The results of the World Airport Awards from Skytrax are out. Congratulations go to Incheon International Airport in Seoul which beat last year’s winner (Hong Kong International Airport) into second place. The top 10 were as follows:
1. Incheon International Airport
2. Hong Kong International Airport
3. Singapore Changi
4. Zürich
5. München
6. Kansai
7. Kuala Lumpur
8. Amsterdam
9. Centrair Nagoya
10. Auckland
What is your favourite airport in the world and why?
The Park Hotel Group has ’soft opened’ their latest property – Park Hotel Clarke Quay - in Singapore. Distinctive by its striking red-tiled roof and towers with spires, the 10-storey hotel can be found on the historic Singapore River, exuding classic colonial architecture reminiscent of Singapore in the early 1800s.
Its 336 rooms and suites are designed with a view of the Singapore River, offering the comforts of modern living. For dining and entertainment, Brizo Restaurant & Bar raises the bar with its seafood offerings cooked in both Western and Asian styles. The hotel also has a swimming pool complete with pool bar, gym facilities and Spa Park Asia, offering an outdoor spa experience.
Discover Singapore by air, land, and sea with a stay at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. The hotel’s central location - on the cross-section of Marina Bay and the historic and financial districts - is ideal for easy access to the destination’s premier sights and attractions. From now until December 2009, The Fullerton is offering an Explore Singapore package for guests looking to experience historical, cultural, and entertainment activities in Singapore.
The Explore Singapore package encourages travelers to uncover the best of Singapore through pre-arranged tickets and reservations to the destination’s hottest attractions. Also included in the package are accommodations within the spacious Quay Room level featuring picturesque views of the Singapore River and a daily breakfast buffet.
After fueling up for the day, take the destination by air, land and sea:
By Air – Take to the skies with two tickets to the Singapore Flyer, the world’s largest observation wheel where unrivalled views of the city provide a new perspective from 492 feet high.
By Land – Walk the walk like a true Singaporean by strolling the city’s streets to the Peranakan Museum and the Asian Civilizations Museum, located just across the historic Cavenagh Bridge in front of the hotel. Two tickets to each museum are included in the package.
By Sea – Cruise along the Singapore River with two tickets for a traditional river boat tour where travelers can admire the varied architecture of the city which contains elements of colonial and modern styles.
Diners at Grand Park Otaru in Hokkaido, Japan will get the chance to sample Singapore’s culinary favourites when the hotel holds a Singapore Food Fair at Terrace Brasserie, its all-day dining restaurant, from 21st January to 15th February 2009. Comprising a wide and rich variety of Asian cuisines including Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan (Nonya or Straits Chinese), the fair will feature Singapore’s all-time favourite dishes such as Hainanese Chicken Rice, Chilli and Black Pepper Crab, Laksa (thick rice noodles served with rich gravy), Fish Curry and Chicken Curry in buffet style. Other delectable dishes available include Gado Gado (Indonesian-style mixed salad), Mango Prawn and Mee Goreng (fried noodles).
There will also be a live cooking station serving items such as Prawn Noodle and Popiah (Chinese springroll), while the dessert counter will feature popular items like Pulut Hitam (steamed black rice with coconut milk) and Bubur Cha Cha (yam and sweet potato cubes served in coconut milk and sago). The world-famous Singapore Sling cocktail will also be served.
Overseeing the preparation of the Singapore culinary selection will be Park Hotel Group’s Corporate Chef Ivan Yeo, assisted by Executive Chef Chua Yew Hock. Chef Ivan oversees the Group’s culinary and kitchen operations and has won many culinary awards. He is also theCoach for the Singapore National Team which won 3 Gold and a Silver medal last year in the IKA HOGA Olympic Competition in Erfurt, Germany.
A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…
A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…
Come back tomorrow for the best in the South Pacific!
With demand for business class only flights seemingly on the rise, Singapore Airlines has revealed that it too will be getting in on a piece of the action. They are converting all five of their Airbus A340 long-haul planes to a business class only configuration, reducing them from 181 seats to just 100. Flights from Singapore to both New York and LA will operate daily. The service begins in mid-May 2008, but not all the aircraft will be converted until later in the year.
