18th Discovery Thailand Travel Show Promotion 11th - 14th March 2010

 

The place to say "I LOVE YOU"... Away Resorts Valentines Packages

For package details please visit www.awayresorts.com or call +6626968239.

Economic Problems a Boom for Boutique Hotel Management

Astudo Hotel & Resort Group, Asia’s leading boutique hotel management company, discovers that the economic problems worldwide are proving to be a boom for hotel management services in the hospitality industry.Anthony McDonald, CEO of Astudo Hotel & Resort Group, believes that ”the majority of the boutique hotels and resorts are struggling in this hostile economic market and many owners are now faced with the difficult decision to either close their doors or look for professional management and in particular international sales and marketing expertise”. He added that “With larger international hotels slashing room rates, boutique and midsized hotels and resorts were getting squeezed by the big guys”.

In Thailand, tourism continues to suffer from economic and political problems, resulting in fierce competition amongst hotels. There was a flurry of investment into the boutique market over the last decade, but most resorts and hotels failed to adequately differentiate them self and carve out their own market position. There was a tendency for owners just to copy other hotels rather than think about the longer term positioning of the property. “Owners were able to still achieve adequate performance when the market was good, but now that things are tougher, they are suffering due to poorly conceived concepts” said McDonald.

In this situation owners of boutique and midsized properties are increasingly distressed; financially, physically and emotionally. That has spurred demand for independent professional hotel management companies that have greater marketing, sales and operational resources.

According to McDonald, “the smaller hotels are in the vicious circle of not having the size and scale to undertake international marketing and sales, and therefore they don’t achieve the necessary financial returns required to operate the business at competitive levels. Lack of cash flow means low staff capability, lower service standards, insufficient marketing etc.”

Often boutique hotels throughout the world are independently branded and operated, creating a difficult situation to achieve the required economies of scale. Astudo has developed an interesting solution of being able to apply its globally recognised brands and service standards to properties ranging from 4 rooms up to 200, turning difficult and sometimes unprofitable resorts and hotels into successful and rewarding enterprises for their owners.

The Astudo brands were created to assist boutique properties in achieving the advantages that are enjoyed by international chains, but without the need to have large room numbers and huge investments in facilities. “With years of experience and a dedicated team of professionals in every corner of the field, Astudo offers the complete scope of services to match the owners/investors' exact requirements” McDonald added.

Astudo Hotel & Resort Group is a regional Asia Pacific hotel management, development and consulting group. In addition to providing hotel consulting and management for boutique and mid size hotels and resorts from 50 to 250 rooms. The group offers consulting, feasibility, brokerage and development services for Hotel owners and investors.

For media enquiries please contact:
Piangporn Chaiphet (Ms.)
PR & Event Manager
Phone: +66 2696 8239
E-mail: pr@astudo.com

For more information, visit www.astudo.com

Away Resorts To Manage Pranburi Resort

Astudo Hotel & Resort Group, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and resort management companies, is proudly announcing the opening of Away Resort Pranburi, located in the beautiful province of Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Away Resort Pranburi, a beachfront boutique resort situated only 30 kilometres south of the popular beach town Hua Hin, offers a combination of four Thai-style villas, a 55-year-old traditional Thai teakwood house and swimming pool. The villas and the house, with facilities such as king-size beds, air-conditioning, indoor bathrooms and traditional outdoor garden showers, are spacious and well appointed for relaxation and ease. The resort, set in an oasis of tranquillity, offers outstanding views on a group of islands lying south on the eastern tip of Dolphin Bay, with the spectacular Sam Roi Yod National Park mountain ranges as a backdrop. The area between Pranburi and Hua Hin is famous for its large number of championship golf courses and its fair amount of National Parks.

Astudo Hotel & Resort Group already has three properties open under its Away Brand naming Away Koh Kood, Away Maerim Chiang Mai and Away Tusita Chumphon, another one in Koh Pha Ngan due to open in 2010 and one other in the pipeline.

About Away Resorts
Away resorts are the epitome of peaceful hideaways. All resorts offer guests every opportunity to truly slow down and enjoy their holiday but at the same time provide an interesting and unique array of activities and tours to provide a perfect balance for your holiday. A key hallmark of Away Resorts is their relaxed casual atmosphere, blended with high levels of individual service.

About Astudo
Astudo Hotel & Resort Group (www.astudo.com) is one of the top hotel management companies in Thailand. Astudo manages 4 brands with several properties in a growing portfolio. X2 Resorts (www.X2resorts.com), Thailand’s first designer hotel chain, first launched in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan and followed by Koh Samui, Suratthani. Away Resorts (www.awayresorts.com), Tropical Polynesian favour resorts, first launched in Koh Kood, Trat and followed by Chumphon, Chiang Mai, Pranburi and Koh Pha Ngan. Le Bayburi (www.lebayburi.com), Luxury private residences, first launched in Pranburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and followed by Koh Samui. The Case Hotels (www.thecasehotels.com), the new brand of urban business hotels with The Case Bangkok schedules to open in 2009.

For media and PR enquiries please contact:
Piangporn Chaiphet (Ms.)
PR & Events Manager
Phone: +66 2696 8239
E-mail: pr@astudo.com, piangporn@astudo.com

For more information, visit www.awayresorts.com and www.astudo.com

Experience Real Thailand In A Deeper Way Than Ever Before

Away Resorts Thailand, one of the four brands of Astudo Hotel and Resort Management, proudly announces the launch of the “Experience Real Thailand” at their Away Tusita Resort in Chumphon, located on the beautiful unspoiled beach of Had Arunothai in one of the most unique provinces in Thailand.

Due to the growing number of tourists demanding authentic holidays with a genuine Thai cultural experience, Away Tusita resort owner Khun Teerawut is hoping to exploit this niche and develop a new approach to excursions in Chumphon. Teerawut observed that “there is more to Thailand than sitting on the beach, so at Away Tusita Resort we have created a new concept to provide our guests with more of a ‘hands on experience’ to learn the true nature of Thai culture”. The innovative programs will offer guests a wide choice of activities and cultural insights ranging from fruit carving to night fishing and will go beyond the usual shows and tours to give tourists a deeper perspective into the Thai way of life.

With the ‘Experience Real Thailand’ guests of Away Tusita can now experience it firsthand themselves with active participation and emersion into the local communities and population. Night fishing from a boat with real Thai fishermen; exploring the life of a Thai monk by visiting a local temple; visiting a rubber or coffee plantation to experience the interesting methods of these ancient processes or cycling to the local villages and temples to experience the real local life in the neighbouring village Paktako.

These are alternation options of the extended program of activities around the province for guest to join every day during their stay at this stunning resort. A unique holiday opportunity to learn, feel and love Thailand in a deeper way than ever before.