Dusit Hotel awarded best
in Manila for two consecutive years
Dusit Thani Manila redefines the benchmark of product and service excellence in the hotel industry, as it received the Best City Hotel award having captured the inspiration of creating heaven on earth.
Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, Dusit International founder, said, "In the early 1900’s King Rama VI of Thailand envisaged a wondrous utopia, a town in heaven called Dusit Thani. For over 60 years it has been the inspiration for all we do."
It inspired them to make an experience of heaven that they create for its guests at every moment of everyday.
"It’s an overwhelming recognition, as there were no pre-nominated contenders for this award…. It’s amazing to note that the public has Dusit Thani Manila on top of their minds", said general manager Prateek Kumar.
All readers of TTG Asia, TTG China, TTGmice, TTG-BTmice China, and TTG TravelHub.net Daily News were invited to vote their favorite travel and tourism organizations under the Travel Supplier and Travel Agent Awards Category between June and August, 2009.
More than 43,000 votes were received from TTG readers across Asia-Pacific who participated in the print and online voting exercise this year.
The award is bestowed to excellent organizations of the travel trade within the Asia Pacific region that have displayed a strengthened thrust towards service excellence.
The award was given during the 20th TTG Annual Travel Awards 2009 at the Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, Bangkok, Thailand recently.
"Having been awarded for the 2nd time in a row as TTG’s Best City Hotel - Manila is indeed a privilege and a concrete manifestation of our partners’ great confidence in our undisputed high quality of service and product," added Kumar.
Dusit hotel is also greatly known for its location where an outstanding business and leisure centre is within reach.
Situated in the heart of the premiere financial district, in Makati, Dusit Thani Manila also takes pride in being an active partner of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in promoting the Philippines as an ideal destination for leisure and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions).
The hotel has completed its renovation, and currently has 538 guest rooms designed to offer ultimate guest comfort and satisfaction. All guest rooms are equipped with the latest technology which includes broadband Internet access and LCD flat screen television.
Thani Manila hotel spent $20 million to have a new look on the lobby area, which now has a touch of royalty because of the gold lift; its buffet restaurant, Japanese Umu boasts of being in the top 4 in terms of design among restaurants in the whole world, and its spa is truly one of a kind.
The world renowned Umu, looks like a market place with different rooms to cater to the needs of its clients.
The hotel offers five specialty restaurants serving authentic Thai, Japanese, Italian, Filipino, Asian and International cuisine that will satisfy even the most discriminating palate.
For leisure, the hotel offers outdoor swimming pools for adults and kids, a fitness center called DFiT and the Devarana Spa.
Dusit Thani Manila boasts of its Grand Ballroom that can accommodate from 800 up to 1,000 guests and 9 boardrooms with complete banqueting facilities and amenities.
Dusit International guests can now enjoy all the benefits from 14 of its valued travel partners, which include Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, China Eastern, Air France, Lufthansa, ANA, Qatar, United Airlines, and British Airways who can accumulate mileage when booking the qualifying rates.
The average occupancy rate last year was 73 to 74 percent. Its top 3 markets are Japanese, American and local Filipinos, who stay in the hotel for 2 to 3 days.
Dusit Thani Manila sees a flat growth for this year due to the global economic crisis.
Kumar said "we closed on a positive note last year. This year, is a very challenging year. But with the hotel’s new lifts, and excellence in service, we hope to achieve at least the same level of revenues last year."
He earlier said there are many opportunities in the country as, travelers would not go on with long haul travel that takes 8 to 10 hours, but would rather choose shorter routes because of cost cuts.
"We are promoting RP, as well as our hotel in Taiwan, Korea, and Singapore. We know that people would still travel, with or without crisis," he said.
Dusit also sees India as another huge market.