Best Travel Brands 2008

Our readers vote in Asia's best business hotels, luxury resorts, spas, destinations, business cities, and the world's best airlines and airports. Here are the results of our 2008 "Best in Travel Poll".

YOU MAY NOT have noticed – being understandably distracted at check-out by the discreet charges for that nicked bathrobe and the ravishing “wife” who turned up at the back entrance at 2am – but hotel lobbies everywhere are awash with immaculate crystal engravings bearing ornate signatures for guests to marvel at. They attest to various accolades earned in assorted forums.

Yet, travel polls are a dodgy exercise at best of times. Ignorance, foibles, geography, access, poor spelling and outright deviousness often conspire to thwart any meaningful attempt to define preferences. Why would anyone vote for BXVRTNNGHQVX? Is that a BVLGARI accessory? Some, overly fortified by beer, vote in hotels as their “favourite budget airline”. We do of course track and eliminate inarticulate, if amusing, outpourings, as well as orchestrated “block” votes.

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Smart Travel Asia is the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine with over one million readers worldwide. We offer review-based editorial to help people make the choices best for them. Most often we simply listen to our readers. And this is what the SmartTravelAsia.com 2008 BEST IN TRAVEL POLL is all about, a distillation of our readers’ perceptions and favourite travel brands. Their vote is based on substantial hands-on travel experience, word-of-mouth at dinnertime chats, as well as an idea of the brand drawn from advertising and editorial exposure in the media, a great deal of this online.

The vote is based on hands-on travel experience, word-of-mouth, and an idea of the brand drawn from media exposure

Our poll ran for three key months May-July 2008. As in previous years, there was no alluring premium, no feel-good photo ops with the Brangelina twins. This is a poll aimed squarely at serious, frequent travellers, in the know.

On average, these voters took 15.51 air trips over the past 12 months and earned US$175,162 in household income. Approximately 60 percent were based in Asia (largely Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and the Middle East), 20 percent in UK/Europe and 20 percent in USA and North America. As many as 82.4 percent of voters said they draw their primary brand information from the Internet, with 13.6 percent looking to print media and 4.1 percent, television. An overwhelming 72.1 percent said that their primary interest online was quality “information and reviews” while 27.9 percent said they were seeking the “best prices”.

Here then, are the winners of the SmartTravelAsia.com 2008 BEST IN TRAVEL POLL. These lists of leading “aspirational” brands offer useful, not definitive, indicators of business and leisure travel preferences at the upper end of the market.

WORLDWIDE
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Singapore Airlines	1
2. Cathay Pacific Airways	2
3. Thai Airways International	3
4. Emirates	4
5. Virgin Atlantic	8
6. British Airways	5
7. Jet Airways	10
8. Japan Airlines	6
9. Malaysia Airlines	9
10. Lufthansa      Qantas	7 10

There were not too many surprises in the Best Airlines Worldwide category as the Asian heavyweights slugged it out – leaving most European contenders well behind. It came down, as before, to two dominant airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines to vie for top spot in this prized category. Ranked first in the Best Airlines Worldwide 2008 category was Singapore Airlines, which garnered a whopping 36.3 percent of the popular vote. SIA was ranked first in 2007 too albeit, at the time, with just 16 percent of the vote. Hong Kong rival Cathay Pacific Airways, which placed first back in 2006, dropped to a distant second place with 16 percent of the vote (up from 13.7 percent in 2007 but not enough to close the gap with Singapore Airlines). Cathay’s share of the vote in 2006 was a substantial 32.4 percent.

It is usually a close fight all around between these two premier Asian carriers. Singapore Airlines maintains a formidable brand image and, clearly, this combined favourably with its impeccable service, welcoming smiles and generally perceived English competence in-flight. The poll incorporated overall brand perceptions of staff, service, in-flight comfort, seat comfort, legroom, in-flight entertainment and business features. Above all it was a measure of systemwide airline consistency and dependability.

Coming in third in the Best Airlines Worldwide category (the same rank as in 2007 but with a higher proportion of votes – 15.3 percent – this time around) is smooth-as-silk Thai Airways International, a sliver short of CX. The airline has gone through considerable overhaul and upgrade with new aircraft, new livery, new long-haul routes, and enhanced inflight entertainment. Maintaining a steady cruise in fourth spot is UAE carrier Emirates (also ranked fourth in 2007). It managed to garner 11 percent of the vote. Fifth spot goes to perky Virgin Atlantic, up three notches from eighth place in 2007.

The best of the rest in the Top Ten comprises of, in rank order, British Airways in sixth place, India’s Jet Airways in seventh spot, Japan Airlines (JAL) in eighth place, Malaysia Airlines in ninth, and with tenth place shared by Lufthansa, the efficient German behemoth, and Qantas. The fastest climber was Jet Airways which moved up from tenth place in 2007, its substantial international route increase producing a visible impact.

See also our Business Class Seats comparisons story as well as our Economy Class Survey.

