Looking for a stress-free honeymoon on an idyllic tropical paradise? Then come to Casa Del Mar, Langkawi, where you can enjoy the ultimate couple pampering at your 'home-by-the-sea' …

*Rates in S$ per person
(Validity: 15 Sept 06 – 31 Mar 07)  Deluxe Room  Junior Suite  Deluxe Suite

15 Sept – 30 Nov 06                                $540                  $660                $730
1 – 19 Dec 06 & 11 Jan – 31 Mar 07       $560                  $690                $770
20 Dec 06 – 10 Jan 07                            $630                  $780                $870

*Rates are subject to change with or without notice by respective airline and hotel
*Flight conditions: Surcharge of S$50 per person on airfare for departures on Fridays, Eve & Public Holidays

Package Rates includes:
- Return economy flight on SilkAir: SG - Langkawi - SG
- Return airport / hotel transfers
- 2 nights hotel accommodation
- Daily Breakfast
- Complimentary orchids and chocolates for honeymooners
- A 60-minute spa therapy^ of your choice: Aroma Tranquillity Massage or Traditional Malay Massage or Foot Soak & Reflexology
^Spa reservations must be made at point of reservation and couple must book the same therapy

For reservations, contact Vacation Planners at:
Tel: 6419 8282 Fax: 6737 9661 Email: inquire@vacationplanners.com.sg
Address: 400 Orchard Road, #09-03, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875

For more information on Casa Del Mar, visit: www.casadelmar-langkawi.com

Come rock’n’roll at Asia’s first Hard Rock Hotel this October from as low as US$75++ per room per night!

Rate includes:
- Daily breakfast for maximum 2 adults and 2 children under 12 years old
- Use of Hard Rock Hotel Fitness Center, including Sauna, Steam & Jacuzzi, “Shoppin’ Around” discount vouchers for Spa & Salon, Food & Beverages, Boom Box (Recording Studio), Hotel Merchandise, Learn to Surf (Surfing School) and more.
 
Term & Conditions:
- No cancellation
- Minimum two nights stay 
- For the month of October 2006 only.
- Not valid during Lebaran from 20 – 26 October 2006

So log on now to www.hardrockhotels.net/bali and be on your way to find out what it’s like to be treated like a star!

King of the Road – R.E.M

Calling all Harley Davidson lovers! For US$265++, you can enjoy 3 days 2 nights of rockin' good time at Hard Rock Hotel Bali and ride a Harley bike for free – you don’t have to bring your own bike!

Package includes:
- Accommodation in Superior room
- Daily breakfast for maximum two adults
- One time 8-hour Harley Davidson bike rental for one person
- Welcome drink at Centerstage
- Use of Hard Rock Fitness Centre, including sauna, Steam and Jacuzzi
- Priority admission to Hard Rock Café with queue-jumping Backstage Pass
- “Shoppin’ Around” discount vouchers on Spa & Salon, Food & Beverage, Boom Box (recording studio), Hotel Merchandise, Learn to Surf and more!
- Piick-up and drop-off service from Harley Davidson (conditions apply)
- 15% for merchandise purchase at Harley Davidson outlet

Terms and Conditions:
- Valid till 28 December 2006 (minimum 2 consecutive nights’ stay)
- Extension night at US$100++ per room per night, inclusive of breakfast
- Other terms and conditions apply

For reservations, contact all HPL Hotels & Resorts at:
- Tel: 65 6235 2808 (Singapore)
- Tel: 1800 806 013 (Toll free in Malaysia)
- Email: info@hplhotels.com

For more information on the hotel, visit www.hardrockhotels.net/bali

This September, pampering yourself at the Hard Rock Spa will get you more perks for yourself or someone dear to you.

Avail of any select treatment at the Hard Rock Spa between 10am and 12noon or 7pm and 10pm any day of the week and your pleasure will be doubled with an irresistible gift, ranging from soothing Foot Reflexology, calming body massage and spa treatments to premium Hard Rock Spa products for yourself or for your family and friends!

Go on, pamper yourself now and you will be loved twice over for it! So drop by the Hard Rock Spa or call (66) 038 428755 - 9 for reservations now!

Come to Spices Restaurant and Wine Bar to discover good food and fine wines!

Chef Daniel Koh, a chef consultant from Singapore, has teamed up with Spices Junior Sous, Chef Geoffrey Dingle, to implement new a la carte, set menus and a tapas menu for the restaurant.

