Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers welcomes new hotel manager Orhun Denizoglu

Michael Schlueter, General Manager of Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Orhun Denizoglu to the position of Hotel Manager.

Mr. Orhun brings over twenty three years of luxury, lifestyle and independent collection hotel experiences to Royal Orchid Sheraton. He started his hospitality career in Hillside Beach Club in Fethiye, Turkey. In the following nine years, he joined The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul as part of opening team and then The Ritz Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa in Manama. His last Middle East appointment is Fairmont Bab al Bahr Abu Dhabi, UAE before taking a role of Director of Food & Beverage at Ayada Maldives.

In 2012, a driven and passionate hotelier, Mr. Orhun continued his hospitality journey with Marriott International in Indonesia, where he was Director of Food & Beverage at JW Marriott Medan. In 2015 he moved to Bangkok as Director of Food & Beverage at clustered properties Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit and Marriott Executive Apartments Bangkok. Later in 2017 he was appointed as Director of Operations of both properties to effectively manage all aspects of the hotel’s operations.

With rich knowledge and his passion for guests and colleagues alike, Mr. Orhun will ensure the continuation of offering guest services at high standard and coaching and developing team members at Royal Orchid Sheraton.

The Art of Wellbeing

We are thrilled to share the wonderful moments from ‘The Art of Wellbeing’ launch event at The St. Regis Bangkok on 27 June 2019. Starting with a thorough assessment using the latest Accuniq body composition analyzer, each guest’s personalized journey is developed in conjunction with the hotel’s team of culinary and fitness experts to suit individual needs and desires.

Discover the best you can be with ‘The Art of Wellbeing’ that includes:

 Unlimited access to the pool and Exercise Room
 Private Muay Thai lessons
 EMS and personal training sessions
 Access to the spa relaxation zone at any time throughout the year
 A course of hydrating massage and micro-wrap treatments at ELEMIS Spa

✨✨To customize the program to your own preferences, please call 022077777.

DeeMoney partners with AXA to offer free insurance to vulnerable underserved foreign population working and living in Thailand

DeeMoney to offer free accidental insurance protection to its customers underwritten by AXA Insurance.

DeeMoney, the award winning money transfer operator, offers 24x7, fast, affordable and secure international money remittance services to the vast foreign work force living and working in Thailand. These customers remit money back to their home country regularly every month and usually are the breadwinners of their family.  This group of customer bears the burden of being their family’s informal insurance policy back home, however they themselves tend to be unprotected or under protected at their place of work. Unexpected incidence such as accident from work or transportation can have significant impact to their income and consequently the livelihood of their family.

A thorough research and understanding of this demographic led DeeMoney to collaborate with AXA Insurance to curate a customized product which will provide free personal accident protection coverage from THB 25,000 - THB 50,000. Customers just register to participate into the program and transfer money monthly to avail this free cover. Customers will be able to access this program by mid-July, 2019.

“Carrying out our mission as an insurer means rethinking the concept of insurance by imagining new products as well as new ways to distribute them. Our partnership with DeeMoney enables us to reach people who sometimes have never heard of the concept of insurance and it also ties back to our value to empower people to live a better life via financial inclusion,” said Claude Seigne, CEO of AXA Thailand General Insurance.

“Foreign populations that work and live in Thailand tend to be an under-served demographic in all aspects of financial services, from banking to remittance to insurance. DeeMoney hopes to change that and bring not only a more effective international money transfer solution, but also accessibility to social and financial protection in the form of insurance. Our partnership with AXA enables us to extend the access of such protection to all our customers, empowering them and thus improving their quality of life,” said Rasmegh Srisethi, Managing Director of DeeMoney.

Customers who register and transfer money monthly with DeeMoney will be protected for 1 month against loss of life, dismemberment, loss of sight or permanent disability due to accident, including accident for riding or travelling as passenger on motorcycle with a principal sum up to THB 50,000.

DeeMoney’s money transfer services can be accessed through 4 branches in Bangkok, Samrong and Mahachai and through their mobile app.

