Tune Hotels.com Opens At Bali’s Kuta Beach

Tune Hotels.com has opened its first hotel in Indonesia, marking the budget hotel operator’s expansion beyond Malaysia. The 139-room Tune Hotels.com Kuta, Bali is located off Jalan Pantai Kuta and is a 6-minute walk from the famous beach as well as the main shopping and dining areas.

 

Each of the 84 double and 55 single rooms offer guests a clean, comfortable bed, ensuite shower and a ceiling fan. Guests can also choose to add-on optional amenities such as air-conditioning, laudered towels, television and wireless internet access for a fee.

 

Despite being minimally-priced, the hotel also provides daily housekeeping, electronic keycard access and 24-hour security. Other hotel facilities include a transportation/tour desk and a convenience store selling food and beverages, newspapers and magazines, essentials and souvenirs.

 

Malaysia-based Tune Hotels.com currently operate 5 limited service hotels in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Penang and Kuala Lumpur. The group will add a second Indonesian property when the 170-room Tune Hotels.com Double Six Legian opens next month.

 

For more information, visit www.tunehotels.com.

Garuda Indonesia To Reopen Jakarta – Amsterdam Service

Following a 5-year absence, Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is to return to Europe with the reopening of its flagship Jakarta-Amsterdam route, operated via Dubai, from June 2010. Amsterdam is the first of several European services planned by Garuda Indonesia, which was recently permitted to operate in the European Union following improvements to its safety standards.

 

Flight GA 088 departs Jakarta at 2100 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0209 hrs the next morning before departing again at 0315 hrs for a 0800 hrs arrival into Amsterdam. The return service, GA 089, takes off from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 1000 hrs, landing in Dubai at 1830 hrs and departing for Jakarta at 1945 hrs, where it lands at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 0710 hrs the next morning.

 

Garuda Indonesia will operate a 2-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, configured with the airline’s latest cabin products. Passengers will enjoy 36 full-flat beds in Executive Class, while the Economy Class seats feature a 32-inch seat pitch and 6 inches of recline. Individual touch-screen monitors deliver audio-video on-demand entertainment in both classes.

 

The airline joins several airlines already established on the route, including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. Garuda Indonesia currently flies to 17 international destinations including Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Osaka, Perth, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

 

For more information, visit www.garuda-indonesia.com.

Refurbished Mandarin Oriental Jakarta Opens

Following a comprehensive 20-month renovation, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has reopened the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and gala event attended by the Indonesian capital’s society elite. Located at Jalan M. H. Thamrin, the hotel is easily accessible to Soekarno-Hatta Interantional Airport and the business district.

 

The 272 rooms and suites have been outfitted in a classic, contemporary design by renowned interior design firm Lim, Teo & Wilkes, blending Indonesian culture with the group’s oriental heritage and modern amenities. Each room is furnished with luxury bedding, a large marble bathroom with mood lighting, separate rain shower and bathtub, in-room entertainment system with 42-inch LCD television, CD/DVD player and surround-sound stereo, iPod connectivity and multi-function data port, high-speed internet access, workdesk with telephone, in-room safe, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. 56 spacious Mandarin rooms measuring 64 square meters in size feature a living area that can be separated from the bedroom by sliding doors, while the luxurious Oriental and Mandarin Suites also offer guests complimentary use of the Executive Club Lounge facilities and the group’s renowned personalised service.

 

The hotel’s 4 new restaurants serve a range of international cuisine, including authentic Gallic fare at Lyon, the French fine dining restaurant. Each dish is carefully prepared according to traditional techniques with fresh seasonal ingredients, accompanied by the vintage selection from the wine cellar. Specialising in Cantonese and Szechuan cuisines, guests dine on authentic dishes, premium dim sum and a wide selection of Chinese teas amidst the ornate decor at Xin Hwa. For casual dining, Cinnamon showcases classic dishes from across Asia prepared at live cooking stations, while the signature Mandarin Oriental Cake Shop returns to offer guests freshly made pastries, cakes, chocolates and savouries, paired with afternoon tea in a casual and comfortable setting. Located on the 5th floor next to the swimming pool, guests will find exotic cocktails, smoothies, fresh juices and beverages at Azure, before partying the night away to the beats of the DJs at MO Bar.

 

Business travellers at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta have a fully-equipped business center at their disposal, with a comprehensive range of secretarial, translation and interpretation services. The hotel also offers 9 flexible function rooms, including a Grand Ballroom which seats up to 350 guests for a dinner banquet. Following a day of meetings, guests can relax in the freeform swimming pool, or enjoy a workout at the state-of-the-art fitness center. The hotel can also book a round of golf for guests at one of the numerous courses in Jakarta.

