by Ozgur Tore

On May 16, Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd was awarded “2008 Most Investment-Worthy Local Management Company of China” at the Forum for Development Opportunities and Challenges for China Hospitality Industry & the fifth Golden-Pillow Award of China Hotels.

Sponsored by China’s leading financial media “21^st Century Business Herald” in association with China’s top business travel magazine “Business Travel” in 2004, the Golden-Pillow Award of China Hotels is the most prestigious award for the hospitality industry in China and even in Asia, in an aim to provide more business consulting for global business travelers as well as provide authoritative and advisory opinions for the development of China’s hospitality industry.

Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd is the largest hotel management company in China. It dedicates itself to quality hotel management, boasting professional management teams with rich experience. And the Jin Jiang brand is highly reputed in China. The company has the corporate website in four languages, i.e., Chinese, English, Japanese and French, and a new brand identification system as well as a sophisticated central reservation system. The company is poised to launch its Loyalty Program in 2008 amongst its over 100 star-rated member hotels across China.

Mr. Chen Hao, CEO of Jin Jiang International Hotels Development Co., Ltd, the parent company of Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd said, “The staff of ‘Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd feel great honored to receive such a prestigious award. We appreciate the recognition and encouragement from the hospitality industry and customers for our work. Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd will continue moving toward its “going global” strategic goal.”

Accor has been chosen as “The Best Hotel Management Company of 2008 Selected by Investors” at the “5th Golden Pillow Award of China Hotels” award ceremony, held recently in Shanghai. Simultaneously, Robert Murray, Accor’s Senior Vice President - Greater China, was also recognized as “The Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008”.

The “Golden Pillow Award of China Hotels”, recognized as one of the most prestigious hotel evaluations in China and the Asia region, has been hosted yearly by 21st Century Business Herald since 2004. The professional award utilizes first-hand knowledge of a panel of senior industry experts and business people along with field investigations by editors and reporters of the newspaper, to gain a comprehensive look at China’s hotel industry, supply travel news to the extensive Chinese business community and offer suggestions and directions for the industry’s development.

“China is welcoming a new era of rapid development in the business travel industry. High-end business customers have demanded more rigorous requirements for both high-end business and luxury hotels. Factors such as the environment, facilities, services and brand expertise are crucial in their consideration when selecting a hotel. The Golden Pillow Award endeavors to providing professional advice while identifying the best choices for business travelers,” said Mr. Murray. “We appreciate the professionalism of the award and it is an honor for Accor to be named as “The Best Hotel Management Company of 2008” in China.”

As one of the pioneer international hotel management companies to enter the China market, Accor China currently operates 61 hotels (over 17,000 rooms) in 29 cities with approximately 80 projects under development.

All Accor hotels in China are situated in major metropolitan areas, gateway cities, popular resort destinations, and are developing fast into tier two and tier three cities under 6 different brands: Sofitel, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis, covering a full spectrum of markets from luxury to economy.

“The accolade endorses Accor’s reputation in hotel development and management in China, and will certainly raise the confidence of our associates and attract more investors to partner with Accor,” Mr. Murray added.

Accor’s Senior Vice President for Greater China named “Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008”

Meanwhile, at the same award ceremony, Mr Murray was honored with “The Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008” award. Mr. Murray’s stint in China commenced in 2005. He has over 25 years management experience in the hotel and tourism industry. His primary focus is on improving the performance of the existing Accor hotels network within China, while ensuring that the company infrastructure is capable and ready to feed the development pipeline.

Michael Issenberg, Accor Asia Pacific Chairman and COO, said, “Accor is delighted with this accolade for our senior manager, Robert Murray. These two awards are an acknowledgement not only of Robert’s leadership but is also an endorsement of Accor’s innovativeness, entrepreneurial flair and dynamism as a company.”

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(70 winners)

一、 Main Awards ：( 52 winners)

(一)Hotel Brands (4 winners)

2008 China’s Most Favorite International Hotel Brand

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts

2008 China’s Most Favorite Domestic Hotel Brand

New Century Hotels & Resorts

2008 China’s Most Favorite Serviced Residence Brand

Ascott

2008 China’s Most Favorite Economy Hotel Chain Brand

Home Inn

(二)Hotel Management Companies (4 winners)

2008 China’s Most Investment-worthy International Hotel Management Company

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide， Inc.