‘Preferences by Pan Pacific‘ is a new ‘package’ from the Singapore-based hotel company. But is it truly a package? With Preferences by Pan Pacific, guests get to design their own experience. Valid until 1st January 2009, guests have a choice of accommodation, a guaranteed late check-out and a choice of one of the following preferences: daily complimentary breakfast for two; complimentary high speed Internet access; dining credit of $25.00 per night; exclusive hotel or resort preference; or 50% savings on second booked room. Is it me or is this not really a package when you’re choosing what you want yourself?
As of tomorrow, the Negara on Claymore will be rebranded as the Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore. It is the brand’s second property to be established in the city state of Singapore, within the commercial, retail, dining and entertainment enclave of Orchard Road. The 20-storey hotel offers this close proximity to retail therapy at nearby shopping malls, a variety of culinary pleasures and many of the city’s key attractions. For business travellers, the central business district is only a ten-minute drive or ride via the MRT train. Following refurbishment, the hotel has 200 guest rooms, of which 48 are Pacific Club luxury executive suites and rooms. These premium Club rooms are newly styled in a contemporary décor, with improved furnishings and fittings. Additional hotel facilities include a well-equipped business centre, six meeting rooms, a boardroom, a lobby lounge, the popular Vibe restaurant featuring a signature modern churrasco, a Straits-Chinese restaurant specializing in authentic Peranakan cuisine, a spa and a fitness centre, as well as a mineral water swimming pool which uses NASA-patented ionisation technology to destroy bacteria 1,000 times more effectively than chlorine – a first for a Singapore hotel.
The St. Regis Singapore - the first new internationally branded hotel in Singapore for over a decade - opened on Tanglin Road just before the New Year. The hotel - the first for St. Regis Hotels and Resorts in South-East Asia - has 299 rooms and suites, the first premium Remède Spa outside of the United States, a ballroom with two skylights and a fleet of customized Bentleys at the ready. Rates start from 680 Singapore dollars per night.
For the world class business traveller who is looking for comfort, privacy and convenience, the Naumi luxury hotel is an elegant abode nestled within Singapore’s Central Business District. This 40-room haven functions more like a personal condo than a regular hotel. Its rooms come equipped with a 50-inch plasma TV, espresso machines, a kitchenette and a bath menu that includes skincare brands such as Molton Brown, Dr. Hauschka and Decleor. Access to the 6th floor is restricted to women only, and ladies can enjoy a full range of Aesop skincare products and the hottest fashion magazines.
A 38 year old British man living in Sydney, Australia, who sold his internet business Direct Connection for an undisclosed sum in 2000, has paid £50,000 to fly in seat 1A in the first class area of next week’s inaugural flight of the Airbus A380 between Singapore and Sydney. Julian Hayward won an online ticket auction run by Singapore Airlines which raised more than £500,000 for charity. Hayward has enjoyed previous adventures on a nuclear submarine, as well as having flown in a Russian MiG-25 fighter jet.
A six-month renovation project at The Singapore Marriott on Orchard Road has just been completed. Depending on the room category, upgraded features include ergonomic workstations, mood lighting, softer sheets, plusher mattresses, and high-speed internet access. Junior suites now have new digital panels that let guests plug laptops into the LCD high-definition TV monitor - you can even split the screen to see both your laptop monitor and watch TV, view digital images, and play music from your own MP3 player. Rates for rooms with internet access start at approximately $300.
Although delays have put the Airbus 380 back a little, the first scheduled flights are guaranteed of the aircraft are guaranteed to be by Singapore Airlines, probably in October 2007, running between Singapore and Sydney. And what’s more, the seats on those flights will be auctioned on eBay! The airline, the fuel supplier (ExxonMobil Aviation) and eBay themselves are joining forces to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders, Community Chest of Singapore, and two children’s hospitals in Sydney, Sydney Children’s Hospital and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Keep an eye out for the auction - it’s due to be announced once the actual flight dates are finalised.
The World Airline Awards are based on the annual World Airline Survey by Skytrax and the results are just out. Among the 2007 winners are:
