‘even a global hotel brand can deliver an experience that feels personalised’ IHG is focused on building and developing new brands to meet changing consumer behaviours and sustain its industry-leading position.

Last year, IHG published: ‘The New Kinship Economy’, highlighting a transition from brand experiences to brand relationships in the hospitality sector. This year’s report builds on this work to help IHG gain a deeper understanding of what it is that travellers around the world are likely to want from their relationships )with hotel brands.

For more information on the 2014 IHG Trends report ‘Creating Moments of Trust’ please visit: www.ihgplc.com/trends_report

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24 Hours in Melbourne with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts M

elbourne is the capital of Victoria and the second most populous city in Australia. It is a major destination for Australians to visit and is often referred to as the country’s culture capital. Not only is it home to a wide variety of ethnicities from around the world, which is evident in its many restaurants serving international cuisines, it also holds an incredibly strong arts and sporting culture.

Throughout the year, Melbourne plays host to a series of sporting tournaments including two major international events - the Australia Open Tennis Championships and Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. You may even like to time your vacation with the Melbourne Cup in November, one of the city’s world-famous events, and be part of ‘the race that stops the nation’.

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With varied landscapes and terrains, the city of Melbourne spans along mountain ranges like Dandenong, the Yarra River towards Yarra Valley, where many award-winning wineries are located, to a myriad of picturesque bay side beaches. Back in the central business district, one can enjoy the beautiful juxtaposition of modern architecture against eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings.

One of the best times to visit Melbourne is spring from September to November, where the sun is out longer, the flowers in full bloom and the weather is perfect. The city is also a perfect one to walk or cycle around.

Our concierge can assist with bike rentals, walking maps and walking or cycling tours.

James Ridenour, Chief Concierge of InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto and Assistant Secretary General of Les Clef d’Or, a prestigious global concierge society, shares a 24-hour Insider Itinerary with the best activities

for you to get the most out of this city.

09:00am: After enjoying a hearty breakfast at InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto, follow the aroma of fresh coffee to Degraves Street and Centre Place, an eclectic lane-way perfect to take in the Melbourne ambiance and lane-way culture. Take your time to admire the graffiti located at the end of Centre Place.

Melbournians take coffee very seriously and the entire city is filled with reputable coffee shops.

So now that you are at Degraves Street, give Cup of Truth a visit. It is located in the underpass connecting Degraves Street and Flinders Street Station. Acclaimed as one of Melbourne’s best places to get a cup of coffee, this hidden gem promises you perfection in a cup. The Cup of Truth is a joint where you decide the payment.

There is no fixed price – you just pay what you think the cup is worth!

Gertrude and Brunswick Streets are great for shopping, though neighbouring Smith Street, which houses some of the city’s most intriguing cafes and restaurants, is also a strip to look out for. Book lovers or antique fanatics will be pleasantly surprised in Fitzroy, which is home to a huge variety of specialised shops for books, perfumes, clothes, flowers, gardens, markets as well as period shops featuring furnishings from the 1950’s.

12:00 noon: For lunch choose one of the many cafes and restaurants in the

area like The Commoner (modern British), St Crispin (modern Australian) Trippy Taco (casual veggie tacos), Builders Arms Hotel (gastro pub) or Charcoal Lane, a modern Australian restaurant with a unique Aboriginal flare dedicated to giving indigenous and disadvantaged youths on-the-job training and hospitality skills.

1:30pm: Some of Melbourne’s best art galleries can also be found

in nearby Collingwood located just a five-minute walk away. Enjoy contemporary art at galleries like Australian Galleries, James Makin Gallery and Port Jackson Press. If you are after some iconic Australian Indigenous art, the Alcaston Gallery will not disappoint.

10:00am: Next, enjoy eclectic Fitzroy and Collingwood,

which are two of Melbourne’s trendiest and most fashionable neighbourhoods. Located near the north end of the city centre, just a 12-minute drive away, these districts are well known for its Bohemian shops, quaint cafes, chic bars and restaurants, as well as its funky and trendy inhabitants.

3:30pm: Take a 10-minute drive back to Melbourne’s city centre, which

is well-known for its vibrant shopping scene. While the best shopping experiences reside all over the city, a visit to Bourke Street Mall and the luxurious stretch of shops located on Collins Street should not be missed.

A visit to Luisa on Collins is a definite must if you are looking for a steal in high-fashion leather goods.

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Shop at the newly opened Emporium Melbourne located on Lonsdale Street – your one-stop-shopping destination, with over 225 stores.