There are six different menus which rotate on a weekly basis. Each menu consists of a 4-course Western set. The gourmet set menu is priced at RM110.00++ per person. The next tier pricing, RM140.00++ per person includes two glasses of house wine.

Resident pianist, Kevin Ong, serenades diners every night with his wonderful selection of light and easy tunes.

The restaurant is open daily except on Sundays and Public Holidays. For reservations, please call Spices Restaurant & Wine Bar at (60) (3) 21442200 extension 2616.

Melting Pot Café Guest Chef Mydin and his team have lined up some of the very best Ramadan dishes ever. For your indulgence, be prepared to tuck into Sup Gear Box, Kari Kepala Ikan, Satay Kajang, Ikan Bakar and the best ever Roasted Lamb.

The hotel has also arranged a venue and Imam for patrons to perform their Maghrib, Isyak and Tarawih prayers during this period.

Dates: 24 September – 23 October 2006
Time: Dinner only
Prices: RM58++ per adult and 50% discount for children under 12 years of age

Enjoy Melting Pot Café’s Selera Ramadan buffet spread of sumptuous delicacies as you break fast with your loved ones and friends at Concorde Inn KLIA.

Dates: 24 Sept – 23 Oct 2006
(Early Birds’ Special – 1st week of Ramadan only: One person eats for free in a group of six)
Time: 6.30 pm – 10.30 pm (Dinner only)
Prices: RM 35.00++ per adult; RM 22.00++ per child below 12 years of age
(Free for children aged 3 years and below – must be accompanied by parents)

Hard Rock Cafe recently launched an all-new 'Eats' Menu that is loaded with new dishes to please everyone's palate. Try the mind-blowing Legendary 10 Oz. Burger, zesty Grilled Salmon Pasta, the irresistible Apple Cobbler and more! 

Meanwhile, Power Jam Band continues to Rock the stage nightly, except on Thursdays when Pattaya All-Star takes over, from 9:30pm till late. Enjoy the very best music and dining experience only at the Hard Rock Cafe Pattaya.

So party on!

'Eat to the Beat' at Starz Diner offers the freshest seafood cooked to your liking, with international specialities and Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya’s award-winning dishes, along with free-flow of wines, beer and soft drinks. A whole spit-roasted pig is also available every Saturday in addition to the wide selection of sumptuous dishes on the buffet!

So check out what it is like to 'Eat to the Beat' from Sunday to Friday from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. at THB590++ per person and on Saturdays from 6:30pm - 9:30pm at THB690++ per person!

The 5th Muslim Women’s Organisation Congress (2006) was held recently at Concorde Hotel Shah Alam for the first time. Organised by the National Council of Women’s Organisation (NCWO) and Malaysian Muslim Women Welfare Board (LKPIM), the event was held to discuss the importance of understanding the modern concept of today’s Muslim women, Contemporary Muslim culture and Implication on Culture & Social of Muslim community.

Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, which boasts state-of-the-art meeting and event facilities, houses a Grand Ballroom featuring the latest in audiovisual equipment and 12 function rooms that can accommodate up to 700 guests, allowing an organiser the flexibility of customising meetings or banquets.

The event, which was held from 13 – 15 August at The Grand Ballroom of the hotel, saw a total of 500 participants from all over Malaysia. The award-winning hotel nestled in the heart of Selangor was chosen also partly because of its close proximity to the famous Blue Mosque, which is located only about 10 minutes’ walk away. Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, which has a total of 381 rooms and suites, has about 100 of its rooms taken up during this event.

The 3-days conference also saw its participants seting up a small bazaar consisting of eight stalls selling various types of handicraft and clothing at the ballroom foyer. An official dinner was also held on the first day.

Above picture: YAM Her Majesty Tengku Ampuan Najihah, officiating the 5th Islamic Women Conference 2006 at the Grand Ballroom at Concorde Hotel Shah Alam.

Congratulations, Mr James Coppola! You have just won for yourself a a 3D/2N Rock'n'Roll experience at Asia's first Hard Rock Hotel in Bali! You will be contacted via email very soon!

And for you readers who took time to participate in our email survey, a big THANK YOU to all! We look forward to your continued support and do feel free to drop us your feedback anytime at pr@hplhotels.com. We would love to hear from you!

HPL Hotels & Resorts announced that it has renewed its agreement to use Pegasus Solutions for another two years.

The Singapore-based hospitality management company, operated and wholly owned by Singapore public-listed company Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), currently manages the activities of eight hotels and resorts with a total of 2,100 rooms in the Asia-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean.

