Select Announces Asia Expansion with Group of Travel Experiences for 2007

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. October 14, 2008

FEBRUARY 7, 2008. Select Hotels & Resorts International is proud to announce its new Member properties for 2007 with a distinct shift toward more diverse luxury accommodation markets. Select, the marque of excellence in unique accommodation and travel experiences throughout Australia, New Zealand Asia and the Pacific, re-launched in 2004 in response to industry demand. In 2007, membership will be consolidated with 44 unique luxury properties plus two exclusive cruise vessels. Most notably these properties see the Select brand develop in the South-East Asian luxury accommodation market with properties in both Phuket and Petchuburi, Thailand and Colombo and Bentota, Sri Lanka. Select also gained additional properties across three Australian states and further expansion in Fiji.

Select is a market-led group rather than a product-based one, which is central to its identity and strength. Membership of Select is by invitation only. A property is determined as appropriately 'Select' for invitation to become a member of the network according to its suitability to Select's market of discerning, upper-income travellers seeking out an individual product offering a unique experience. The exciting and exceptional properties joining Select in 2007 are described briefly below and will be found in the new Select Guide 2007, to be officially launched in February and on the extensive website www.selecthotels.com.

Richard Rosebery, Select's Managing Director, says - "I am delighted that Select has continued to be so eagerly embraced by properties around the region, particularly in Asia, and my team and I are extremely excited to be able to promote such a diverse and superlative group of unique travel experiences to the world in 2007".

New Properties in Australia:

The Richardson Hotel, Suites & Spa, Perth, Australia

www.selecthotels.com/richardson

A member of Select since 2006, The Richardson has only recently opened its doors to the public. When renowned London Architect Sir Terry Farrell was engaged to design Perth's newest hotel, the brief was to create a landmark. Yet this was not just to be an architectural statement; every aspect of The Richardson has been designed to impress. From the opening in June 2006, business travellers will enjoy bespoke services, and a state-of-the-art business centre offering 15 serviced offices and meeting rooms. Relaxation and fine cuisine feature too, with an elegant restaurant, a cocktail bar and all day alfresco dining available. An entire floor is devoted to The Spa at The Richardson, an urban oasis of calm and rejuvenation for executives and leisure travellers alike. Each of the contemporary 74 guest rooms and suites offer the latest in comfort. Even pets are catered for within selected suites. The Richardson's brilliant location will inspire guests to explore all Perth has to offer.

LOCATION: 2 km from Perth CBD, 12 km from Perth Airport.

Tarraleah Lodge, Tarraleah, Tasmania

www.selecthotels.com/tarraleah

Tarraleah is also a new Select Member and opened its doors to the public in October last year. Bordering the St. Claire National Park, The Lodge at Tarraleah combines a sense of history with the perfect location to explore Tasmanian wilderness. Dating from the 1930s as lodgings for the Hydro Electricity executives of the day, Tarraleah sits at the heart of the hydro scheme and relics of the past and combines with today's working plant to give guests a sense of this aspect of Tasmania's history. Each suite at the Lodge has been luxuriously crafted to showcase the finest in Tasmanian workmanship, whilst retaining the unique Art Deco exterior. Fine regional cuisine and wines are an expression of the Lodge's commitment to promoting the very best of Tasmania. From the Lodge, guests can branch out and explore the World Heritage listed wilderness, revel in some of the finest fly fishing in the world, play the Highland Golf Course, walk to spectacular waterfalls or simply relax by the fire and read a book.

LOCATION: One and a half hours from Hobart, two hours from Launceston.

Whitfield House, Cairns, Queensland

www.selecthotels.com/whitfield

Behind the large iron gates, reached through a private driveway, the splendor of Whitfield House awaits you. Its unique location within the Mount Whitfield Conservation Park, only five minutes from Cairns International Airport and CBD, is unbelievable till actually seen. A Federation-style mansion completely renovated to incorporate state-of-the-art digital technology in every suite and throughout the property, is one of the unique features of Whitfield House. Add to this the stunning art collection, the magnificent antique furniture, the crystal chandeliers, Persian rugs and polished floors constructed with timber harvested from the surrounding rainforest seventy five years ago and you have Whitfield House - a boutique hotel and licensed function centre. This unique hotel offers unrivalled ambience, elegance, absolute privacy and exclusivity.

LOCATION: 15 minutes from Cairns Airport and 20 minutes from Cairns.

New Properties in New Zealand:

Mangapapa Petit Hotel, Havlock North, New Zealand

www.selecthotels.com/mangapapa

From sampling wines to playing golf and exploring a beautiful coastline, gracious Mangapapa Petit Hotel offers a superb range of experiences. Mangapapa Petit Hotel sits amid this abundance, surrounded by vineyards, orchards and gardens. A recent transformation of this gracious 1855 homestead has resulted in a boutique hotel offering a confluence of fine accommodation together with an exceptional dining experience.Guests may choose from the exquisite Mangapapa Suite, Executive Suites or Lodge Rooms. Each guest room has been individually decorated and exemplifies elegant sophistication, enhanced by modern touches including LCD TV and broadband Internet. A gloriously sun-filled conservatory together with pool, spa and sauna provide opportunities for relaxation. When it comes time to explore, an experienced Wine Guide will take you on a personal discovery of the region's best vineyards. Guided trout fishing and hot air ballooning are also possibilities.