Accor China

2008 China’s Most Investment-worthy Domestic Hotel Management Company

Jinling Hotels & Resorts Corporation

Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co. Ltd

(三)Individual Hotels (30 winners)

2008 China’s Top 10 Most Favorite Business Hotels

1.Pudong Shangri-La， Shanghai

2. The Ritz-Carlton Beijing， Financial Street

3. Jinling Hotel Nanjing

4. Grand Hyatt Shanghai

5. Grand Hyatt Beijing

6. InterContinental Shenzhen

7. InterContinental Hong Kong

8. New Century Grand Hotel Hang Zhou

9. Le Royal Meridien Shanghai

10. Marco Polo Shenzhen

2008 China’s Top 10 Most Favorite Resort Hotels

1. Sheraton Sanya Resort

2. Yalong Bay Mangrove Tree Resort

3. Banyan Tree Lijiang

4. Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa

5. Sheraton Suzhou Hotel & Towers

6. Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa

7. Sheraton Haikou Resort

8. Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai

9. Wuyi Mountain Yeohwa Resort

10. Hotel of Modern Art Libre，Guilin

2008 China’s Best New Opening Hotels

1. JW Marriott Hotel Beijing

2. The Ritz-Carlton， Beijng

3. Hyatt on the Bund

4. The Westin Guangzhou

5. The Interlaken OCT Hotel Shenzhen

6. Shangri-la Hotel， Guangzhou

7. Xiamen Seaview Resort

8. The Purple Palace

9. Shangri-La Hotel， Chengdu

10. Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel

(四)Figures in China’ Hotel Industry(14 winners)

2008 Best Hotel Managers (4 winners)

Mr.John Rice General Manager of Pudong Shangri-La， Shanghai

Mr. Claudio Nardini　 General Manager of Sheraton Sanya Resort

Mr.Jin Meicheng　 Board Director and Operation Manager of Jinling Hotels & Resorts Corporation

Mr. Janus Lee General Manager of Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai

Figures with Distingushed Contributions to China’s Hotel Industry In 2008 (3 winners)

Mr.Chen Hao Board Member and CEO of Jin Jiang International Hotel Development Co. Ltd

Mr. Chen Miaolin　 Chairman， Zhejiang New Century Tourism Group

Mr.Sun Jian　 CEO of Home Inn

2008 The Leader of China’s Hotel industry (6 winners)

Mr. Qian Jin Senior Vice President， Operations， China & Taiwan Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Mr. Robert Murray　 Senior Vice President ，China， Accor

Mr. Edmond Ip Chief Operating Officer， Greater China， IHG

Mr. Edward Tai　 President of Hyatt China

Mr. Angelini Giovanni CEO and Managing Director of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Mr. Colin Lin Vice President， Hotel Development， China，Marriott International， Inc

2008 Lifetime Achievement Award in China’s Hotel Industry (1 winner)

Mr. Yuan Zongtang Former Director of Hotel Administration Department， National，Tourism Administration of China， Vice President and General Secretary of China Tourism Hotels Association， Chairman of International Hotel Leaders Organization

二、 Special Awards (18 winners)

(一) Special Awards for Hotel Brands (6 winners)

2008 the Most Influential International Hotel Brand in China

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

2008 China’s Most Favorite Luxurious Hotel Brand

BanYan Tree Group

2008 China’s Domestic Hotel Brand with Most Development potential

Gloria Hotels & Resorts

2008 China’s Most Competitive Domestic Hotel Brand

HNA Hotels&Resorts

2008 China’s Most Competitive Serviced Residence Brand

Frasers Hopitality

2008 China’s Most Favorite Business Chain Hotel Brand

Green Tree Inns Hotel Management Group，Inc.

