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News Release
Agoda Company releases Top 10 Boutique Hotels in Southeast Asia list for 2008
BANGKOK, JANUARY 9:
Online hotel booking
merchant, Agoda Company, has released its list of top 10 boutique hotels within
Southeast Asia to coincide with the start of the New Year.
Noting the continuing trend among travelers to choose boutique-style
accommodation, Agoda developed the list to highlight what the company considers
to be the best boutique options available in the region.
As CEO Michael Kenny commented, “Many hotels these days are marketing themselves
as boutique when actually they do not fit the definition of boutique as we
classify it. We define a boutique hotel as a smaller, personalized alternative
to larger hotel groups and brands. Boutique hotels are characterized by
tailor-made service as well as unique designs and features that appeal to a
niche market.”
Kenny elaborated that while big brand hotel names are still the most popular
choice among Agoda customers, there was a strong increase in boutique
hotel bookings.
“We are very aware of the trend that has emerged with boutique accommodation
over the last five years. Our own analyses have shown that this trend is
particularly evident among young professional travelers, whilst more mature
business and leisure travelers tend to stick to hotel brands they are familiar
with. In an age demographic of 25 to 35 years around half of those customers
will prefer to book a boutique hotel.”
While dependable star-ranked standards and facilities remain key selling points
of international hotel chains, boutique hotels push personalized treatment and
aesthetics. The downside to not abiding the star-ranking system, however, is
that hotels that label themselves ‘boutique’ could be lacking in amenities or
services in which guests expect in their accommodation. This is why Agoda
decided to create a top 10 list.
Besides having to fall within Agoda’s definition of boutique, the selection
criteria for the top 10 list included each hotel’s popularity in terms of
customer bookings and reviews.
“It is important to note that hundreds of boutique hotels have literally been
built in the SEA region within the last 10 years. While many of these are
legitimate, there are also hotels which are labeling themselves as boutique in a
somewhat deceitful way. Being boutique should equate to providing high quality
service and luxury as defined by unique qualities and personalized attention. By
creating a list of the crème de la crème boutique hotels in the region we at
Agoda are helping customers to narrow down their choices and also look at their
own criteria for selecting this type of accommodation,” Kenny said.
Agoda’s Top 10 Boutique Hotels in SEA are:
1.
Kemang Icon Jakarta, Indonesia
If Conde Nast’s Traveler included this hotel it in their Hot List 2007, you
expect it to be hot, and Kemang Icon lives up to its reputation. This boutique
hotel artfully combines contemporary modern designs with art deco in cool tones
and textures. Eight Courtyard and four Edge Suites are all individually designed
with personalized bathroom scents, accessories and amenities. All guest
preferences are noted prior to check-in so that the fruit basket, coffee and
tea, i-Pod selections, toiletry brands and even lighting settings are adjusted
to your taste before you even enter the room. “The Edge” tailors every meal to
suit a guest’s taste and health requirements. Fancy playing chef for the day?
Shop online from their grocery list and the fresh goods and produce will be
delivered right to your door. The Kemang Icon truly is a delightful marriage of
chic and warmth, giving birth to an unrivaled multi-sensory journey, where
almost every single facet of quality living is personalized.
2.
The Scarlet Hotel, Singapore, Singapore
Dramatic, passionate and decadent are qualities at the heart of the Scarlet
Hotel. Housed in a 1924 Art Deco building and a row of 1868 early shop houses on
the historic Erskine Road are five themed suites with names like Splendor and
Lavish, 26 Executive and 24 Premium rooms and 15 Deluxe and 24 Standard rooms.
The hotel has gone to great lengths, decorating each room with specific
personalities in mind. In-room features include one-for-one evening cocktails,
personal bars with gourmet selections and a pillow menu.
With a restaurant named Desire that serves ‘provocative contemporary cuisine’
and a bar called Bold, a playful sinfulness seems to come naturally to this
hotel.
3.
Dream Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
From the bed to the bar, the Dream Hotel is pure glitz. The interior is covered
with a generous selection of colors accompanied by ethereal lighting techniques,
producing an outspoken extravagance. With 100 stylishly themed and pet-friendly
guestrooms, the highlight is the ‘Dream Bed’, which was carefully devised and
created to truly provide guests with a good night’s sleep. This über trendy
hotel offers personal shopper services and pre-loaded I-Pods and their Avatar
Spa features a creative range of facials, massages, full body and Thalmer
Thalasso SPA treatments.
