The Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta opened the Grand Ballroom in March 2008 and the Bali Room in September 2008. The hotel has been opening in stages starting with the event venues. On 1st March 2009, the hotel welcomed overnight guests for the first time with the opening of the Ramayana Wing. The new wing features 159 deluxe, grand deluxe and studio suites, restaurants and the lobby lounge.

Later this year, an additional 130 guest rooms and suites will become available when the Ganesha Wing opens. The Ganesha Wing will include the presidential suite, an additional four restaurants, bars and a deli and the rooftop Kempinski Spa, with a pool, botanical gardens, private treatment rooms and a fitness center that offers meditation and yoga.

Website: www.kempinski.com

Le Méridien Chiang Mai is a hotel made for conferences and incentive travel programs, with its extensive meeting facilities and close proximity to cultural attractions. The property is situated in the heart of Chiang Mai’s central business district and close to ancient temples, the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar and the Chiang Mai airport. Most of the hotel’s 384 guest rooms and suites overlook the majestic Doi Suthep Mountain. All guest rooms are outfitted with signature Le Méridien Beds, broadband Internet and high-definition LCD TVs.

Events facilities comprise over 1,800 sqm/19,377 sqft of space, and include 11 event rooms all with pre-function areas. The largest room is 1, 032 sqm/11,109 sqf. Dedicated event and audio-visual staff are on site. Additional facilities include two restaurants, health club, spa and outdoor swimming pool with views of Chiang Mai.

Website: www.lemeridien.com

Sydney’s 5-Star hotel, event and gaming complex, Star City, is situated on a 3.34 hectare complex (about the size of seven football fields) and overlooks Darling Harbour. Star City consists of a 5-Star hotel with 480 guest rooms, two theaters with a total seating capacity of 3,000, seven restaurants, a nightclub, gaming tables and event facilities that accommodate from 15 to 1,500. The pillarless Grand Harbour Ballroom offers harbor and city views and works as easily for exhibitions as it does for gala dinners. Additional facilities include a 24-hour business center, salon and health club.

This year, Project STAR, a $475 million expansion plan will add a second hotel, more event venues, restaurants and bars and improved entertainment and gaming facilities. The new hotel will have 309 guest rooms and will be the first major 5-Star property built in Sydney since the Sydney Olympics.

E-mail: Banquet Sales: StarBanquetSales@tabcorp.com.au
Website: www.starcity.com.au

The Kyoto International Conference Center, where the Kyoto Protocol was concluded in 1997, is located at the foot of Mount Hiei outside the city and only about a twenty-minute subway ride from Kyoto Station. The Kyoto ICC is Japan’s first international conference center and offers 156,000 sqm/1,679,340 sqft of event space in three buildings; the Conference Hall (Main Building), the Event Hall and the Annex Hall. The Conference Hall has 70 meeting rooms and 8 large multi-purpose rooms for exhibitions. The Event Hall accommodates up to 2,800 attendees theater style and the Annex Hall accommodates up to 1,500 attendees theater style. The Japanese Gardens will accommodate up to 400 for outdoor events. There are two restaurants, a cocktail lounge and a traditional teahouse on site. 

Kyoto is one of Japan’s major convention cities and has approximately 380 hotels and Japanese-style inns as well as many event venues to choose from.

E-mail: ask@iccKyoto.or.jp
Website: www.icckyoto.or.jp/en/index.html

Claridges Hotels and Resorts is opening a new 5-Star property this spring located just outside the commercial district and corporate hub of South Delhi. The Claridges Surajkund, situated in the Surajkund Lake Complex, is an intelligently designed green building that features 203 guest rooms and 40 serviced apartments.

The hotel’s state-of-the-art business and conference facilities are spread over 1,672 sqm/18,000 sqft and include a ballroom with pre-function area, 3 meeting rooms, 2 board rooms, an auditorium with theater-quality audio-visual equipment and a business center. Dining options include an all day dining restaurant, two specialty restaurants and a lounge. For relaxation, the hotel boasts one of the largest wellness facilities in India; a spa, salon and health club with 10 treatment rooms, two spa suites, spa café, gymnasium, steam bath, sauna and outdoor swimming pool.

E-mail: tcsk@claridges.com
Website: www.claridges-hotels.com

The tallest Renaissance Hotel in the world opened in Shanghai earlier this year. The Renaissance Shanghai Zhongshan Park Hotel occupies the top 35 floors of the 60-story Cloud Nine commercial complex with hotel lobby located on the building’s 25th floor.

The 684 room property features a two story Executive Lounge and specially designed meeting space located on a dedicated conference floor. Event facilities consist of nine meeting rooms in over 1,951 sqm/21,000 sqft of space. The Grand Ballroom seats 1,000 and is fully equipped with the latest technology. Dining venues include three restaurants, the Celadon Tea Lounge and Zpark Coffee, which brews over 60 varieties of international coffees.

The Renaissance Shanghai Zhongshan Park is 15 minutes from Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport and sits directly above the Zhongshan Park metro station.

Website: www.renaissancehotels.com

Qantas Airways is increasing its A380 service to Los Angeles and London this June. On 7 June, the airline will increase Sydney/London A380 service from three to five frequencies per week and on 9 June Sydney/Los Angeles service will increase from five to six services per week.

Qantas Executive General Manager, John Borghetti, said “The response from our customers has reaffirmed what we set out to achieve with the aircraft – to create a designer aircraft which exceeded our customers’ expectations when it comes to comfort and functionality.”

In mid-June, Qantas is also increasing capacity on the Darwin/Perth and the Darwin/Adelaide routes with increased frequencies. All services on the Darwin/Perth and Darwin/Adelaide routes are operated by 168-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Website: www.qantas.com.au