Travel Agent - December 10, 2007 - (Page 33)

Hotels Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, already has several highly regarded hotels. VIPs from Grammy-winning R&B singer Alicia Keys to Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei, have stayed at the Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The most requested accommodations in the hotel are in the Horizon Club, which has a private lounge, among other perks. The room types are Horizon Executive, Horizon Premier and Horizon Twin Towers. The latter have views of the landmark 1,486-foot-tall Petronas Twin Towers. Guests in Horizon Club rooms receive complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails; suit pressing upon arrival; and access to the Horizon Club Lounge on the 27th floor. The Shangri-La’s general manager is Jarlath Lynch, whom agents can contact with VIP requests (011-603-2032-2388, ext. 1141; jarlath. lynch@shangri-la.com). The usual travel agent liaison for the hotel is Mukhriz Maarof, sales manager in charge of travel trade (011-6032074-3926, mukhriz.maarof@shangri-la.com). Restaurants in the Shangri-La include Lafite (Western menu), Zipangu (Japanese) and Shang Palace (Chinese). The Lobby Lounge is famous for its “Czar” cocktail, containing Absolut vodka shaken with crushed ice and fresh strawberries and garnished with a sugarcane stick. Agents can make restaurant reservations at 011-603- 2074-3900, restaurantreservations.slkl@ shangri-la.com. For spa inquiries, contact the hotel’s fitness center manager, Rajoo Ananthan (011-603-2032-2388, ext. 1283; ananthan. rajoo@shangri-la.com). The spa contains five treatment rooms. The Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur is the closest hotel to the Petronas Twin Towers. It contains 643 guest rooms, including 41 suites and 51 serviced apartments. The exclusive Mandarin Oriental Club accounts for seven private Mandarin Oriental Club floors, comprising 148 guest rooms, 10 Club Park Suites and one Presidential Suite. Each of these rooms looks out on either the Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park or the capital’s stirring skyline. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur opened last summer. It has four treatment rooms, a manicure and pedicure room, heat and aqua facilities and a consultation room. Treatments combine Chinese, European, Thai and Malaysian therapies. Mandarin Oriental’s signature service is Time Ritual, wherein guests book time rather than specific treatments; their services can then be tailored to create an individualized holistic journey. To make reservations, e-mail mokul-spa@mohg.com. When dining at the Mandarin Oriental, clients can opt for Cantonese cuisine at Lai Po Heen or contemporary European cuisine with CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 AGENTADVICE “I was born in Malaysia, and have been back to visit many times,” says Susie Chua, manager of Canoga Park, CA-based American International Vacations Corp. Chua is fond of the Shangri-La hotels and usually books her clients into the Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La in Penang or the ShangriLa Kuala Lumpur. She advises first-time visitors to go up to the observation deck in Kuala Lumpur’s 88-story Petronas Twin Towers, the highest twin tower structures in the world. Chua notes that the highlight of any trip to Malaysia is the country’s culture. “You can see many types of traditional dances from a range of ethnicities—it’s very exciting, especially during festival days,” she says. She also raves about the country’s spicy cuisine, in particular the satay and the curry dishes. “It’s been proven that Malaysian cooking is very healthy; many of the spices have antioxidant properties,” says Chua. One of her favorite restaurants is Berputar Seri Angkasa in Kuala Lumpur, located at Level 2 of the Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower. The restaurant has 360-degree city views. LEFT: The 88-story Petronas Twin Towers dominate Kuala Lumpur’s skyline BELOW: Guest rooms at the Mandarin Oriental have excellent views of the capital city December 10, 2007 TravelAgent | 33

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Travel Agent - December 10, 2007 Online Now From the Editor Contributors Europe: Liverpool, The Beatles Hometown, Is also Known for it's Maritime Heritage, Art and Architecture European Hotel Highlights Central and South America: What You Need To Know About Selling Quito, the Historic Capital City of Ecuador Pacific/Asia: Malaysia Seeks to Grow Tourism as it Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of it's Independence Spa Resort in Goa, India Caribbean: Venerable Jamaican Resorts Tryall Club and Half Moon Marry Contemporary Design and Old-Time Elegence Caribbean Deals Las Vegas: A Three-Day Itinerary for Your Gen-Y Clients Las Vegas News and Notes Hotels: Sandals' 6th Annual Star Awards Tours: Escorted and FIT Packages in Western Canada Cruise: Barging 101 Cover Story: Wyndham's Way Agent Profile: Casto Travel's Marc Casto Technology Transportation Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Carnival's Plans for the Future Fairmont Expands in Africa Liberty Travel/Gogo is Sold Turks and Caicos Developments The New River Cruise Line, Jewel How to Protect Yourself When a Tour Operator Shuts Down In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch Special Supplement: Destination Africa

Travel Agent - December 10, 2007

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