(二)Special Awards for Individual Hotels (12 winners)

A、Business Hotels (6 winners)

2008 the Most Favorite Business Hotel in Northeast China

Sheraton Shenyang Lido Hotel

2008 the Most Favorite Business Hotel in Southwest China

Green Lake Hotel Kunming

2008 the Business Hotel with Most Development Potential in China

Hua Ting Hotel & Towers Shanghai

2008 China’s Best Exhibition and Business Hotel

Songjiang New Century Grand Hotel Shanghai

2008 China’s Best Theme and Business Hotel

Crowne Plaza Shenzhen

2008 China’s Best Olympic Business Hotel

Crowne Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing

B、Resort Hotels (1 winner)

2008 China’s Most Favorite Recreation Resort

New Century Resort Qiandao Lake Hangzhou

C、New Opening Hotels (5 winners)

2008 China’s Best New Opening Luxurious Hotel

Sky Fortune Boutique Hotel， Shanghai

2008 Best New Opening Hotel in Western China

Shangri-La Hotel， Xi’an

2008 China’s Best New Opening Luxurious Hotel

Sofitel Wanda Beijing

2008 China’s Best New Opening Convention and Exhibition Hotel

InterContinental Century City， Chengdu

2008 China’s Best New Opening Boutique Hotel

PuDi Boutique Hotel， Shanghai

(by 21 Century Business Herald)

The Seychelles have long been praised as the most perfect, unspoiled islands in all the oceans and Maia is a shining gem in this archipelago of jewels. Situated in the green mountain chain along the bay of Anse Louis in the southwest of Mahé, this beautiful resort is named after the Maia star in The Seven Sisters star constellation.

Expansive villas include a long veranda, a glass-walled garden shower, and a private infinity pool that’s 12 strokes long, as well as a personal butler who wil even ring and artfully arrange shells that you may have picked up while beachcombing.

Designer Bill Bensley’s understated interiors with their cream colors and notched wood floors, leave the drama to nature: At night, sitting in the outdoor bathtub, you can watch the moon illuminating the ink-black sea.

The Maia Spa by La Prairie has been designed as a haven for pure relaxation. Three treatment pavilions with double beds are isolated in the garden and surrounded by tropical nature. The Spa offers a variety of luxurious treatments, such as the well-known Jari Menari (dancing fingers) massage. In the Meditation Pavilion internationally trained yoga professionals teach Qi Gong and Self Shiatsu.

Additionally, the resort also offers active watersports, such as kayaking, snorkelling, canoeing and pedalos. Customised excursions to other islands by boat or helicopter can be organized by the Maia team. Walks along the 500 metre white sandy beach or through the tropical mountain forest gives an insight into the nature of the island.

If you’re looking to renew your body, mind and soul, it’ll be hard to beat the world-class Maia Resort and Spa. Just be prepared to shell out the $3000/night price for this dream travel destination.

After a night of clubbing in Las Vegas you’re sure to get hungry, and Mix is the perfect place to satisfy your appetite. Located 64 floors above the Las Vegas Strip atop THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, Mix is a perfect combination of culinary art, cutting edge interior design and ambiance.

The restaurant features contemporary and classic French and American dishes with global accents, as well as signature dishes from Alain Ducasse’s restaurants in Paris, Tokyo and Monaco

Located in Anacapri, the most exclusive and unspoilt part of Italy’s island of Capri, the Capri Palace stands 300 meters above sea level, overlooking the open Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Naples.

The Capri Palace has 85 rooms, four with their own private gardens and heated swimming pool; 5 luxuriously furnished suites among which one finds the penthouse “Acropolis” bathed in sunlight, boasting a marvellous jacuzzi tub from where one can gaze at the stars and across the sea.

Not to mention the “Megaron” Suite, a spectacular 150-square-meter apartment, featuring hanging garden, private swimming pool, and an enchanting view of the Bay of Naples.

If you’re deciding to visit Asia, one of your must stops is Hong Kong, and what better place to stay than the legendary Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong. With its breathtaking location overlooking Victoria Harbour, it has served the international elite since 1963.

It has been rated the best hotel in Asia for many years and it is the prime choice for many celebrities such as Kate Moss, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Lopez have stayed at this hotel, as well as the esteemed members of the business community and the well heeled.

This iconic property recently completed a top-to-bottom $150 million renovation that included the installation of one of the city’s most elaborate eight-room spas. The Mandarin Oriental now has 9 unique bars and restaurants including Pierre which is run by Pierre Gagnaire a 3-star Michelin chef. Five new categories of rooms, from “study” to “harbour,” span a wider price range than ever before. All have been updated to a space-age standard: flat-panel LCDs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi, DVD players and Hermès toiletries.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel is a perfect blend of contemporary luxury, state-of-the-art facilities and legendary service. Whether you are visiting Hong Kong for pleasure or business, you can experience a perfect combination of modern luxury, exquisite facilities, and award-winning hospitality.