Emirates has reopened its first and business class lounge at Singapore’s Changi Airport, after a five-month-long refurbishment.

The lounge is located in the departure area above Boarding Gate C1, and is part of a network of 41 dedicated airport lounges – representing an investment of over USD$360 million – located in major airports worldwide.

All Emirates first and business class travellers, as well as Skywards Platinum and Gold members travelling in Economy Class, will have complimentary access to the lounge, which now has the capacity to accommodate 222 people, up from 179 people.

Decked out with leather armchairs and Italian marble floors, the new lounge features facilities such as LED TVs, shower facilities, a business centre, as well as a prayer room. There will also be a hot and cold food served buffet-style, and beverage services which includes champagne, wines and spirits.

Part of the New Hongqiao CBD, the new Hilton Garden Inn Shanghai Hongqiao offers 226 modern guestrooms complete with 43-inch HDTVs, complimentary Wi-Fi and ergonomic chairs and facilities including two restaurants, a 24-hour snack pantry, gym and a self-service laundromat.

For event planners, there is 500m² of meeting and banquet space, good for gatherings of up to 200 guests.

The hotel puts guests within easy access of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Hongqiao Train Station, as well as the National Conference and Exhibition Centre (Shanghai) and the Shanghai Qingpu Industrial Zone.
It is the first Hilton Garden Inn property in Shanghai.

The first Four Points hotel has arrived in Japan with the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Hakodate on May 2.

Located within walking distance of Hakodate JR Station and 20 minutes by car from Hakodate Airport, the hotel is a convenient accommodation option for both business and leisure travellers.

For business event planners, the hotel offers more than 1,200m2 of versatile function facilities, including a grand banquet hall which can take in up to 600 guests.

Other facilities include an all-day dining restaurant which serves authentic Japanese cuisine alongside international favourites, a bar on the top floor where diners can enjoy night views of Hakodate, and a spa.

Prime Plaza Hotels & Resorts has brought luxury tented accommodation to North West Bali with the debut of Menjangan Dynasty Resort.

Spread across 16 hectares of land, Menjangan Dynasty Resort features safari-style tented rooms and villas, communal spaces crafted in bamboo and ‘alang-alang’ thatch and a variety of recreational facilities including a spa and a cliff-edge infinity swimming pool.

Guests enjoy views of West Bali National Park, the uninhabited Menjangan Island, craggy folds of Bali Barat’s north facing ridges and the towering Mt Raung in East Java.

Said to be the first of its kind in Bali, accommodation at the tented resort are air-conditioned, furnished a queen-size bed, a desk, a rattan-panelled wardrobe, a TV with international channels and DVD player, and styled with natural materials and muted colours.

Catering to outdoor adventure enthusiasts with an appetite for indulgence, Menjangan Dynasty Resort also offers a five-star PADI dive centre and water sports centre and plentiful outdoor activities include trekking, cycling and mountain biking, birdwatching, horseriding, and daytrips to nearby places of interest.

Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 has opened in the heart of Sukhumvit, bringing with it the brand’s signature Meeting at Novotel concept as well as tantalising dining experiences.

A dedicated meeting floor houses the Benjasiri Grand Ballroom for up to 1,000 guests for a cocktail reception and 450 for a round table set-up, and six meeting rooms for 10 to 60 people.

Two additional meeting rooms are available at Food Exchange and one meeting room at Executive Sky Lounge.

According to Benjamin Krieg, general manager of Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, the hotel has one of the largest MICE facility in the city.

A host of culinary options can be found at the Food Exchange, a venue designed to transport diners to Bangkok’s Chinatown. Based on the concept of live cooking stations with a modern interpretation of traditional food markets around the world, diners can interact with the chefs and dive into a selection of western dishes and authentic Asian delights.

Other dining gems are Gourmet Bar where wines and Thai, Western and fusion dishes come together to promise a relaxing evening, The Pool Bar and Sky on 20 on the 26th floor where the evenin sunset can be caught.

The closely-watched Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong has opened.

Touted as the city’s first urban resort, the new-build 16-storey property sits along the shoreline of Hung Hom Bay on Victoria Harbour and offers 546 rooms.

Built with both business and leisure guests in mind, the five-star hotel dangles facilities such as the 1,756m2 Grand Ballroom and the 1,125m2 Hung Hom Ballroom, five F&B concepts, a fitness centre, an outdoor infinity swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam bath, sauna and spa.

Conceived by architect and interior designer Andre Fu, famed for his innovative approach to hospitality projects, the hotel provides plenty of natural daylight and contains extensive outdoor landscaped gardens. In addition, a curated collection of over 1,000 art pieces are showcased throughout the property – many of which were specially commissioned from leading Asian contemporary artists to complement the fluid design of the property.

Kerry Hotel is conveniently located, being only a brief walk from Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hung Hom Ferry Pier, Whampoa MTR Station and Hung Hom Train Station.