Presseerklärung
2009-05-26
Le Meridien Doubles Its Footprint In Thailand
BANGKOK - May 26, 2009 – In its continued international expansion
into culturally rich cities as well as resort destinations across the globe, Le
Méridien brand today unveils three new hotel and resort properties in Asia
Pacific - Le Méridien Bangkok, Le Méridien Chiang Mai and Le Méridien Chiang
Rai. Further expanding the brand’s growing portfolio in Thailand, all three
properties offer an engaging environment combined with a high standard of
service designed to inspire the creative guest. Le Méridien recently celebrated
the official openings of these hotels and resorts with the brand’s signature
event, FIRST NIGHTBANGKOK: Destination Asia, An Active Discovery. As
part of the First Night event, Le Méridien also unveiled the signature Le
Méridien arrival experience and new signature breakfast at Le Méridien hotels
in Asia Pacific.
"We are thrilled with the opening of these three stunning Le Méridien
hotels in Thailand,” said Miguel Ko, President of Starwood Hotels &
Resorts, Asia Pacific. “Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are both well known for
their beautiful landscape and rich cultural offerings while Bangkok is the
cosmopolitan capital of Thailand and is an exciting, sophisticated and
energetic destination for leisure, business and meetings. These locations
are a great fit with the Le Méridien brand, which is committed to providing
guests with an interactive and culturally enriching experience.”
“Le Méridien is committed to transforming the functional and transactional
driven hotel experience into an emotional connection with our guests,
delivering a new perspective in a relevant way in order to attract a new,
aspirational audience – the creative mind,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand
Leader, Le Méridien and W Hotels Worldwide. “We are proud to unveil these three
new Le Méridien hotels as they mark a milestone in Le Meridien brand’s
transformation into a lifestyle brand. The curated approach of Le Méridien’s
guest experience through Jérôme Sans, Le Méridien’s Cultural Curator, and the
LM100™ family lead to very inspiring, creative solutions that can be
experienced at Le Méridien hotels in Thailand and across Asia Pacific.”
Proprietary customer research showed that the first 10 minutes define the
guests’ entire experience and establish their mindset for the rest of their
stay. Le Méridien arrival experience was designed to transform the experience
from functional and transactional to one that one that emotionally connects
with the guests and resets their minds, leaving the outside world behind for
the world of Le Méridien.
“Going through the hotel entrances with the more than 40 different works of art
provided by six very different emerging artists, installed in diverse locations
across the globe, is a unique experience. It is a project that takes permanent
contemporary art pieces to various unexpected locations and makes art
accessible to a wide audience,” said Jérôme Sans, Cultural Curator for Le
Méridien. “I am sure that Le Méridien guests will be stimulated by the
discovery of these Transitional Portals around the globe.”
Examples of Transitional Portals can be found at most all Le Méridien hotels in
Asia Pacific, created by six international LM100 artists, Ralph Gibson, Hisham
Bharoocha, Joan Fontcuberta, Youssef Nabil, Younès Rahmouna and An Xiaotong.
Guests who attended the First Night Bangkok event had the opportunity to
discover the Transitional Portal artwork located at Le Méridien Hotels in Asia
Pacific.
As part of the unique arrival experience, the brand has created UNLOCK ART™,
providing guests with unique access to contemporary cultural centers through
artist-designed key cards that offer complimentary admission to local cultural
experiences.
The exclusive keycards at Le Méridien Bangkok have been created by artist
Michael Lin, and provide access to the Thailand Creative & Design Center
(TCDC), one of Asia’s largest cultural and design institutions. Using his
signature floral motifs, Lin designed the first set of UNLOCK ART™ keycards. As
Le Méridien Bangkok guests use these cards to open doors and access experiences
at TCDC, the keycards will become works of art in and of themselves.
The UNLOCK ART™ programme at Le Méridien Chiang Mai gives guests complimentary
access to the Umbrella Making Centre, Borsang. Borsang is a village
in San Kamphaeng district and is known for its hand-painted parasols made from
mulberry paper (Sa paper) and silk. Upon presentation of Unlock Art™
keycard to the Centre, guests are able to express themselves by painting their
own designs for the umbrellas at the workshop.
For Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort, the UNLOCK ART™ programme provides guests
with access to the Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park. Mae Fah Luang Art and
Cultural Park houses the royal collection of Lanna art, the finest collection
of religious and secular art and artifacts in Thailand.
