In a ranking by cloud-based event management company Cvent, seven of the top 10 meeting hotels in APAC were from Singapore, and the remaining from Sydney, Australia.
The top 50 list was compiled by analysing meeting and event booking activity through the Cvent Supplier Network featuring more than 245,000 hotels, resorts and special event venues.
Marina Bay Sands in top spot
Marina Bay Sands Singapore topped the list, followed in order by Grand Hyatt Singapore, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, Hilton Singapore, Conrad Centennial Singapore, Fairmont Singapore, Hilton Sydney, InterContinental Sydney, Pan Pacific Singapore and InterContinental Singapore.
“Hotels have become increasingly focused on developing more meeting and event business, and as such, have become more sophisticated in competing for the most lucrative opportunities for their respective venues,” commented Kevin Fliess, vice president of marketing for Cvent’s Hospitality Cloud.
“(They) are increasingly embracing a data-driven approach to more effectively pursue the optimal meetings and events for their venue. This, coupled with another year of notable investment in renovation and other upgrades, have led to shifts in the rankings as competition remains fierce even in a robust market.”
View the full 2017 list of Top 50 Meeting Hotels in APAC.
Diaoyutai State Guesthouse is well-known for offering a standard of accommodation reserved for foreign dignitaries and government officials. The residential-style hotel, managed by Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, is mystery shopper-tested six times a year.
Located in the CBD, it 25 minutes by car from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, 20 minutes from Hangzhoudong Railway Station, 15 minutes from Chenzhan Railway Station and 20 minutes to West Lake and Liuhe Pagoda.
Diaoyutai Hotel Hangzhou
Rooms The rooms here are large. Deluxe rooms measure 60m2; premier rooms 60m2-80m2; grand rooms and executive suites 90m2; luxury suites 100m2-136m2; diplomat suites 128m2-136m2; the Ambassador Suite 200m2 and the Chairman Suite 315m2.
My Grand River View Room was one of the most beautifully-appointed and elegant rooms I have stayed in. The pops of colour and the home decorative items made my room warm and welcoming. The opulent bathroom was a treat and I had fun playing with the motion-sensors on the toilet seat.
On the old-style Chinese writing desk was another interesting discovery. What looked like a metal ruler unfolds into a cool desk lamp.
Finding a Nespresso coffee machine inside the armoire was also heaven sent when I needed a caffeine boost.
MICE application On the 18th floor is the 300m2 Sky Ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows and a river-view balcony. It is connected to Qiantang Garden, named after the river it overlooks, a 680m2 garden for cocktails and private events.
The Qiantang Function Room in the north tower is a multifunction space with a bar and pantry on the first floor and a rest area on the second – both floors are connected by a swirling glass staircase.
Across the garden on the south side is the lavish two-storey Villa Hangzhou, which houses a 24-seater roundtable, separate living, tea and mahjong areas.
Other facilities The hotel has three F&B options. The 154-seat Fangfei Lobby Lounge, serving Chinese and Western cuisine, is an all-day dining restaurant; Pinju Hangzhou is a 120-seat casual dining Chinese restaurant, with outdoor seating, serving Hangzhou and Shanghai cuisine; while Royal Court Chinese Restaurant, with nine private dining rooms, offers renowned Chinese cuisine.
Other facilities include a 160m2 state-of-the-art fitness centre with a yoga room and a 20m-long indoor heated swimming pool and jacuzzi.
Room count: 162 Star rating: Five Email: dythz-reservations@dytmgm.com
First opened in 1992, the museum, located on a 40,000m2 southern Chinese garden site, was given a facelift and reopened in time for the G20 summit in Hangzhou that ran from September 4 to 5 last year.
Concept Silk production in Hangzhou dates back to the 13th Century and the museum houses six permanent galleries showcasing the history of silk, the Silk Road, silk artefacts and modern Chinese and western silk fashion. There are also areas for sericulture, weaving and textile training and research.
The museum provides a look at raising silkworms, dyeing, weaving, the earliest pattern loom models and preserved silk items from China as well as European painted and embroidered silks mainly from the 18th and 19th Centuries.
Its interactive video wall at the entrance introduces silk and silk weaving from all over the world.