Featuring many international labels and flagship stores, the mall is also home to the largest Australian designer collection in the country. You will find Sydney designer Bianca Spender’s first Melbourne stand-alone store along with other well-known local brands such as Zimmerman, Seed Heritage, Manning Cartel, Willow, White Suede, Sass & Bide and many more.

10:00pm: Follow the satisfying dinner with drinks at some of Melbourne’s

slickest bars. For wine lovers, take a short 5-minute stroll to City Wine Shop on Spring Street, which stocks a wide range of quality wines from Victoria, Australia and Europe. This wine shop has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, so you need not worry about making reservations.

Enjoy a cup of tea and some light treats at the Emporium Melbourne food cafe.

Also widely proclaimed as ‘the city’s premium food destination’, you will be spoilt for choice with the wide variety of upmarket fares from many famous names in Australia’s food scene.

Some must tries are the highly rated souvlaki from Jimmy Grants and the gourmet sandwiches from EARL Canteen.

6:30pm: The

award-winning Melbourne Star observation wheel, located a short 10-minute drive away, promises a stunning 360-degree view of the city. Sitting on Waterfront Bay at Docklands, you can watch the area come alive with fireworks every Friday throughout August. Single tickets for adults are priced at AUD$32 and can be bought in advance through our concierge team. After the flight, top the Melbourne experience at Australia’s largest ice sports and entertainment venue with some ice-skating at the Medibank Icehouse.

8:00pm: Hop on the City Circle Tram (Route 35) at Docklands Waterfront

City on the way to dinner at one of Melbourne’s coolest restaurants. The City Circle Tram is a free audio-guided tour, which brings you around the city with interesting historical facts about Melbourne. Alight at Bourke Street and take a short stroll towards Collins Street where you can find one of Melbourne’s coolest underground restaurants.

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Brooks of Melbourne is nestled in the basement of the heritage-listed building Austral House. Indulge in their 5-course degustation menu for AUD$95 that changes with the season. Be sure to try Meli Melo, which is a medley of vegetables and potatoes covered with celeriac skin broth.

Dinner reservations at this exquisite and sensational restaurant can also be made through our concierge.

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If a cocktail sounds more tantalising, try Murmur, a cocktail bar housed in a coffee warehouse, a 15-minute walk from Brooks.

Some of the house favourites include Wild Passion (Vodka and Montenegro with Passionfruit, Lime and Basil) and Chocolate Chilli Martini (Vodka with Chocolate Liqueur and Chilli Syrup).

11:00pm: Complete the day with stunning panoramic views and a night

cap at Lui Bar on the 55th floor of the Rialto Towers. Designed to impress, Melbourne’s most sophisticated bar makes the experience one to remember. With a very strict dress code, be sure to be dressed to the nines as you end the night with some cutting-edge cocktails like the Velvet Rotor Macadamia Martini and Lola Montez Spider Dance Fizz. Remember to take home their bar snacks menu, which you can later plant to become a lemon scented bottle brush tree.

For more activities in Melbourne, please visit the InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto Concierge Guide.

HOSThinking

a design award

The international competition sponsored by Host - Fiera Milano and POLI. design, under the patronage of ADI, the Association for Industrial Design Deadline for application March 30, 2015 | Deadline for delivery of projects is April 30, 2015 |Total prize money: €7,000 and an exhibition in HOST 2015 | Announcement and how to apply at: www.polidesign.net/hosthinking2015

In

contemporary Professional Hospitality an increasing role is played by planning understood as the ability to combine technical innovation, functionality and aesthetics, to create products and formats that respond in an effective and engaging way

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to the demands of increasingly demanding and “design-aware” consumers. And that has always been found in Host - International Hospitality Exhibition, at Fiera Milano in Rho, from Friday 23 to

Tuesday, October 27, 2015: the reference point where companies from around the world present a preview of the new cutting edge.

From this concept and reflection

on its evolution and on practices and trends, once again we present “HOSThinking, a design award”a new edition of the international competition held by Host-Fiera Milano and POLI. design, Consorzio del Politecnico di Milano, to reward the best in the field of new formats of hospitality.

After a successful first edition, which saw 180 applications, 71 projects and 18 proposals presented in the exhibition at HOST 2013, we repeat open challenge to designers and professionals from around the world to present their innovative visions for a place in the professional hospitality field HO.RE.CA (Hotel, Restaurant, Catering) and Retail.

Specifically, the design concept should propose a service that involves a new experience and an increased involvement of consumers, as well as new ways of using, Based on the trend of the evolution of consumption and presenting a complete scenario and futuristic in terms of services, products, artwork, space, equipment etc. the concepts must be able to conjugate service and experience, products offered and space/ container in such a way as to offer a complete and coherent project

30, 2015 to submit their personal or group applications, while the delivery of projects is fixed instead at April 30, 2015. The projects should in every case be new and developed specifically for this contest.