WORLDWIDE
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Singapore Airlines	-
2. Cathay Pacific Airways	-
3. Thai Airways International	-
4. Emirates	-
5. Jet Airways	-
6. Virgin Atlantic	-
7. Malaysia Airlines	-
8. Japan Airlines	-
9. British Airways      Lufthansa	-
10. Air New Zealand      Qantas      Qatar Airways	- - -

In the new category of Best Business Class Worldwide (introduced for the 2008 poll), the earlier trends continued with Singapore Airlines picking up top spot, again by a huge margin, with 41.3 percent of the total vote. Said one passionate Singaporean reader, “The [SIA] seat is about twice as wide as Cathay’s and the service is always great. I am not saying this because I am Singaporean but because I truly believe our national airline sets worldwide standards.”

Cathay Pacific was a distant second with 12.3 percent of the poll, this, despite a good voter turnout from Hong Kong. The new business class seats and herringbone configuration had much to do with this as reader letters poured in complaining about “cramped” space, and lack of elbowroom in the Cathay C Class cabin. One voter likened the new seats, albeit fully flat, to “coffins”. His letter went on to say, “Whoever designed this disaster should be seconded for the next 20 years to Cathay’s competitors to help bankrupt them.” The SIA seat, many pointed out, is almost double the width offered by other top airlines.

Weighing in a close third despite the lack of a fully flat business class seat (one reader commented that in turbulence the tendency was for passengers to slide off their angled seats), Thai Airways International polled 11.7 percent of the vote, just nipping distance of Cathay, while Emirates sailed into fourth with a handy 9.1 percent of the vote. As in earlier votes, the bulk of the mouse clicks went to the top five contenders with the remainder spread out thinly among over 100 international airlines. Jet Airways had a strong showing again with a fifth place finish and six percent of the vote. Jet Airways also utilises a herringbone seat configuration but its aisle-side partitions are cut away allowing more room for elbows and open newspapers. Said one delighted fan, “It’s about time an Indian carrier stepped up with a world class product.”

The rest of the Top Ten in descending order were, Virgin Atlantic in sixth place, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) in seventh, Japan Airlines (JAL) in eighth, British Airways (BA) and Lufthansa in joint ninth, and three quality airlines sharing the tenth position – long-haul master Air New Zealand, Qantas, and newly emerging Qatar Airways.

WORLDWIDE
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Singapore Airlines	1
2. Thai Airways International	3
3. Cathay Pacific Airways	2
4. Malaysia Airlines	4
5. Emirates	5
6. Jet Airways	-
7. Japan Airlines	8
8. Virgin Atlantic	6
9. British Airways     SriLankan Airlines	7 10
10. Philippine Airlines      Silkair	- 5

People certainly do count. Ask travellers what they remember about their last flight, and it will be the crew. Get a great crew and the airline is sure to score. Run into a crew on a bad-hair no-smiles day (or on a less preferred route) and all the money spent on image is immediately squandered. The aircraft may be a wheezing forty-something but a welcoming, responsive crew – who remember to serve that green tea as soon as the turbulence has passed – will change impressions in an instant.

On the prized service scorecard there was no doubt about the 2008 winner. The Best Cabin Service Worldwide 2008 award goes to Singapore Airlines (which has been ranked first in this category since 2006). SIA bagged 42 percent of the vote standing well above a field of over 100 international airlines. This made it a clean sweep in all relevant airline categories for the Singapore carrier. As one reader put it, “[SIA’s] cabin staff are relaxed, friendly, and very professional.” Coming in with a strong showing, climbing up one hard-fought spot to reach number two with 17.3 percent of the vote, is Thai Airways International. The airline’s brand image has continued to strengthen especially in the crucial service area and ready smiles in the cabin no doubt helped it along. One longtime Thai high-flier wrote to commend the “quick meal services on long-haul flights,” while another suggested more lower booking classes be permitted to earn air miles.

Cathay Pacific Airways, usually a steady performer in this category, garnered a useful but ultimately disappointing 12 percent of the vote to fly in third. This was a substantial drop for the airline, which ranked a strong second in 2007. An emerging complaint in some quarters was the seeming “inexperience” of new cabin staff and uneven “English comprehension” levels. Exclaimed one reader: “Whatever happened to Cathay’s friendly, cheerful multinational crew?” Ranked fourth for the Best Cabin Service Worldwide is Malaysia Airlines, popular with travellers for its not-too-expensive stopovers, with 8.7 percent of the vote. Ranked fifth is UAE’s Emirates with seven percent, holding on to the position it won in 2007.

Making up the best of the rest on the Top Ten for excellence in in-flight service, in descending order, are Jet Airways in sixth position, Japan Airlines in seventh, Virgin Atlantic in eighth place, British Airways and SriLankan Airlines in joint ninth, and Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Silkair sharing tenth spot.

Other airlines noted by readers for excellence in cabin service, included India’s Kingfisher Airlines, Air France, and the Australian national carrier Qantas.

The aircraft may be a wheezing forty-something, but a smiling, responsive crew will change impressions in an instant

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. AirAsia	1
2. Jetstar Asia	2
3. Nok Air	3
4. Tiger Airways	5
5. Cebu Pacific	6
6. Virgin Blue	8
7. Air Deccan	7
8. SpiceJet	9
9. Viva Macau	10
10. Hong Kong Express	-

The emergence of Asia’s new and remarkably popular budget airlines required the introduction of a brand new category in 2006. Our 2008 list has grown to include newcomers and reflects some egregious exits – Oasis Hong Kong, was one closely-watched long-haul carrier that wound up at the liquidator’s door. For families and even, sometimes, executives in a jam, cheap flights have come in handy, gradually opening up more and more of Asia, from capital cities to remote holiday or small corporate meeting locations that might otherwise have remained firmly off the map.