Key points

• 1. DeeMoney is the only non-bank Money transfer service provider in Thailand to offer insurance cover to its customers. Insurance is a big expense for foreigners living in Thailand and this is just a small and first of the many benefits DeeMoney has planned for its customers.
• 2. Any foreign worker living and working in Thailand can now provide insurance to his/her family back home while still working here. This is yet another effort on DeeMoney’s part to work towards its “customer first” policy.
• 3. The aim is to not only provide the most seamless money transfer experience but additional benefits which will make the customer’s journey more rewarding.

More information at www.deemoney.comor AXA Customer Service Center at 02-118-8111 or visit www.axa.co.th.

Photo caption: (from left to right) Ms. Monnida Musicabud, SVP – Strategic Development and Regional Head of Emerging Customer, Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance Public Company Limited, Mr. Somjate Khunsriuchen, Chief Operations Officer, AXA Insurance Public Company Limited, Ms. Rasmegh Srisethi, Managing Director, DeeMoney, and Ms. Nimphiya Dhar, Marketing Director, DeeMoney posed a group photo to officially mark their partnership to offer free insurance to underserved foreign population working and living in Thailand.

Best Western® Hosts Exclusive Media Fam Trip to Phu Quoc,

Vietnam’s “Pearl Island”

Best Western Hotels & Resorts hosted an exclusive media familiarization (fam) trip to Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s picturesque “Pearl Island”, allowing key opinion leaders and influencers to discover this breathtaking destination.

This fam trip invited leading editors, journalists and bloggers for a three-day, two-night stay in Phu Quoc, including an action-packed agenda of activities and the chance to experience Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, the impressive new upscale hotel on the island’s west coast, which marks Best Western’s return to Vietnam.

Guests were welcomed at the resort and invited to unwind with a complimentary spa treatment, followed by cocktails and a delectable dinner at the Cview Skybar, which offers stunning views of the island and the Gulf of Thailand.

Day two commenced with buffet breakfast at Essence, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, after which the delegates were treated to a half-day tour of the island, accompanied by Best Western Asia’s marketing team. The itinerary included an unforgettable ride on the world’s longest oversea cable car (7,899 meters), which links Phu Quoc with the neighboring island of Hon Thom.

Following a traditional Vietnamese lunch at Ham Ninh village, guests toured two of Phu Quoc’s biggest local industries: a pepper farm and a fish sauce production center. This activity-filled day was rounded off with a social cocktail evening and dinner at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc’s luxurious two-story Presidential Villa, which features a private pool. The guests all enjoyed breakfast on the final day before checking out and being transferred to the airport for their Bangkok Airways flight back to Bangkok.

“Phu Quoc is one of the most exciting emerging tourist destinations in Asia, so we are delighted to showcase this exquisite island to our esteemed media friends. This idyllic island attracted approximately 2.5 million tourist arrivals last year and it is easy to understand why; with spectacular scenery and such a wide range of attractions, we expect even more visitors to discover the beauty of Phu Quoc in the coming years,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations - Asia.

The fam trip was organized in partnership with Bangkok Airways, which currently operates 4 direct flights weekly between Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Phu Quoc International Airport. Passengers can enjoy free seat selection, 20kg of baggage allowance, Boutique Lounge access and complimentary in-flight meals.

Nestled on the pristine west coast of Phu Quoc, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc features 566 contemporary rooms, suites and villas, plus elegant outdoor pools, tropical gardens, a spa, fitness center, kid’s club and spacious meeting rooms. Guests can also enjoy outstanding dining at a choice of restaurants and bars, including Essence, CView Sky Bar and Oasis Pool Bar. Phu Quoc is an island gem with stunning natural beauty and an expanding collection of world-class facilities, such as theme parks, water parks and the dramatic cable car. The authentic heart and soul of the island can be found at traditional temples and bustling markets.

Journalists, bloggers and other members of the media who wish to experience Best Western’s hotels and resorts in Asia can contact our Marketing Communications Department on +66 (0) 2 656 1260 or by emailing sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com and phanintorn.tangtrongjit@bestwestern.com.

New Head Chef at the Marriott Executive Apartments Sathorn Vista Bangkok

Marriott Executive Apartments Sathorn Vista recently announced the appointment of its new Head Chef ‘Supreecha Tansing’ or ‘Chef Gai’ at MoMo Café, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. Chef Gai will oversee the kitchen of MoMo Café and works together with his talented F&B crews to provide creative and tasty dishes for all diners.