 

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group currently operates hotels and resorts around the world in the Americas, Asia and Europe, including Bangkok, Geneva, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, New York, Prague, San Francisco, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington DC. The group’s portfolio is slated to further expand with new developments announced in Barcelona, Beijing, Chicago, Las Vegas, Macau, Marrakech, Moscow and Paris.

 

For more information, visit www.mandarinoriental.com.

Best Western Expands Vietnamese Presence

Best Western International is set to expand its presence in Vietnam with the opening of a new property in Hanoi and the announcement of new developments in Dalat, Lao Cai and Nha Trang.

 

Best Western Muong Thanh Hanoi

The new Best Western Muong Thanh Hanoi is the group’s second Vietnamese property and is located in Linh Dam district near the city’s bus and railway stations.

 

The hotel offers 168 rooms, including 22 larger suites to guests, which are fully wheelchair-accessible. Each room is furnished with comfortable bedding, spacious bathrooms, satellite television, direct-dial telephone with voicemail, workdesk with dataports, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. Adjoining rooms are available to families or guests travelling in a large group.

 

For dining, there are 3 restaurants located within the property. Peppercorn’s serves western cuisine and grill dishes, while Basil and Cilantro offer a selection of Asian cuisine. In the vicinity, various restaurants offer Vietnamese cuisine and specialty food from the mountain regions, with numerous lounges and watering holes serving alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages paired with live music entertainment.

 

Best Western Muong Thanh Hanoi also boasts an indoor swimming pool and the Savasana Spa & Wellness Center where guests can relax following a day of business in the city. Meeting and banquet facilities, including a spacious ballroom, can cater to events of various sizes and is supported by a fully-equipped business center.

 

New Developments

In addition to properties now open in Haiphong and Hanoi, Best Western International will open 3 new hotels in Vietnam in 2010. The group is focusing on the gateway cities of Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as Vietnam’s World Heritage areas of Halong City and Halong Bay, Hoi An and the ancient capital, Hue.

 

The Best Western Sapaly Hotel Lao Cai, Best Western Premier Nha Trang Plaza and Best Western Dalat Plaza Hotel reflect the group’s optimism on Vietnam’s growing tourism industry. When completed, the 3 hotels will add 460 rooms to Vietnam’s hotel inventory.

 

Best Western International currently operates more than 30 properties across Asia in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

For more information, visit www.bestwestern.com.

New Southeast Asian Route Updates From KLM, Silkair

Beginning in December 2009, KLM and Silkair will add new flights to Bali and Penang respectively. The new services mark KLM’s return to the Indonesian resort island, while Silkair takes over the morning flight from sister carrier Singapore Airlines.

 

3 Times Weekly Amsterdam-Singapore-Bali Flights From KLM

Following a 12-year absence, KLM resumes services to Bali in Indonesia from 6 December 2009. KLM will operate a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured with 35 seats in World Business Class and 390 seats in Economy Class on the route.

 

Flight KL 835 departs from Amsterdam at 2100 hrs on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Singapore at 1620 hrs the next day before taking off at 1730 hrs for a 2010 hrs landing at Ngurah Rai International Airport. The return flight, KL 836, departs Bali at 2130 hrs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, landing in Changi International Airport at 0005 hrs the next morning before continuing back to Amsterdam at 0120 hrs where it arrives at 0800 hrs.

 

The tropical destination is popular amongst Dutch and European holidaymakers. With the new flights, KLM will operate 10 flights each week between the Netherlands and Indonesia, where it also flies to the capital Jakarta via Kuala Lumpur.

 

For more information, visit www.klm.com.

 

Silkair To Fly Triple-Daily On Singapore-Penang Route

Singapore-based regional carrier Silkair will increase flights on the Singapore-Penang route from 1 December 2009 when it takes over the daily morning service from affiliate Singapore Airlines. Rich in culture, history and heritage, Penang is one of Malaysia’s top tourist destinations with its charming colonial buildings and famous food such as the Penang laksa and char kway teow.

 

Flight MI 352 will depart Changi International Airport Terminal 2 at 0850 hrs, arriving in Penang International Airport at 0930 hrs. The aircraft returns as flight MI 351 at 1025 hrs, landing back in Singapore at 1150 hrs.

 

Passengers who have made bookings to travel between Singapore and Penang on Singapore Airlines will be re-accomodated on Silkair flights. The airline, which began flying the route in June this year, currently operates an afternoon and evening flight using a 2-class Airbus A320. Silkair also flies to Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Langkawi in Malaysia.

 

For more information, visit www.silkair.com.

Malaysia’s First Hard Rock Hotel Opens

The Malaysian island of Penang is home to the newest addition to Hard Rock International’s hotel portfolio. Adorned with pieces from Hard Rock’s world-famous memorabilia collection and set amidst the beaches of Penang’s famed Batu Ferringhi district, the 6-storey Hard Rock Hotel Penang is 45 minutes from the airport and 30 minutes from Georgetown.