Then it’s up to a jury of experts made up of representatives from academics, industry professionals and experts in the field of hospitality, who will identify a shortlist of a maximum of 15 proposals that will be broken down by quality and relevance to the initiative. Each designer selected at this point will produce a scale model of their projects and presentation boards that will be on display in a dedicated area within HOST 2015, The International Exhibition of the Hospitality Industry, the world’s leading Ho.Re. Ca and Retail trade show, at Fiera Milano, Rho, from Friday 23 to Tuesday, October 27, 2015.

All participants will have until March Hotels

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Within HOST 2015 an ad hoc event will be dedicated to announcing the 3 finalists and the winning proposal.

The total prize money of 7,000 euros, will be distributed as follows: 1st prize € 4000 2nd prize € 2000 3rd prize € 1000 For more details on how to participate and submit their applications, both Italian and foreign designers will be able to see the notice available at the sites: www.host.fieramilano.it and www. polidesign.net/hosthinking Host 2015 For 38 editions Host, The International Exhibition of the Hospitality Industry, has been a global leader recognised for innovation in Horeca and Retail, both in technology and in the new format and consumer trends,

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where 1,600 companies meet 1,500 hosted and profiled buyers and 125 thousand professionals. In the next edition, in Fiera Milano in Rho from Friday 18 to Tuesday, October 22, 2013, the renovated Furniture and Table areas will present the top producers of furniture, accessories and tableware.

Furniture and Table will combine innovative techniques and materials with design, offering complete layouts, ready to become project ideas immediately actionable by hospitality professionals.

POLI.design Tradition and innovation, quality and ability to link with the professional world are the cornerstones that make POLI.design, Consorzio del Politecnico di Milano, one of the international references for postgraduate training. Together with the School of Design and the Department of Design, POLI.design is part of the prestigious System Design at the Politecnico di Milano, a university institution of recognized excellence that gathers around it a unique centre for research and training.

A direct relationship with the professional world is guaranteed by the associative component. In fact a consortium of the most important professional

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associations is part of the project: ADI Association for Industrial Design, AIAP Italian Association of Visual Communication Design, AIMAT Italian Association of Materials Engineering, AIPI Italian Association of Interior Designers. POLI.design is also part of BEDA, Bureau of European Design Associations.

HOSThinking a design award International competition for Italian and foreign designers Promoted by Host - Fiera Milano and POLI.design, Consorzio del Politecnico di Milano, under the patronage of ADI, the Italian Association for Industrial Design.

Deadline for application:

March 30, 2015

Project delivery deadline:

April 30, 2015 Total prize money: â‚Ź 7,000 and an exhibition in 2015 Host Notice and how to join on www.host.fieramilano.it and www.polidesign.net/hosthinking Contact: competitions@ polidesign.net

Busy Rooms signs deal Hotel Casa Blanca in Mexico City

Travel Agencies Around The World Can Book Through Roomonger

Book From 1 Oct to 31 Dec 2014 and Stand A Chance To Sail Away With Royal Caribbean

TTG

Asia Media has launched a B2B room booking platform that offers travel agencies anywhere in the world, realtime booking access to more than 100,000 hotels in over 150 countries.

Designed as a travel consolidator, Roomonger’s inventory that range from budget to luxury, is obtained through direct contracts with hotel as well as intermediaries. This allows the system to continuously provide best available nett rates that are competitive enough to provide a margin of 15 to 20%.

To take advantage of Roomonger’s rates, travel agencies simply need to register online at www.roomonger.com, and can receive their access codes within 1 business day.

T

he hotel will use Busy Rooms integrated Central Reservation technology to manage price comparison, sales and guest review, all in one.

Busy Rooms today announced the partnership with Hotel Casa Blanca located in Mexico City. The 270 room hotel will be using Busy Room’s proprietary technology and services for optimized sales of rooms across a whole spectrum of different websites.

For Hotel Casa Blanca, Busy Rooms is able to offer several services required to be successful in today’s electronic sales environment, giving the hotel ample opportunities to further expand over time. Starting with booking capabilities to its website it continues with social media platforms, meta-search, the GDS, channel management enabling distribution to different online travel agencies, live pricing information for its local competitor hotels as well as live reporting of its online reputation across multiple guest review websites.

Angelica Ventura, E-Commerce Manager, at Hotel Casa Blanca explained ‘Busy Rooms were really accommodating to all of our requests when customizing their solution to our exact needs. We wanted something easy to use but

at the same time a solution that gave us key functionality in certain areas. It’s going to be much less of a challenge managing all our operations now that everything is within one system. I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve in the coming months and years!’