Chef Gai’s career spans over 15 years in the industry including an early experience as Sous Chef at Le Méridien Bangkok from April 2008 to December 2013, before moving up north to join Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort in a position of Executive Chef during December 2013 to March 2018. Prior joining Marriott Executive Apartments Sathorn Vista, he held a position of Executive Chef at Aleenta Hua Hin Resort & Spa. 

Chef Gai’s specialty is authentic Thai food, as well as Asian fusion cuisine. Some of the signature dishes that he will bring to the table at MoMo Café include Beef Tataki Thai Style, Wood Fired Oven Baked Seafood Curry, Tenderloin Steak with Curry Sauce and many more.

"We’re excited to welcome Chef Gai on board. We have just completed a refurbishing and redecorating our MoMo Café. Having Chef Gai here to help leading the team and designing our new menu is a great opportunity for our hotel as well as our valued guests." says Alexander Schoell, General Manager. 

Located in the heart of the city in a charming area of Soi Suanplu, MoMo Café offers energetic vibes, great food and world-class service standard of Marriott International brand. MoMo Café serving all-day dining a la carte dishes from Asian to International as well as the popular Surf & Turf Dinner Buffet and Lunch Buffet every weekend.

source: https://www.traveldailynews.asia/

BHMA Renamed Cross Hotels & Resorts as Exciting Growth Strategy Gains Momentum

Cross Hotels & Resorts has established its position as one of Asia Pacific’s leading hotel operators being named in the top three for fastest growing hotel management companies in the region by industry experts HVS International’s 2019 Asia Pacific Hotel Guide.

Formerly BHMA Hotels & Resorts, the business has been rebranded to Cross Hotels and Resorts, marking the successful transition into the global Flight Centre Travel Group business.

The rebranding to Cross paves the way for a further escalation of the company’s portfolio of rooms under management focusing on South East Asia, Australia, Japan and the Pacific before branching into other international destinations.

It comes off the back of an already encouraging growth period which saw eight new hotels opened across three brands in FY 2019 and a consolidated hotel revenue increase circa 80% in the past 18 months.

CEO of Cross Hotels and Resorts, Peter Lucas, said Cross Hotels and Resortswas building off a very strong base having increased its operating portfolio of hotels by 39% and entering three critical target destinations - Phuket, Vietnam and Bali over the past 12 months.

Recent highlights have included the opening of the X2 Bali Breakers in Uluwatu and Away Bali Legian Camakila; X2 Vibe and Away branded properties in Phuket and the newly opened high-design X2 Oceanphere Residences in Pattaya.

Mr. Lucas said Cross Hotels and Resortshad been well received by a diverse base of international guests with five South East Asian hotels rated number one on TripAdvisor in what is considered as some of the most competitive destinations in the world.

“The future looks very exciting as we continue our growth objectives expanding our footprint in key capital gateway cities and thriving visitor destinations globally,’’ he said.

“We have a strong pipeline of future acquisitions in place including four key resort destinations in Vietnam which we will sign in 2019.”

Executive Vice President of Commercial Paul Wilson said, “Today marks another significant milestone in the BHMA journey as we announce the rebranding to Cross Hotels & Resorts. While the rebrand signifies the transition into our global Flight Centre Travel Group business, underpinning it all is our story from becoming simply a ‘vision’, to becoming one of the top three fastest growing hotel management companies in Asia Pacific.”

“I’ve been privileged to support the team into spearheading our growth and performance, from consolidated hotel revenue increases of circa 80% to launching new brands in international markets. I’m thrilled to be part of the Cross Hotels & Resorts journey and cannot wait to undertake our new chapter in what is truly the hottest hotel hub in the world.”

Cross Hotels and Resortscurrently operates 25 hotels across three distinct brands - X2, X2 Vibe and Away - in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Cross Hotels & Resorts has also benefited from strong managerial appointments over the past six months including experienced international hotelier Paul Wilson as Executive Vice President Commercial and highly regarded hotel executive Jens O. Reichert as Chief Development Officer.

