Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts Continues Expansion in Thailand with Grand Opening of Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa
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Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts Continues Expansion in Thailand with Grand Opening of Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa
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Category: Asia Pacific - Thailand - Industry economy
- Hotel opening
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2011-10-03
First Le Méridien in Koh Samui opens its doors to a new perspective in travel
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce that Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa has officially opened to guests and visitors. Located on an idyllic stretch of exclusive Lamai Beach, Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa is a chic and intimate resort with a unique blend of stylish amenities, luxury services, an inspiring atmosphere and rich, cultural experiences that offers guests a new perspective.
Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa goes beyond the traditional five-star hotel experience and invites guests to discover more than just a new destination – to experience a new perspective with a focus on contemporary art and cuisine.
The resort is an idyllic enclave on exclusive Lamai Beach – on the eastern side of the island away from busy Chaweng beach, but with equally close proximity to the airport and island attractions. Inspired by Koh Samui’s timeless beauty and diverse cultural influences, Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa features an intimate selection of 77 stylish suites and villas arranged in the footprint of a traditional Asian seaside village. Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa is also introducing the signature arrival experience programme; an inspiring restaurant concept: Latest Recipe; and the chic lobby lounge bar Latitude 9 well as the hotel’s poolside Plunge Bar. For guests seeking retreat, Le Méridien Koh Samui offers a world-class luxury spa with private suites and a holistic mix of ancient and modern treatments. A main focal point of the resort is the 224-meter floating dock over the Gulf of Thailand, a unique and inspired venue for private dinners, celebratory cocktail parties, and intimate receptions.
“Come enjoy Koh Samui like it’s never been experienced,” said Lyndon Ellis, General Manager of Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa. “While we enjoy convenient proximity to all of Koh Samui’s exciting hotspots and beaches, Le Méridien also offers an idyllic retreat of wellness and culture – with extraordinary offerings that are unique to the island and the region.”
“This is yet another great piece of news for valued members of Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ award-winning loyalty program – Starwood Preferred Guest. Members can now earn and redeem points at another magnificent destination in Thailand,” added Lyndon.
The New Perspective Starts Upon Arrival
In conjunction with its opening, Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa has unveiled a signature arrival experience for its guests featuring "The Sampan's Diary," a custom artwork created locally for Le Méridien. A long, multidimensional piece that leads the guest to the hotel's front entrance, The Sampan's Diary is a poem painted with Chinese characters on cobblestones that tells the story of a Chinese migrant's journey to a faraway land. Running parallel, a 32-meter elevated and LED-illuminated resin panel strip is engraved with 'Inner Waves 01', an artwork contribution from LM100 Artist Hisham Bharoocha. The artworks are designed to reset the guest's experience upon arrival; inviting them to leave the outside world behind and open their minds a new experience in the world of Le Méridien.
Once through the hotel doors, guests will be enveloped by Le Méridien brand’s signature scent, sound and use of light. Eddie Roshi and Fabrice Penot, LM100 members and founders of Le Labo, the innovative perfume house with stores in New York, Paris, Los Angeles and Tokyo, have created LM01, an exclusive signature scent for Le Méridien hotels. The scent is based on a construction inspired by Meridian lines and will help guests recall memories and create a sense of comfort and home.
A final component of the arrival experience is the Le Méridien UNLOCK ART programme, which includes an artist-designed key card collection that offers access to more than the guest’s hotel room. Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa’s keycards have been created by LM100 members including Sam Samore, Yan Lei and Hisham Baroocha, and are intended to become a collector’s item that also grants guests preferred access to one of Koh Samui’s most treasured cultural institutions – the Nakari-Huathanin Shrine, built at the turn of the 18th century.