Victor Martinez, Sales Manager at Busy Rooms added ‘We are continuing to focus on both central and southern part of the Americas. With the area experiencing an ever increasing growth in tourism it’s becoming more and more important for hospitality providers, of all kinds, to both manage their reservations more effectively while at the same time ensure that they are able to access the new demand for their rooms.’

About Busy Rooms Busy Rooms offers a complete revenue, marketing and distribution service, which optimizes the sale of rooms for the hospitality industry while serving online sales channels with relevant product. This is all achieved through a single contract and technology platform connecting both sides hassle free.

For more information, please contact: Tom Kelly tom@busy-rooms.com Mobile: +356 775 168 41 http://www.busy-rooms.com

From 1 October to 31 December 2014, a promotion in partnership with Royal Caribbean, earns existing and newly registered members 1 chance to win a 3-Night Malaysia Explorer Cruise for 2 on board the Mariner of the Seas. Each complete booking (including payment) made during the promotional period earns the member an additional 3 chances to win. More details are available at www.roomonger.com/contest “Travel agencies around the world should take advantage of Roomonger for the best available nett rates in the Asia-Pacific. With TTG being a leading and trusted brand in the travel industry, we have built a significant database of both potential suppliers and buyers globally, although our authority in the Asia-Pacific means that our connections are strongest in this region.” Said Darren Ng, Managing Director of TTG Asia Media.

Suppliers have every reason to benefit from being a part of Roomonger too. According to Cecilia Teo, General Manager of Roomonger, “We would like to welcome hotels, wholesalers and other intermediaries to join us and expand their sales reach in the Asia-Pacific. A wholesaler from Europe, for example, may not necessary have the means to personally approach every travel agency in Asia, but they can achieve instant connection to them through Roomonger.” Travel agencies who want to be wholesalers can also get a white-label B2B hotel booking system.

About Roomonger (www.roomonger.com) Where Agents Book With Instant Confidence Roomonger is a B2B room booking platform, offering its travel agent members best available rates direct from hotel suppliers and intermediaries, with real-time booking confirmation 24/7. We are committed to helping travel agents book rooms instantly at competitive industry rates on behalf of their travel customers, and to helping hotels reach thousands of travel agencies worldwide.

Roomonger is a product of TTG Global Commerce, a business group of TTG Asia Media.

For more details, please contact: Cecilia Teo (Ms.): cecilia.teo@ttgasia.com Vivien Chong (Ms.): vivien.chong@ttgasia.com

freshness.

Thanks to its unique diamond shape, the Belmoca capsule contains no less than twenty percent more coffee, making your espresso taste even more intense and your lungo even more superb.

The very essence

Our deliberately streamlined range of flavours consists of six different types. This compact selection makes it even easier for you to choose the perfect cup of coffee – that small and intense moment of enjoyment and luxury has never been this easy to achieve.

The perfect coffee in mere seconds

Belmoca coffee -the ultimate selection Belmoca coffee story begins with the very roots of the flavour in the high-altitude coffee plantations.

It

is there where our coffee experts search daily and indefatigably for the best Arabica beans, the most unique favours and the gentlest characters. next our master roaster subjects every bean to yet another strict selection process, after which he blends them virtuously into unique, sublime and lyrical melanges. Our coffees are roasted slowly and intensively for a lengthy period, resulting in an extra intense and well-balanced flavour,a full body and a unique character.

A perfected brewing process

At Belmoca we have made certain that 36 | September-October 2014 |Hotels

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every smallest detail of the brewing process is optimised, ensuring that every grain of coffee is awakened and stimulated so that your cup will be brimming over with the most intense, full-bodied aromas and the ultimate in tantalizingly inspirational aromas. The finishing touch to your coffee is a delicious and silky layer of crema.

Belmoca capsules - 20% more coffee,100% more aroma Once the freshly roasted Arabica coffee beans are ground, the Belmoca coffee is immediately cased in a diamond-shaped aluminium capsule.The rich aromas and 180 unique tastes are optimally stored in this unique capsule, guaranteeing

Belmoca Belina combines the ultimate in quality and simplicity with a unique brewing process.

But the Belina goes a step further, and thanks to the fully automatic spout the coffee will never splash over the rim of your cup. The spout moves up or down according to your choice of coffee – up if you’re making a lungo and down if you feel like an espresso. The Belina transforms the exquisite Belmoca coffees into espressos, lungos and cappuccinos that you can get lost in. Spoil yourself with a taste worthy of a master barista.

