New Facilities
In September 2002, a dedicated meeting, conference and banqueting facility will be unveiled on the second floor of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. The four new harbour-view function rooms - Alexandra, Victoria, Chater and Gloucester - face Victoria Harbour and are designed to make maximum use of natural lighting and are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. They will complement the award-winning hotel’s existing meeting facilities, providing 13 meeting rooms in total.

Plaza Status
The Ramada Palm Grove, Mumbai, has been awarded ‘Plaza’ status. A ‘Plaza’ hotel is the preferred choice of discerning global travellers for whom luxury, exemplary personalised service, functionality and status at value for money is a way of life. Months of meticulous planning went behind the year-long transformation of ‘Ramada Plaza Palm Grove’ which resulted in a change which is awesome, delightful and spells subtle grandeur. The fully refurbished and well-appointed suites and rooms have amenities a business traveller is accustomed to.

MegaSale
The Mega Sale Carnival hits the Malaysian stores again. The Malaysia Mega Sale begins on August 3, 2002, and would be on throughout the country till September 1, 2002. With more shopping complexes and retail outlets around the country taking part in the August Mega Sale Carnival, there are going to be truckloads of bargains and discounts on items. Participating hotels and restaurants will also be offering fantastic room rates and discounts on food and beverages.

TeeTime
Golfers looking to combine a round of golf at one of America’s finest golf courses with lodging at a first class resort can now make all their arrangements by visiting Marriott Golf’s new website. Marriott Golf has unveiled the ultra-convenient www.marriottgolf.com - the only lodging company website that provides visitors the opportunity to book both lodging and tee times online.

Open For Business
Dubai’s hotel sector welcomed a new entrant recently when The Fairmont Dubai opened its doors to the public for the first time. As Dubai’s 28th five-star hotel, the 394-room property has already stimulated interest around the city with its distinctive wind-tower design and multi-hued nightly illuminations, and now guests can see for the first time the cutting edge designs of the interiors, as well as a wealth of innovative concepts that aim to set new standards in restaurant and business facilities. A key feature of the complex is The Fairmont Walkway, the first pedestrian link that provides guests easy access to the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Be Pampered
Nestled amidst verdant tropical foliage and natural granite formations, the new Banyan Tree Spa Seychelles invites you to shed the cares of the world in its eight luxurious hillside pavilions. Indulge in an exotic menu of spa treatments under the skillful hands of the Banyan Tree Spa therapist. For a totally indulgent experience, treat yourself to the Harmony Banyan - a signature three-hour spa session. The new Banyan Tree Seychelles promises to be an intimate spa retreat ideal for the rejuvenation of the body, mind and spirit.

TeeOff
Cashing in on the growing popularity of golf globally, a number of new golf spas are coming up in Thailand. Among the first of these new golf spas is the Northern Resort Heritage Resort & Spa started by the famed Chiang Mai Lampung Golf Club. Thirty minutes from Chiang Mai airport, it has 300 acres of expansive grounds and the new resort is scenically set in a valley between two mountain ranges close to the golf course. The resort’s highlight is the grand spa which has a Jacuzzi spouting mineral water from the neighbouring San Kamphaeng Hot Springs.

Get Fresh
The Taj Group of Hotels and Lakme Beauty Salon (LBS) have announced the beginning of an alliance to set up 13 unisex salons by the name of ‘The Salon by Lakme’ at select Taj business and leisure hotels. These salons will provide the customer an opportunity to be waited upon hand and foot by some of the best-trained experts in an ambience of style, hygiene and comfort. These unisex salons also promises to provide a satisfying, superior quality salon experience.

JetSetter
Jet Airways has commenced a second daily flight on the Delhi-Lucknow-Delhi and Delhi-Indore-Delhi sectors, thereby offering day-return facility. It has also increased its current three-weekly frequency on the Hyderabad-Vishakapatnam sector to a daily frequency to meet the increasing traffic demand. Jet Airways has announced introduction of special Economy Class rupee fares for the Mumbai-Nagpur-Mumbai and Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai sectors for a period of three months, effective July 01, 2002, until September 30, 2002. The new one-way fare on the popular Mumbai-Goa sector will be Rs 2,480 against the existing Rs 3,005, a saving of Rs 525.

  Express Computer