The resort island of Phu Quoc welcomed its first international luxury hotel brand in January this year, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort and Spa.

The design of the hotel, bearing famed architect Bill Bensley’s whimsical touches, is based on a mythical academy of learning, with each building modelled after an academic department and no two spaces are alike.

All 243 rooms, suites, apartments and villas come in generous sizes, starting from 54m². As well, the hotel boasts meeting spaces that span 1,100m², with the 715m² Grand Ballroom being the largest function room. Spacious breakout rooms are designed for various event purposes.

Elsewhere on premises, culinary wonders can be found at three restaurants and contemporary bars. At Tempus Fugit (a latin phrase meaning “time flies”), chefs display their culinary genius in Vietnamese, Japanese and French cuisines. For a casual beachside grill experience, Red Rum satisfies with fresh local produce. But the hotel’s culinary crown jewel is Pink Pearl, a Cantonese restaurant set in a beachfront mansion.

Wind down the gourmet journey at the Department of Chemistry Bar, where “chemists” mix up some delicious elixirs while guests take in the views of Emerald Bay.

Various recreational experiences are also on offer onsite. Guests can shop for local crafts at artisanal boutiques, partake in scheduled cultural events and daily rituals, laze at the beach or by the pool, or have city stresses kneaded out of their bodies at the spa.

The highly anticipated Crown Towers Perth opened on December 14 last year, adding 500 luxurious guestrooms, suites and villas to the room inventory of the Western Australian city.

Rooms are styled in soothing neutral tones accented with quality furnishings and amenities, and offer the latest touchscreen technology, 24-hour guest service, and access to the resort pools and gym.

The six-star property houses an array of quality facilities that will create many memorable experiences for corporate groups. There are upmarket restaurants such as Nobu; two exclusive bars; the 1,500-seat Crown Ballroom with an adjoining pre-function area looking over the Perth landscape; a 1,200-seat multipurpose Grand Ballroom; a sprawling resort pool area with private bar, cabanas and expansive seated areas that can serve as a summer party venue; and luxury retail outlets.

The Crown complex, which Crown Towers Perth is part of, also includes Crown Pyramid, a multipurpose dome with more than 6,000m² of unobstructed internal floor space to cater for events of up to 5,000 people.

SEIT Outback Australia and Australian Transit Group Downunder have launched a new Uluru Fork and View tour that offers travellers a different way to enjoy views of the iconic Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

The tour is conducted in a specially designed double-decker coach, whose lower deck has been converted into a kitchen, and the upper deck into a 44-seat open-air dining space.

Two public tours are offered but corporate groups can arrange for an exclusive programme just for their delegates. The Uluru Outback Explorers Dinner offers a three-course progressive evening dining experience that departs approximately one hour prior to sunset. It includes a four-hour fully guided tour, a drinks package, and pick up/return from Ayers Rock Resort. The main course is served at the base of Uluru while dessert is presented at the Mutitjulu Waterhole.

Coimbatore, the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one that bustles with industrial activity, has welcomed the 135-key Radisson Blu Coimbatore on Avinashi Road.

The hotel welcomes corporate events to its 560m² Grand Ballroom which is good for 700 guests, as well as four other function spaces for 12 to 75 people. The venues are equipped with audiovisual equipment and free high-speed, wireless Internet access. Event planners are also supported by a dedicated event manager from the hotel.

Culinary options include the Multi Cuisine Restaurant, which serves international cuisine round the clock, The Great Kabab Factory Indian speciality restaurant, Cake Shop & Tea Lounge, and the Lounge Bar.

For recreation, the hotel offers a fitness centre, an outdoor pool and a spa.

Marriott International has planted its second Aloft flag in Taipei with the opening of Aloft Taipei Beitou Hotel. The 292-room hotel reflects the brand’s passion for music and technology, with guestrooms and public areas featuring creations of local artists, while guests are provided with the SPG Keyless mobile check-in system.

All guestrooms come with the brand’s signature offerings, such as the ultra-comfortable plush bed, a walk-in shower, custom amenities by Bliss Spa, fast and free Wi-Fi, and a 43-inch LCD TV linked to a plug-and-play connectivity panel.

For meeting planners, the hotel offers three Tactic meeting spaces that span 176m² and come equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and free Wi-Fi.

A variety of dining and social spaces are available too, such as Nook, an American-style restaurant and the Re:mix lounge.

Aloft Taipei Beitou Hotel sits close to a multitude of hot springs, and is a five-minute stroll to two metro stations.

The former Four Points by Sheraton Sydney Darling Harbour has reopened as the Hyatt Regency Sydney following an A$250 million (US$187.5 million) refurbishment. The expansion also gave the property a new 24-storey tower and 222 premium guestrooms.

It now boasts a total inventory of 892 keys, along with more than 3,700m² of meeting and event spaces which includes two ballrooms with views of Darling Harbour, and 21 additional meeting rooms.

Corporate events are supported by the hotel’s on-site catering and audiovisual services, and event planning staff.

Event planners can also leverage the hotel’s dining establishments for social gatherings. The Sailmaker features 272 seats and an Australian-inspired menu, while the soon-to-come Zephyr rooftop bar presents spectacular views and a chic ambience for post-meeting cocktails.