Golf incentives in Asia

Thailand SHERATON GRANDE LAGUNA PHUKET Contact Kylie Brajak Tel +66 76 324 101 Email kylie.brajak@luxurycollection.com Website www.sheraton.phuket.com The five-star Sheraton Grande Laguna features magnificent all-round facilities, including the 18-hole par-71 Laguna Phuket Golf Course. The 6,654-yard course has also recently been voted amongst the top ten for 'Best Golf Resort in Asia', 'Best Clubhouse in Asia' and 'Best Golf Course in Thailand' by readers of Asian Golf Monthly magazine. The 298 guestrooms and 107 villas are built to a high standard. Carved out of the existing sand hills, the front nine holes, a par 36, meander through a former coconut plantation. Players must be exact on their tee shots, as water comes into play on five out of the nine holes. The back nine features water on eight out of the nine holes. The 11th hole, although only 138 yards, will leave a lasting impression. Last December the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket was also named 'Thailand's Leading Golf Resort' for the second consecutive year at the Annual World Travel Awards. The Golf Package start from US$229 per twinshare and includes a round of golf and breakfast for two. China MISSION HILLS GOLF CLUB Contact Jimmy Yu Tel+852 2867 9162 Email hotelenquiry@missionhillsgroup.com Website www.missionhillsgroup.com The Mission Hills complex has redefined the meaning of golf in China. Its ten 18-hole championship courses have been designed by all of the game's modern-day greats - Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Ernie Els among them Mission Hills Resort is the only five-star hotel in China that has been awarded the China Hotel Golden Pillow Award 2005 for being the best business holiday resort. Perfectly situated in the heart of the course, the resort houses 315 bedrooms, each with a balcony overlooking an unobstructed view of the entire course. The resort has also recently opened Asia's largest spa, which makes it an ideal location for spouse programmes as well as being appealing as a spa destination in its own right. The meetings facilities include a grand ballroom, six function rooms and two smaller ballrooms. The grand ballroom is 400 sqm and can take 300 theatre style and 290 banquet style. SHANGHAI SILPORT GOLF CLUB & RESORT Contact Linda Huang Tel +86 512 5748 ext 166 Email linda@silport.com.cn Website www.silport.com.cn The Shanghai Silport Golf Club (SSGC) is conveniently located 90 minutes from the centre of Shanghai and 45 minutes from the international airport. Silport is the only 27-hole professional course in this part of China and was host of the Volvo China Open for six consecutive years. The seventh hole on the West Course provides the most difficult putting surface as the approach on the 408-yard par four requires navigating a rollercoaster green that slopes from left to right. Silport's biggest challenge is its undulating greens, despite their simple appearance. The 18th is one of the most renowned holes in China. The Spanish hacienda-style clubhouse has a large banquet area that can accommodate more than 200 guests and has course-view balconies. SSGC has received distinguished awards such as 'The Best Service Golf Club in China', 'The Best Caddie Service Golf Club in China' and 'The Best Venue for the Asian Tour. The Shanghai Silport Meeting & Golf package starts from US$160 per person and includes a full-day meeting package, threecourse set lunch and round of golf. Groups of minimum 12 persons can be catered for. LE MERIDIEN SHE SHAN SHANGHAI Contact Daniel Yuan Tel +86 21 5779 9999 ext. 7200 Email rdaniel.yuan@lemeridien.com Website www.lemeridien.com/sheshan Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai has an association with Tian Ma Country Club, allowing delegates to play golf there. Tian Ma's 27-hole course is built in perfect harmony with the mountain backdrop, manmade landscape and intertwining waterways of Tian Ma's lake. Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai opened last December and is Le Meridien's first property in China.The 327-bedroom hotel is located within the National Tourist Resort District of She Shan in the northern part of Shanghai. Surrounded by 47 sq km of picturesque landscape, which is the key feature of the property, Le Meridien She Shan Shanghai is only an hour from Pudong International Airport and 40 minutes from Shanghai city centre. The world-class meeting and conference centre can accommodate up to 1,800 people. Meetings and events facilities include the Grand Ballroom which can be sub-divided into five function rooms, an auditorium seating up to 470 guests, six meeting rooms (110-140 sqm) and an executive boardroom (140 sqm), all with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. The Golf Package costs US$225 per night and includes a round of golf at Tian Ma Country Club, transfers and spa discounts. Brunei THE EMPIRE HOTEL & COUNTRY CLUB Contact Sales department Tel +673 241 8888 Email events@theempirehotel.com Website www.empire.com.bn The 18-hole floodlit championship course at The Empire Hotel & Country Club enjoys a breathtaking location beside the South China Sea. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it is rated among the best in Asia with lush, scenic fairways catering for golfers at every level. Last year it was the venue for the inaugural Brunei Golf Open and subsequently voted 'Best Host Venue'by the region's top golfers on the 2005 Asian Tour. The resort topped a poll of 28 other venues on its debut as host of Asia's premier professional golf tournament. The Empire has several packages to entice meetings and incentive groups and now has a dedicated website for events planners (see News p4). The theatre seats 500 banquet style and 750 theatre style and the ballroom seats 350 banquet style and 500 theatre style. The resort features 360 guestrooms and 63 lavish suites and private villas in a tropical garden estate. With impeccable credentials for world-class meetings, conferences and exhibitions, it is a leading Asian venue for the CEI market. Meetings packages begin at US$198 per room per night, the package includes a host of attractive extras including all meeting requirements. Golf costs extra depending on group size. Macau WESTIN HOTEL/ MACAU GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Contact Mavis Lee Tel +852 2803 2002 Email hkreservation.01065@westin.com Website www.westin.com/macau The Westin Resort Macau is situated on the southeastern tip of Coloane Island, overlooking the unspoiled and magnificent Hac Sa Beach. The resort is only 20 minutes away from the Macau Ferry Terminal and 10 minutes from the Macau International Airport. It offers 208 guestrooms and suites and has two private boardrooms, six meeting rooms, a garden court and a grand ballroom that is 190 sqm. The eight-storey grand complex, which is terraced into a lush mountainside, commands stunning views of the South China Sea. The Westin is affiliated with the Macau Golf and Country Club, which is essentially built above the hotel. The course is memorable for the unique challenge that golfers are confronted with at every hole; ranging from flat to undulating and with atrategically placed bunkers and lakes. An abundance of natural flora adds seasonal colour to the golf course, creating a truly memorable playing experience. The venue was meticulously planned to combine a resort ambience with a challenging golf course offering a wide variety of interesting playing conditions. The golf packages start from US$206 per night and includes groups of upto 30 people. Australia HYATT REGENCY SANCTUARY COVE/HOPE ISLAND RESORT GC Contact Aya Kato Tel +61 7 5577 6190 Email aya.kato@hyatt.com.au Website sanctuarycove.regency.hyatt.com The Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove is ideally located within 10 minutes' drive of several world-class golf courses, including its own Palms and Pines Course and the nearby Hope Island Golf Resort. The Pines is the only Arnold Palmer signature course in Australia and is set in its own pine forest.The Palms is designed around century- old groves of cabbage palms and is a great all-weather course. Hope Island Resort Golf Course is a championship links course designed by five times British Open champion Peter Thomson. The Hyattt Regency is ideally positioned as both a location for a golf incentive and also for meetings and conventions. The low-rise resort is styled as a traditional 1940s grand Queensland homestead and set among tropical gardens. The conference and banquet facilities are available for groups of up to 400 people and the hotel has fulltime on-site technical event professionals. Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove offers a choice of hotel meeting rooms with direct access to garden terraces and natural light that creates an inspirational meeting environment. The 440 sqm Macarthur Ballroom can hold 500 theatre style and 300 banquet style while the pre-function area can hold 200 for cocktail functions. The resort's huge lawn areas also make it ideal for outdoor functions. ROYAL PINES Contact Justin Philip Tel +61 7 5597 1111 Email sales@rpr.com.au Website www.royalpines.com.au Situated on 200 hectares of landscapes gardens and just minutes from the beaches of Surfers Paradise, Royal Pines Resort is one of Australia's most complete resort conference centres. Royal Pines Resort's multifaceted convention centre, which is an integral part of the complex, has its own conference reception area and registration facility. The totally self-supporting centre features a foyer area capable of catering for 1,000 people, while the main ballroom can cater for up to 1,800 in theatre style. The centre houses a 1,500 sqm column-free ballroom and a 1,000 sqm pre-function foyer with both venues catering to a maximum of 124 exhibitor booths combined. The resort's purpose-built convention centre can cater for groups of up to 1,800 and has 12 meeting rooms with state-of-the-art facilities. Superb lawns adjoining the convention centre are ideal for outside events and can accommodate marquees of up to 3,000 sqm. The Pamper and Play package starts from US$264 per night and includes accommodation, breakfast and a choice of 18 holes of golf or a pamper session in the resort spa. Groups of up to 100 can be catered for. SHERATON MIRAGE PORT DOUGLAS Contact Mariane McLeod Tel +61 7 4099 5888 Email salessmpd.00370@sheraton.com Website www.sheraton.com/portdouglas Set among 130 hectares of tropicalgardens, a championship 18-hole golf course and two hectares of swimmable saltwater lagoons, the 294-room Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas is a completely self-contained conference resort in one of the most beautiful spots in the world. The conferencing highlight is the 825 sqm Glade pavilion, which is a permanent marquee on the resort's lawns. By day, it is a spectacular 850-person pillarless conference venue and by night, a lavish themed events setting. The covering makes great use of the natural light outside and the interior can be used for many different set-up options. There are a further seven meeting rooms with the largest space being 280 sqm. The Mirage Ballroom, together with the Pandanus breakout rooms and the executive boardroom, has recently been refurbished, including a new lighting system. Cambodia SOFITEL ROYAL ANGKOR GOLF & SPA RESORT Contact Sales department Tel +855 )63 964600 Email sofitel@sofitel-royal-angkor.com Website www.sofitel.com The Sofitel Royal Angkor Golf & Spa Resort features Khmer-inspired architecture throughout its 238 rooms, which includes 23 suites. Hotel guests can also play at Phokeethra Country Club, Cambodia's first internationalquality golf course. Between the ninth green and tenth tee is a restored 'Roluh' bridge, which is one of the course highlights as it dates back 900 years to the time of the Khmer empire. The ruins of Angkor Wat are the remains of the largest temple complex in the world. The 7,415-yard championship golf course features water on all but one hole and concludes with the signature double water carry 18th-hole that offers a daunting final shot into a challenging island green. The Sofitel Royal Angkor is also the closest hotel to the stunning ruins of Angkor Wat. In terms of facilities there are three meeting rooms that can fit 120 theatre style or 100 banquet style. The resort is only 15 minutes from Siem Reap International Airport. Vietnam SOFITEL DALAT PALACE Contact Huynh Thanh Xuyen Tel +84 63 825 444 Email xuyensales@hcm.vnn.vn Website www.accorhotels.com/asia The Sofitel Dalat Palace offers high-end modern convenience combined with old-world charm and has been the centrepiece of the town of Dalat since 1922. The has recently been entirely renovated to its former glory. At 7,009 yards, the par-72 Dalat Palace Golf Club is a good challenge for players of all levels. It is also the number one golf course in Vietnam, gently set into the rolling hills of Dalat and overlooking Xuan Huong Lake. The five-star Sofitel Dalat Palace and fourstar Novotel Dalat are both across the lake from the golf course. The Sofitel Dalat Palace features43 guestrooms and seven meeting rooms for up to 300 people. Plans are currently being considered for a 300-seat ballroom and meeting facility adjacent to the Dalat Palace Hotel. The Sofitel meeting and conference package starts from US$32 per day and includes the meeting room and lunch. Groups of up to 80 can be catered for.