The Best Budget Airline in Asia poll is a broad measure of the newer airlines' ability to deliver not just low prices and cheap tickets, but also reliable schedules, decent service - and the occasional smile. Route network and access play a major role.

Leading the no-frills airlines pack, and by a wide margin, is feisty AirAsia with 30 percent of the vote (its share was 22 percent in 2007). As the signature red-tail airline that defined budget flights in Asia, it clearly outstripped its nearest rival with a convincing margin of 12 percent. Ranked second is Jetstar Asia, which has won increasing support for efficient service, assigned seating, and reliable operations. It polled a strong 22.5 percent (up from just 6.97 percent in 2007). Ranked third best Asian budget airline was Thai Airways feeder carrier Nok Air with 8.4 percent. Nok Air has made huge strides within Thailand and has recently added select regional flights. Nok Air was placed third in 2007 too.

Singapore-based Tiger Airways ranked fourth with Cebu Pacific in fifth. The remaining Asian budget airlines in the Top Ten in descending order were, Virgin Blue, Air Deccan, SpiceJet, Viva Macau and Hong Kong Express. More on these emerging low cost airlines in our Small Airlines of Asia story.

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Bali, Indonesia	1
2. Phuket, Thailand	2
3. Kerala, India	3
4. Maldives	5
5. Hong Kong	4
6. Bangkok, Thailand	6
7. Boracay, Philippines	7
8. Palawan, Philippines     Chiang Mai, Thailand	7 -
9. Angkor (Siem Reap), Cambodia	10
10. Koh Samui, Thailand      Rajasthan, India	8 6

Polling holiday destinations is always fun, but tricky. Dreams are peculiar to countries and communities. Just as the westernised Japanese race to the beach to revel in the sun, Indians head for shade and cool hill resorts. Shopping-mad Hongkongers head for the malls, Australians chase the surf and Brits sip Singapore slings in musty colonial retreats.

There were few surprises and no changes in the 2008 Top Three. Ranked first as the Best Holiday Destination in Asia with 14 percent of the vote (compared with 23.2 percent in 2007) is the other worldly “Island of the Gods”, Bali, Indonesia. The island ranked first on our poll in 2006 and 2007 too. Bali has retained its disarmingly honest and simple charm. It remains a peaceful ritual-minded Hindu enclave in a bustling Muslim country. Above all, despite the burgeoning ranks of the t-shirt vendors and temple touts, Bali still retains a great deal of authenticity. The percentage drop in the vote reflected not Bali’s demise, but a more evenly spread interest among voters in 2008. Still, Bali’s share – even as the rest of the vote was spread thinly among several competing destinations – is almost double its nearest rival.

Voted the second best destination for an Asian holiday was the eternally popular Thai island of Phuket, which garnered 7.6% of the vote. This island (linked by a bridge) was voted in second position in 2006 and 2007 as well. It held its position easily despite troubles in south Thailand and political uncertainties. Clearly, its string of wonderful beaches, fine food, nightlife and that special Thai can-do hospitality, remain a big draw for travellers. In general, Thailand remains a big favourite as our Top Ten List suggests.

Ranked third best Asian holiday destination (as in 2006 and 2007) is the South Indian idyll of Kerala, long a favourite of the get-away-from-it-all crowd. Known for its verdant rice paddy fields, cool mountains clad in mist-wreathed tea estates, beaches, and welcoming, literate, head-nodding population, Kerala is one of two Indian destinations in the 2008 Top Ten.

Following closely in fourth position (up one position from 2007) is the picture-postcard but expensive getaway of the Maldives with five percent of the vote. Basking in reflected glory, several Maldives resorts also polled well in other categories. Ranked fifth best Asian holiday destination is a neon-powered metropolis, the universally popular Hong Kong, one of two vibrant cities to rank as a top holiday destination. Hong Kong held sixth position in 2006 and ranked fourth in 2007. Doubtless, shopping was a major draw as underlined by the results for the “best cities for shopping” category. Hong Kong pulled 4.1 percent of the vote.

Ranked in sixth place is Bangkok (no change since 2007) with 3.8 percent, followed by Boracay in seventh spot and Palawan and Chiang Mai sharing eighth. Both Philippines destinations (Boracay and Palawan) fared well in 2007 too – jointly ranked seventh at the time. Angkor (Siem Reap, Cambodia) cruised into ninth place with Koh Samui and Rajasthan jointly bagging tenth.

Our poll revealed the continued dominance of Thailand as a "holiday brand" with four destinations in this Top Ten, and the strong emergence of India. Bali held top spot demonstrating that integrity can attract visitor votes, and dollars. This is a reassuring message in an age of instantly bottled and serially manufactured destinations where neon and crocodile shows push anything of substance right off the stage.

