Hotel & Tours Group

Welcome to the tropical landscape you've always dream of or saw postcards of and pictured yourself sitting there on a beach sipping coconut rum in a blissful state of relaxation. Blissful relaxation is the essence of the Caribbean, but there's so much more.

Glistening white beaches, vast protected rainforests and astounding natural waterfalls - it really doesn't get much better than this. Whatever you're looking for, it's here. From the vibrant wildlife of the Dominican Republic to the package tour safety of the Bahamas, from the reggae vibe of Jamaica to the romantic rumba of Havana, you may never want to return to 'normal' life.

Passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport will soon see a dramatic, yet welcoming, change as they load their baggage onto trolleys and push them around the sprawling facility.

They will no longer be using those quaking, heavy, sorry-looking and injury-inflicting steel baggage trolleys that have been high on the complaint lists of travellers.

They will be replaced starting by shiny three-wheeled aluminium carts that are much more passenger-friendly, being lighter, stronger, safer and easier to manoeuvre than their four-wheeled predecessors.

On Friday, Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) will make 3,500 of the German-invented trolleys, which are familiar sights at leading airports including Singapore Changi, Hong Kong and Frankfurt, available at Bangkok's airport in the first stage of trolley replacement....

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India's Gaganjeet Bhullar produced a brilliant course record eight-under-par 64 to win the season-opening Asian Tour International by one shot on Sunday. Starting the final round six strokes back, Bhullar reinforced his growing reputation as one of Asia’s brightest prospects with a superb come-from-behind victory, the second of his career, at the Suwan Golf and Country Club, Bangkok.

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Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and is the country's cultural and economic center. Most arrive in KL from KLIA airport, but the low cost carrier terminal - LCCT - is also a popular entry point for those flying with AirAsia, Firefly, Jet Star or Tiger Air. For quick transits, there are plenty of hotels near LCCT and KLIA, though staying in the city center is a far better option for travelers staying a couple of days.

Kuala Lumpur is a very modern city with an efficient and inexpensive network of public transport comprising trains and light rail. The biggest attractions in the city - literally - are the Petronas Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world at 88 floors (Hotels near Petronas Twin Towers). The connecting bridge between the towers provides unsurpassed views of the city and tours to the skybridge are a popular activity for tourists. Kuala Lumpur Tower – Menara Kuala Lumpur – also has an observation deck from which a 360-degree view of the city can be had without obstruction (see our Kuala Lumpur Tours, Sightseeing & Things to Do).

Shopping is a popular activity in KL, as it is in most Southeast Asian capitals. The 'Golden Triangle' section of the city comprises several large malls; the Mid Valley Mega Mall and up-market Suria KLCC are two of the largest in Southeast Asia and sell everything from electronics to designer handbags. The main shopping streets are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, and Jalan Imbi.

Another great place for shopping and dining is Chinatown. Nightly markets and food stalls set up in Jalan Petaling opposite Puduraya bus terminal. Chinatown provides a great opportunity to indulge in Chinese and Indian food as the restaurants here are inexpensive, authentic and in plentiful supply.

For a romantic dinner on Valentine's Day, check out La Dolce Vita at Ma Maison at the Swissotel Nai Lert Park.

Executive chef Joachim Felber is serving an extravagant fivecourse menu including Brittany crab with asparagus, veloute with farmraised caviar, panfried duck liver from Landes, Thai mango jelly, glazed ginger tagliatelles, rack of lamb from New Zealand and poivrade artichokes.

The cost is Bt1,950, inclusive of free-flowing wine. Call (02) 253 0123.

Gourmet-Tip: Delight your tastebuds with Ma Maisons famed 16-course evolution tasting menu.

Laguna Advantage is the exclusive benefits program of Laguna Phuket, Thailand - Asia's finest destination resort - where you will find a collection of deluxe hotels and luxury villas complemented by world-class spas, 18-hole golf club, exquisite boutiques, exciting excursions and a selection of tempting dining options.

