Northstar

NEWS www.travelweeklyweb.com Chat with the CEO Robert Bailey, President and CEO, Abacus International Pte Ltd Name your favourite accommodation ie hotel stay. I do not have a favou r i te tha t I can name now, there are plent y of fantastic hotels and resorts in Asia. Fo r e x ampl e , I recently stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Bangkok and I was impressed with their professionalism, attentiveness and warm and yet discreet service. The quality of the room was also excellent with a well-managed business lounge. Wh at d o yo u look for in id e a l accommodation? For business stays, I value ease of check-in and check-out, some hotels are able to do this so well that I don't even feel that I waited for anything at all. Quality of beds – it is important to have a good rest especially on business trips – and amenities such as in-room Internet, etc. are deciding factors in choosing the best accommodation. Location, convenience and ease of access are all also important. For leisure, we are really so spoilt for choice in Asia – it depends on whether you are going for city, beach or nature stays. Is there a particular place you would like to stay in? As mentioned, I don't have any favourites, it really depends on whether I am there for leisure or for business. What is your idea of a dream vacation? I enjoy par t icipat ing in act ivi t ies dur ing vacations and I also equally like being pampered, so a dream vacation is one that would allow for extreme pampering and a range of activities such as scuba diving or quad biking, etc. Who is one person you would like to vacation with? It would most definitely be my wife. I would love to take her away for some time alone as well as to totally pamper her. Raffl es Residences launched in Seychelles and Makati SINGAPORE – Ra f f l e s H o t e l s & Resorts is set to start 2011 on a high note with the opening of its fi rst luxury resort in the Seychelles in February. The launch of Raf fles Praslin Seychelles also sees the introduction of Raf f les Estates for private ownership. Ra f f l e s P r as l i n Seychelles is located on the tranquil Praslin Island close to the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of primeval gardens richly endowed with rare fl ora and fauna including the magnifi cent Coco de Mer palms. The resort features 86 villas with one- and two-bedroom villa suite options complemented with the signature round-the-clock Raf f les Butler service. For residents who wish to make the enchanting Raffles experience their own, Praslin features Raf f les Estates luxury three-, four- and fi ve-bedroom freehold homes, developed on spectacular expanses of land with breathtaking vistas, for private ownership (www. seychellesraffl es.com). Located adjacent to Raffles Praslin resort, home owners will be surrounded by the rich flavour of Creole culture to be enjoyed at the idyllic pace of island living. Access to a secluded beach, the stunning Raffles Spa, restaurants, lounge and bars are part of Raffl es Estates' broad suite of facilities available. Also slated for a 2011 opening is Raffles Makati with 30 hotel suites and 236 private Raffl es Residences (www.raffl esmakati.com). Located on the top 20 floors of Raf f les Makati, the 236 stylish urban retreats feature luxurious interiors and are available in one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and four- bedroom penthouses. Raf f les Makati of fers the quintessential cosmopolitan lifestyle and easy access to major banks, corporations, department stores and embassies based in Manila as it is nestled in the heart of Makati's business district known as the "Wall Street of the Philippines", a few minutes stroll away from the upscale Greenbelt and Glorietta malls. In July 2010, a penthouse at Raffles Makati was acquired for a record price achieved for a condominium in the Philippines. Turkish Airlines appoints Caroline Wozniacki as face of its Business Class SINGAPORE – Turkish Airlines has appointed world number one female tennis player, Caroline Wozniacki, as the face of its new Business Class for the next three years. The 20-year-old, heralded as the most promising young tennis player, emerged as the number one tennis player in 2010 having won the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champion Awards. She also holds the title of best young player in the World Tennis Rankings. Expected to receive the Grand Slam title in 2011, Wozniacki has achieved 12 international www.travelweeklyweb.com titles to date including the best tennis player award in 2008 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Wozniacki will star in Turkish Airlines' new Business Class TV Commercial which will air in Europe on international news and sports channels. Turkish Airlines, the fourth biggest network carrier in Europe, currently flies to 70 destinations in Europe and to 167 destinations worldwide. A member of the Star Alliance network since 1 April 2008, Turkish Airlines continues to strive to become a global leader in the airline industry. 18 JANUARY 2011 | TRAVELWEEKLY ASIA ■ | 3

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