Innholdsfortegnelse for Sep-1-16 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

HYATT GOLD PASSPORT is the loyalty programme of Hyatt Hotels, which allows members to earn and redeem points for stays based on a seven-tier category system. The hospitality group has recently made changes to the Hyatt Gold Passport award chart, which now sees 56 hotels move to lower categories and 50 hotels bumped up. Notable hotels to have been downgraded include the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Grand Hyatt Mumbai and Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort. Meanwhile, hotels that have been upgraded include Hyatt Regency San Francisco, Grand Hyatt Incheon and Grand Hyatt Chengdu. hyatt.com…

AMERICAN AIRLINES (AA) will delay the delivery of its A350 as part of a cost-saving measure. Delivery was originally expected in spring 2017, but AA and Airbus have agreed to postpone this until late 2018. Those looking forward to experiencing the new B/E Aerospace business class seats and premium economy product will still be able to do so on the B787-9, which is still on track to be delivered in Q3, 2016. The new products will also be progressively retrofitted to existing A330-200, B777-200ER and B777-300ER aircraft over the coming three years. aa.com…

HYATT HOTELS HAS opened a new Hyatt Regency property in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi province. The 298-room Hyatt Regency Xian is located in Qujiang District in the southeast of the city, 45 minutes from Xian Xianyang International Airport and within easy reach of popular attractions such as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Terracotta Warriors. Guestrooms and suites range from 50 sqm to 258 sqm. Standard guestrooms come with a 48-inch flatscreen TV, a work desk and walk-in closet, as well as amenities such as wifi and mobile phone docking stations. There are three F&B dining options, a fitness centre, indoor swimming pool and more than 4,000 sqm of meeting space. A spa is currently in the works and will open later this year. hyatt.com…

This is the matriarch of Xiamen’s international luxury hotels, and it has built a loyal following over time BACKGROUND At 20 years old, this is the matriarch of Xiamen’s international luxury hotels, and it has built a loyal following over time – even staff from competing hotels talk of it with fondness and respect. It underwent renovation from 2008 to 2010. WHERE IS IT? In one of the best locations on Xiamen island, in the southwest downtown district just across the road from Yundang Lake on a quiet street, although only a short stroll from busy Hubin Beilu and the main government offices. It’s a 30-minute drive (in good traffic) from the airport in the north of the island. WHAT’S IT LIKE? A relatively low-rise eight storeys high, this 300-room…

Enter Hong Kong Science Museum and one of the first things you’ll see, hanging from the second-floor ceiling, is an enormous DC-3 airplane. This is Betsy, Cathay Pacific’s first ever aircraft, her blunt nose jutting out proudly, the bulk of her engines and massive propellers hinting at the noise and power she once possessed, and the thick rubber tyres of her undercarriage bulging from under the broad sweep of her wings. Betsy’s story is a fascinating one, filled with exotic adventures in far-flung destinations, and complete with a fairytale ending. She was built in 1941 by the Douglas Aircraft Company as a military C-47 – much in need by the US at the time – and served as a troop carrier across the US and overseas until 1944, when she…

Lufthansa recently launched Premium Economy for long-haul. Hong Kong was one of the first places to receive the new travel class, with Lufthansa providing the only direct link from Munich. Whether travelling for business or pleasure, customers are now guaranteed an even more comfortable experience. The new product gives passengers 50 percent more room, alongside practical features such as power sockets and improved storage, while a bigger seat-back screen enhances in-flight entertainment. Superior service comes in the form of a welcome drink, complimentary bottle of water and amenity kit, while food is served on porcelain tableware. The premium experience isn’t restricted to onboard; in addition to a doubled weight allowance, premium economy passengers can also pay $ 25 (US$28) to enjoy the service and amenities of Lufthansa’s Business Class lounges.…

BAR Garden state of mind MELBOURNE’S lively restaurant and bar scene has gained another vibrant hotspot in the form of the Garden State Hotel – a four-storey pub set in popular Flinders Lane. Housed in a 19th-century former textile mill, the enormous new venue will offer a ground-level public bar and bistro, private dining room, basement bar and a leafy beer garden that sprawls over three levels. The food offering ranges from sophisticated fare at the Garden Grill, including a Raw Bar of scallops, sashimi, ceviche and freshly shucked oysters, to typical bar snacks and takeaway toasties from the kiosk. Open every day 11am until late. sandhillroad.com.au WEAR Leggings with benefits ZARIE, a crowd-funded start-up success, has launched leggings that actively reduce cellulite and smooth skin. The miracle “athleisure-wear”contains ingredients…