For more information you can find www.belmoca.com or contact: rita.gong@belmoca.com

Hotel Asia Culinary challenge attracts chefs to Male

Maldivian Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed at the opening

O

ne of the biggest international culinary challenge and the hotel exhibitions in Asia, the “Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary challenge - 2014” was opened by Maldivian Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed at at the Dharubaaruge Exhibition Hall, Male, Maldives.

The Exhibition was endorsed by the Maldivian Ministry of Tourism along with the Sri Lanka - Maldives world renowned chefs , representing several countries includingSri Lanka, India, China and Bangladesh attended the four-day Exhibition

38 | September-October 2014 |Hotels

and Culinary Challenge.

Speaking at the opening ceremony Maldivian Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed highly commended the effort taken by the organisers of the Exhibtion and the International culinary challenge and said that this will immensely help to promote tourism not only in Maldives but also in other countries in the region.

He said unlike in the recent past, Male has now become a world renowned tourist destination.

“We have a large number of tourist hotels in Maldives and also &

Culinary ASIA

eco- friendly resorts to cater to thousands of tourists visiting Male and conducting exhibitions of this nature will help to develop the country’ s tourism industry to a greater extent.

Maldivian Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed highly valued the conducting of such exhibitions in Maldives and said the tourism industry in the country has developed to a greater extent and the island has now over 100 tourist hotels and resorts. The chief guest and other guests were also taken to stalls at the exhibition. Among

them Sri Lankans also displayed some products at the exhibition.

Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services, CEO, Aasim Mukthar said the Hotel Asia Exhibition and the International Cuinary Challenge has now become the largest ever annual food and hospitality event in the region and this will bring world renowned chefs to display their skills under one roof.

He said this exhibition and the culinary challenge is more than a regional event, it is an international showcase and a global business arena.

Hilton Hua Hin – Paradise on Earth!

At the entrance of Hilton Hua Hin

H

ua Hin beach stretches some 7 kilometres from the town centre to Khao Takiab. It remains little developed compared to other Thai resorts and considering its size you can always find a quiet little spot. Its name (Hua Hin – head stone) is derived from the rock formations that can be seen on the beach in front of the Hilton Hua Hin Hotel. For those who are a little more adventurous, pony rides can be taken and for those simply wanting to relax there are plenty of deck chairs, sun loungers and beach umbrellas available for a small hourly charge.

A great last Sunday afternoon arrival at the beach front Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa Hotel welcomed me at their reception with fresh fragrant wet towels and Thai iced

40 | September-October 2014 |Hotels

lemon tea, leaving behind my entire travelling lag to Hua Hin which was around two hours’ drive from Bangkok. Not much awaited, I was offered a Deluxe Room at 8th Floor {Pait Soon Hok – as they say in Thai language for 806}.

The hotel offers an extensive range of large, well-appointed guest rooms with private balconies with stunning panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand. Much to my surprise wi-fi is available all around the hotel.

As I entered the room I couldn’t resist myself to view the breathtaking sea view and the Hua Hin City from the balcony of my room with glamorous swimming pool and beach view as well.

After a few moments I decided to review the hotel facilities, which &

Culinary ASIA

included Gym, Sports like Billiards, snooker, (where kids were already enjoying themselves), squash and much more at the Mezzanine Floor and then further going to the designer Swimming Pool with Sun Set Beach Bar along with it facing the nice white sand beach.

The hotel offers the following facilities:

- Swimming pool Take a refreshing dip in the large free-form pool or relax in the Jacuzzi®, while the young kids have their own fun at the children’s area. Other daily activities include water volleyball and aqua aerobics.

- Fitness Facilities Stay fit with an energising workout at our fully equipped Fitness Centre, tennis or squash courts. Then, relax in

View from seaside

View from a Deluxe Room at 8th Floor

the sauna or steam room.

- Kids’ Play Area Located on the mezzanine floor, this fully supervised space offers fun board games, table tennis facilities, Sony PlayStations, as well as creative handicraft activities to entertain children aged between four to 12 years.

- SPA With a comprehensive selection of signature health and wellness therapies as well as hair and nail services, Guests can be sure to enjoy a rejuvenating experience at the treatment room, beauty studio, Japanese bath or Jacuzzis It was really amazing to walk around the pool and then I got a dip in the pool and rested a while at the pool bar and had my favorite cocktail drink to refresh myself.

One can enjoy the following dining facilities of the hotel: - The Market Feast on fine global cuisines that range from locally sourced Thai delicacies to Italian wood-fired pizzas and traditional antipasto.

