Features

The room at the top

31 Aug 2006 by intern11

Luxury chains have been outdoing each other to create the wow factor in their presidential suites. Business Traveller Asia-Pacific inspects the results and enumerates the perks and privileges

Presidential suites have gone beyond just being the “big boss’ bedroom” to venues fulfilling a multitude of purposes, from powwows to parties. Security concerns and overall convenience – private lifts, bedrooms on the same floor for the entourage, tailor-made catering and endless perks among others – have contributed to their allure. Capitalising on this gold mine, hotels have begun lending them out to companies for exclusive client functions. The bill may still add up, but for the value for money and good will generated, the expense can be well worth it.

BANGKOK

Four Seasons

What’s it like? Sprawling. The Rajadamri Suite, occupying 344sq m, consists of seven rooms – dining room that seats 18, two living rooms, a library, large bathroom, private massage room and a master’s bedroom – all furnished with Thai teak wood, sensuous silks, arresting artworks and the latest in home entertainment systems. The view is just as expansive: one side overlooking the lush gardens and pool and the other facing the Royal Bangkok Sports Club and horse race track. But despite its size, there is always a sense of warmth and privacy, reinforcing that “home away from home” tagline.

Facilities: The den has a stock of interesting DVD films, while two minibars contain a wide selection of fine wines, spirits and mixers, mineral water and non alcoholic beverages. The main bedroom features a large walk-in wardrobe and bathroom – nearly the size of a standard-size guestroom – that has a Jacuzzi, separate shower stall and an adjoining private massage room with a special entrance for the masseuse. L’Occitane supplies the resident toiletries.

Suite guests have access to the swimming pool and fitness centre.

The extras: Packages tailored to the VIP’s needs are not a problem. To house the entourage, six rooms in the wing, opposite the Rajadamri Suite, are usually set aside for this purpose – at an added cost, of course. Use of a private elevator can be provided upon request.

Meetings can be set up in the suite as well as catering, although due to kitchen limitations, no on-site food preparation is possible. Instead, guests are asked to choose from the menus of the hotel’s seven restaurants.

Price: From US$2,200 per night.

Contact: tel 66 2 250 1000, email [email protected]

Mark Armsden

BEIJING

The Peninsula

What’s it like? Entering the 10-room Peninsula Suite of The Peninsula Beijing, one wouldn’t be faulted for thinking he had stepped back into China’s imperial past. While resembling one of those shikumen (old courtyard houses) now fast becoming extinct, the 660-square-metre venue also manages to exude a contemporary air, which is exactly what the Hongkong-based design firm of Chhada, Siembieda & Leung planned from the start. Artfully blending natural stone, glass and timber, it created a comfortable living space that acts as a dramatic backdrop for an impressive collection of antiques, classy furniture, choice linens and carpets and the latest multimedia tools.

First to experience the newly-renovated product was French president Jacques Chirac on his third state visit to China in October 2005. Since then, it has been used not only to serve as a temporary base for the rich and famous, but as a select reception alternative by high-end lifestyle brands such as Chanel, Bvlgari and Tod’s, many of whom rent space in the hotel’s glitzy shopping arcade.

Facilities: There’s a formal living room with a grand piano in the corner and the latest AV equipment; a study equipped with all the work tools, plus a 1,000-channel internet radio; a dining room seating up to 18 people (extremely popular for away from office deal making), satellite kitchen, opulent master bedroom with an ensuite marble bathroom featuring a whirlpool bathtub and a steam room, a spacious dressing room with walk-in closet, a small private gym boasting an elliptical cross-trainer fitness machine, weights and a massage bed.

The extras: Guests enjoy round-trip airport transfers and 24-hour butler service. For those accompanied by minders or security, the adjacent Deluxe Room Suite is available for their use. The suite boasts its own private elevator and discretely located lift landing in the lobby (we won’t tell you just where).

The hotel’s events team is a veteran at customising events VIPs may want to hold in the suite, throwing in treats such as having a pageboy stationed by the lift, a pianist, complimentary flower arrangements and free use of the Peninsula’s Rolls Royce for the guest of honour.

Price:  An overnight stay starts from US$4,500. Prices for booking the suite for meetings or receptions vary depending on the specific requirements.

Contact: tel 86 10 8576 2888 ext 6608, email [email protected]

Gigi Onag

BRUNEI

Empire Hotel & Country Club

What’s it like? Step into the glittering world of the Emperor Suite, a microcosm of fabulously wealthy Brunei. It’s as if King Midas designed the suite himself – gold is everywhere, woven into the carpets, enhancing the crystal chandeliers and gilding the leafy details that enrich the ceiling.