This month’s prizes come from three members of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts ( preferredhotels.com ) luxury independent hotel portfolio: • Andara Resort & Villas, a contemporary Thai resort in Phuket, is offering a two-night stay in a one-bedroom Terrace Suite, including daily breakfast for two and THB1,500 spa credit (valid Nov 1, 2016–April 30, 2017; blackout dates apply). • The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, a luxury hotel and the Lion City’s 71st National Monument, is offering a two-night weekend stay in its Straits Club Quay room with full Straights Club benefits plus S$50 spa credit. • Katamama, a 58-suite boutique hotel in Seminyak, Bali, is offering a two-night stay in a Garden Suite including breakfast, plus one lunch for two people at Movida restaurant and US$50 credit at…

SANDS CHINA LTD will launch its French-themed property, The Parisian Macao, on September 13. Inspired by the City of Light, The Parisian Macao will be home to a half-scale re-creation of the Eiffel Tower. The integrated resort will feature an astonishing 3,000 guestrooms and suites, plus convention and meeting space, international restaurants, a spa, kids’ club, health club, pool deck, a 1,200-seat theatre, as well as the Shoppes at Parisian retail mall – home to more than 850 duty-free shops. parisianmacao.com…

It wasn’t so long ago that hotel guests marvelled at being able to use pocket-sized plastic cards to access their rooms. Today, such technology is so commonplace, it’s more likely to raise eyebrows when one is handed a“novelty”normal key. Driven forward by the advent of “millennials”and the continual battle to stay ahead of the competition, hotels are rapidly adopting innovative new technologies that help improve the customer experience, from expediting the check-in process to adding character to an otherwise cookie-cutter experience. Business Traveller Asia-Pacific looks at some interesting new technologies that are taking the hotel industry by storm. SMART COMMUNICATION Modern travellers live in a fast-paced world with a need to have everything at their fingertips. Hotels have responded to this, literally, with the growing presence of in-room tablets. These…

SEEKING SUN AND SAND The tropical island of Hainan, the“Hawaii of the East”, has been transformed into China’s leading beach hotspot, offering miles of coastline, high-quality golf courses, and natural scenery including hot springs and waterfalls. Sanya, at the southern tip of the island, is home to a host of five-star resorts, originally occupying Dadonghai and Yalong bays. However, as beachfront space has all been bought up, international brands entering the market have shifted slightly north to Haitang Bay, which boasts 22 kilometres of sweeping sand. Recent openings include Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay Resort & Spa (August), while Marriott has the Xiangshui Bay Marriott Resort & Spa set to open in early 2017. Raffles has also announced a second resort on the island’s east coast, featuring a golf course.…

1 NAMDAEMUN Where better to begin an exploration of Seoul than Korea’s National Treasure Number 1: Namdaemun, the Great South Gate. The massive pagoda-style gate is made of stone and wood and was built in the 14th century by the first Joseon dynasty ruler, but has been rebuilt a number of times, most recently after an arsonist attack in 2008 that destroyed the curving wooden roofs. It reopened in 2013 after a full reconstruction, and earlier this year the changing of the guards ceremony began again, featuring three stern but colourfully clad sentinels who stand watch over the gates as tourists walk through the gated archway. Cross the road to the northeast and you’re at the entrance of Namdaemun Market, Seoul’s largest wholesale market with a 600-year history. During the…

Champagne has come a long way since the days of Dom Perignon’s oft misquoted exclamation,“Come quickly, I am tasting the stars”– made while noticing the effervescence within a bottle of white wine that had gone somewhat awry. Back then, Champagne was known as the“devil’s wine”, as it was not uncommon for the initially weak, poorly made glass bottles to spontaneously combust, wounding – at times fatally – those within the blast range. These days, the quintessential, most luxurious of wines from the most salubrious of wine regions, has won the hearts and palates of many and become a symbol of celebration the world over. In fact, its popularity has soared in recent decades, mostly thanks to new money from Russia and China, coupled with continued loyalty from its most abundant…

CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES is set to introduce a premium economy class on its future aircraft. The Shanghai-based Skyteam carrier will offer the new cabin class on aircraft due to be delivered between 2018 and 2021, comprising 15 B787-9 Dreamliners and 20 A350-900s. The Boeing aircraft will offer a four-class configuration, with four seats in first, 26 in business, 32 in premium economy and 227 in economy. The A350 will also sport a four-class layout, with four seats in first, 36 in business, 32 in premium economy and 216 in economy class. en.ceair.com Clement Huang compiles the latest news from www.businesstraveller.com/asia-pacific…

CATHAY PACIFIC HAS announced that its Hong Kong–Kuala Lumpur route will be operated by Dragonair (soon to be renamed Cathay Dragon) from March 2017. The decision means that Cathay Pacific will retreat from the Malaysian market altogether. Meanwhile, Dragonair’s presence in the country will be strengthened as it already serves flights to Kota Kinabalu and Penang. The move will also see Cathay Pacific transfer five of its Airbus A330s to Dragonair, in order to support the airline’s operation and growth. cathaypacific.com and dragonair.com…

