GUANGZHOU will be the first mainland Chinese city to host a W hotel when the W Guangzhou Hotel & Residences opens its doors in early 2013.

The 320-key property, situated in the Pearl River New Town district, will feature a signature Chinese restaurant Yan Yu and a destination bar, among other facilities, as well as cutting-edge architectural and interior designs.

Paul James, global brand leader, W Hotels Worldwide, St Regis and The Luxury Collection, said: “The debut of the W brand in mainland China is a true milestone in our expansion into the world’s most vibrant and exciting destinations.”

W Guangzhou Hotel & Residences joins W Hotels Worldwide’s Asian portfolio that includes properties in Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Maldives and recently, Bangkok.

GENERAL Hotel Management (GHM) has unveiled plans for The Aayu Mumbai, a 42-suite luxury hotel scheduled to open in December next year.

Occupying the top five floors of Kohinoor Square’s 50-storey Central Tower, the tallest commercial building in the city, the hotel will house suites ranging in size from 65m² to 155m².

The hotel will also be home to India’s first celebrity restaurants led by decorated chefs Joel Robuchon and Hide Yamamoto.

Robuchon, a recipient of 28 Michelin stars, will open his eighth L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon restaurant at The Aayu. Serving contemporary French cuisine, the establishment will also feature a tea lounge, pastry shop and a collection of fine wines.

Yamamoto’s restaurant will feature a charcoal Robata grill, a ramen noodle bar, and a sushi and sake counter.

Other facilities in the hotel will include a library lounge and bar, a cigar and cognac lounge, an exclusive malt bar, and a boardroom on the 49th floor, as well as a rooftop terrace with a bar, a swimming pool and deck, and 1,400m² of landscaped courtyard.

GHM will also roll out two other properties by the end of 2013 – The Chedi Club Suzhou in China and The Chedi Andermatt in Switzerland.

PREMIUM cruise brand Celebrity Cruises kicked off her inaugural Asian season yesterday following the arrival of the 2,158-guest Celebrity Millennium at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore over the weekend.

From now until April 2013, the ship will call at nine new countries, including Thailand, Vietnam and China. There will be a series of 14-night one-way cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong, with overnight stays in ports like Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay and Hong Kong, as well as two 14-night round-trip sailings from Singapore with overnight stays in Bali.

Operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity joins the company’s two other brands, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and Azamara Club Cruises, in Asia.

Highlighting their differences, Royal Caribbean Cruises managing director, Singapore, Jennifer Yap, told TTG Asia e-Daily that Celebrity’s and Azamara’s itineraries were longer, with RCI offering voyages of as short as three nights.

Facilities also vary. “Celebrity is for people who love the comforts of life, culinary aspects and retail experiences because we tie up with brands like Bulgari. At the same time, we cater to families with a children’s club,” she explained.

“(RCI) is more all-generation. Anyone from six months to 80 years old can come onboard. We have ice skating rinks, FlowRiders simulating surfing experiences and rock climbing walls for fun-loving and adventurous people…Azamara is more boutique.”

With long cruises, the guest mix tends to be more international, Yap noted.

The top nationalities for Celebrity cruises in Asia are currently the UK, the US and Australia, with Asians at a single-digit percentage. Japan and Hong Kong are among the highest contributors of Asian guests.

“Asians have a natural tendency to prefer short cruises because the market is less mature. Sometimes they just want a sampler…Usually when they try it and they like it and are converted, then they do a fly-cruise,” she said.

Launched in 2000, Celebrity Millennium underwent a major renovation earlier this year and now features Solstice Class features, including spa-inspired AquaClass staterooms; Qsine, which serves up globally-influenced dishes in a unique dining experience; creperie Bistro on Five; and wine bar Cellar Masters. There are nine dining outlets, four of which involve surcharges.

Other highlighted venues include the ice-topped Martini Bar accompanied by a VIP-like area called Crush.

The ship will be returning for a second Asia season in 2013/2014.

THE HISTORICAL Hotel Majestic in the Malaysian capital city, which was refurbished by YTL Hotels, celebrated its grand opening last Saturday.

Having restored Hotel Majestic to its former splendour, Kuala Lumpur now boasts an iconic and historical property comparable with Singapore’s Raffles Hotel and Hong Kong’s The Peninsula, said YTL Corporation managing director, Francis Yeoh Sock Ping, during his opening address.

Nestled in a five-storey neoclassical building dating back to 1932, the 300-room property features new wings and modern facilities at its Jalan Sutan Hishamuddin location, opposite an old railway station in the historical quarter of Kuala Lumpur.

The original building houses suites, The Colonial Café, The Bar and The Tea Lounge, while the new 15-storey Tower Wing comprises 16 meeting rooms, a pillarless ballroom which can accommodate 1,200 people in banquet style, a gym and a swimming pool. The seven-room Majestic Spa is located in a separate wing, and The Smoke House, a two-storey building, boasts a lounge, a grooming room, a cigar room, a private dining area with a chef on call, a screening room and a card room.

Said Ally Bhoonee, executive director of World Avenues Travel & Tours: “The Majestic Hotel is definitely a jewel for Kuala Lumpur, which is in great need of a super luxury hotel with a grand history. It will definitely attract the upper middle class clientele who loves history, old colonial charm and luxury.”

Yap Sook Ling, managing director, Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel, agreed: “It’s good to have a grand dame hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Its illustrious history can offer something special for MICE groups.”

PLANS to revitalise Singapore’s Civic District are being made now, with the Urban Redevelopment Authority calling on local and international consultants to pitch for the project.

Aimed at strengthening the identity of the downtown precinct as an attractive world-class arts and cultural hub, landmarks such as The National Art Gallery, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall will be refreshed, while pedestrian connectivity and public spaces will be improved through landscaping works.

Consultants will need to propose ways to improve connectivity to adjacent precincts, such as Fort Canning Park, Bras Basah and Bugis, as well as to the City Hall MRT Station and the Marina Bay waterfront.

Interested consultant teams must submit their proposals by January 31, 2013.

The project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2015

SHERATON Hotels & Resorts has opened Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort on Kuta beach, the group’s fifth property on the Island of Gods.

Located within a shopping belt and 5km away from the Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport, the 203-key resort offers guestrooms of between 46m² and 265m² in size, as well as facilities such as the all-day dining Feast, Italian trattoria Bene, The Lounge, a spa, a fitness centre and more than 1,600m² of event spaces.

Event planners have nine venues to work with, the largest being the 700m² Sahid Ballroom which is divisible and supported by an underground secure parking facility for over 2,000 vehicles. Meeting spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including broadband and high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access.

To celebrate its opening, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort is offering a package which includes accommodation in a deluxe room, breakfast for two at Feast, one-way airport transfer and daily resort credit of US$25. Priced from US$225⁺⁺ per night, the offer is valid until June 30, 2013. Terms apply.