 

233 guestrooms and 17 suites feature contemporary design and modern amenities. All rooms feature the brand’s signature Sleep Like a Rock bedding, a spacious bathroom with Hansgermany rain shower, 32-inch LCD television, CD/DVD player, iPod docking station, complimentary streaming music, high-speed internet-access, in-room safe, IDD telephone, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. Guests staying in the Kings Club enjoy privileges such as the exclusive use of the Kings Club Lounge and premium room amenities, while Suite guests enjoy the privacy of a separate living room. Most rooms offer private balconies and views of the beach, with the ground floor rooms facing the swimming pool having swim-up patios with wood trellis covers.

 

Leading the selection of dining options at the hotel is the signature Hard Rock Cafe serving authentic American specialty dishes, with live band performances every night. An all-day dining venue, the Starz Diner, offers Asian and International cuisine with a show kitchen for guests to observe the chefs at work, while the Lobby Lounge commands an unsurpassed view of the Andaman Sea. The Pizzeria and The Shack ensure guests enjoy pizzas, snacks and beverages by the hotel’s poolside.

 

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is home to the island’s largest free form swimming pool at 2,400 square meters, complete with its own sand islands, water slides and poolside cabanas. The hotel also features the Body Rock Gym and Rock Spa, where guests can have their treatments in gazebos facing the sea, before finishing with a hair and beauty session at the Hair Salon. Younger guests have their own spaces at the Lil’ Rock Kids Club and Teens Club to keep them busy with activities while the adults shop at the 2 Hard Rock merchandise stores.

 

Meeting and event planners have up to 350 square meters of space at their disposal, including a unique marquee ballroom capable of accomodating up to 300 guests, pre-function garden area and 3 meeting rooms. All venues feature state-of-the-art audio-visual techonology and are supported by a full service business center.

 

The Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the brand’s 3rd property in Southeast Asia, joining the Hard Rock Hotel Bali and Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya. There are now 12 Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos around the world, with new properties upcoming in Atlanta, Dubai, Hungary, Palm Springs, Panama and Singapore’s Resorts World integrated resort.

 

For more information, visit www.hardrockhotels.com.

Silversea To Sail Singapore – Sydney In December

Luxury cruise operator Silversea Cruises has announced a series of voyages onboard the all-suite Silver Whisper from Singapore. On 3 December 2009, the vessel makes its way from the Southeast Asian city-state to Sydney, offering guests the opportunity to sail 4 short cruise segments ranging from 6 to 10 days.

 

The first leg of the journey takes passengers on a 3-day sailing to Semarang, Indonesia, where guests can visit the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Borobudur temple complex, before re-boarding the ship to continue their journey south. Silver Whisper will spend the next 3 days at sea enroute to Darwin and guests will be able to enjoy the luxurious facilities onboard.

 

From Darwin, the vessel will sail the next leg to Cairns, arriving on the morning of 13 December 2009 to spend the day in port, before meandering through the pristine waters of the Australian east coast and Great Barrier Reef to Brisbane. Along the way, Silver Whisper will call at the ports of Townsville and Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Islands group. The voyage concludes with a morning arrival in Sydney at 0800 hrs on the morning of 19 December 2009.

 

Silversea Cruises has lined up a series of shore excursions at each port for guests, ranging from private city tours to wildlife and nature experiences in the Australian outback. Guests will also be treated to the world-class accomodation, dining and facilities onboard the Silver Whisper, coupled with the highly personalised service from the crew.

 

Silversea Cruises is recognized as one of the world’s leading luxury cruise operators. The line currently operate 5 ships (Silver Cloud, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Wind and the expedition ship Prince Albert II) and is due to introduce the Silver Spirit, a new 36,000-GRT, 540-guest ultra-luxury vessel in late 2009.

 

For more information, visit www.silversea.com.

Turkish Airlines Adds Jakarta To Network

Turkish Airlines has commenced flights to Jakarta, with an extension of its existing Istanbul-Singapore flights to the Indonesian capital. The inaugural flight landed in Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 1734 hrs, with Turkish State Minister Mehmet Simsek and the airline’s Chairman of the THY Executive Board, Candan Karlitekin, onboard.

 

Flight TK 066 departs Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport at 2320 hrs every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in Singapore at 1530 hrs the next day for a technical stop. The flight continues to Jakarta at 1645 hrs, where it arrives at 1725 hrs.

 

The return flight, TK 067, departs Jakarta at 1915 hrs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, landing in Singapore at 2155 hrs, before continuing to Istanbul at 2310 hrs. The aircraft arrives back at Ataturk International Airport at 0540 hrs the next morning.