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Hong Kong	-
2. Bangkok, Thailand	-
3. Singapore	-
4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	-
5. Manila, Philippines	-
6. Tokyo, Japan	-
7. Shanghai, China	-
8. Hanoi, Vietnam	-
9. Seoul, Korea      Dubai, United Arab Emirates	- -
10. Shenzhen, China	-

With an ongoing surge in demand for shopping destinations we decided to go with the flow and added the “Best Cities for Shopping, Asia” category in the 2008 poll. At our online magazine SmartTravelAsia.com, four stories in constant demand are our surveys of shopping in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Bangkok. So whom did the punters favour when they whipped out their pens?

The No.1 spot in the Best City for Shopping in Asia category was a close fight between Hong Kong and Bangkok. In the end, Hong Kong pulled free to rank first with a convincing 25 percent of the vote, closely followed by Bangkok with 24 percent. Singapore trailed in third with 11.8 percent as the best of the rest vied for attention. Kuala Lumpur scrambled into fourth place with eight percent of the vote and Manila weighed in fifth.

In many respects the shopping interest mirrored the trend in business travel to these destinations. The strongest cities benefited most in the Battle of the Bulging Shopper Bag. Making up the rest of the Top Ten are Tokyo (in sixth place), Shanghai with its street carnival in seventh, Hanoi with its silk shops and alley bargains in eighth, Seoul and Dubai in joint ninth place and Shenzhen across the border of Hong Kong, in China, in a very respectable tenth spot. Shenzhen is often mistakenly assumed to be an extension of Hong Kong. It isn’t. It is a shopper destination in its own right with unusual offerings and attractive prices, not to mention the daylong massages for the shop-weary.

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Hong Kong	1
2. Singapore	2
3. Bangkok, Thailand	3
4. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	5
5. Sydney, Australia	6
6. Shanghai, China	4
7. Tokyo, Japan     Dubai, United Arab Emirates	7 9
8. Beijing, China	8
9. Taipei, Taiwan	-
10. Seoul, Korea      Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam	10 -

The Top Three positions in the 2008 Best City for Business in Asia category remained unchanged from 2007. Leading the fray, with 24 percent of the vote is Hong Kong. This super city, often attracting flak for its impersonal attitude, secured a high total (though not quite as massive as the 50 percent of the vote in 2007), only just ahead of closest rival Singapore, which cruised into second with 23 percent (up from 13.3 percent in 2007). Yes, in Hong Kong, things work. Telephones, transport and taxis are a doddle. And coming in third with 13.4 percent is Bangkok, the “City of Angels” where the BTS Skytrain and Underground Metro have suddenly transformed the business landscape. All three cities have held the same positions since 2006.

The Best City for Business category took in perceptions and actual experiences of business travellers in dealing with a range of factors like efficiency of transport and general services, signposting, hotels, airport and so on. Clearly, cities with efficient airports and good hotels offer the sort of executive “infrastructure” required to pull ahead of the pack. In many ways, this then, is an overall city award from voters travelling over 15 times a year, largely on business within the region.

Fast growing Kuala Lumpur – no more a “village”, as Singaporeans sometimes like to sniff – is ranked fourth with a handy 11 percent saying “aye”, climbing up one rung, with Sydney weighing in at fifth with six percent of the vote. Shanghai with its aggressive can-do attitude polled as the sixth best Asian business city (dropping two positions) while inscrutable Tokyo and burgeoning Dubai shared a joint seventh spot. Olympic host city Beijing ranked eighth (the same position is held in 2007), with Taipei in ninth place and Seoul and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in joint tenth.

WORLDWIDE
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Singapore Changi Airport	2
2. Hong Kong International Airport	1
3. Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok	4
4. Kuala Lumpur International Airport	3
5. Incheon International Airport, Korea	5
6. Pudong International Airport, China	6
7. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands	7
8. Beijing International Airport	-
9. Zurich Airport, Switzerland	9
10. Frankfurt Airport, Germany      Koh Samui Airport, Thailand	10 8

Airports: love ‘em, hate ‘em, never vote for them. Our frequent traveller readers should know the score and they voted en masse, picking from a field of over one hundred airports around the world in our Best Airports Worldwide category. Indisputably top of their list as the first choice, is Singapore Changi Airport, which secured a solid 33 percent of the vote to propel it upwards from second in 2007 (then with 16.8 percent of the votes). Clearly, the shopping facilities, greenery, and colour – as well as the addition of gleaming Terminal 3 – have made Changi a formidable competitor.

Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok secured 14.6 percent of the vote (a drop from 22.4 percent in 2007) to secure second position. Hong Kong airport (which ranked first in 2006) was comfortably clear of third-ranked rival, Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok, a vast improvement on the old Don Muang Airport. Suvarnabhumi picked up a solid 10.5 percent of the votes indicating it has sorted out much of its earlier teething issues. It improved by one position over 2007.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport, a glass-and-steel marvel with sunshine streaming in to spotlight wooded reserves sailed into fourth spot (dropping one position). KLIA garnered 4.9 percent of the total votes cast. This being a worldwide category, the choices are practically unlimited with a lot of split in the vote. Ranked fifth best airport in the world is the gleaming and futuristic Incheon International Airport (Seoul), with Pudong International Airport (Shanghai) in sixth place. These are followed by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in seventh, Beijing International Airport in eighth, Zurich Airport in ninth and Frankfurt Airport sharing tenth place with the breezy, irreverent Koh Samui International Airport (which dropped several positions from number four in 2006 but remains a surprising and welcome member of the Top Ten club).