MICE application The museum provides a beautiful backdrop and its opening act after its renovation was a G20 spouses’ tour of the facility.
The museum is now considering how it can collaborate with meetings planners interested in using the venue.
For now, the Brocade Café and sunken open air space can be used for cocktails and receptions and visitors can do a bit of shopping and buy designer silk products at the Jingluntang World Silk Boutique and local silk products at the Sibo Silk Shop.
The museum organises public lectures by industry experts and offers hands-on experience for visitors, who can try their hands on the looms to create items made with different types of yarn, dyeing, etc.
In addition, the museum, which owns the most advanced technology in textile conservation in China can show visitors how silk treasures are treated, repaired and packed for joint projects with partners like the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Service The escorted service for the site inspection was efficient, insightful and professional.
Opened in August 2016, this is the third Le Méridien property in Malaysia.
Conveniently located 25 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, attractions within walking distance include the 18-hole Palm Garden golf course and IOI City Mall, the largest shopping mall in the Southern Klang Valley.
Le Meridien Putrajaya Ballroom
Rooms There are 353 rooms in total. I stayed in the spacious club room on the 17th floor which offered a panoramic view of the golf course. The room furnishings and décor was modern and tastefully appointed with a warm shade of beige, and brown being the dominant colour.
I enjoyed the experience of working at night as the lights were bright and conducive. Getting my laptop connected to the Internet was a breeze.
Sleep came easily that night as the softness of the mattress and the pillows were to my liking.
MICE facilities The hotel features 15 meeting spaces including a 9,742m2 pillarless ballroom with mood lighting and smaller spaces between 206m2 and 1,485m2 in size. All the meeting spaces, spread across three levels, offer natural light and most have stunning views of the well-manicured golf course. As well, the spacious foyer can easily accommodate 10 booths of 3m2 each.
The kitchen stations on the meeting floors provide a free flow of snacks, coffee and tea for meeting delegates, making it very convenient for them to grab a drink or a snack when they feel hungry.
The hotel can also create teambuilding packages and spousal programmes utilising facilities within the mall and on the golf course. The mall itself boasts facilities such as an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink, a bowling alley and an indoor adventure park.
Other facilities There are two restaurants onsite – Le Mei, a contemporary Chinese fine dining restaurant, and Latest Recipe, an all-day dining establishment.
Leisure facilities include a 24-hour gym and swimming pool. For club guests, the Club Lounge on Level 20 provides a bird’s-eye view of Putrajaya. In the far distance, you can also see landmark buildings in Kuala Lumpur such as the Petronas Twin Towers.
Room count: 353 rooms Star rating: 5 Contact:
Address: Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City, Sepang, Putrajaya, Malaysia
Email: reservation.putrajaya@ lemeridien.com
Website: lemeridien.com
Spanning more than 6,500m2, District 21 is the largest indoor adventure park in Malaysia. It is fully air-conditioned and located within IOI City Mall in Putrajaya.
Concept The year is 2066. The world has been almost destroyed by war. The décor is rust coloured and props are made up of old tyres and oil drums to symbolise the after effects of war. District 21 is the boot camp of the future where teams go through obstacles that has them climbing, jumping, riding and sliding.
District 21
MICE application Teambuilding activities usually take three to four hours, revealed the park’s manager Kent Siew, and is suitable for group sizes from 20 to 120. The team is divided into groups, where each group has a maximum of 15 people. There is a briefing session followed by 10 minutes of warm up-exercises, before starting on the activities.
Activities include free falling from a 9.1m-high platform; having a go on the roller glider which is a hybrid of a zip-line and coaster; as well as an interactive climbing area – where many of the walls require problem solving as part of the climbing challenge.
There are also eight meeting rooms spread over two floors. Planners can book these rooms to hold private events or for participants to have their lunch break. Food from the F&B retailers within the mall can be delivered to District 21.
The entire place can be booked at a rate of RM8,000 (US$1,802) an hour. Group packages costs RM53 and RM58 per pax on weekdays and weekends respectively. Moreover, having an indoor event in an air-conditioned setting means organisers do not have to worry about bad weather.
Service I was lucky because on the day I went, a corporate company was holding their teambuilding activity. The participants were happy with the guidance and encouragement shown by the trainers when the going got tough. They also appreciated that safety was always a top priority.