- White Lotus Savour deli-

cious, authentic Szechuan and Cantonese dishes at this rooftop venue on the 17th Floor, while enjoying incredible sights of the Gulf of Thailand and scenic surroundings.

- Hua Hin Brewing Company Treat yourself to juicy burgers, tasty pork knuckles, or premium steaks cooked to your liking at this lively venue. Guests can also catch the latest sporting action at the open-air SOS Tug Boat Bar, or visit during evenings for music by live bands and DJs. - Aqua pool bar / Sun set beach bar Sit back and relax with a tempting menu of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as tropical cocktails made with fresh fruits.

- DECA Located next to the Lobby, this lounge lets Guests experience Hua Hin’s unique cocktail selection with the best live entertainment in town - Lotus Sky Bar Admire Hua Hin’s gorgeous beach at this stylish bar that serves specialty cocktails.

As the night approaches I decided

Mr Reny with Naticha Phonkhamthong, Executive - Marketing Communications, Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa at the lobby.

to walk outside area around the hotel, which offers luscious Thai Cuisine, Tailors, Thai Massage and lady bars with live bands serving a huge variety of drinks. One cannot resist himself/herself to get the first hand taste there. Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa is very well centrally located near numerous local sightseeing and shopping areas.

A small bar down the narrow road in front of Hilton I nearly walked by the perpetually dark location.

Wedged between two sets of chatty co-workers I waited patiently for my beer I ordered. The owner of bar was standing near the back chatting with a customer. “I was always fascinated with that kind of bars with their job, what they do and they were just cool. I would ask them questions and would meet people up there to know their experiences around Hua Hin. Not much spending time at night outside, and going back to my room I noticed a live Filipino band playing at Deca Bar of Hilton near the Lobby and couldn’t resist myself to watch it live for a while.

For business persons, whether the occasion is a professional conference or social gathering, the hotel will help plan a successful event down to every last details, the hotel offers the following facilities:

Roof-Top Restaurant & Bar overlooking the Gulf of Thailand and the city Hua Hin

• A large ballroom with spacious terrace that accommoHotels

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dates 500 guests in a theatre-style setting, and 600 guests for evening cocktails • 4 function rooms that seat up to 60 people each • State-of-the-art facilities with audiovisual equipment rental, photocopying and printing services Next morning I got up early and decided to walk over the beach and the view of the sea was amazing, a few people, walking, jogging and swimming around there. That afternoon I decided to taste the local food in front of Hilton and walking there I got into a small street and saw a small family restaurant outside their house who sells food there and around Hua Hin streets.

I enjoyed the local fast food “Gai Pad Prik”.

Naticha Phonkhamthong, Executive - Marketing Communications, Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa was so kind and generous to get me the first hand taste of the hotel by taking me for some drinks to Beach Bar, then to delicious dinner at terrace of Lotus Sky Bar on 17th Floor overlooking the sea and city view and after that few more drinks at Deca Bar near the lobby.

As I sent few pics of Hilton Hua Hin to my best friend in Germany, Dietmar, and he commented, “Reny you are in paradise” and then he immediately decided go to Hilton Hua Hin on his next vacations.

Watch out some pics of Hilton on next pages.

Culinary ASIA | September-October 2014 | 41

Hilton - Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Thailand

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Bitcoin payments: coming to a hotel near you!

By Jean Francois Mourier

Will your property accept Bitcoin as an alternative method of payment? If not now, your answer could soon be yes, because otherwise you could be losing out on a revenue stream from the growing number of customers who’ll want to pay with the digital currency.

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin, an open source, peer-topeer payment system and form of digital currency, is rapidly becoming a viable payment option for tech-savvy travelers. With no risk of credit card fraud and low transaction fees, Bitcoin is attracting early adopters ­both on the consumer and the hotel side.

Now that Bitcoin is more frequently accepted as payment, it is very possible to travel worldwide using nothing but this payment method­ and one couple did just that in July 2013. Austin Craig and Beccy Bingham wanted to see if it was possible to survive only using Bitcoin virtual currency. After proving that it was possible to live on Bitcoin at home in Provo, Utah, they have successfully traveled across the United States, Europe and Asia ­using only Bitcoins to pay for their lodging and airfare.

Since Bitcoin is a technology that has the potential to become highly popular in the near future, it is extremely important for hoteliers to be aware of what it is, who is using it and the benefits of this up-andcoming payment method.

How it works?

With Bitcoin, currency ­also referred to as Bitcoins ­is quickly (and easily) transferred from individual-to-individual or from consumer-to-merchant. Users can send and receive Bitcoins using conventional wallet software (such as Blockchain or Coinbase) on a personal computer, mobile device

or application. Bitcoins can be obtained by mining or in exchange for products, services or other currencies. In recent months, the virtual currency has been making news as its value continues to increase and as it is being rapidly adopted by many mainstream businesses ­including some in the travel industry.