A customer of Pegasus Solutions since 2004, HPL Hotels & Resorts will continue to use Utell by Pegasus and Unirez by Pegasus to continue increasing the hotel group's business from the global distribution systems (GDS).

According to Ms Karen Chan, Marketing Communications Manager for HPL Hotels & Resorts, the content and distribution provider offers the group a cost-effective and efficient method to reach out to the world's travel agencies and consortia. 

"For an independent hotel group, it is vital for us to link up with major GDS and as many Internet partners as possible,” said Ms Chan.

With a mix of city hotels, themed resorts and boutique hotels in their portfolio, HPL Hotels & Resorts recognises that Pegasus Solutions is able to provide the hotels with flexible marketing and automated distribution services to meet each individual property’s respective needs and requirements.

“Pegasus Solutions as a universal electronic reservations switch has helped us to strengthen each property's profile in the market,” said Ms Chan. “It allows us to provide real time access to inventory and rates to our travel agent partners for effective channel management control over the GDS, hence contributing a consistent increment to our online business over the last two years.”

Casa Del Mar has launched a new Guests Forum on its website in a bid to provide a user-friendly and interactive medium for its guests to communicate!
 
Following the growing popularity of independent travel websites, the popular boutique resort located on the Malaysian island of Langkawi aims to provide a forum that can enable guests to communicate with one another and / or with the resort’s General Manager, who personally replies to all postings.
 
This is a move away from the traditional one-way communication that is typical of “Guest Reviews” where guests just write a short note on how they feel about the hotel or the destination.
 
“We want to further enhance the personal relationships that we have with our guests and to maintain their connection to their ‘home by the sea’ till their next visit,” said Mr Andrew Drummond. “More than that, it is also a channel for guests who have already booked a stay here to be part of the Casa Del Mar online community even before they arrive.”
 
Commented Ms Karen Chan, Marketing Communications Manager for HPL Hotels and Resorts: “We also hope the interactive forum will encourage more guests to share their holiday experiences. The travel market is constantly changing and so are the needs of our guests … we want our guests to tell us how we can continuously improve ourselves.”
 
Hence, no registration is required to participate in the forum as it is meant to provide an open and interactive platform where opinions can be posted and viewed by all visitors to the online site.
 
Summed up Mr Drummond promptly: “You have something to say about Casa Del Mar? Then say it here … because it is your forum.”
 
The forum can be accessed at: www.casadelmar-langkawi.com/cdmForum/index.php

Come the Ramadhan month, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s 24-hour coffee house will be spotting a new look after a two-month renovation. The main feature of the restaurant will be its open concept show kitchen with food prepared a la minute.

Throughout the fasting month, Melting Pot Café invites diners to take a moment to ‘smell, savour, see, hear and feel’ the hype of activities taking place at the various open kitchens. Diners can feast their eyes and taste buds to the many shades and flavourful tastes of dishes prepared by the chefs while seeing, listening to the buzzing sounds and actions made by the busy kitchen team as they whip up each dish in front of you.

The outlet will be serving a special Ramadan dinner buffet priced at RM69.00++ per person from 7.00 pm – 10.30 pm. Amongst the dishes served are assam laksa, prawn mee, mee rebus, tom yam noodles, mee bandung, roasted whole lamb served with mushroom sauce, rosemary sauce and mint jelly, ikan merah bakar bersantan, rojak Singapore, popiah basah, braised chicken with potato and oyster sauce, stir-fried chilli prawns, black pomfret in tomato sauce with ginger, home-made beancurd with oriental greens and boneless chicken with lemon citrus sauce. Teppanyaki items like ebi (prawn), sake (salmon), tori (chicken), niku (beef), ika (squid) cooked and tossed with beansprouts, carrot, cabbage, garlic chips flavoured with seasoning and light soya sauce are also served.

There will also be ‘live’ entertainment by resident strollers, Los Gomos.

MATTA Fair
Dates: 22 – 24 September 2006
Venue: Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Organiser: Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents
For more information, visit www.matta.org.my

NATAS Holidays
Dates: 29 September – 1 October 2006 
Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 5 & 6A, Singapore
Organiser: National Association of Travel Agents Singapore
For more information, visit: www.natas.travel

67th SKAL World Congress in Pattaya, Thailand
Dates: 15 – 20 October 2006
For more information, visit: www.skal.org

Note: Event dates and programme details may be subject to change. For updates, please visit events' respective websites.