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. The Peninsula Hong Kong	2
2. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong	5
3. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore	3
4. Island Shangri-La Hong Kong	1
5. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore	11
6. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong	7
7. InterContinental Hong Kong	6
8. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong	6
9. Four Seasons Hotel Singapore     Conrad Bangkok	8 4
10. Grand Hyatt Shanghai      Shangri-La Hotel Singapore	9 -
11. Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai      Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok	14 -
12. JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong	10
13. JW Marriott Hotel, Bangkok	15
14. Shangri-La Makati, Manila	14
15. Hilton Kuala Lumpur Hotel     Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok	12 8
16. The Peninsula Manila	17
17. The Westin Chosun, Seoul     Hotel Imperial, Kuala Lumpur	13 -
18. Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur	20
19. The Sukhothai Bangkok     Mandarin Oriental Tokyo	21 -
20. The Westin Bund Centre Shanghai      The Grand Formosa Regent Taipei	25 -
21. Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City     The Oberoi New Delhi	25 23
22. Conrad Hong Kong     The St Regis, Singapore	18 -
23. Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Méridien Hotel, Bangkok     Sofitel Wanda Beijing     Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur	22 - -
24. The Ritz-Carlton Beijing     The Peninsula Tokyo     InterContinental Bangkok	- - 16
25. Dusit Thani Bangkok     The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai     Hilton Hanoi Opera	- - 21

Given Hong Kong’s financial pre-eminence, and brutal efficiency, it is perhaps not surprising that as many as six of the Top Ten hotels in the Best Business Hotels of Asia poll are from this one city alone. Still, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai and even Kuala Lumpur, put up a fight. And, in 2008, dominating business traveller preferences, was a return to classic style, and heritage. Given the large number of potential properties in each hotel category – a potential field of over 800 – voting is considerably split with very tight margins. Several hotels have been common-ranked in the 2008 tabulation as a result.

Pulling away from the general field as the Best Asian Business Hotel is the grand and classic The Peninsula Hong Kong. The hotel ranked second in 2007. This gracious property with its rococo gilt-work lobby and old-world charm – married to a once-controversial tower block that also hosts a popular penthouse bar and restaurant – dominates the central Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Being located on the “other” side of Hong Kong harbour has not prevented this fine hotel from forging ahead, and with some excellent views to boot.

The spanking “new” (but reassuringly old-world and well marbled) Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, back with a spring in its stride after a long refurbishment hiatus, is ranked second. Its dramatic return despite the long closure reflects the loyalty of its “fan” club as well as positive feedback for its remodelled restaurants, new interiors and swish spa. The Mandarin – a longtime Hong Kong favourite – climbed up briskly from fifth spot in 2007.

Ranked a close third – and breaking the Hong Kong monopoly – is the stately and colonial, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. This grand hotel, a popular venue for posh functions and starched business travellers, held on to its No. 3 position from 2007. A former post office, The Fullerton, with its soaring Doric columns, atrium lobby and splendid dining facilities was ranked fourth in 2006. It is now firmly ensconced in the Top Three and with good reason. This splendid Singapore business hotel breaks the myth that business travellers go for a “standardised” and dull experience. The Fullerton also enjoyed the added distinction of coming in as the best business hotel in Singapore, well outclassing the competition.

Brisk, and well located, the Island Shangri-La Hong Kong secured fourth place. It ranked first in 2006 and 2007. The Island Shangri-La enjoys an excellent location, close to offices, major financial centres, and glitzy if expensive shopping at the Pacific Place mall. It also offers some fine dining venues, some with harbour views, like the classic top-floor restaurant Petrus that also boasts one of the most extensive wine lists in Asia.

One of the fastest climbers in this category is The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore. It leapfrogged six positions from eleventh in 2007 to fifth place in the 2008 poll, reflecting both the growing importance of Singapore as a business hub as well as its own hallmark service. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore breaks with tradition to offer a futuristic architectural style, breezy, modern, even funky, and littered with art, though it is all served up in its usual understated manner. Rooms offer classical elegance and the spa is a big draw.

This year, as in the past, the voting trend continued to favour old world over new, and personalised touches

In sixth position is the ever-popular Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. It climbed one spot from seventh in 2007. The hotel offers acres of gleaming black marble, fine F&B, great convention space, wraparound harbour views and the Plateau Spa. Its proximity to the Hong Kong Conventions and Exhibition Centre is an added plus. In seventh spot (dropping one notch) is the InterContinental Hong Kong that gazes regally across the harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui. The InterContinental has proved the “other side” can wield business clout too. This Hong Kong business hotel offers an airy lobby with spectacular harbour and island views, smart rooms, a grand presidential suite, and excellent service.

Ranked eighth in Asia is the ultra-modern and minimalist Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, joined at the hip to the swank IFC shopping and business towers. The hotel offers HUGE views across the harbour and has a spa to boot. Jointly placed ninth are the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore that offers a boutique, clubby environment close to Orchard Road, and the stylish silk-and-wood Conrad Bangkok that continues to turn pin-striper heads as a business, leisure and conference hotel. The Conrad Bangkok also has the distinction of being ranked as the best business hotel in Bangkok.