One of the best things about Bitcoins is how user-friendly they are, even for those with less technological know-how. The process is simple: once you have installed a Bitcoin wallet onto either your computer or mobile device, a Bitcoin address will be generated for you. Your address will be disclosed so that others can either send or receive currency safely.

The process is very convenient and user-friendly because it is similar to email. Once a payment is received, Bitcoin payment processors immediately convert Bitcoins into the hotel’s local currency during the transaction - meaning the hotel does not have to worry about currency exchange.

Another benefit ­Bitcoin transaction fees are extremely low compared to conventional methods of transferring money. Accepting credit cards will generally cost 3% to 5% of the transfer amount, which is more expensive than a Bitcoin transaction (which is generally 1% or less). Furthermore, many banks hold transactions/deposits for up to 10 business days before the funds are available, whereas Bitcoin

transactions are typically confirmed within an hour ­and typically for 1/3 of the price that a bank would charge for the same transaction.

transactions. Bitcoin ATMs are also opening up worldwide making it even more accessible as a form of currency.

Another benefit is the fact that there are no charge-backs allowed on Bitcoin transactions, which means a hotel doesn’t have to worry about guests cancelling transactions through their credit card company after the fact because they were dissatisfied.

Once you decide to accept Bitcoins, you must ensure that your online booking engine is Bitcoin compatible. REVPAR GURU has recently partnered with BitPay to release GuestLeader, the world’s first Bitcoin compatible booking engine.

Because of these significant benefits, an increasing number of hotels worldwide have started to accept Bitcoin digital currency payments including:

With this new technology, hotels of any size have the ability to accept payment in Bitcoins (and by doing so, attract a new and emerging customer), without having a great deal of technical knowledge. Using REVPAR GURU’s GuestLeader booking engine, guests can select Bitcoins as their selected method of payment during checkout and the currency will be automatically converted to cash and deposited into the hotel’s bank account.

- The D Las Vegas Casino Hotel ­Las Vegas, NV, USA - The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino ­Las Vegas, NV, USA - Clevelander Hotel ­Miami Beach, FL, USA - Hotel Residence Gallery ­Abruzzo, Italy - Hotel Coppede Roma ­Rome, Italy - Prodeo Hotel + Lounge ­Buenos Aires, Argentina - Hotel San Martin ­Mendoza, Argentina - Bandholm Hotel ­Bandholm, Denmark - Pedro¹s Inn ­San Pedro, Belize - Hotel van Walsum ­Rotterdam, Netherlands - La Magnolia Hotel Sorrento ­ Sorrento, Italy - Mariners Inn ­Cambria, California Additionally, hotels such as Hyatt and Marriott Hotel are indirectly accepting Bitcoins, as eGifter and Gyft.com accepts Bitcoins as payment for gift cards for these brands. eGifter has been accepting Bitcoins since August.

Bitcoin is here to stay Thousands of industry-leading companies such as, TigerDirectCompUSA, Virgin Galactic, Overstock and Zynga (to name a few) are now accepting Bitcoin Hotels

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About the author Jean Francois Mourier is the CEO of REVPAR GURU a company that helps hotels to analyze complex data - including historical rates, the rates of competing properties in the same destination, pricing trends and environmental factors - to determine the right rate, at the right time, to secure the highest number of bookings. REVPAR GURU’s system calculates room rates up to a year in advance, and continues to update the rates automatically multiple times every day as factors change, across all online channels ­ including OTAs and direct channels.

To compliment this system REVPAR GURU also offers an Automated Reservation Delivery software and an Advanced Booking Engine, which now accepts Bitcoins. In short, helps hotels to increase their occupancy and their revenues.

Culinary ASIA | September-October 2014 | 43

New Holiday Inn Hotel Opens in the Centre of Colourful Jaipur The world’s most recognised hotel brand opens its ninth hotel in the country IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced opening of Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre, in the capital of the state of Rajasthan.

The hotel, which is the ninth Holiday Inn hotel in India, is located right in the centre of the city and close to popular tourist and business destinations.

T

he 172-room Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre is located in close to key areas of Jaipur - including the main shopping centre, railway station, government houses, multinational companies and cultural venues. For guests travelling for leisure and sight-seeing, the hotel has convenient access to historical monuments and tourist attractions such as Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, City Palace and Birla Temple. The central location, coupled with the fresh and comfy guest rooms and facilities, make it an ideal option for business, leisure and transit travellers to the city.