Laguna Advantage card holders are entitled to enjoy an array of special privileges and generous discounts within the Laguna Phuket hotels, restaurants, spas, golf club, retail galleries and on exclusive excursions operated by Laguna Tours.

Purchase of The Laguna Advantage card includes a booklet of 80 valuable certificates for special discounted room rates, spa treatments, tours, golf, etc. But, best of all are the many certificates for COMPLIMENTARY room upgrades, meals, cooking classes, bottles of wine, golf, Family Day Pass and, in particular, a complimentary one night stay at your choice of participating Laguna Phuket hotels.

Click here for a detailed list of the benefits.

In addition to the certificates, the Laguna Advantage Card entitles holders to:

* 50% Discount on dining for 1-2 guests
* 33% Discount on dining for 3 guests
* 25% Discount on dining for 4 or more guests (maximum 20 guests)
* Access to Fitness Centres at participating Laguna Phuket hotels between 10am-4pm.

Discount applies to food and non-alcoholic beverages at Banyan Tree Phuket, Sheraton Grande Laguna, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Laguna Beach Resort and Laguna Holiday Club Phuket Resort.

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When tourists piece together a travel itinerary for China, they usually focus on big-name attractions in the east. The Great Wall, Shanghai's Bund and the Xian's Terracotta Army are too inspiring to overlook. Many don't realize how much is hidden away in Yunnan, China's southwest province. With Kunming City at the helm, Yunnan offers a tantalizing mix of rugged landscapes, exotic cultures and cosmopolitan energy.

Kunming means 'City of Eternal Spring', a reference to its pleasant, year-round climate. Hotels near Kunming are on par with those in any major city, with ample five-star service on offer. One of the newest local trends is golf course development, and Kunming has consistently landed high on world's-best lists these last few years.

The city itself has many temples, a lively Islamic quarter and great shopping potential, but it's most often used a launching pad for province-wide excursions. Northwest of Kunming is a trail of ever more evocative towns. Dali and Lijiang boast beautifully restored centers, and the latter offers access to Tiger Leaping Gorge with its spectacular trekking and rafting potential. Further on is Zhongdian, a Shangri-La-like Tibetan outpost with a beautiful monastery.

For first-time visitors, a trip to Stone Forest is a must. With its sprawling karst topography, this natural garden of boulders and spires can be seen on a day trip but also works as a weekend outing. It's easiest get here in a shared minivan, which can be booked through the front desks of hotels in Kunming.

Zhaotong Airport is a regional gateway with connections to Southeast Asian capitals and a few major Chinese hubs. Taxis and buses connect the airport to the city center, and there are also a few airport hotels on site.

China Eastern's Yunnan Branch will start operating an international air route between Kunming (Yunnan Province) and Dubai from February 22, 2010.

Flights are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Flights MU755/6 take off on Mondays from Kunming at 16:00 and get to Dubai at 19:00 local time. Flights MU2021/2 will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a stopover at Dacca in Bangladesh, a single trip will take about eight hours.

Currently Chinese travelers can only fly to Dubai from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, or Hong Kong, and the flight time is two hours more than the direct route takes. The Kunming to Dubai air route will be the international air route for southwest China and Middle Eastern countries.

chinahospitalitynews

Furama Hotel Dalian, a five-star luxury hotel, has joined Worldhotels as a new Deluxe Collection affiliate enabling guests to guests benefit from Worldhotels' extensive selection of partnerships, including frequent flyer programs from 17 of the world's leading international airlines, including Air France/KLM, United Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa.

Furama Hotel Dalian occupies twin towers in the heart of the city's commercial, shopping and entertainment district. The 620-room hotel has Asian-fusion-style rooms and suites that range in size from 42 square meters to 480 square meters that are reported to be the largest in Dalian (Liaoning Province), and are equipped with with high-speed Internet connections and 24-hour room service.

Facilities include a business center, a gym, a wellness and spa retreat, an indoor swimming pool, and an entertainment center.