Facilities: Visiting royalty (or wannabes) deserve their own private entrance, and they get an elevator leading directly to the suite, plus their own swimming pool that comes with a movie projector and screen (just in case boredom sets in), a steam room and sauna as well as bathrooms inlaid with lapis lazuli and mother of pearl. Occupying more than 666sq m, the suite is equipped with a Bang & Olufsen audio system, two 54-inch television screens, an Italian baby grand piano in the dining room and sparkles with an array of exquisite glass ornaments.

And naturally, a butler comes with all these riches – you didn’t expect to clean up after yourself, did you now?

The extras: Small, private meetings can be organised in the suite. The banquet staff can show off a whole range of themed options and catering to match these. Adjacent rooms can be blocked off (subject to availability) for the VIP’s companions, with group discounts available depending on the numbers.

Other benefits include complimentary broadband, free valet parking for visitors attending a meeting at the Emperor Suite.

Price: From US$15,398 for a night’s stay.

Contact: tel 67 3 241 8888, email [email protected]

Julian Tan

HONGKONG

Hongkong Disneyland Hotel

What’s it like? The Walt Disney Suite is one of two signature venues of the Victorian-inspired Hongkong Disneyland Hotel, the other named after the founder’s brother Roy Disney. Both are located on the Kingdom Club Floors.

Predictably, the Walt Disney Suite is filled with mementoes of the visionary entertainment pioneer and his creations, from sepia photographs of him at his drawing board to a chess set made up of crystal cartoon figures. A wrap-around period balustrade affords fantastic views of the Hongkong city skyline – seen at closer range with the telescope provided – and a look into the Mickey Maze and wedding gazebo in the grounds below.

Facilities: The living room is not particularly big but comfortable with a plush sprigged sofa set, while a flat-screen 42-inch Panasonic has been positioned in a vantage corner. (For a change, board games are provided.)

Along the hallway, a guestroom with two beds precedes the master bedroom that features a massive king-size four poster, chaise longe with tassled pillows, another 42-inch flat-screen, a walk-in bathroom with two washbasins, Jacuzzi, shower stall outfitted with rainshower and massage jets.

The extras: The venue can accommodate 20 for cocktails and up to at most, 12 for dinner. Unfortunately, Mickey and the gang cannot

be invited to enliven the party (Disney has set very definite guidelines regulating the appearances of their characters), but the Park next door can still provide ample talent from its pool of  “cast members” , says hotel general manager Peter Lowe.

It may not be possible to close up the Kingdom Club wing for the arrival of an entourage, but the group is welcome anytime to take up the adjoining rooms.

PRICE: From US$3, 214 a night.

Contact: tel 852 3510 6000, email [email protected]

Margie T Logarta

HONGKONG

InterContinental

What’s it like? Already possessing one of the world’s most spectacular lobbies – watching the ships glide by against the skyscrapers of Central is a breathtaking experience – InterContinental Hongkong now features a Presidential Suite that’s extraordinary.

Costing a total of US$2.5 million, the duplex venue, which combined two previous suites on the 16th and 17th floors, is a veritable glass aerie – every section has a view – perched above the roiling harbour waters below. At 644sq m, this is undoubtedly the city’s largest premier room.

Facilities: Publicity shots of the expansive rooftop terrace with its infinity pool and Jacuzzi may be familiar to readers of glossy travel journals, but they still don’t do justice to the real thing. Seemingly suspended between sea and sky, the experience is beyond words.

There are five bedrooms, including the master bedroom which features a 37-inch Aquos LCD TV, walk-in closet, marble bathroom with a rainforest shower for two, dry sauna and steam room plus its own Jacuzzi. Other areas include the living room (dominated by a 65-inch Sharp Aquos LCD TV), dining room, kitchenette, study, private gym and powder room.

While strongly contemporary in feel, the apartment retains an Asian spirit throughout, aided largely by fine details such as the green ”African Butterfly” marble from the quarries of nearby Fujian province, sculptures and paintings by Chinese artists, specially commissioned by the designer H L Lim. In the study, a series of glass sculptural pieces, created by the renowned Beijing Long Mai Gallery, represents the nine dragons from whence Kowloon – where the InterCon is located – derived its name. The set is not only fabulous to look at but incorporates a feng shui element in this particular corner.

THE EXTRAS: From the time it was launched early this year, InterCon’s crowning jewel has been the setting of exclusive events as well as the temporary address of visiting mogul merchants and celluloid celebrities. The terrace has been where most of the cocktails (capacity: 60) and dinners (capacity: 36 for seated) have been held.