A GOLFING KINGDOM SPA HEAVEN Thailand has long been recognised as a golfing paradise, and many predict it is swiftly becoming one of the world’s top international golf destinations. There are upwards of 250 courses dotted throughout the country, set against a range of stunning landscapes, from mountainous jungle to sandy shores. Patrons looking for a cool clearing in a lush forest will find their dreams come true in the northern regions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Down south, island havens like Koh Samui and Phuket offer the perfect beach-side setting for a relaxing afternoon on the fairways and greens. Meanwhile, Bangkok – and surrounding districts from Hua Hin to Pattaya – are winners for those who like to stay close to the city action, with plenty of luxurious,…

Shanghai may be central China’s most prominent modern metropolis, but it’s only been that way for a relatively short time – before the second half of the 19th century it was virtually nonexistent. Prior to that, the inland region – a fertile flatland scattered with numerous lakes south of the Yangtze River’s lower reaches – was the greater cultural and commercial centre by far. Today’s cities of Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou all boast histories dating back 2,000-3,000 years to the Western Zhou dynasty and the Wu culture. During the Han dynasty in the first century AD, Suzhou was one of the world’s largest cities, while all three were located on the Grand Canal built during the sixth-century Sui dynasty, which linked the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, from Peking to Hangzhou,…

BT: Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) was born in the tumultuous but optimistic post-WWII era, and grew in tandem with its homeport of Hong Kong, the success of both inextricably linked. Is this as true today as it was then? IC: Absolutely. We started small, from humble beginnings; post-war a lot of reconstruction was needed, and our founders seized that opportunity. They were adventurous, coming to Asia to help ship people, goods and supplies to different parts of the region. The Cathay Pacific story is not just about Hong Kong – it’s a key part of the China story too, in fact it’s actually an Asia story. These days we use the word connectivity, and Hong Kong is all about connecting people, contributing to Asia’s development and growth. Hong Kong has…

Even on a crisp spring day in March, the Bavarian city of Munich can sport piles of snow at the side of the road. Still, the chill doesn’t dissuade a group of men from donning wetsuits and climbing into the churning Eisbach, which flows through the expansive Englischer Garten public park. Running parallel to the Isar River, this man-made waterway is famous – believe it or not – for surfing. One by one, the men cautiously hold their boards at the base of the permanent roiling wave forged at the entrance to the Prinzregentenstrasse Bridge. And, one by one, they wipe out – their boards whipped from under them by the violent current, ripping them downstream by the ankle. After a short while, a woman plunges in – she catches…

Regent Hotels & Resorts partners with Asia Miles Regent Hotels & Resorts has partnered with Asia Miles for a promotion that will grant members triple miles for stays at the Regent Hotel in Taipei or Beijing. The standard earn rate per stay is a flat 500 miles. However, through the promotion, members will earn 1,500 miles from their stay. The “Triple the Mileage, Double the Happiness” campaign lasts until September 14, 2016. Asia Miles members must book two or more consecutive nights. regenthotels.com Qantas sells day passes for lounge access Qantas is trialling a new system that allows lower-tier members of its frequent-flyer programme to purchase single-entry lounge passes during off-peak travel periods. The lounge passes will be offered on an invitation-only basis. Eligible frequent flyers will be sent an…

There’s a crazy Scandinavian tradition known as ice swimming, which involves people submerging themselves in frozen lakes. Unappealing as it sounds, advocates claim it has wide-ranging health benefits, from improving circulation to boosting energy, and the custom is enjoying something of a renaissance in Finland. Luckily for me, my guides had arranged an experience of this cultural initiation during a trip to Helsinki. And so, on a bitter, drizzly afternoon in April, I stood shivering in a swimsuit by the partially frozen Baltic Sea. The first tentative steps felt deceptively warm – my limbs too numb from the stinging rain to register the temperature. But as the icy water covered my chest, the shock of cold left me gasping for breath. I flailed about for a few ungainly seconds before…

Airlines did offer food during the early days of flying; however, they were cold meals, produced by contract caterers who had to transfer food from their facilities often an hour or more away. In 1936,“maître d’airline”Donald F Magarrell – the world’s first airline cuisine executive – suggested United create a dedicated flight kitchen at Oakland Airport, California, so meals could be prepared just before boarding and delivered without a bumpy ride. The US$3,000 establishment was launched on December 16 that year, and the first airborne hot meals were served three days later: fried chicken and scrambled eggs. At first there were just six employees, preparing 50 to 60 sets a day. The chefs, from Switzerland, Austria and France, created menus a month in advance and submitted them to headquarters for…