 

Jakarta is Turkish Airlines’ third destination in Southeast Asia, after Bangkok and Singapore. The airline will operate a 2-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the route. Istanbul-based Turkish Airlines flies to 119 international and 35 domestic destinations.

 

For more information, visit www.thy.com.

Explore Indonesia’s Komodo National Park Onboard Amanikan

Luxury resort operator Amanresorts has introduced the Amanikan, a custom-built 32-meter coastal cruiser. Based at the Amanwana resort in the Indonesian island of Moyo, the vessel will host the 2009 Komodo Expedition, a 5-night exploration of the islands and waters of Komodo National Park coupled with a 2-night stay at Amanwana.

 

Constructed to the specifications and style of a traditional Indonesian wooden vessel known as the Phinisi, the Amanikan is equipped with 3 air-conditioned cabins offering modern amenities to complement the charm of spice trading ships. A large master cabin is located on the upper deck at the stern of the vessel, furnished with a king-sized bed and surrounded by wraparound windows offering panoramic 270° views of the surroundings. There are also 2 other cabins, located on the main deck and equipped with queen-sized beds and private sun decks. Guests enjoy the convenience of ensuite bathrooms with double vanities, wardrobes, showers and separate toilets.

 

Amanikan’s bow incorporates its main lounging area where guests can gather to sunbathe, enjoy the food and drink or sleep under the stars as the ship sails the waters of Indonesia through the Nusa Tenggera chain of islands. Guests enjoy a variety of activities from snorkelling and diving to the wildlife encounters with buffalo, deer, monkeys, wild horses and the famed Komodo dragons in their natural habitat, before returning to Amanwana.

 

Featuring 20 air-conditioned hardwood-floor tents, Amanwana is situated in a cove on the western edge of Moyo island overlooking Amanwana Bay and the Flores Sea. Surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, the resort brings guests back to nature, whilst delivering the luxury and comfort synonymous with Amanresorts. An open-air dining room and bar, library, music pavillion, dive center, spa and gift shop are available to guests.

 

Amanresorts operate 23 world-class properties across the world, including resorts in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, France, French Polynesia, Indonesia, India, Laos, Montenegro, Morocco, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Turks and Caicos Islands, USA and the flagship Amanpuri resort in Phuket, Thailand.

 

For more information, visit www.amanresorts.com.

Shangri-La Villingili Resort And Spa Now Open

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened its latest property, Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa, in the Maldives. Located on Addu Atoll, the resort is accessible by a 70-minute flight from the capital Male and a 8-minute boat ride from the new Gan International Airport.

 

The 3 kilometer-long island features 12 hectares of lush vegetation, including 17,000 coconut trees, ancient banyan trees, 45 species of flora and 3 natural freshwater lagoons. There is also over 6 kilometers of coastline and nearly 2 kilometers of white, sandy beaches, allowing guests to experience the distinct and unspoilt natural ecosystem.

 

The Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa offers guests 142 spacious villas, ranging from the 133-square meter Pool Villas to the luxurious 957-square meter Villa Laalu, furnished with carefully selected artwork and various precious artefacts from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The resort also has 16 unique Tree House Villas, each with separate living room, bedroom and private infinity pool, perched on stilts providing a bird’s eye view of the island. Other accomodation options available include the Water Villas and Beach Villas. All villas at the resort feature luxury bedding, an indoor and outdoor shower, private terrace leading to the beach, a waterfront or lush garden and are equipped with a 40-inch LCD television, Bose DVD player, 2 iPods with docking stations, complimentary high-speed internet access, minibar and Nespresso coffee machine.

 

A selection of restaurants and bars await guests at the resort. The Khazaanaage Restaurant, inspired by 14th century Islamic traveller Ibn Battuta, serves cuisine from the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and South China Sea using fresh ingredients and spices from the chef’s organic garden. At the all-day dining Javvu Restaurant, guests enjoy quality cafe dining during the day and elegant Western cuisine in the evenings. 4 bars (Endheri, Fashala, Manzaru and the Khazaanaage bar) offer a wide variety of drinks and shesha.

 

Located in its own spa village within the resort with spacious treatment villas, CHI will offer its signature treatments, therapies and well-being programmes based on Asian, Chinese and Himalayan healing rituals. The spa will also feature the “Kandu Boli” experience, a series of indigenous treatments inspired by the cowrie shell.

 

Guests can also explore the natural environment Villingili has to offer, with a nature trail in addition to stretches of beach. Traditional Maldivian villages and prime diving sites can be easily accessed via a short boat ride to the nearby islands. At the heart of the island is the 30,000-square meter Village Center, where there is an eco-centre, water sports center, free-form swimming pool, 2 tennis courts, a dedicated indoor and outdoor area for children and entertainment center.

 

Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa is the group’s first resort in the Maldives and joins over 62 hotels worldwide.

 

For more information, visit www.shangri-la.com.