For the lucky resident, perks include the services of a butler-cum-concierge, round-trip airport transfers with a choice of Phantom VI Rolls Royce, Bentley or Mercedes-Benz, access to the executive lounge and complimentary Wi-Fi high-speed internet access. The butler can also arrange a fitness or yoga instructor or private tai chi master to conduct sessions in the gym or on terrace. This goes as well for a personal hairstylist or a therapist from the I-Spa downstairs.

PRICE: From US$11,183 a night.

Contact: tel 852 2721 1211, email [email protected]

Margie T Logarta

JAKARTA

Ritz-Carlton

What’s it like? The Presidential Suite occupies an area measuring 400sq m, the largest of its kind in Jakarta. Located on the 22nd storey, it features floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer a skyline view.

Facilities: Off the main living room and dining area is a glass enclosed section, ensuring even more privacy in a venue already meant for high-level gatherings.

There’s only one bedroom but an adjoining door leads to a Grand Room, which can be commandeered for an aide-de-camp or personal assistant. The bathroom has a decadent-looking Jacuzzi, separate shower stall, a “smart” water closet (the type so popular among the Japanese) and Bvlgari toiletries. Other amenities include a 42-inch plasma screen TV, AM/FM clock radio with CD player, featherbeds, down comforters and non-allergenic foam pillows, broadband internet access, in-room safe and multi-line telephones.

The extras: A meeting, teleconference session or a private party for up to 25 persons can be easily arranged, and if requested, the executive chef or one of the restaurant chefs can come up and cook on the spot. The services of a butler and private secretary (although the staff at the lounge will happily do simple office tasks) are also available, but at an extra cost.

For VVIPs, requiring extraordinary protection, the floors directly above and below the suite can be sealed off, and if they really want to slip in unnoticed, they can come in by helicopter using the rooftop helipad.

PRICE: While rates are flexible due to special requirements, the usual price tag is about US$5,888. Day use of the suite for meetings starts from US$2,500, while coffee breaks cost from US$50 to US$80.

Contact: tel 62 21 2551 8888, e-mail [email protected]

 Julia Dryas

MUMBAI

JW Marriott

What’s it like? Exquisite art pieces, sumptuous furnishings and breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea are only some of the features guests, billeted at the Bay Suite (the hotel’s version of a presidential suite), will enjoy.

FACILITIES: The master bedroom contains a plush four-poster bed and in the bathroom, a sunken Jacuzzi takes pride of place. There’s a large study with a flat-screen television and a state-of-the-art sound system along with a set of CDs.

The extras: Given the venue’s ample space, meetings and meal setups (including a bar) for 12 persons can be organised. Should the occupant desire a themed event or a specific type of entertainment such as Spanish guitar performances or belly dancing, that can be arranged too. As for other requests such as in-room spa treatments, city tours or special travel details, the butler is on hand at all times to ensure a hassle free stay.

PRICE: From US$2,200 a night.

Contact: tel 91 22 6693 3000

Julian Tan

SEOUL

The Shilla

What’s it like? The Shilla has not one but two presidential suites – the first located in the classically ornate North Wing and the latter in the boldly modern South Wing, where a lively eclecticism (the handiwork of the French-based Atelier OD) combines furnishings in unusual shades of eggplant, mustard and capsicum red with a unique collection of local folk art and ceramics.

This departure from the traditional has been enjoyed by the likes of Belgium’s Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde who were soon followed by other high profilers like LV and Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas and US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Facilities: Owned by the industrial giant Samsung, the hotel and all its guestrooms are expectedly state-of-the-art when it comes to telecommunications. In fact, in-room mobile phones (Samsung branded, of course) are part of the amenity range.

The study of the Presidential Suite is equipped with wired and wireless internet connection, allowing the resident VIP to stay in touch 24/7. Its master bathroom features a Jacuzzi with a flat-screen TV, sauna section, spacious dressing area and Bvlgari toiletries.

The extras: Guests can use the suite for meetings but they are also welcome to hold them in the meeting room of the executive lounge (capacity: eight to 10 persons) for up to two hours daily on a complimentary basis. They are also allowed access at no charge to the fitness club, swimming pools and sauna. Internet access in room is gratis.

PRICE: From US$6,000 a night.

Contact: tel 82 2 2230 3310, email [email protected]

Kang So Young

SINGAPORE

Shangri-La

What’s it like? Private elevator doors open to the Shangri-La Suite at the Valley Wing, revealing a vision of infinite taste and elegance. As a butler immediately appears to escort you to the bedroom, your eye is caught by the details – well-chosen art pieces, walnut timber flooring, handmade rugs, French-style upholstery and a wealth of Jim Thompson silk cushions.

