The Hilton Melbourne South Wharf opened this month in Melbourne, Australia in the new business and dining district, South Wharf. The property’s inventory of 396 guest rooms includes standard, deluxe and executive rooms, suites and apartments. There are rooms catering for the physically challenged available in each category. All guest rooms are spacious (38 sqm/409 sqft) and offer panoramic views of the bay or city. Each room is outfitted with flat screen LCD TV, walk-in shower and separate bath, Internet access and iPod connectivity.
The hotel, which is fully integrated with the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, features 8 flexible meeting rooms, a business center and wireless Internet connection.
Dining venues include Nuevo 37 and Sotano, a restaurant in a Spanish wine cellar design with over 2,500 bottles of wine. The fitness center has top-of-the-line equipment and sweeping views of the Yarra River.

Website: www.hilton.com

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will open the Fairmont Jaipur in northwest India next year. Jaipur is a popular tourist and meetings destination on a par with Agra and Delhi. It was the first planned city in India, resulting in broad avenues and plentiful gardens, making it a very attractive destination for meetings and incentive travel programs.
The Fairmont Jaipur will be located in Rajasthan and have 248 guest rooms and suites. The hotel’s Convention Center will have 4,506 sqm/48,500 sqft of event space as well as extensive gardens accommodating over 1,000 attendees. Additional hotel facilities will include several restaurants and bars, including a poolside bar, the Willow Stream Spa and a health club. Local attractions include palaces, temples, and the Amber and Jaigarh Forts, which reflect the medieval architecture of India.

Website: www.fairmont.com

The Sarawak Convention Bureau is offering a new program, the “Heart to Heart Orangutan Encounter,” which incorporates team building, CSR (corporate social responsibility) and a once in a lifetime experience. With Heart to Heart, participants work behind the scenes at the Matang Wildlife Centre in Kuching caring for captive and injured orangutans as they are rehabilitated back to self-sufficiency in the Borneo Rain Forrest. Participants learn first hand from the team of expert conservationists about the challenges of Orangutan rehabilitation and the work of the center. They are given tasks such as preparing daily food, cleaning up the night cages, constructing new play things and assisting in related research, educational and conservation activities.
The “Heart to Heart Orangutan Encounter” is available as a one or two-day experience and available for up to 20 attendees. Contact the Sarawak Convention Bureau for booking the program.

E-mail : info@sarawakcb.com
Website: www.sarawakcb.com   

A Hard Rock Hotel will open on the beautiful beaches of Batu Ferringhi in Penang, Malaysia. Most of the property’s 249 guest rooms and suites have balconies and sea views. All rooms are outfitted with the hotel’s signature Sleep Like a Rock® bedding with 300-thread count bed sheets, CD music system, DVD player, WiFi, iPod docking stations and 32-inch LCD screen TVs.

Meeting facilities will comprise 530 sqm/5,705 sqft of event space with unique indoor and outdoor venues and a marquee ballroom that has a pre-function garden area and seats 300 attendees for a banquet. Hard Rock dining and nightlife include five restaurants and clubs and live bands nightly. For relaxation, there is the 2,400 sqm/25,533 sqft free-form pool, the Rock Spa and the Body Rock Gym.

Email: info.penang@hardrockhotels.net

Website: www.hardrockhotels.net/penang/

Marriott Hotels and Resorts recently opened a stunning JW Marriott in Shenzhen, China. Each of the property’s 411 guest rooms and suites feature a 42-inch flat screen TV, high-speed Internet, rainforest shower and oversized work desk. Meeting and exhibition space includes more than 1,400 sqm/15,069 sqft of space that accommodates up to 400 attendees. The hotel’s Jin Mao Ballroom seats 100 attendees. For dining, the JW offers a choice of four restaurants and the Man Ho Restaurant offers six themed private rooms for smaller group meals. The Lobby Lounge has seating areas for social and business gatherings. For relaxation, there is the 24-hour health club and the signature Quan Spa with 8 treatment rooms for massage, scrubs, wraps and hydrotherapy.
The property is located close to the Shenzhen Convention Exhibit Center.

Website: www.marriott.com

The Jumeirah HanTang Xintiandi’s theme was inspired by China’s Tang Dynasty. The 5-Star, ultra-modern property features 309 guest rooms, suites and villas that are equipped with high-tech devices like a 52-inch flat screen plasma TV and 'Light therapy' in the bedrooms. In the bathroom, there is a Fire & Ice light installation with an 'ice cube' acrylic bathtub and heated bathroom floor.  The hotel’s three event rooms are outfitted with the most modern technological equipment, accommodating up to 400 for a banquet and 600 in theater style. For dining, the hotel features a signature Chinese restaurant, an outdoor terrace for dining alfresco, the lobby lounge and the Tang Princess House nightclub. The Talise Wellness Spa combines the best ancient and modern relaxation and rejuvenation therapies and also offers meditation, yoga, tai chi, qi gong and morning stretch. The Health Club has state-of-the-art equipment and a trained staff to assist with tips and techniques to keep you motivated. There are also indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Email: JHTinfo@jumeirah.com

Website: www.jumeirahhantangxintiandi.com

For large events in South Korea, Great Hotels of the World’s Seoul Plaza Hotel is a good choice. The property has 455 guest rooms and the meeting and convention center accommodates up to 1,000 attendees in its Grand Ballroom. There are eight meeting rooms in total. Executive Clubrooms, which are located on the 17th to 21st floors, have a Club Lounge and dedicated check-in in the lobby. The hotel’s eight restaurants feature a mix of styles and cuisines including Italian, Mediterranean, Japanese, Chinese and deli. The fitness club offers a gym, swimming pool, aerobics studio, sauna, health clinic and indoor golf driving range and relaxation areas. The Spa provides a vast menu of spa and medical treatments including energy boosting treatments, traditional Korean massage, reflexology, pure gold anti-ageing facials and Botox and acne treatments.
The hotel is situated in the center of Seoul’s central business and shopping district.
Website: https://www.seoulplaza.co.kr/eng/index.asp