Le Méridien Bangkok
Located in the center of Silom’s pulsating commercial district and just steps
away from the energetic Patpong Night market, Le Méridien Bangkok is a modern
24-story tower in the heart of Thailand’s capital and stands as an icon to the
rising contemporary creative scene in the city. Bangkok is evolving into a
contemporary regional cultural center with a very forward-thinking creative
community, and to reflect this shifting paradigm, Le Méridien Bangkok is
providing a new perspective in accommodations that embraces a guest’s passions
for art, architecture, fashion and cuisine.
All 282 guestrooms and suites are wrapped in floor to ceiling windows,
presenting unparalleled views of Bangkok’s cityscape and vibrant street scene
below. The hotel also offers four subtly secluded but easy to access Atelier
meeting rooms with contemporary private foyer, offering more than 300 square
meters of function space ideal for corporate meetings and events as well as
intimate social affairs. Le Méridien Bangkok also features two innovative
Le Méridien signature restaurants and a bar – Latest Recipe, an all day dining
concept, and Bamboo Chic, a contemporary Asian fusion concept, a spa by Le
Méridien with seven circular treatment rooms, and a fully-equipped fitness
center and outdoor pool.
Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort
Centered amongst two majestic 100-year-old rain trees, Le Méridien Chiang Rai
Resort is located in Thailand’s premier hillside resort community in the
country’s northernmost province, a region known for its breathtaking mountain
scenery, Buddhist shrines and ruins of ancient settlements. Owned by the Rain
Tree Hotel Company, Limited, the brand-new resort is just ten minutes from the
Chiang Rai International Airport, five minutes from the town center and a
one-hour drive from the Golden Triangle, where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand
converge.
Guests can explore this compelling region starting at the resort’s quay, where
a longtail boat is moored, waiting to take travelers downriver to visit the
region’s fascinating hill-tribe villages. Other excursions include elephant
treks and hikes along Chiang Rai’s renowned jungle trails. After a day
exploring the area’s diverse landscapes and unique attractions, guests can
indulge in the chic, cosmopolitan ambience at Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort. In
addition to its 159 spacious and contemporary guestrooms and suites, featuring
expansive private balconies, the resort offers an extensive menu of massage,
facial and body treatments at Pavarti Spa, three world-class restaurants, a
state-of-the-art gym and a three-tiered, outdoor swimming pool.
Le Méridien Chiang Mai
Le Méridien Chiang Mai offers travelers first-class accommodations on Chang
Klan Road in the heart of downtown Chiang Mai, Thailand’s dynamic northern
capital. The hotel is well positioned for guests to explore the charms of
this culturally-rich city including its ancient temples, the Chiang Mai Night
Bazaar and numerous culinary options. Most of the hotel’s 384 guestrooms
overlook the majestic Doi Suthep Mountain, and all are outfitted with the
signature Le Méridien Bed, broadband Internet and high-definition LCD
televisions.
This newly constructed hotel features two world-class restaurants, a modern
health club, a multi-sensory spa and an outdoor swimming pool with panoramic
views of Chiang Mai. Le Méridien Chiang Mai also offers more than 1,900 square
meters of flexible function space, equipped with sophisticated technologies
that make it an ideal destination for meetings, seminars, banquets and
conventions.
After Le Méridien was bought by Starwood in November 2005, the brand has since
upgraded its portfolio significantly through a range of renovations and
currently has 26 hotels in the Asia Pacific Region, including Cambodia, China,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Thailand and Vanuatu. Le
Méridien will open six new hotels in the region by 2011, including three hotels
in China, two hotels in India and one hotel in Taiwan.
For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com. For more
information on Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc., please visit www.starwoodpressclub.com.
About Le Méridien
Le Méridien, the French-born hotel brand currently represented by 107
properties in 50 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. Since then, Le Méridien has gone
through a brand re-launch, which included appointing a full-time Cultural
Curator – French arts-provocateur Jérôme Sans – and transforming numerous guest
touch points, thus bringing unique and interactive experiences to its
guests. With close to 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien brand provides a strong
international complement to Starwood’s primarily North American holdings. Plans
call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien hotels and resorts within the next
five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific,
including destinations such as India, Thailand and China. Le Méridien
Hotels recently opened new hotels in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Shimei
Bay (China), Dallas and will open in Philadelphia in the coming months, and has
recently signed new hotel deals in Taipei, Xiamen, Chongqing Nan’an, and
Qingdao (China). For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.