SureStay Hotel Group® Continues Rapid Growth with Philippines Debut

Best Western^® Hotels & Resorts announced today that the rapidly-growing SureStay Hotel Group has reached yet another milestone with the opening of the first SureStay^® property in the Philippines: the SureStay Plus by Best Western AC LUXE Angeles City. SureStay Hotel Group launched in 2016 and is already celebrating over 220 properties globally, making it one of the fastest growing brands in the hotel industry today.

SureStay Hotel Group's accelerated growth can be attributed to a number of factors. The brand has become known as a trusted and respected lodging option among travelers – offering travelers consistent and quality levels of comfort, cleanliness, and a service guarantee, all at an affordable price. The brand has also garnered significant interest among developers in the upper-economy/lower-midscale market because of its competitive fee structure and access to Best Western’s powerhouse brand.

“SureStay Hotel Group is one of fastest growing brands in the industry,” said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “While the brand has certainly captured the attention of today’s travelers and developers, it’s also proved its ability to deliver impressive results in a short period of time – meeting and exceeding developer expectations, delivering an unprecedented RevPAR index, and achieving remarkable scale. We are proud to have surpassed 220 hotels globally, and entering key markets such as the Philippines is yet another an impressive milestone for the brand.”

Properties must maintain a minimum 3.5 TripAdvisor^® rating, agree to a satisfaction guarantee and unannounced inspections. The brand’s focus is to create consumer relevance and confidence through unprecedented quality and care. The SureStay Plus by Best Western AC LUXE Angeles City provides guests with 56 well-appointed guest rooms, an outdoor pool, a restaurant and business services. In line with SureStay Hotel Group’s global brand standards, all guests will be offered complimentary daily breakfast and Wi-Fi, promising comfortable, convenient and fully-connected stays in the heart of the city.

Located on Surla Street, one of the main thoroughfares in downtown Angeles City, the hotel is surrounded by popular attractions including the SM City Clark mega-mall, PAGCOR casino and Fields Avenue “walking street.” Clark International Airport is just a short drive away, offering direct connections to major cities including Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai, Seoul and Taipei, and Manila can be reached in less than two hours by car.

Developed by Tambayan Hospitality Group Inc., SureStay Plus by Best Western AC LUXE Angeles City will be operated under a franchise agreement with SureStay Hotel Group and Best Western.

“Angeles City is becoming a new Asian tourism hotspot, with a wealth of visitor attractions and excellent accessibility,” said Olivier Berrivin, Managing Director of International Operations - Asia, Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “We look forward to welcoming guests to SureStay Plus by Best Western AC LUXE Angeles City and introducing the first internationally-branded upper-economy hotel to this dynamic destination.”

Tourism in the Philippines reached record levels in 2018, with an all-time-high of 7.1 million overseas visitors - up 7.7 percent year-on-year. Domestic tourism is also thriving, boosted by a buoyant economy and rising affluence. This is creating opportunities for major hotel brands to launch innovative new brand concepts all across the Philippines, including established and emerging destinations nationwide.

Best Western is already one of the country’s leading operators; following the opening of SureStay Plus by Best Western AC LUXE Angeles City, the company now operates seven hotels in the Philippines under three distinct brands: Best Western, Best Western Plus^® and SureStay Plus^®. This new opening also marks the group’s second hotel in Angeles City and its third in Pampanga province.

Shrewsbury International School Bangkok’s Class of 2019 have achieved a remarkable 477 offers from leading universities and colleges around the world

Shrewsbury International School Bangkok’s Class of 2019 have achieved a remarkable 477 offers from leading universities and colleges around the world.

Offers have been awarded from 163 different universities in the USA, UK, Thailand, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan and the Netherlands, with 61 offers from institutions ranked within the world’s top 15 universities and colleges.

Offers to Stanford, Harvard, Cornell, Berkeley, UPenn and Columbia in the USA, sit alongside six offers to the University of Cambridge, 18 to Imperial College London, and 30 offers to University College London. Of over 300 offers to the UK, nearly two thirds are to prestigious Russell Group universities.

To find out more you can get in touch with our admissions team on 02 675 1888 ext.1404

or click here for more information.