I also noticed that all participants were given gloves and socks to use, as some activities required them to remove their shoes.
Operation hours: 12.00 to 20.00 Contact: district21@ioigroup.com Website: www.district21.com.my
The last time I was in Perth was 2001, as a young student there for a summer course. How has Perth evolved since? OK, wow, Perth is completely different today. Even from when I first started with the Bureau in 2007, the city has changed dramatically since. A lot of changes happened six or seven years ago.
We want to encourage people who use Singapore as a stopover to come have a taste of Perth which offers a very different experience from the city-state.
Accessibility is great – not much time is wasted travelling within the Metropolitan Area, and even in the Margaret River wine region – which is a very popular destination. There are plans to expand Busselton Airport, in the north of Margaret River region, to take flights in from the east coast and beyond, possibly international flights by Singapore Airlines. That’s the plan for the future, but right now (the region) is still accessible by chartered flights, bus rides or motor vehicles down a dual-line causeway.
Besides the draw of the (Western Australia’s) hinterland, Perth now has also Elizabeth Quay -– much like the lively Clarke Quay in Singapore – where there is a large range of restaurants.
In the last five years, we struggled with accommodation because cost was driven up by the mining boom. The mining executives would happily pay A$600 (US$459) or A$700 a night, but leisure tourists couldn’t afford that.
We have reacted to that by building an enormous range of hotels. In the CBD we will have up to 8,000 new rooms in the next two years. The latest are 500 rooms of six-star quality in Crown Towers. The Crown Perth complex itself has over 2,000 rooms.
How will you fill those 8,000 new rooms plus existing ones? We will have an overcapacity (once all the developments are done), and visitors will be able to access some very competitive room prices.
We are fortunate to have both a government and opposition Labor Party that recognise the value of the business events we secure. Our (Western Australia) premier Colin Barnett, who is also tourism minister, sees the potential in tourism and has granted extra funding of 30 per cent for the bureau. Of course, we don’t get as much funding as Sydney or Melbourne, but we are very efficient.
We return about A$30 per dollar invested by the Western Australia government – higher than that of what our east coast competitors do. We are poorer, but far more efficient and far more clever.
Much of the promotional materials I get on Perth’s redevelopment are about Elizabeth Quay and the Perth City Link. What other developments should business event planners watch out for? Those materials are government data driven, so naturally you will hear a lot about the massive infrastructure developments. But the number one (new) product has got to be Crown Towers. The opening was (in November), and it is an exceptional product that you have to see to believe. I’d say it is the highest standard of accommodation in Western Australia.
Luxury barges are also being developed on the beautiful Swan River, and floating events can be held on these incredible spaces that come with pools and palm trees. There are also countless new restaurants across Perth.
It isn’t just tourism driving these developments. We have an innate population growth which ensures the viability of these many developments and additional products, and tourism benefits from that (all the new features across the state).
How can Elizabeth Quay add value to a corporate programme? Elizabeth Quay is still in development stage, and the beauty of it is that the government is very keen and open to having all sorts of events there. We’ve had quite a few large events from Europe that would otherwise not have come to Perth if wasn’t for the big events spaces in Elizabeth Quay. For now, Elizabeth Quay is really a large open event space.
But once everything is ready in Elizabeth Quay, the district will complement the Perth Convention Centre, yes? Yes. It will mostly be Elizabeth Quay’s accommodation – The Ritz-Carlton, some serviced apartments, and other quality hotels – and some smaller events space for boutique groups.
How about the Perth City Link? There will be accommodation at that end of the city too. We’ve got the riverfront where Elizabeth Quay is, and what was traditionally viewed as the back of the city. The land was all railway, so what the Perth City Link project does is to sink all that underground and build accommodation, venues spaces, retail shops, and more above ground. The beauty of Perth City Link is that it allows you to walk from North Bridge, which is our cultural and dining district, through the city and to Elizabeth Quay. You are ensured of different experiences as you walk down that stretch, as opposed to merely walking on a railway bridge. The walk takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Let’s talk about changes to the bureau since you joined in 2007. Perth Convention Bureau (PCB) has been around since 1974, and is one of the oldest convention bureaus in Australia. It started as a chamber of commerce entity, funded by all the hotels until it became part of the government.