Inspired Design & Accommodations
Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa was designed with Feng Shui principles in mind to be a place that preserves beauty, celebrates history and culture, enhances prosperity, and creates physical and spiritual happiness. This elemental principle is woven throughout the resort’s buildings, amenities and offerings. The arrival lobby is the hub of the resort, a social center designed for mingling and celebration. Offering Illy coffee by day, and an international selection of wines by night, guests are invited to the hub to celebrate the end of each day Thai style, with the release of Khom Loys, or “bags of luck,” that lift into the night sky elevated by light and the good wishes of guests.
The lobby concept, “Le Méridien Hub,” re-interprets the hotel’s lobby as a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate and exchange. The Hub offers both guests and locals a creative atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork sets the environment.
Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa offers 63 contemporary and spacious guest suites and 14 stand-alone villas, each exquisitely appointed with the most modern in-room facilities. The stylish accommodations feature high ceilings, expansive windows and open-air bathrooms that enhance the outdoor tropical experience and provide stunning views of the island and surrounding pristine waters. Guest rooms include luxury bath accessories and the most modern of in-room conveniences like Wifi, LCD and iPod docking systems. The resort features six different types of accommodations including Verandah, Terrace, Plunge Pool and Pool Access suites, as well as Ocean Front Pool and Pavilion Pool villas – some with their own private plunge pools, infinity pools and dining pavilions.
Culinary Destinations
Created to fulfill and inspire, Le Méridien Koh Samui offers three distinct epicurean experiences to appeal to any palate at any time of day. Latest Recipe is Le Méridien’s signature all-day dining venue, situated over the oceanfront pool with unlimited views and an international menu that brings together East and West. Located poolside, Plunge Bar is a stylish oasis offering fresh island fare tropical beverages. Located in the hub, Latitude 9 offers fresh Illy coffee and chilled drinks overlooking the Feng Shui water feature.
Luxury Spa & Amenities
Le Méridien Koh Samui offers a world-class luxury spa with a customized menu of rejuvenating experiences that combine ancient cultural methods and ingredients to revitalize mind, body and spirit. A beautiful oceanfront infinity pool and expansive deck offers a stylish daytime retreat for a refreshing swim with spectacular ocean views, or the perfect romantic sunset viewing spot, complete with cocktails and canapés from the poolside Plunge Bar. Guests can stay fit in the state-of-the-art fitness center, offering the latest and best exercise equipment and daily Yoga and Pilates classes.
"Thai Me Down" Wedding Package
To celebrate the grand opening, Le Méridien Koh Samui is offering a one-of-a-kind package of the entire resort for a private wedding weekend for 154 people. The “Thai Me Down” wedding package costs 3M Baht ($100K USD), and includes:
· Three nights accommodations for up to 154 people in the resort’s 77 suites and villas, including the luxurious Ocean Front Pool Villa for the bride and groom
· Executive chef and culinary team will personalize menus for a weekend of celebratory cocktail parties and meals
· Open Spa for women every day, with choice of signature treatments and experiences to relax and revive for the big day
· Men’s Whisky and Cigar party on the Ocean Dock – before the groom gets “Thai’d Down”
· Pre-event Feng Shui consultation to design a beautiful wedding that weaves together the indigenous natural and cultural features of the resort and island, preparing the couple to embark on a happy and balanced life together
· Post-wedding brunch on the resort’s open lawn
Opening Offers
In addition to the “Thai Me Down” wedding package, Le Méridien Koh Samui Resort & Spa is offering opening rates from THB4399+++, including breakfast for 2 daily. The opening offer is available for stays through to 31 March 2012 and to be booked by 31 Dec 2011.
About Le Méridien
Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by 104 properties in 50 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included appointing a full-time Cultural Curator – French arts-provocateur Jérôme Sans – and transforming numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique and interactive experiences to its guests. With close to 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provides an international complement to Starwood’s strong North American portfolio. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien hotels and resorts within the next five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, including destinations such as India, Thailand and China. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Dallas, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Shimei Bay (China), Xiamen (China), Chongqing Nan’an (China), Qingdao (China) and Taipei and recently signed a new deal in Coimbatore, India. For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1058 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. F
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