The High Life - The Pan Pacific Singapore's new Pacific Floors are now available for bookings. Management describe the exclusive 44 rooms and suites on the 33rd and 34th floors as a "boutique hotel within a hotel".
Yasuhiro Uetani, the hotel's general manager says the Pacific Floors are designed to bring more value to the business traveller. "However, what is more important than the dollar savings is the convenience," Uetani says. "For instance, the last thing that the business traveller wants to do is iron his clothes when he arrives jet-lagged into Singapore. This is when the complimentary ironing of one's wardrobe, which has been confined to a suitcase for the last 12 hours, can be priceless. The use of a state-of-the-art meeting room to sign a contract is again invaluable."
Introductory rates for Pacific Floor rooms are: S$320 (US$172)+++ (single)/S$340+++ (double), including a number of benefits, including a round-the-clock complimentary food and beverage service at the split-level lounge club. Breakfast and cocktails hours are also extended to suit the different needs of guests.
In the rooms and suites, a complimentary mini bar is provided, and local calls are free as are unlimited pressing of clothes throughout the stay and a butler service.
A Mercedes-Benz limousine awaits guests at Changi Airport for the approximate cost of an ordinary cab. Pacific Floor guests are met at the front door of the hotel and personally escorted to the Pacific Floor. In the morning, an S-Class Mercedes-Benz waits at the hotel's entrance to transport guests to their business address within the Marina Square vicinity and central business district. This complimentary limousine service is offered from Monday to Friday, between 7.15am and 9am.
As a unique additional service, Pacific Floor guests are updated on ground-breaking news in the specific industries related to them via email even after they have left the hotel.
For details, tel: (65) 434-8111, Singapore Toll-free: 1-800-336-6626; fax: (65) 339-4852; email: reservations@panpacifichotel.com.sg; or website: http://singapore.panpac.com.
Accor has launched a multi-lingual booking platform dedicated solely to Asia, accorhotels-asia.com.
The website offers access to more than 90 hotels in Asia, with links to Accor's network of 3,600 hotels worldwide.
The website offers travellers instant confirmation of their online bookings.
In addition to English, the site will feature Japanese and traditional and simplified Chinese. Thai, Korean and Bahasa Indonesian will be added early this year, with additional languages and services planned for the future.
Accor vice president sales and marketing Asia, Rob Hornman, says browser recognition in each of the featured countries means Asian customers can automatically link to welcome pages in their respective native languages. "The website is tailor-made to suit the unique and diverse language needs of Asia," Hornman says.
"It will work as a booking engine for customers to reserve hotels using their native tongue and will provide comprehensive and up-to-date destination information for travellers."
According to Hornman, having a multi-lingual website dedicated to Asians not only benefits busy Asian business travellers, it also makes good commercial sense.
"The intra-regional travel market represents 70% of Accor's business in Asia, and remains one of the world's strongest outbound players with Japan as the leader and China a future growing force."
Potential guests can also enjoy preferential rates and special deals found only on the site.
Cathay Pacific has opened a new lounge at Hong Kong International Airport - The Pier. The Pier offers a juice bar, day-break rooms, three bars and two restaurants, 60 broadband-connected computers and a wireless LAN for connecting with laptop computers. The lounge is located between gates 62 and 66 and is ideal for passengers in transit or departing from gates near the Northwest concourse.
The Pier covers 3,900 square metres and is the airline's second lounge at the airport. Its first - The Wing - was opened in 1998 and was recently named first in a Forbes magazine list of The World's Ten Best Airport Lounges.
Separated into First and Business Class areas, The Pier seats more than 500 passengers. The First Class area is distinguished by the dark polished granite floor tiles, imported European furniture, and white Italian marble walls. In Business Class the scheme is reversed with pale flooring and dark-toned furniture.
The day-break rooms offer First Class passengers undisturbed privacy to relax in their own private suite. Inside they can enjoy a selection of audio and video from a state-of-the-art entertainment system, and waiter service is available.
Personal living space cubicles are available in both First and Business Class areas, offering travellers individual phone and power points, ample desk space and powerful internet-connected computers to catch up on any last-minute work.
NON-STOP NO MORE
American Airlines has discontinued its non-stop service between Seattle and Tokyo and Dallas/Fort Worth and Osaka. American will continue to operate a non-stop service to Tokyo from its hubs at Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago, and from San Jose, California. Details: www.amrcorp.com.
SHANGRI-LA SAVERS
Members of China Southern's Sky Pearl Club can receive savings of up to 40% at all 38 Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts and Traders Hotels throughout February as part of the "Rate Break" promotion. In addition to the reduced rates, which include breakfast, Shangri-La and Traders hotels are offering double mileage at all hotels during the same promotional period for members of the Sky Pearl Club. Members currently earn 800 kilometres for each stay for non-discounted rack rates or corporate rates and must present their membership card at check-in. Reservations can be made online at www.shangri-la.com, or by calling (800) 942-5050.
A BEIJING BELLE
The Grand Hyatt has opened its doors in Beijing. Situated just metres away from the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square - Grand Hyatt Beijing at Oriental is celebrating its opening with a special guest package. Until February 28, guests can experience Grand Hyatt Beijing for just US$138++/per night, including breakfast. The 591 guestrooms and suites have panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking some of the capital's most picturesque and historic districts. Contemporary guestrooms with all-marble bathrooms are designed with the international business traveller in mind. The rooms feature relaxing colours, genuine goose-down duvets, crisp linens, rich woods and local works of art, together with the latest in-room technology. For more information, visit www.hyatt.com.
SUN SETS ON CHICAGO
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has suspended daily flights between Tokyo and Chicago while resuming its daily non-stop service between Tokyo and Washington. ANA will continue its code-sharing service between Tokyo and Chicago with partner United Airlines.
MORE MUNICH
Lufthansa has added three flights between Hong Kong and Munich, Germany. The airline now has six night flight connections linking the two major technology hubs. Lufthansa is the only airline in Hong Kong to offer non-stop flights from Hong Kong to Munich, and onwards to more than 100 European destinations.
WINTER WARMERS
Regal Hotels International has launched its Regal Winter Temptation promotion offering Deluxe Room accommodation, free miles, and a host of benefits. Until March 15, guests can enjoy the following privileges when paying eligible package rates at any of the eight Regal Hotels in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Toronto: Deluxe Room accommodation, free Asia Miles, Dynasty Flyer Club and Asiana Club miles, non-accumulative daily F&B credit, daily newspaper and late check-out at 4pm. Guests at the Regal Airport Hotel in Hong Kong are able to enjoy additional benefits of a complimentary round-trip Airport Express Line ticket into the city and a free upgrade to a sea view guestroom.