Our focus has been on association conferences. Because our funding is from the government, we are required to keep our spending on not-for-profit organisations. Ninety per cent of our remit for the past 40 years has been on that, so (we looked at) all the professional conferences. Corporate incentive groups account for only 10 per cent of our remit.
When I joined in 2007, PCB was a low-performing bureau. But we changed that methodology completely and did very well in that space. With the amount of accommodation coming up, the range of leisure products we now have, and our proximity to South-east Asia plus wonderful regional air links, we’ve decided to change our strategy towards corporate incentives, particularly out of South-east Asia.
How about China? We have less of a focus on China. Our view is to leverage on markets we have a heritage with and have the same business ethics, like South-east Asia.
The South-east Asian markets are also more appreciative of the types of tourism products we have in Perth. The Chinese won’t be as impressed, as we don’t have 10 Louis Vuitton stores, but we do have plenty of pristine natural attractions. South-east Asians, like the Europeans, are happy to venture out on their own and not with 10 groups of 10,000 other people. Our product is perfectly aligned with the markets we are focused on.
Moreover, there are so many destinations working on China. Why would we want to fight with all that?
Tourism Australia, as you know, has a strong focus on China. We will let Sydney and Melbourne chase after the Chinese market. They have more flights from China anyway; Perth has only one. Of course, China air links to Perth will grow over time, but for now our immediate focus for the next four years is on familiar markets in South-east Asia.
Elizabeth Quay on Perth’s waterfront will bring new tourism and event products
What are your targets? In 2016, corporate incentive groups made up 10 per cent of our business. By the end of four years, it will grow to 40.
I had a meeting with our minister before Christmas and I told him that the stars are aligned now – our products are ready, the funding for the bureau is coming in, and developments are coming up at the right pace – and we should put cash back into the agency for them to get incentive delegates down to Perth. Once somebody comes, they get overwhelmed in a good way by how different the experiences are in Perth. So we just need to get past that first hurdle.
Do you see South-east Asia as an easier market because of all the people who had once been schooled in Perth? Absolutely. They are familiar with Perth and are aware of how safe it is. They also desire the products we have – luxury boutique hotels, wineries, pristine environment. There is so much nature, even within the Metropolitan area.
We found that South-east Asians value natural attractions. When they live in the big cities, they crave getting away from it and into a natural environment. Perth is all that and we don’t have to position ourselves differently.
How many days on average would an incentive group spend in Perth? Three or four days for just the Metropolitan area. It depends on what they want to do and where they want to go. If they choose to venture out to the hinterlands to see the wineries, chocolate or honey factories, they can just add a number of days.
Tourism Western Australia and PCB recently ended its contract with its promotion agency in Singapore and Malaysia. So who’s marketing the destination for business events then? Both Tourism Western Australia and PCB used the same agency, and the contract was relinquished. For PCB, we found that it was more efficient to pay someone who’s in-market because Perth is in close proximity to South-east Asia – only a five-hour flight to Singapore. We have Melvin Chan supporting Clinton Barnes (senior business development manager, recruited in mid-2016). Clinton was from the hotel industry so he is familiar with the markets and knows all the agents. Melvin speaks the language here and in Malaysia, and he understands the market.
Let’s talk about domestic competition. Perth isn’t the only city in Australia undergoing a massive redevelopment that will improve the tourism product. How will PCB catch the attention of your desired markets? Well, let’s look at ICC Sydney as an example. It is an exceptional product. Our convention centre isn’t as large nor as new as that. But you’ve got to look at the products surrounding the convention centre.
On my business trip to Sydney (in January), I paid A$500 a night for a room. That’s a lot of money for a small hotel room! In Perth, you could get a room at the Hyatt Regency Perth for A$180 a night or a 50m2 room at the brand-new six-star Crown Towers for A$380 a night.
Our isolation is our advantage. We’ve got pristine tourism products and the group sizes to Perth are generally smaller that those that inundate Sydney. You won’t have to join long queues or jostle for space with many others, so the experience is more pleasant.
And finally, what new activities can be expected from the bureau? Western Australia has its own brand (Experience Western Australia) but not Perth. Premier Barnett has requested that a brand for Perth be created, and that will happen very soon.