4.
AKA Hotel Resort & Spa - Hua Hin, Prachuabkirikhan, Thailand
Fifty-one spacious villas amply secluded from one another, spread across 10
acres of tropical landscape, with natural lakes and a hillside backdrop. Drawing
from the philosophy of the AKA, a hill tribe with origins in the Tibetan
Highlands and Yunnan, China, the resort flawlessly blends spirituality,
tranquility and simplicity together, transposing these qualities into the
architecture, the Zen spa and their dining services. With private infinity-edged
pools, garden terraces, private courtyards and sala roof gardens, this luxury
retreat is the perfect escape from city life and a perfect way to pamper the
soul.
5.
Hotel de la Paix, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Designed by the renowned Bill Bensley, a combination of art deco and traditional
Khmer styles distinguishes the Hotel de la Paix, which is built around a
palatial inner courtyard with stone gardens and water features. This landmark in
the heart of Siem Reap offers guestrooms and suites, categorized under five
unique preferences and designs and accompanied by personalized assistance.
French Chef and author Joannes Riviere brings exceptional dining experiences to
the table with international and seasonal Khmer dishes, while Mediterranean,
Italian, organic Khmer coffee and drinks and gourmet picnic baskets for temple
visits are lovingly prepared at Café de la Paix.
6.
S15 Sukhumvit Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
Smack dab in the heart of Bangkok’s business and shopping districts, the new S15
Sukhumvit Hotel is 72 stylish rooms decked with Italian light fixtures, marble
bathrooms and sleek, contemporary furniture. The essence of this boutique
hotel’s design is an understated elegance that distinctly contrasts with the
city’s relentless bustle, allowing guests to gather and re-energize themselves
after a day spent exploring the City of Angels. All public areas and guestrooms
have Wi-Fi high-speed Internet access and the business center offer laptops and
mobile phones. Another great way to unwind is to take advantage of the hotel’s
in-room spa services.
7.
3 Nagas – Luang Prabang, Laos
To enter the Boutique Hotel 3 Nagas is to enter three historical buildings
protected by the UNESCO World Heritage Organization. Restored to its original
Laotian style, the hotel is of exotic, wooden floors, traditional torchis walls
and clay tile roofing. A total of 12 rooms and 3 suites with their own unique
designs make up this authentic hotel in the heart of Luang Prabang.
8.
The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam
High ceilings, luxurious en-suite bathtubs, spacious bathrooms, raised
platforms, split-levels coupled with unobstructed views of the South China Sea
make up the 60 One-Bedroom Villas and 40 Pool Villas at The Nam Hai.
Immediately, one will be taken by the sheer magnitude of space and seclusion at
this exclusive, beachfront resort spa stretched across 35 hectares along Ha My
beach. All villas are equipped with rain showers, I-Pods, 24-hour concierge and
24-hour in-room dining. Set around a lagoon close to the beach is The Spa,
featuring customized regimens to suit each guest’s needs and well-being.
9.
JapaMala Resort – Tioman Island, Malaysia (East coast of Malaysia)
Eco-friendly, teak Sarang Villas, Sea Cliff and Tree Top chalets nestle in the
lush jungles of Tioman Island with the sights and sounds of aqua blue waters and
the white sand beach appealing to your senses. Guests can even make their own
catch off the jetty and the hotel will cook the fresh seafood accordingly.
Another option is to head over to the Tamarind Terrace Restaurant featuring
all-day, casual, alfresco dining and specializing in Thai and Indochinese
cuisine. A protected marine park, dive sites and furtive jungle surround this
secluded, luxury resort.
10.
Trisara, Phuket, Thailand
The emphases at Trisara are privacy, simplicity, peace and space. Forty-two
villas and suites have been given a clean, contemporary look with subtle
traditional Thai touches where private infinity edged pools meet sweeping views
of the Andaman Sea. Apart from massages, body treatments and facials, the
Trisara Spa specializes in yoga and meditation and offers the Trisara Punti
Purification and Revitalization program in partnership with expert herbalists.
Other features at this exclusive resort & spa include complimentary I-pods in
the library with a wide range of music, customized private dining and a private
bay surrounded by a ring of coral reef.
So, let’s get experiences on your personalize boutique accommodations start from
this top list and enjoy your trip.. |