The hotel has four specialty restaurants: Chinese-style August Moon and Chiu Chow Village, Japanese cuisine Yokohama Kou, and Sorabol Korean Restaurant. The other food and beverage choices include the international La Brasserie Coffee Shop, Lobby Lounge, and pub style Prince Bar.

Conference facilities include a total of eleven function rooms occupying 2,300 square meters which can accommodate up to 1,200 delegates in 'classroom' seating, 2,000 in a theater setting, 1,200 for receptions, and provides banquet seating for 1,000.

Furama Hotel Dalian is 20 minutes from the airport, five minutes from the railway station, and is a short walk from the port passenger terminal.

chinahospitalitynews

The Intercontinental Hua Hin Kiteboaridng World Cup in Hua Hin, Thailand is adjusting their event dates for promotional reasons. The new dates will have registration on Sunday March 14th and the competition will be from Monday March 15th till Saturday March 20th. This dates changes will result in additional promotion of the event and a big increase in the number of local and regional competitor to the event, as well as the large number of international professional competitors expected.

The Grand Slam event, featuring Freestyle, Course Racing, and sliders disciplines will be the first professional kiteboarding event in Asia in the history of the sport, and it promises to be a new beginning for the sport in the region, as it is expected to become an annual kiteboarding mega-event in Thailand.

In Addition to the PKRA Grand Slam event there will be a regional qualifier event which will be offering direct wildcard entries into the PKRA freestyle main event. Registration for this event will be on the 11th of March and competition will be from March 12- 14.

Online pre-registration for the event

Sponsor: InterContinental Hua Hin Resort

A Singaporean couple, both intrepid travellers, marked the low-fare carrier Jetstar's inaugural flight from Singapore to Shantou, Province Guangdong, China, Tuesday by tying their nuptial knots on board the aircraft.

Rachel Chan and Alvin Lim exchanged their marriage vows in the presence of a Justice of Peace on board flight 3K 823 in front of family members and passengers.

Shantou is Jetstar Asia's 20th destination and second to mainland China after it began the four times weekly direct Singapore-Haikou flights in the Hainan Province from Dec 16 last year.

Jetstar Asia is the first foreign carrier to operate international flights into Shantou Waisha Airport in China's Guangdong Province.

Jetstar will fly the new route three times weekly between Shantou Waisha Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport.

Regala Healthy Cakes of Regal Kowloon Hotel aims at offering the highest quality, the freshest and the most delicious cakes in town! Cake of the Month is introduced each month for dessert lovers.

The delightful surprise for February is the Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake which is one of the most popular desserts of Regala Healthy Cake. The perfect combination between the silky chocolate mousse and raspberry offers you and your love sweetest flavour in the Valentine's month.
Don't miss the chance to delivery your love message with the Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake in this romantic season.

You can now enjoy 50% discount upon purchase of the "Cake of the Month" at 2 lb. or above.

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Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand collectively referred to as Isaan and lies around 260 kilometers from Bangkok. The capital city, also called Nakhon Ratchasima, is commonly referred to as Khorat and is a well developed city with a population of around 150,000 (see map Nakhon Ratchasima). There are hotels in Nakhon Ratchasima that cater for business guests as well as apartment-style lodgings for budget travelers.

Khorat is an ancient city with strong Khmer influences. Wat Phra Narai Maharat in the city center houses a Khmer sandstone sculpture of Vishnu, while the ruins of Phimai Historical Park (see map Nakhon Ratchasima) constitute some of the oldest examples of Khmer architecture in Thailand, even older than Cambodia's Angkor Wat. Maha Weerwong National Museum also offers a glimpse into the region's past with archeological artifacts and Ayutthaya-era Buddha images on display.

Khao Yai National park draws many visitors to Nakhon Ratchasima, attracted to its waterfalls and diverse ecosystem. Nature tours trekking are popular exploits through the park, where deer, monkeys, bears and bats can be viewed in their natural habitat. Nature lovers can also visit Korat Zoo, a landscaped park that houses elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards (and more) and conducts a night safari on the weekends.