LOCATION: Hawke's Bay, five minutes from Hastings and 15 minutes from Napier on New Zealand's North Island.

New Properties in Fiji:

Fiji Orchid, Nadi, Fiji

www.selecthotels.com/fijiorchid

A respite from the rigours of travel, the Fiji Orchid is a luxurious base from which to break your journey before or after an international flight. This is a sojourn for a discrete market - people for whom the art of travel is to pause at each step of a journey and savour the experience rather than feel rushed to catch their next plane. This was once the treasured property of Raymond Burr, the Hollywood star of Perry Mason and Ironside. The two existing houses have been transformed into a gourmet restaurant and eight inspirational bures with a very modern flavour are dotted around the location of Burr's orchid garden. Each air-conditioned bure has a king-size bed, timber trimmed bathroom, separate toilet, mini-bar and TV/DVD unit. In the main house, there are two day rooms with ensuites for short stays. Between flights, travellers can cool off in the natural landscaped pool or be pampered in the massage bure, which offers Fijian inspired treatments. Five-star appointments together with attentive staff offer a very personal experience. Stay at either end of your island escape and discover Fiji as it should be - an indulgent journey to wander through at a leisurely pace.

LOCATION: 15-minute drive from Nadi International Airport.

New Properties in Asia:

The Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka

www.selecthotels.com/galleface

The grace, elegance and grandeur of a bygone era have been recreated in the opening of the Regency Wing of the historic Galle Face Hotel. The Galle Face Hotel is one of the grandest examples of the colonial era's great establishments. Built in 1864 it embodies all the grace, style and romance of that time. English high tea on a broad verandah with the sparkling Indian Ocean before you is the essence of the majestic Regency Wing of Galle Face Hotel, where English elegance and exotic setting unite. With the opening of the newly renovated Regency Wing, this grand dame elevates a Sri Lankan experience to new levels of luxury. There are 82 rooms and suites, each with its own individual style and offering from one to eight-bedrooms. The option of a personal butler service is there for guests seeking superlative attention.

LOCATION: In the heart of Colombo city, 35 kms from Colombo International Airport.

Saman Villas, Bentota, Sri Lanka

www.selecthotels.com/samanvillas

Seclusion and escape are the hallmarks of this tropical resort, set high above an idyllic sandy beach in Sri Lanka's southwest. In a world replete with resort enclaves, it's refreshing to find a world-class escape that offers a completely secluded beachfront setting. With the only neighbours a charming local village, Saman Villas luxuriates amidst golden sand beaches, perched atop a headland facing the Indian Ocean. The essence of Sri Lanka finds its expression in the blend of decorative motifs and modern conveniences in each villa. Set high above a perfect beach and with spectacular ocean views, most of Saman's suites are located in charming red-roofed villas. Designed and furnished in Sri Lankan style, the accommodation features wooden floors, white walls, colourful soft furnishings and exotic artworks.

LOCATION: 92 kilometres from Colombo International Airport.

Veranda Resort and Spa, Hua Hin, Thailand

www.selecthotels.com/veranda

With a glorious beachfront location of the Gulf of Thailand, Veranda Resort and Spa offers a stylish and unpretentious escape to totally unwind. Veranda Resort, nestled in lush gardens, offers a luxury collection of 13 pool villa suites and 84 spacious rooms. A checklist of its superlatives includes the infinity pool, svelte contemporary design, all day brasserie-style dining, a top kid's club and a ruinously good spa. The big questions of the day could come down to which spa treatment to try? And how to dine - western or Thai, starlit alfresco or moon-shaded?

LOCATION: 3 hours from Bangkok International Airport and 10 minutes from Hua Hin airport.

Mom Tri's Villa Royale, Phuket, Thailand

www.selecthotels.com/villaroyale

Mom Tri's Villa Royale is a haven for travellers who are tired of look-alike hotels and who want a genuine cultural experience. The elusive pleasures of traditional Thai calm and elegance are often advertised and rarely found. But cordoned off from the crowds of Phuket is an exception, a true sanctuary of Thai style: Mom Tri's Villa Royale. This is a haven for travellers who are tired of look-alike hotels and who want a genuine cultural experience. All of Mom Tri's 27 individually decorated suites provide the unique ambience of a luxurious tropical home. The decor here is best described as 'contemporary Thai/Oriental', with features such as original artworks, a unique wall covered with sheets of bamboo, atmospheric lighting and a blend of natural and exotic colours. Every exquisite detail or furnishing, food, service and atmosphere at Mon Tri's is a testament to its heritage of comfort and pleasure.

LOCATION: 17 km from Phuket and 45 km from Phuket International Airport.