And closely following in joint tenth position are the towering, sky-piercing Grand Hyatt Shanghai overlooking the Bund, and the spacious and welcoming garden escape, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore. Others on our Top 25 List have earned this distinction out of a field of well over 800 prime candidates.

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Amanpuri, Phuket	1
2. Amandari, Bali	3
3. Sofitel Metropole Hanoi	9
4. The Legian Bali	4
5. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay	2
6. Grand Hyatt Bali     The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur	6 7
7. Bulgari Resort Bali	13
8. Conrad Maldives, Rangali Island	8
9. Soneva Gili by Six Senses, Maldives     Amankila, Bali     Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru	10 14 -
10. One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai     Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai	19 -
11. The Datai, Langkawi	5
12. Twinpalms Phuket     El Nido Resort Lagen Island, Palawan	14 15
13. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa	15
14. Anantara Maldives Resort & Spa	-
15. InterContinental Bali Resort	-
16. Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai	16
17. The Chedi Chiang Mai	20
18. The Oriental Bangkok	12
19. The Imperial New Delhi     The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam	25 -
20. The Sukhothai, Bangkok	17
21. Banyan Tree Phuket      Alila Ubud, Bali	19 24
22. Le Méridien Angkor, Siem Reap	-
23. Neemrana Fort-Palace, Rajasthan      Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang	24 -
24. Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor      Indigo Pearl, Phuket	23 -
25. The Venetian Macao      The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Brunei	- 12

Perhaps the most romantic and coveted award is that of the Best Leisure Hotel & Resort in Asia, evoking visions of wondrous sun-dappled far pavilions, unblemished service and endless grape-fed pampering on white-sand beaches. Here again, out of a field of over 1,000, options were unlimited but readers narrowed things down, picking a range of resorts in diverse locations as well as a few signature city hotels that made the cut.

Ranked the Best Leisure Hotel/Resort in Asia, is the exquisitely-fashioned wood-and-silk Amanpuri, Phuket, whose Thai-style villas spill luxuriously down a coconut grove to one of the island’s best beaches. Amanpuri was voted in first place in 2007 too. It has held on to this position with the aid of the first ever Aman Spa by Amanresorts, a facility occupying a breezy promontory away from the resort villas to ensure privacy and space. The charming yet understated Amanpuri was aided in this vote by the continued popularity of Phuket as a top holiday getaway.

In second position (up one notch from third in 2007) is the atmospheric and faithfully traditional Amandari, Bali. Perched above Ubud’s Ayung River gorge, the resort’s private villa compounds wander down manicured green acres past a cliff-edge emerald pool towards the sacred waters of the river below. Amandari is authentic, uncluttered and a genuine retreat. Amandari was ranked first by SmartTravelAsia.com readers in 2006.

Not far behind and racing up to third place is an iconic city hotel, the Vietnam grand dame, the Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (ninth in 2007). This is a white, starched, colonial-era hotel with inviting nooks and corners, splendidly positioned right across from the much-photographed Opera House. It is one of those rare hotels that successfully combine business amenities and meetings options with a sense of romance.

Surfing in fourth on the back of the huge Bali wave and lending a contemporary chic feel to the happening Seminyak Beach area is The Legian Bali. This getaway has been popular with honeymooners and romantics, offering sports, spa facilities and a private club. The Legian was ranked 11th in 2006 and fourth in 2007. This is a hip and happening alternative to quieter classical villa retreats.

Ranked the second best Asian resort in 2007 (and 2006) and nudging down modestly to fifth position in 2008 is a huge Bali icon, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. This is a larger property perched atop a breezy hillside overlooking a long coastal stretch. Four Seasons offers elegant villas, several with private pools, spa treatments and panoramic views.

Sharing sixth spot are the refurbished Grand Hyatt Bali with extended conference and spa facilities, and The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, in Rajasthan, India. The Grand Hyatt Bali has been a mainstay of family holidays in Bali since its inception, with a battery of swimming pools and vast hectares of landscaped garden. It now sports a fine dedicated spa and extended meetings facilities. Udaivilas, in contrast, represents a classical ideal, soft ochre domes and colonnaded archways that seemingly float above the lake. Udaivilas climbs up one spot from 2007.

Ranked seventh (up from 13th in 2007) is the stylish and hip Bulgari Resort Bali, almost a Lan Kwai Fong by the Sea, to use a Hong Kong metaphor. Ultra chic, yet friendly, modern, yet maintaining a strong classical style, this is an exclusive escape for honeymooners and the smart set. The spa is a big attraction. Ranked eighth is the rebranded Conrad Maldives on Rangali Island. Sited in a breathtaking picture-postcard setting with emerald waters and sugar-white beaches, this large island resort was earlier a new-generation Hilton. It offers stilted over-water villas, a tremendous spa experience, and water sports to suit all tastes.

Sharing joint ninth place are the soothingly elegant Soneva Gili by Six Senses, Maldives (up one position from 10th) with its over-water stilted villas; fellow Indian Ocean rival, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru; and swish cliffside Amankila Bali (up from 14th place in 2007). And jointly ranked tenth are swish Arabian Nights fantasy One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai (up from 19th in 2007), and the classic Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai. Spa specialist Mandarin is set in rice fields and its architecture mimics the ancient Thai heritage style complete with soaring spires, courtyards and scented trees. Others on our Top 25 List in this category have earned this distinction out of a field of well over 1,000 prime candidates.

The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam, Le Meridien Angkor, Indigo Pearl, Phuket, and the sprawling The Venetian, Macao, are newcomers to our Top 25 List. Another hotel that found mention but just missed the cut is the stately E & O Hotel, Penang (or Eastern & Oriental Hotel). One reader described it thus: “Not over-the-top luxury, professional yet informal staff, sadly underrated and often overlooked.”

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Conrad Maldives, Rangali Island	2
2. The Ritz-Carlton, Bali Resort & Spa	1
3. The Peninsula Bangkok	3
4. Four Seasons Resort Bali At Jimbaran Bay, Bali	4
5. Amanpuri, Aman Spa, Phuket    Six Senses Hideaway Samui	5 7
6. Banyan Tree Phuket     Bulgari Resort Bali	7 10
7. Soneva Gili by Six Senses, Maldives	5
8. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa	9
9. Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai	8
10. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong     Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai	8 13
11. Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang	11
12. COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri, Bali	10
13. Pangkor Laut Resort	6
14. The Tongsai Bay, Koh Samui	11
15. InterContinental Bali Resort	18
16. The Oriental Bangkok	12
17. Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok     Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai	- 8
18. Le Méridien Khao Lak Beach & Spa Resort	20
19. Sofitel Centara Grand Resort & Villas, Hua Hin      One&Only Maldives At Reeti Rah      Chiva-Som Resort Hua Hin	13 - 20
20. Conrad Bali Resort & Spa, Bali      Royal Pita Maha, Bali	12 24
21. Plaza Athénee Bangkok, A Royal Méridien Hotel      Hotel Tugu Bali	17 24
22. Ananda in the Himalayas, Rishikesh      Mandala Spa Boracay	21 -
23. Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai	15
24. Conrad Bangkok      The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong	10 23
25. Mandarin Oriental Tokyo	-

Any modern traveller worth his salt will be unable to string three sentences together without the word “spa resort” tossed in here or there, somewhere, anywhere. Spas have attained a certain cachet, so much so that just about every place with a mug and running water claims to be a spa resort. Not so. The arts are ancient – and specific – even if the delivery is modern and the setting contemporary. On then to our Top 25 List of the Best Asian Spa Resorts.

A clear favourite in the Best Spa Hotel of Asia category, is the rebranded Conrad Maldives, Rangali Island. It was formerly a Hilton and ranked first worldwide in 2006 and second in 2007. It is back up strongly at No.1, straddling two separate islands connected by a walkway. The Spa Retreat offers water villas and treatment rooms. But, for a true-blue marine experience, head five metres below to an exclusive wine cellar and a glassed-in underwater restaurant. The public areas are stylish, fraternal, and informal with sand underfoot. Service is friendly and quick despite the larger number of guests here when the resort gets busy.

The sprawling The Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort & Spa is ranked second (it won the top spot in 2007). This breezy and secluded retreat features its own 22,000sq m hydrotherapy resort within a resort. At the Thermes Marins Bali, amidst the gardens and water-features, are the spa villas and a huge "aquatonic” pool.

The luxurious riverside The Peninsula Bangkok was voted a strong third (the same position it occupied in 2007). The hotel’s spa is a joint development with the spa consultancy ESPA and occupies a characterful three-storey Thai colonial-style building overlooking the river and set at the back of the hotel’s gardens and stepped swimming pools. It has several treatment rooms, including four rooms for couples.

Voted fourth Best Spa Hotel in Asia is the elegant Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, sited on a verdant headland with open views along Jimbaran Bay. The Spa at Jimbaran Bay is near the sea and utilises sea-salt crystals, seaweed and natural ingredients. In joint fifth place are the quintessentially Thai Amanpuri, Phuket, and its Aman Spa (the first by Amanresorts), and the Six Senses Hideaway Samui
 (formerly known as the Sila Evason Hideaway & Spa), set on a secluded headland to the north of Samui Island with cinemascope views of the sea and brilliant monsoon sunsets.

Ranked joint sixth in the Best Asian Spa Hotels category is veteran spa icon Banyan Tree Phuket – a sprawling compound of pampered luxury in the family-friendly Laguna Phuket enclave. Banyan Tree Phuket was ranked second in 2006 and seventh in 2007). It is the spa getaway that started the rubdown excitement with its stylishly Thai spa villas and authentic treatments, now almost an industry. Golf on the side remains a big draw.

Joint sixth with Banyan Tree Phuket is the new Bulgari Resort Bali, a supremely chilled-out designer getaway with cool touches, elegant black stone underfoot and cosy snuggeries for honeymooners. The Spa at the Bulgari Resort Bali offers an upscale yoga pavilion, relaxation lounge, six treatment rooms and two Royal Pavilions where couples can savour plunge pools, a private garden and stimulating rain showers. In between enjoy views of leggy models strolling the cliffside pool “catwalk”.

Soneva Gili by Six Senses is in seventh (down a couple of notches from No.5 in 2007). The place is engagingly eccentric, close to Malé, the capital island. Rooms here are born of fantasy, self-contained timbered enclaves sprouting from a lagoon. At the top end are the Private Reserves and Crusoe Residences. Some villas require a rowboat to shuttle you around. What could be better than that? Of course, the Six Senses Spa.

These days every place with a mug and running water claims to be a spa, but our readers quickly separated class from crass

Ranked eighth is a longtime Phuket favourite, albeit far to the north of the island on Mai Khao Beach, the JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa. This is an all-in-one resort with tremendous kids’ facilities, conferencing, an eco-friendly disposition, and a dedicated spa where treatments can go on for a lifetime. The spa has several treatment suites and offers menus for one or two, including herbal wraps and facials, Thai herbal steam and a selection of baths. The JW placed ninth in 2007 and has gained a position over the year.

Placed ninth is the majestic Thai heritage recreation, the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai, an essay in Northern Thai fantasy set amidst lush rice paddy fields with a strong spa suite. And closing out the Top Ten are two members of the Four Seasons family – the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. The Chiang Mai resort gained three positions (it was ranked 13th in 2007), while Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong dropped two spots from 8th in 2007. The ultra-modern Hong Kong setting offers fabulous harbour views, while Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai is Lanna Thai architecture at its best, set in verdant countryside in the scenic Mae Rim Valley, north Thailand, with functioning rice fields to the left and right. The spa offers seven treatment suites with outdoor showers and herbal steam rooms.

Others on our Top 25 List in this category have earned this distinction out of a field of well over 1,000 prime candidates.

ASIA
2008 Rank	2007 Rank
1. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong	1
2. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore	3
3. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore	6
4. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong	5
5. Raffles Hotel Singapore	7
6. The Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong	4
7. Conrad Bangkok     Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok	2 -
8. Sofitel Metropole Hanoi     Millennium Hilton, Bangkok Hotel	8 -
9. Sheraton Hanoi Hotel	10
10. Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai     Dusit Thani Bangkok	9 11
11. Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket     Conrad Hong Kong	14 10
12. JW Marriott Hotel, Hong Kong	11
13. Shangri-La Hotel Singapore      The Ritz-Carlton Bali	- 22
14. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok	13
15. Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok	12
16. JW Marriott Hotel, Bangkok	16
17. The Westin Beijing Financial Street	-
18. Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur	19
19. InterContinental Bangkok	16
20. Grand InterContinental Seoul	13
21. The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta	-
22. Conrad Tokyo	13
23. The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai	24
24. Grand Formosa Regent, Taipei	-
25. Sofitel Wanda Beijing	-

The Best Conference Hotels of Asia category was hotly contested with several familiar faces from the “Best Business Hotels” section featuring again, albeit in different guise and altered positions. The first five spots were very closely fought with marginal differences in the vote.

The Best Conference Hotel in Asia, however, without a doubt is the gleaming black-marble Grand Hyatt Hong Kong (ranked first in 2007 and second in 2006). Despite coping with large numbers especially when there’s a conference in the neighbouring Convention Centre, the hotel maintains a brisk manner with courteous staff. It is followed in second spot by the stately and very grand The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (which ranked third in 2007 and fifth in 2006). This is a sprawling colonial-style experience with crisp service and evocative architecture.

The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore is a seemingly unstoppable third (up three spots from sixth in 2007 and eighth in 2006), its upward progression aided in part due to its position close to good conferencing venues and excellent in-house meetings facilities away from the traffic and hubbub of the Orchard Road area. The modern and minimalist Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong ranks fourth with the Raffles Hotel Singapore coming in fifth (up two places from seventh in 2007). The Raffles is of course a colonial confection worth a visit in any event, conference or not, and is most flatteringly depicted in the late evening when the uplights streak on.

The Island Shangri-La Hong Kong is a strong sixth (but dropping two positions from 2007) with an excellent location for work or pleasure, and seventh spot is jointly shared by the elegant Conrad Bangkok (second in 2007) and the extremely well situated Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok. Bangkok features again as a popular choice for conference hotels with the riverside Millennium Hilton Bangkok Hotel placed joint eighth along with the stunning heritage Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (which occupied the same position in 2007).

Still in Vietnam, it’s the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel that ranks ninth in the Best Conference Hotels of Asia category (up one rung from tenth in 2007). Sited on a lake with a resort feel this is a popular conference choice with an away-from-it-all appeal. And in tenth place are the Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai with its vast acres of conferencing and function space, and the refurbished Dusit Thani Bangkok, now even more “centrally” located with an underground metro stop and a BTS SkyTrain station both within a few metres of its doors. The “new” Dusit is all spit and polish with a fresh spring to its stride.

Others on our Top 25 List in this category on the accompanying chart have earned this distinction out of a field of well over 800 prime hotel candidates. The vote is in. Check out these excellent spas, hotels, resorts, cities, airports, and airlines. You never know, you may be in line to experience some award-winning service.

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