Nakhon Ratchasima can be accessed via road or rail, with trains stopping at Thanon Jira Railway Station. The closest airport is in Buriram (see airports of Thailand).

There are good golf destinations and there are great golf destinations. Thailand is one of the great ones.

It is a country that might not be on the golfing radar for Canadian travellers since it sits half a world away in Asia, but it’s a place that North American golfers are starting to notice. It may have started when Tiger Woods won an Asian PGA Tour stop there in 1999 at Thai Country Club, a place where Tiger's name remains emblazoned on locker No. 1 in the clubhouse. They also have a plaque which commemorates Tiger's tee shot on the par-4 10th hole where he drove the green.

Thailand is also a place that has hosted the LPGA Tour several times in the past three years, multiple Asian Tour events and golf exhibitions featuring some of the game's top names. It's a place where terrific courses dot the landscape from the north to the south and, unlike other Asian golf hotbeds (Japan and Korea come to mind), all the best courses are resort tracks open to the public.

In addition to the golf courses, there are five-star accommodations from north to south, as well as beaches and plenty of other tourist activities. At the center of it all sits Bangkok, a city of 10 million people and a place which has it all, everything from $15 massages and $5 dinners to $50 rounds of golf and luxurious accommodations. It's a modern city that just keeps getting more modern, with a new subway, new light rail and high-rise towers everywhere you turn. And the airport is a place that must be seen to be believed. It is a modern marvel that makes your typical North American airport look like a museum.

There are more than 250 golf courses in Thailand and 64 million people. Unlike many Asian countries where golf is mainly for tourists, Thais love their golf. As many as two million play the game.

The Courses
Don't allow any lack of familiarity with Thai golf to spill over into worry over course quality. From tee to green, these are stellar layouts. From the two courses at Siam Country Club in Pattaya to Thai Country Club and Muang Kaew Golf Club in Bangkok, and Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, the courses are award winners. They will remind you of the best courses you might have seen and played in other tropical locations. Hawaii comes to mind, and that's not a bad comparison.

Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, about three hours southwest of Bangkok, was named as best new course in Asia last year. Siam's Plantation Course and Old Course have hosted LPGA Tournaments in each of the last two years and Thai Country Club was a long-time stop on the Asian Tour. Some of the top designers in the game today have courses in Thailand including Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Conditioning is superb on the courses and the price is right. No course will cost you more than $100, while most come in between $50-$70.

One thing that makes the courses even better is the location of re-fueling stations every three holes. You won't go hungry or thirsty at these places; there is a place to get drinks and food every few holes. The sun is hot, so make sure you stay hydrated.

As good as the courses are, the locker rooms and the clubhouses are just as impressive. When you check in, you get a locker key and the run of the facilities which are enormous and opulent compared to American and Canadian clubhouses. It makes you feel like a PGA Tour pro. When your round is done, grab a change of clothes, jump in the shower and emerge completely refreshed.

The Caddies
What makes the round even more enjoyable are the caddies. Caddies are required for every round and before you go thinking, “Who needs a caddie?,” there's one thing you need to know: You need a caddie and you will like it.

Every course in Thailand has a crew of 200 female caddies, who are all dressed in matching uniforms and who know the game. After just a few holes they know what club to give you; they can read the greens and they know the layouts better than you ever will.
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A dozen Asian nations and Russia vowed Friday to double the number of wild tigers by 2022, crack down on poaching that has devastated the big cats and prohibit the building of roads and bridges that could harm their habitats.

However, the historic declaration adopted by the 13 countries that have wild tigers includes no new money to finance the conservation efforts. The agreement only includes plans to approach international institutions like the World Bank for money and to develop schemes to tap money from ecotourism, carbon financing and infrastructure projects to pay for tiger programs.

''This is a historic meeting. Before this, not many people paid attention to tigers,'' Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti said after the three-day meeting in Hua Hin. ''Stopping the depletion of tigers is a very important issue for all of us.''

The declaration will now be considered for approval by heads of state of the 13 countries in September at a meeting in Vladivostok, Russia.

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