As you begin to understand why this suite has been the natural choice of countless visiting heads of state, the butler materialises again, this time with a silver tray bearing champagne in a crystal flute. He invites you to the balcony to enjoy the sunset and takes his leave. His excuse – to prepare a Gentleman’s Retreat bath.

Facilities: The Presidential Suite is at the topmost floor of a secluded wing of the hotel, tucked away so guests can enjoy that added privacy, yet close enough to access the main hotel facilities. But there’s no need to leave this sanctuary really as all 346sq m of it is stretched to accommodate an entertainment area, living room, study, two ensuite bedrooms and a kitchenette. There’s space enough to hold a private meeting or an evening cocktail, or simply to live in style. (But if the occupants feel like socialising, they can head down to the lobby where a complimentary flow of wines, champagnes and canapés is available all day.)

The dining room, comfortably seating 12 at the table, is perfect for a formal dinner which the butler can help arrange. Next to the dining room is a gym with a treadmill and an exercise bike. The guestroom sleeps two and has an adjoining bath and shower facilities.  

Behind the set of sliding doors, the master bedroom is furnished with a luxurious bed with unique reading lights and a crystal chandelier, and leads into a spacious bathroom marbled from floor to ceiling and featuring a steam room, shower room fitted with a tropical rain showerhead and Jacuzzi. An LCD television facing the tub and mood lights complete the experience. A nearby study with a couch and a long coffee table lends itself to intimate discussions.

The extras: Before stepping into the bath, now bubbling with the scent of peppermint, bergamot and juniper, I was presented with a personalised bathrobe with my initials embroidered on it. This and a set of personalised stationery, plus complimentary use of a laptop, broadband access and butler services, are just some of the many ways the Shangri-La folk make you feel special.

Members of the VIP delegation need not worry about being separated from their leader as guestrooms on the same floor make it convenient for spontaneous powwows. Parking is free for visiting guests.

Price: One night’s stay is priced from US$3,501, which includes breakfast served in the private dining room.

Contact: tel 65 6737 3644, [email protected]

Terrence Guo

SHANGHAI

The Westin

What’s it like? The China Suite is a spacious (157sq m), ultra-modern set of rooms that are more Western than Eastern in style, with a design that stresses user-friendliness and utility more than luxury or ostentation. It’s not that this presidential suite isn’t plush –?it is –?but that it delivers that luxury in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner. Overall, the design is minimalist, with plenty of unused floor space and a welcome lack of clutter. The paintings that adorn the walls are Chinese, and most of the objets d’art are Asian.

Facilities: The bathroom is typical of the overall China suite design: it emphasises roominess, empty space and understated luxury. It has a Jacuzzi, two sinks and a great view of the city. But its most famous feature is the shower – yes, it’s a Westin “Rain Forest” shower, but more to the point, that’s where Cecilia Cheung was filmed in the movie 601 Calls. There is also a basic second bathroom near the entrance.

One of the suite’s best features is its 10-seat dining room and adjoining kitchen. Just off the kitchen is a connecting room, which is a regular hotel room for butler-bodyguard-handler types. The living room is modestly furnished, with a small work desk thoughtfully tucked behind the couches, near a window. Meanwhile, the China Suite’s main bedroom is so big that it is almost a hotel suite unto itself. Dominating the room, of course, is a snow-white king-size Heavenly Bed. The bedroom also has a sizeable flat-panel TV that is nonetheless dwarfed by the 43-inch screen in the living room.

The extras: It all starts at the door, where the guest – usually a CEO of a big company, a celebrity, or a top government official – is greeted by a beauty in a qi pao.

And from then on, whatever the VIP wants, he gets. A personal butler is assigned to the China Suite. Beyond that, when the phone rings, and it’s the China Suite calling, the staff snaps to attention. The level of service, already high, increases exponentially for presidential suite guests. “If you can think of it, we’ll do it,” says Jaimie Chew, Westin Shanghai’s marketing communications manager. “You want a four-piece Chinese orchestra in the room at midnight? We’ll do it.”

A more common request would be, say, to hire a Westin chef to prepare a lavish meal for eight or 10 guests. The hotel sets the table with its finest china and silverware, prepares and serves the food, and cleans up. Westin Shanghai has Italian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Continental restaurants, so the lucky guest gets whatever he wants.