The hotel offers contemporary rooms each equipped with 37inch LED TVs, iPod docking stations and complimentary Wi-Fi. The hotel also features a gym, spa and a roof-top swimming pool.

The hotel is well equipped to suit the needs of business travellers and event organisers, with five meeting and event spaces to suit a variety of functions.

Guests have a choice of three different restaurants and a cocktail lounge. Monarch, the hotel’s all day dining serves Indian Rajasthani and international dishes in a stylish setting. Alternatively, guests can get a flavour of authentic Chinese food at Chao Chinese Bistro restaurant, enjoy American style food and drinks at Road House Bar & Grill or enjoy a warm and cosy atmosphere at Ten Kings Bar while sampling a variety of cocktails.

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Commenting on opening of the hotel, Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, IHG, India, Middle East and Africa said, “Growing the Holiday Inn brand in key Indian cities is core to IHG’s development strategy in India.

Jaipur is an important destination of northern India and we are delighted to bring Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre to the city.

The comfort, convenience and friendliness that the brand is recognised for worldwide will be greatly welcomed by both international and domestic travellers.”

IHG has 19 hotels open across 10 cities in India across its portfolio of hotel brands: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (1), Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts (7), Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts (9) and Holiday Inn Express (2). IHG expects to open another 45 hotels across India over the next three to five years, including 21 Holiday Inn hotels.

There will be a special opening rate for guests from INR4250 plus taxes per night for bookings from now until 30 September 2014. To book and explore other Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts around the world, visit www.holidayinn.com.

About Holiday Inn®: With almost 1,200 hotels worldwide, the Holiday Inn® brand is the most widely recognised lodging brand in the world. In fact, the Holiday Inn brand was one of the first international hotel brands to establish a presence in China in 1984. The Holiday Inn brand provides the services that business travellers need, while also offering a comfortable atmosphere where all people can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants and room service, swimming pools, fitness centres and comfortable lounges. The casual atmosphere and amenities such as meeting and on-site business facilities, Kids Eat and Stay Free programme, and KidSuites rooms at every Holiday Inn Resort hotel demonstrates the long-standing commitment of the Holiday Inn brand to serving. The Holiday Inn brand has been ranked “Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Mid-scale Full Service Hotel Chains”, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011, 2012 and 2013 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index StudySM. For more information about Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Resort or to make a reservation, visit www. holidayinn.com. Find us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/holidayinn or Facebook www.Facebook.com/ holidayinnhotels.

Le Creuset, World’s Best Cookware Brand Announced The Official Launch Of Their Flagship Store At Ambience Mall, Gurgaon

LE

CREUSET, world’s leading cookware brand famous for its cast-iron product,

initiated a live masterclass with celebrity chef KUNAL KAPUR to launch its Flagship store in Ambi-

ence Mall, Gurgaon. Le Creuset has also opened its 3rd stand-alone store at DLF Promenade, Vasant Kunj recently.

Established in 1925, Le Creuset has been making world-class cookware ever since. Standing strong for almost 100 years now, Le Creuset is renowned for innovative, durable and attractive cookware. Leading chefs and keen cooks around the globe use and trust Le Creuset for best results when it comes to cooking. and served in Le Creuset products For the official launch, Le Creuset

that were used for prepping, cook-

has associated with celebrity chef

ing and serving. The guests were

Kunal Kapur. Le Creuset had organ-

seen interacting with Chef Kunal

ized an innovative and one of its

during the masterclass.

kind, live masterclass by chef Kunal Kapur who conducted the cooking

While Le Creuset produces world’s

in a state of the art demo kitchen

best cookware and accessories

at the Le Creuset store at Ambi-

for a quintessential kitchen, it

ence Mall in Gurgaon, which was

stands out in its design, vibrant and

followed by food tasting by the

distinct colors as well as versatil-

guests present there.

ity, meant for preparing, cooking and serving, in Le Creuset style.

Chef Kunal prepared a delectable

Le Creuset aims at not just being a

menu consisting of items such as

cookware brand but a lifestyle.

“Hainese Chicken Rice”, “Andae Ka Halwa with Lemon Basil Curd”, “Avocados and Coconut Curry” and “Raw Papaya Kebabs with “Mango Salsa”. The menu consisted of dishes that were chef’s favorites.

The refreshing menu was prepared 46 | September-October 2014 |Hotels

Availability: Address: Shop No – S-247, 2nd Floor, Ambience Mall, Ambience Island, NH – 8, Gurgaon - 122002 Phone: 0124-4029279 Email: lci.ambi@lecreuset.org Website: http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/ &

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