Northstar

meeting rooms, two conference venues which are able to house an intimate group of 20 or a large conference up to 600 delegates. Attraction: Versatility in terms of events planning from small scale to bigger capacity, proximity to the convention venues as well as a fabulous view of the city’s skyline. It’s all about You at Holiday Inn Glenmarie 1 Jalan Usahawan U1/8, Seksyen U1, 40250 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Slightly away from the city in Shah Alam lies the Holiday Inn Glenmarie. Holiday Inn itself is a strong brand for the busy business individual, thanks to the visionary Kemmons Wilson who would have been proud to see his stable of hotels doing well to this day. The brand turned had 60 and the celebration is done worldwide throughout the year. Our stay at the nicely tucked Holiday Inn Glenmarie was nothing short of excellent. The service was polished. Director of Sales and Marketing Ivan Scott possesses the quality of a leader who does what works – he gets down to the people and understands them further before motivating them. This is evident in the service that they deliver. From the front desk operator who took notice when I needed my transfer, to the warm down-to-earth PR practitioner Sagina, an all-rounded service excellence was portrayed during our trip there. The Holiday Inn brand creates that lasting impression for the busy business traveller, simply because every moment counts. I remember having a chat with the GM of InterContinental and Holiday Inn Express Kowloon East in Hong Kong who explained how the brand and thought leadership is spread to the staff through this check-wheel. A wheel which evaluates every staff to ensure that he or she reaches a self-gratifying goal. The same goes for Glenmarie. Golf aficionados will be happy to know that the hotel is just next to two world-class 18-hole golf courses. Winner of the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards for Best 4-Star Hotel/Resort, the hotel also has a versatile selection of function rooms for medium to large events. Natural light and ceiling with up to 5.5 metres in height, the rooms offer a range of seating styles and break-out options for meetings or seminars for up to 550 delegates. Location: Just 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, it is set amidst a 350-acre of lush tropical greenery. Close proximity to Malaysia’s largest theme park and offers a fantastic awardwinning Fu-Rin Japanese restaurant, business centre, 24-hour room service, 11 function rooms with four additional ones at the Glenmarie Golf & Country Club. Attraction: Excellent people-based service delivery, the calm respite from the hustle and bustle of city noise, spacious rooms and lush greenery. Lakeside Lures at Sofitel Plaza Hanoi 1 Thanh Nien Road Ba Dinh District 10000 Hanoi, Vietnam Recently launched, the hotel’s ‘Exclusive Corporate Package’ and ‘Residential Meeting Package’ spotlight the property’s updated meeting areas, luxury accommodation, and business services. The packages are designed to enhance business trips and simplify MICE events for international outfits visiting the Vietnamese capital. “Vietnam is actively emerging as a commercial hub; but many companies face a sense of confusion when doing business in Hanoi,” said Antoine Lhuguenot, the hotel’s general manager. “One of the main reasons we upgraded the property was to ensure planners and business travellers in this part of the world could have access to superior facilities and world-class service, in a stylish and comfortable environment.” In 2011, the hotel underwent a landmark renovation led by Singaporean architects DPD+ Design, who built a new Zen-inspired contemporary Business Centre and Library conference room. DPD+ also redesigned the hotel’s 17th-floor Club Lounge, refurbished all the rooms in the Luxury Club categories, and gave its capacious Plaza Ballroom a full makeover. As part of the hotel’s renovation, the 420-square-metre pillar-less Plaza Ballroom was redesigned in a palette of auspicious reds, gold, and silver. Location: Known for its superb lakeside location and panoramic city views, the Sofitel Plaza Hanoi is the only five-star property in the capital to upgrade its MICE facilities over the past three years. Attraction: Since the hotel’s re-launch in April, its 10 meeting venues, professional French-Vietnamese service and well-regarded catering team have earned the Sofi tel Plaza Hanoi a name within the local meetings industry.

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