Exceptional service combined with pasha-like ambience and maximum creature comforts are hallmarks of Pan Pacific Singapore (www.panpacific.com), a stunning 37-story, 775-room property overlooking Marina Bay. Book a Presidential duplex suite (available through GDS), or a deluxe penthouse with a Jacuzzi and sauna, in the Pacific Club (floors 33 and 34). If the Presidential suite isn’t available, reserve one of the Pacific Club’s eight spacious suites. Standard rooms include Herman Miller’s ergonomic Aeron desk chairs and plush Axminster carpeting. Marble bathrooms have a separate tub and high-tech Hansgrohe massage shower. Travel advisors: General Manager Scott Swank ([email protected]; 65 6826 8218) handles VIP travel arrangements.

 

 

Chief Concierge M. Muruges ([email protected]; 65-6336-8111) is available around the clock to accommodate special requests and provide emergency assistance. The concierge discourages bringing any pets to the hotel, but is happy to provide a list of local boarding facilities in advance.

Other extras include complimentary garment pressing, weekday car service to the financial district, and complimentary local telephone and Internet access. Inside Tip: Guests can also “raid the refrigerator.” Room keys grant all entrée to the Pacific Club’s pantry, which is fully stocked with sweets and refreshing juice-based brews.

The Wellness Village spa on the fourth floor houses seven rooms (five single rooms and two couple’s suites). Each therapy room features one Asian design theme from Balinese to Chinese, Thai to Indian, and Japanese to Vietnamese. Request masseuse Nur Syabhana or Jolin Zuo to administer the signature “Balinese Pamper” treatment, a deep-tissue technique facilitating energy flow to ease muscle soreness. Reservations can be made upon arrival or in advance for a specific therapist. In-room massages are readily available.

The hotel’s five restaurants encompass a multi-ethnic array of cuisine. Advise clients to book a “dinner safari,” which allows them to sample Japanese appetizers, an Indian main course and Chinese dessert. The safari ends at Hai Tien Lo (on the 37th floor) with lemon sorbet and Aloe Vera, or coconut ice cream with yam paste accompanied by Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label. A new addition is the Wine Vault, offering a quiet respite from the buzz of the bars, and serving as a wine cellar for purchases on the run.

 

 

 

 

Luxury suites and rooms are situated on floors 27 through 30, though there’s great demand for the five deluxe suites on the 30th floor—Seri Layang, Seri Indah, Seri Dendang, Seri Ayu and Seri Rajawali—which have connecting rooms and are ideal for families. Sales Manager Bryan Teo ([email protected]; 603-4049-4404) handles requests and reservations via phone, as bookings are not available through GDS. All rooms and suites include ‘round-the-clock butler service, express check-in and check-out, and exclusive 24-hour use of the Pacific Lounge for buffet breakfasts, afternoon snacks and evening canapés. Use of the mini-bar and garment press are complimentary.

 

 

The hotel’s three restaurants are popular with both locals and guests. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur's wide selection of restaurants and bars offers an excellent variety of cuisine that appeals to the most discerning palate: Hai Tien Lo serves Cantonese cuisine and a range of Szechuan dishes (the Peking Duck comes highly recommended); award-winning Keyaki offers an extensive menu of Japanese delicacies; and Selera Restaurant, a brasserie-style café-restaurant, overlooks the lively Jalan Putra. The Lobby Bar features live entertainment. Book two weeks out for Keyaki and Hai Tien Lo.   

Clients who want to arrange a shopping tour should contact Marketing Manager Marina Abdullah ([email protected]; 603-4049-4427); she often assists VIPs when purchasing goods and negotiates the best prices. Marina works with the U.S. embassy, and upon the new ambassador’s arrival assisted him in purchasing furniture and computers for his private residence. The hotel is across the street from the Mall, one of the largest shopping complexes in Southeast Asia and a 10-minute drive from the Petronas Towers and the new KLCC Convention Center.

Access:

Pan Pacific Singapore is a mere five-minute walk from three large malls: Millennia Walk, Marina Square, and Suntec City. Each mall is home to upscale shops ranging from international designer labels to gourmet candy stores. Book a city tour with Winnie Urbink ([email protected]; 65-6471-6789), a freelance guide who works through the Singapore Tourism Office. Winnie leads tours to two of Singapore’s most intriguing ethnic neighborhoods—Chinatown and Little India—and will also take clients to the finest shopping venues on Orchard Road.

Book flights to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com), which offers special rates throughout the year. Flights depart from Newark, NJ three times per week and five times per week from Los Angeles. Malaysia Airlines also offers frequent flights from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore’s Changi International Airport. Malaysia Airlines is the largest passenger carrier in Southeast Asia flying to more than 100 destinations on six continents, and was the official airline for last year’s PATA Travel Mart, hosted in Kuala Lumpur in September 2005.

 

 

The hotel’s 250-square-foot spa contains separate rooms for men and women, and uses Sparoma Beaubelle products. Reserve all treatments at least an hour in advance by contacting Spa Director Syed Annuar ([email protected]; 603-4049 4400). Tip: Request Sasa Hue and Ally Srin Sawat for the signature Aromatherapy Massage.

 

Past guests here include the King of Brunei and Queen of Bhutan, and celebrities David Copperfield, George Benson and Sir Anthony Hopkins. General Manager Eldridge J. Mac Ewan ([email protected]; 603-4043 4054) is on site to meet and greet VIP guests.

 

 

 

Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, gained international acclaim when its Petronas Twin Towers ranked as the world’s tallest structure (1,483 feet) in November 2003. Today, the title is held by Taiwan’s Taipei 101, which outranks Petronas by 188 feet. VIPs staying in any of the 554 rooms and suites at the Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur (www.panpacific.com)will enjoy spectacular views of both structures from the Pacific Lounge on the hotel’s 30th floor.

 

Transfers can be arranged from Changi International and Selatar airports to the hotel. Upon arrival, guests may bypass the lobby to the 33rd floor for private check-in, where staff provide cold towels and glasses of chilled grapefruit juice before escorting them to their rooms. Visitors also have exclusive access to the split-level Pacific Lounge. Inside this serene space expect floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the Singapore skyline and harbor. A full breakfast is served daily in the lounge, as well as afternoon tea, evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.