The hotel has launched Meaningful Meetings for the Senses programme to deliver experiential environments for delegates inspired by colours.
Three themes are offered: Balanced Green which features green, healthy food menu and relaxing ambient sounds during break-out sessions; Trusted Blue which focuses on sustanably-sourced seafood, a unique Water Bar and soothing sounds of the sea during the event; and Vibrant Orange which features an F&B menu using ingredients with the warm colour palette as well as uplifting contemporary music.
The full-day package *based on a minimum group size of 10 pax) is priced at HK$980﹢﹢(US$126.30﹢﹢) with lunch and HK$530﹢﹢ without.
Email tlhkg.banquet@lanhamhotels.com for more details
Localing Private Tours, run by two energetic young friends, Daniel Platt & Dean Hampel, prides itself in creating unique tours of Melbourne and regional Victoria that introduce visitors to little known parts of the destination while supporting small local businesses at the same time.
Tours can be themed around culture, history, gastronomy and more, and are best suited for a bus-load of 42 people. These tours are led by knowledgeable local guides who are passionate about the subject matter.
Localing has done rare back-of-house tours of the Melbourne Theatre Company, with participants getting a peek into a rehearsal and then sharing a meal with renowned actors, as well as gourmet programmes at local celebrity chef Shannon Bennett’s private farm where participants get to hunt for truffles and then dig into a feast crafted by the star himself. More common tours cover visits to local boutique coffee roasters such as Aunty Peg’s to learn about the business and Melbournians’ love for coffee, or walking tours of Melbourne’s vibrant alleyways and heritage buildings.
The luxury Majestic Malacca hotel has unveiled a new dining concept, one that celebrates authentic Malacca-Portuguese cuisine, known colloquially as Kristang cuisine.
Kristang cuisine
Celebrity chef Melba Nunis lends both her name and her culinary skills to the new Melba at The Mansion restaurant, and will delight diners with a specially crafted menu featuring treasured family recipes such as ayam kari keluak (curry chicken with keluak black nuts), inchimintu karangezu (baked stuffed crab) and kek sugee (sugee cake).
Dining at the restaurant is also a feast for the senses, as chef Melba’s personal collection of cultural memorabilia adorn the walls, highlighting the unique cuisine’s past.
Melba at The Mansion is open daily for lunch between 12.00 and 15.00 and for dinner between 19.00 and 22.30.
The new Laguna Golf Academy at the award-wining 18-hole Laguna Golf Phuket course has begun offering premium practice facilities including dedicated swing rooms as well as learning packages that make for fun teambuilding activities.
Packages include individual lessons to Day with the Pro experiences, led by experienced PGA golf instructors. For corporate teambuilding, group coaching is available for six to 24 participants.
Individual lessons are priced from 3,500 baht (US$100) for 50-minute per person. Sessions of three hours and six hours are also available.
Group lessons can be customised to the organisers’ needs.
With the golf course sitting within the sprawling Laguna Phuket Resort, corporate groups will enjoy accommodation support from seven hotels including Banyan Tree Phuket, Angsana Villas Resort Phuket and Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket.
Behind the imposing, Brutalist concrete that defines Zurich’s Oerlikon district lies a surprising secret. While its exterior honours the neighbourhood’s industrial roots, stepping inside Mama Shelter reveals a vibrant, neon-soaked world that is a far cry from its rigid shell
A polished urban retreat designed for business travellers, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown combines thoughtful design, seamless service, and exceptional facilities.
The hotel has launched Meaningful Meetings for the Senses programme to deliver experiential environments for delegates inspired by colours.
Localing has done rare back-of-house tours of the Melbourne Theatre Company, with participants getting a peek into a rehearsal and then sharing a meal with renowned actors, as well as gourmet programmes at local celebrity chef Shannon Bennett’s private farm where participants get to hunt for truffles and then dig into a feast crafted by the star himself. More common tours cover visits to local boutique coffee roasters such as Aunty Peg’s to learn about the business and Melbournians’ love for coffee, or walking tours of Melbourne’s vibrant alleyways and heritage buildings.
Packages include individual lessons to Day with the Pro experiences, led by experienced PGA golf instructors. For corporate teambuilding, group coaching is available for six to 24 participants.
