Park Royal-Penang

A 50-minute flight from Kuala Lumpur, the hotel is located at Batu Ferringhi, Penang's finest beach about 45 minutes from the airport.

The333-room hotel is served by glass fronted lifts which give spectacular views of the sea. All rooms face the sea, and are equipped with refrigerators, complimentary tea/coffee making facilities, irons, bathrobes, and personal grooming items.

The hotel has a very `Ye Olde English Club' feel to it, most strongly felt in its lobby bar. The swimming pool is a marvel in itself; a natural water pool, plus fun features such as a bench under water - to facilitate reading a good novel and a swim-up bar with the bar stools under water too. There is a separate fun pool with water slides et al. A host of watersports equipment such as catamarans, water and surf skis, and wind surfing is available to guests.

For couples travelling with children, this is the ideal get-away spot. Besides a special pool and playroom, there's a Koko-Nut Club inhabited by Koko the Clown, Yideo movie theatre, video games room, and well stocked library for kids and adults. Baby sitting services are also available. For teenagers and adults, thePark Royal has the disco Borsaling, one of the hottest nightspots in Penang.

Despite the undeniable fun `n' games atmosphere, the hotel can offer full secretarial, courier and other business services to guests so inclined.

Tariff

(50% discount on all rooms during low season. Includes breakfast.)

Sheraton Grande Laguna-Phuket

Surrounding a private lagoon, and bordering the aquamarine blue Andaman Sea, the hotel forms one of the five internationally known hotel chains, the first such conglomerate within Asia, spread out over 1000 acres.

The Sheraton is spread over 70 of these acres, and is environmentally conscious enough to have gone in for airy specious architecture in Thai traditional style. It provides a conducive atmosphere for lovers, honeymooners, writers, families, businessmen... you can be as reclusive as you wish (villas with private jetty), have asluxurious a holiday as you wish, (health spa, private golf course, speciality restaurants) have fun with your family with a host of supervised water sports or elephant / horse rides through the jungle, and still run your business with the Sheraton's remarkable up-to-date communication facilities. The resort is also the leading MICE destination (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions - the latest fad in the corporate sector) for Thailand.

Although slightly isolated, that is part of the charm, and the property is extremely self contained, with a 52 outlet shopping complex, common to all five hotels, all of which are connected by a free ferry service. Benefits include reciprocal privileges with the other resorts, which you just sign up to your room. However, the Sheraton has the most extensive range of recreational outlets, including eight restaurants / bars, and Asia's longest swimming pool -- 323 metres around the whole property.

The exclusive Grande Villas, 85 one and two bedroom suites, offerthe following customer services: morning tea or coffee with fresh croissants; ala carte breakfast; cocktails and hors d' oeuvres at sundown; pool services such as towels and fresh fruit platters; microwaves, video players and baby care accessories in the villa; packing / unpacking; and a 24-hour concierge service.

Tariff

(Prices at 50% discount in low season)

Grand Hyatt Erawan-Bangkok

Located in the heart of the city, the 400-room hotel is surrounded by the diplomatic district and prime shopping areas, and overlooks the Royal Golf course. The lobby can at best be described as majestic, with a soaring atrium and heady pine fragrance, reminiscent of a tropical garden with banyan trees and wild orchids, and the staff dressed in traditional Thai outfits.

80 per cent of the clientele are executive travellers, and therefore the hotel is comprehensively equipped with the latestbusiness facilities and trained expertise. All rooms have two telephone lines. There are non- smoking rooms, as well as special rooms for the disabled. For golf enthusiasts, the hotel organises privileges at ten clubs. The fifth floor features a rooftop garden, a lagoon pool, and an aerobics studio along with the usual jacuzzi and sauna rooms. Besides its speciality restaurants demanding slightly formal attire, the Hyatt has four easy eateries with coffee shop ambience.

Guests at the Regency Club can expect a continental breakfast, all days coffee / tea, and evening cocktails with canapes. There is also a 24-hour butler, laundry and business centre service, and an in-house doctor clinic. Further, while the hotel provides a Mercedes Benz limousine fleet, there is a rooftop helipad with helicopter service available as well.

Tariff