DeeMoney wins The Asian Banker Excellence in Retai Financial Services Awards 2019

DeeMoney, having successfully undergone all the stringent evaluation for Excellence in Retail Financial Services

Awards 2019, was chosen from amongst the established names in the remittance industry. It was the first time that these awards were opened for non-banks in the retail financial services category. Adding another first to its credit, DeeMoney becomes the first non-bank in Thailand to receive this award. Excellence in Retail Financial Services programme is probably the most rigorous, prestigious and transparent awards programme for consumer financial services in the world. At the moment it covers all of the Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

More than 300 banks and non-bank retail financial services players in more than 42 countries are evaluated in a thorough process every year. The Thailand leg of the Awards was introduced in 2015.

 Managing Editor of The Asian Banker, Foo Boo Ping said, “Through these awards, we aim to capture the evolving competitive landscape and recognise the outstanding players and initiatives, from which the industry can learn from to better provide consumer financial products, services and experience.”

Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Signs Full Management Contract with Habitat Group for Asia’s First Newly-Built BW Premier Collection® Hotel

Pictured at the PSA signing ceremony: Mr. Chanin Vanijwongse, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat Group (3^rd left); Ms. Sasivimol Sutthibut, Chief Operating Officer, Habitat Group (2^nd left); Ms. Vimolsiri Sutthibut, Marketing Communications Director, Habitat Group (left), Olivier Berrivin, Managing Director of International Operations - Asia, Best Western (3^rd right); Rodney Simpson, Senior Regional Director of Operations – Asia (2^nd right); and

Cyrill Czerwonka, Regional Director of Development – Asia, Best Western (right)

Best Western Hotels & Resorts celebrates the signing of a full management contract for Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western, which will become the first newly-built BW Premier Collection hotel in Asia.

On June 13^th, 2019, the famous hotel group concluded a Professional Service Agreement (PSA) with Habitat Group, Thailand's leading property-for-investment developer, for this striking new hotel, which is located in Na Jomtien, Pattaya, a peaceful beachfront destination on Thailand’s popular Eastern Seaboard.

As a result of the PSA, Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western will now benefit from Best Western’s 70+ years of hospitality experience and expertise, with full operational support. This will include day-to-day management, global sales, marketing and distribution, revenue management, state-of-the-art technology, human resources, training and much more. The hotel will also join the network of Best Western Rewards^®, the company’s industry-leading loyalty program.

Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western is located just 100 meters from the beach, a few minutes from the attractions of downtown Pattaya, and about 1.5 hours’ drive from Bangkok. Scheduled to open in Q2 2020, the hotel will feature 195 contemporary suites, ideal for family getaways, weekend breaks and couples retreats. The eight-story property will also offer an array of upscale facilities, including a stylish rooftop swimming pool.

This exciting project has already won a series of awards, including “Best Low-Rise Architectural Design (Resort)” at the 2017 Thailand Property Awards and the “New Hotel Construction & Design – Thailand” title at the 2018 Asia Pacific Property Awards.

“The signing of a PSA for Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western represents a significant milestone in our development strategy. At Best Western, we are striving to create an exceptional portfolio of hotels and resorts all across Asia, and we believe that the best way to achieve the highest standards of hospitality is through full management contracts,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations - Asia.

“Habitat Group is a fantastic, forward-thinking partner, and their team has demonstrated amazing skills and vision to create such an outstanding project. We are honored that they have entrusted us with the management of Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western, and I look forward to introducing guests to an exciting new era of upscale hospitality in 2020,” Olivier added.

Habitat Hospitality, a subsidiary of Habitat Group, oversees the group’s portfolio of resort developments. With a strong focus on Thailand’s East Coast and a desire to work with the best brands in hospitality, Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western is the first Habitat Hospitality property to be managed by Best Western.

“We’re very excited to be working with the professional team at Best Western. I’m confident Bluphere, BW Premier Collection by Best Western will set a new standard for hospitality in the area and will be a valuable addition to Thailand’s East Coast leisure industry,” added Chanin Vanijwongse, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat Group Co., Ltd.

The signing of the PSA continues the successful partnership between Best Western and Habitat Group; the two companies are also working together at Best Western Premier Bayphere Pattaya - another upscale development on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, scheduled to open in Q1 2020.

Best Western’s rapidly-expanding Thai portfolio now covers a series of established and emerging business and leisure destinations all across the kingdom, including Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Buriram and Prachinburi.