Business-related requests are also common. The staff can arrange a video conference, prepare a PowerPoint presentation, or hook up computers and other such services; IT people are on call 24 hours. Non-guests who visit the VIP in the China Suite get free parking, and the hotel can block off rooms or even entire floors to ensure privacy, a service that is normally requested only by high government officials.

Indeed, all guests are cocooned in an envelope of strictest privacy. Michelle Yeoh, Giorgio Armani, Jackie Chan and Prince Andrew have all come and gone from the China Suite recently, and nobody even knew. “We restrict publicity on purpose,” says director of sales and marketing David Campbell. “Privacy is important to these people.”

PRICE: The published rate is US$4,050 per room, but the suite normally sells for about US$2,500 per night.

Contact: tel 86 21 6335 2888, email [email protected]

Brent Hannon

SYDNEY

Park Hyatt

What’s it like? Who’s been sleeping in your bed? Actress Nicole Kidman and country music star Keith Urban on their wedding night, publisher Rupert Murdoch, former British Prime Minister John Major, entertainer Bette Midler, designer Ralph Lauren and a roll call of other headliners. At 185sq m, the six-balcony Governor Suite – as the Park Hyatt Sydney calls its presidential suite – is the city’s biggest and most opulent.

On Circular Quay in the historic Rocks precinct, it’s barely a five-minute harbourside stroll from downtown appointments (less by limousine) and furnished predominantly in subdued beiges, browns and greys. Style is contemporary and uncluttered, accentuating a spacious sprawl, but the living room area has a more classic, sumptuous ambience. The hotel arguably has the best location of any in Sydney. Overwhelmingly, views are the prime lure: a master bedroom with a reach-out-and-touch Opera House vista, a 12-seater boardroom (with baby grand piano, converting to a private dining room) looking out on the iconic Harbour Bridge, a living room perched above
a harbour panorama.

Facilities: Indulgent it certainly is – but this suite, in a high-security part of the property, is also very businesslike and ideal for confidential meetings. This is the reason, a spokesperson says, high-powered but low-profile corporate leaders commonly decide it is worth the splurge to base themselves here. They host meetings rather than venture out to appointments. Expected high-grade business amenities are present – high-speed internet, cordless phones, speakerphones, a dedicated fax line and large workspace off the living room. There’s also the guest bathroom, kitchen with pantry and a discreet service entrance. An inter-leading door transforms this into a two-bedroom suite (perhaps a room for an aide?). A Bang & Olufsen sound system includes a TV in the bathroom.

The extras: A personal 24-hour butler is on call. A valet unpacks and places belongings in walk-in closets. What’s more, a personal chef is assigned to the suite, with the boardroom quickly converting to dining room format for private dinner parties.

PRICE: From US$4,712 per night but negotiable depending on length of stay or time of year. A spokesperson says the hotel tries to meet any requests for additional services at a cost.

Contact: tel 61 2 9241 1234, email [email protected]

Chris Pritchard

TOKYO

Mandarin Oriental

What’s it like? Located on the 36th floor of the Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, this 250-square-metre nest enjoys unobstructed views of Tokyo Bay and the city centre, including the Imperial Gardens and the Ginza.

Facilities: The marbled entrance hall leads to an opulent living room graced by a full bar and presided over by a 57-inch flat-screen TV, offering a wide selection of on-demand programmes in sensurround as well as Wi-Fi features. The study also comes with a built-in 45-inch flat-screen TV with similar technology.

The master bedroom likewise contains the latest in home entertainment plus a spacious walk-in closet linked to a bathroom spa with a whirl pool bathtub (pictured right), multi-feature massage shower cubicle, dual granite sink columns and an exercise bike fitted with an interactive flat-screen TV fitness programmes. The dining room seats 10 guests.

The extras: Notable in the menu of services is the ability to organise globally linked conferences through the hotel’s sophisticated IT network system. While space might be a challenge to accommodate entertainment during a social function, hotel general manager Christian Hassing says it’s still not an impossible task with “some furniture being moved around”.  

An alternative might be to adjourn to the hotel’s private wine cellar (with direct access from the suite) where cocktails and light snacks for eight to 10 persons can be served. Rooms booked for the VIP’s entourage are offered at a reduced rate, depending on the number. Other suite perks include a 24-hour butler service, extended check out, free access to the spa’s heat and water experience, use of a Rolls Royce Phantom at a discount and free parking for visiting guests.

PRICE: Overnight stays starts from US$7,200 (currently the highest charged in Tokyo). Prices vary for meetings and receptions.

Contact: tel 81 3 3270 8800, email [email protected]

Margie T Logarta

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