THE Datai Langkawi is introducing a new package – comprising a hotel stay, guided nature walks, use of equipment and discounts – exclusively for guests from ASEAN member countries.

The Datai ASEAN Retreat package features a stay in a Canopy Deluxe room that boast views of the rainforest plus guided morning or evening nature walks led by nature guide Irshad Mobarak.

The package also includes daily breakfast, complimentary use of non-motorised water sports equipment, a 15 per cent discount on non-package spa treatments at the newly relaunched Datai Spa, a 10 per cent discount on F&B as well as complimentary use of the mini bar.

Prices start from S$328 (US$234) per night in the Canopy Deluxe room and is valid from April 1 to July 5 and September 1 to December 23.

The package is exclusive to residents of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

THE 50-villa Sudamala Komodo Villas & Dive Resort will be the first locally owned and operated luxury resort on Indonesia’s Sebayur Island when it opens in 2017.

Located on the edge of the Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara, Sebayur Island is a prime jumping off point to diving sites in and around the UNESCO Heritage Site.

“We expect around 80 per cent of our guests will be divers,” said Sudamala’s resorts director, Emily Subrata.

“We are talking about very pristine and protected dive sites that offer sightings of marine life such as sea turtles, manta rays and sharks. We have established our dive centres at Sanur and Lombok and this will be the extension of that as well as the jewel in our crown,” added Subrata.

Sebayur Island, which is about 30 minutes by boat from the nearest domestic airport of Labuan Bajo, is still remote, with the biggest resort on the same island having only about 25 rooms.

The new property will feature owner Sudamala group’s signature touches of art and craftsmanship highlighted in its other two properties, the Sudamala Suites & Villas, Sanur, Bali as well as the Sudamala Suites & Villas, Senggigi, Lombok.

MEMBERS of travel loyalty programmes will have an improved redemption experience, increased loyalty and will spend more if presented with a greater variety of reward options, according to research by loyalty solutions provider Collinson Latitude.

The survey of 2,250 airline and hotel loyalty programme members across the US, UK, Middle East and Asia showed that 77 per cent of members who redeemed on non-core rewards inventory continued spending with the brand, while a smaller 71 per cent of members who redeemed on core inventory (flights, rooms etc.) carried on doing so.

“When the breadth of rewards is expanded beyond the core product offerings of flights and hotel stays, we see that member loyalty and spending increases,” said Guy Deslandes, e-commerce sales director, Collinson Latitude.

The availability of a broader choice of rewards is also a key factor when choosing which programme to join.

For 61 per cent of survey respondents, more choice of rewards is specifically sought after, while 71 per cent of respondents indicated that the value of loyalty programmes are diminished if offered a limited range of rewards.

Additionally, almost half (42 per cent) believe that programmes offering only core inventory rewards are dated and old-fashioned.

The study further showed that if members enjoyed their redemption experience, it could turn them into brand advocates with 40 per cent of respondents indicating they would tell friends and family about a programme following a positive redemption experience, while 33 per cent would actively encourage them to join up.

The W Hong Kong, part of Starwood’s portfolio

CALLING the Anbang consortium’s bid for it a “superior proposal”, Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ board of directors has informed Marriott International that it intends to terminate their merger agreement, giving Marriott until 23.59 ET on March 28 to review Anbang’s proposal and negotiate revisions to the existing agreement.

Marriott is under a lot of pressure, with the Anbang group increasing its bid from US$76 to US$78 per share, even prior to Starwood’s decision to choose Anbang’s offer over Marriott’s. Anbang’s initial bid of US$76 per share had already carried a premium over Marriott’s offer.

In a statement last Friday, Marriott said they were “in the process of reviewing the Anbang consortium’s proposal and is carefully considering its alternatives”, adding that they still believed the merger is the best course of action for both itself and Starwood.

Experts keeping a close watch on the developments said however, that an Anbang-Starwood deal might actually be preferable.

Starwood will owe Marriott US$400 million in termination fees if the deal indeed falls apart.