TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Centara Grand Mirage Beach opens in Pattaya

Pinnacle wins prestigious award


Centara Grand Mirage Beach opens in Pattaya

(L to R) Suthikiati Chirathivat, executive board chairman of Central Plaza Hotel (Public) Co., Ltd., Tourism and Sports Minister Chumphol Silpa-archa, Vanchai Chirathivat, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Centara Hotels & Resorts, and Suthichai Chirathivat celebrate the grand opening.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya’s first themed 5-star hotel officially opened to guests Nov. 1 as the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Pattaya welcomed a slate of dignitaries to its “Lost World.”
Tourism and Sports Minister Chumphol Silpa-archa led the procession of government and business leaders in opening the 555-room resort built on the site of the former Central Wong Amat Hotel and Resort in Naklua Nov. 1.
Chumpol said Pattaya has long been famous for being the most-attractive tourism destination on the Eastern Seaboard because of the private investments from companies like Centara, which is part of the Central group of hotels and shopping malls. The minister said Centara has set an example for others by creating “unique” properties.
While the new resort is decorated in contemporary Thai style, its grounds follow the theme of the Stephen Spielberg’s “Lost World” dinosaur epic. While there are no giant lizards, the lush jungle look and direct beachfront access recall the idyllic island depicted in the film.
Centara, in fact, is the only hotel in Pattaya with direct beach access. It covers 230 meters of sand and includes a beachfront water park.
Suthikiati Chirathivat, executive board chairman of Central Plaza Hotel (Public) Co., Ltd., noted that the Central group had built and operated the Central Wong Amat from 1998 to 2005. But executives realized that with Pattaya now only 90 minutes from Bangkok International Airport, the city’s new potential was to become a Meeting Incentive Convention and Exhibition destination for government and private industry. As such, the company built a new resort that affords luxury to tourists, but also serves as a premier MICE destination.
The hotel consists of two towers with all rooms having an ocean view. Facilities include specially designed bathtubs, rain showers, flat-screen TVs, satellite television, DVD players, and more. There are 130 Grand Mirage Duplex and Royal Suite rooms with internal staircases large enough for eight people.

Executives and honored guests turn to watch
 the spectacular grand opening of the Centara Grand Mirage.


Pinnacle wins prestigious award

Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa was recently awarded the ITS Red Star Award. The presentation took place during the annual Product Presentation on the sunny island of Mallorca/Spain, which was attended by more than 600 hoteliers and 2,000 travel agents.

Receiving the award on behalf of Pinnacle Hotels, Resorts & Spas was the group’s general manager, Ingo G. Raeuber (right), seen here with Juergen Tyralla (left), ITS’s regional representative for the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand.

The award was purely based on positive and negative guest comments, and Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa was one of only 60 hotels being honored out of 4,000 properties worldwide.
Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa was the only hotel awarded with the ITS Red Star Award in South East Asia, facing tough competition from popular destinations such as Phuket, Samui, Hua Hin, Bali, Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, Hong Kong and Singapore.