Furnished with luxury bedding and spacious marble bathrooms, the accommodations are well-equipped with state-of-the-art amenities including LCD television, iPod docking stations, high-speed internet access, voicemail telephone, desk-level power outlet, workdesk with ergonomic chair, in-room safe, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. Guests staying in the hotel’s Club rooms and suites have access to the Club Lounge and a personalized check-in/out area, while extended-stay travellers have the option of 4 suite units with separate living and dining rooms, bedrooms and kitchens.

Crowne Plaza Semarang’s 2 restaurants, Gedoeng Gris and Yu Shan Fang, are set to revitalize the city’s dining scene. The former offers a delectable array of international and local buffet items, while the latter promises delicious Chinese favorites throughout the day. A cocktail lounge, One-18, serves up a selection of drinks and light bites ideal for an afternoon business discussion or late night catchup.

Business travellers and meeting planners will have access to modern and functional event spaces, including central Java’s largest pillar-less ballroom that can accommodate up to 2,000 guests, a wedding chapel and gallery. A full-service business center provides the necessary office support, while an outdoor swimming pool, health club and sauna facilities cater for recreation after business has been taken care of.

The opening of the Crowne Plaza Semarang underscores InterContinental Hotels Group’s strong expansion in Southeast Asia. The group currently has a pipeline of 32 hotels and resorts under its brands under development across the region, with a further 3 properties (Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Siam, InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort and the InterContinental Danang Resort) slated to open in the first quarter of 2012.

For more information, visit www.crowneplaza.com and www.ichotelsgroup.com.

243 elegant guestrooms and suites housed in 3 glass towers are available to guests, carefully created by celebrated interior design firm Yabu Pushelberg combine soft colors, clean lines and fine finishes with art deco elements. Guests enjoy luxury bedding with 400-threadcount linen, marble bathroom with Remede spa amenities, flatscreen television with Blu-ray player, iPod docking station, complimentary high-speed internet access, workdesk, in-room safe, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities, as well as the signature St. Regis Butler Service.

Celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten continues his partnership with St. Regis, with the J&G Grill featuring a curated selection of dishes from his portfolio of restaurants around the world, while Atlantico’s international seafood menu is complemented by an intimate atmosphere and canopied patio. Guests can also dine at the Fresco Pool Bar & Grill serving up an eclectic menu with South American flair in a magnificent oceanfront setting, completing the evening with a bottle of international wine from the St. Regis Bar & Wine Vault.

Event and meeting planners will find over 1,040 square meters of indoor and outdoor convention space including the elegant Astor Ballroom and select patio pool and beach areas. For recreation and wellness, the serene Remede Spa combines a comprehensive menu of treatments and services with signature touches such as champagne, Jacques Torres truffles and Kashwere throws, while the outdoor swimming pool and fitness center caters to guests seeking to relax under the South Florida sun.

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort joins 10 other sister properties in the USA, including the iconic St. Regis New York founded in the early 20th century. The brand is currently embarking on a worldwide expansion, with a focus on Asia and the Middle East, where 10 hotels and resorts are being developed.

For more information, visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Previously fitted with an aging cabin product, passengers in First class will now be able to enjoy British Airways’ recently revamped premium seating onboard. The jets will also feature the latest World Traveller Plus premium economy and World Traveller economy class products, first introduced onboard the Boeing 777-300ER last year.

Fresh white walls contrast with cool, neutral colours and textures to create a clean yet contemporary ambience. Key improvements over the old product include ergonomic slimline seating, a larger personal screen, in-seat power, USB and RCA connectivity.

The refit programme is scheduled to run at the airline’s maintenance base in Cardiff until spring 2013 and further streamlines British Airways’ long-haul inflight offerings to just 2 variations. The remaining Boeing 777-200ER and 747-400 fleets will not be refurbished but will instead receive light updates as part of the carrier’s GBP 5 billion investment on new aircraft, cabins, lounges and technology to boost its competitiveness against rivals.

For more information, visit www.britishairways.com.

Lounge and Bars

Crystal Symphony’s popular Avenue Saloon piano bar will be reconfigured to add more seating while retaining its warm, jazz-era atmosphere with the use of rich colours and plush materials. The line has brought in Kirk Nix of Los Angeles’ KNA Design, who created the trademark space, for the makeover.

KNA is also revamping the ship’s Palm Court panoramic lounge, where a sleek transformation brings in sweeping ocean views while keeping emblematic room elements such as the palms and wicker. The bar and dance areas will also be expanded with added seating and a spiral-design dance floor with overhead ceiling feature.

The Bridge Lounge will receive a refined rejuvenation, with floor-to-ceiling windows, wallcoverings and a ceiling fixture. New furniture, including games tables and chairs, striking chandeliers, sconces and recessed fixtures complement the silver, blue and sage colour scheme to create an inviting space for card games or private presentations. 

Theatres

Inspired by the glamourous theatres of yesteryear, Crystal Cruises will embark on a grand redesign of the ship’s Galaxy Lounge. A new limestone floor entrance flanked by LCD screens greets guests, where reflective motifs, starburst lighting and crystal-speckled wall panels that hint of the night sky together with formal purple drapes, a subtle diamond design in the upholstery, new mohair chairs and sofas, as well as fabric wallcoverings suggest a sophisticated supper club ambience.

For the Hollywood Theatre, the line turned to London-based Adfecto to create a visual throwback to the classic Hollywood film era, with the comfort and technological advantages of today. Plush leather armchairs with individual pull-out tables and an earth tone colour palette set the backdrop, while circular-patterned carpeting, sconce-lined walls and a new entrance reflect art deco elements.

Teens and Kids Areas

Adfecto’s work on the Fantasia kids play area and Waves teen video arcade creates separate areas for crafts, relaxation, screenings and computer usage. Fun, asymmetrical furniture, beanbags and the use of vibrant colours add an element of fun for younger cruisers, who will be kept occupied by an array of board and video games.

Other Enhancements

Crystal Symphony also receives electronic “Do Not Disturb” doorbells in all accommodations and environmentally-efficient lighting installations. All elements onboard will also undergo a bi-annual maintenance and cleaning regime.

Created in 1988 with a vision to set a new standard in luxury travel and world exploration, Crystal Cruises is wholly-owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha, one of the world’s largest shipping companies. Today, the line operates 2 top-rated ships around the world – the 922-guest Crystal Symphony and the 1,070-guest Crystal Serenity (refurbished in 2011).

For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com.

The SkyPriority services will be distinctively branded at airports and displayed on boarding passes. Eligible passengers will be able to enjoy benefits including priority check-in areas, priority bag-drop, priority service at airport ticket offices, transfer desks, priority security clearance (where available), priority boarding and priority baggage handling. Skyteam also revealed that additional benefits are planned to be introduced in the future.

Successfully introduced by Delta Airlines in 2010, the program is planned to be rolled-out in March 2012 at selected hubs. Amsterdam, Atlanta, Guangzhou, Nairobi, Shanghai and Taipei will be amongst the first airports where the program will be launched, before being gradually implemented at over 1,000 stations by early 2013.

Skyteam currently has fifteen member airlines, including Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, TAROM and Vietnam Airlines. Together, the alliance offers its 487 million annual customers globally more than 14,500 daily flights to 926 destinations in 173 countries.

For more information, visit www.skyteam.com.