The Boutique Villas

The Boutique Villas Copyright (c) 2008 - 2009 The Boutique Villas. All rights reserved. http://www.theboutiquevillas.com The Boutique Villas News and Press Release en-us Fri, 3 Jul 2009 04:06:59 EDT AT sticks to its guns on tourism forecasts Wed, 1 Jul 2009 04:39:00 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_117.html AT sticks to its guns on tourism forecasts TAT believes it can hit the 2010 target despite all external factors. Tourism Authority of Thailand told the private sector, yesterday, it is keeping faith with its 2010 target of 14 million arrivals and 90 million domestic trips generating a revenue of Bt960 billion. It made the announcement at its marketing plan presentation to the travel industry, yesterday afternoon at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre. Bangkok Airways and Air France codeshare. Bangkok Airways and Air France signed a code-share agreement on six routes in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos ensuring seamless connections with AF’s long-haul flights from Paris. The destinations are Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, Trat, Phnom Penh and Luang Prabang and will be available from 1 July. Bangkok Airways has been a partner of Air France and KLM’s frequent flyer programme, Flying Blue, si... KLM launches new fares Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:17:21 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_115.html KLM launches new fares KLM offers bargain fares for two people who travel together. KLM rolls out more promotional fares; this time for travel to Europe two people travelling together. Applicable to all European destinations, the fare, exclusive of taxes and surcharges, is Bt18,500, V-class and Bt20,000, T-class. Minimum stay is four day and maximum of three months. Outbound sector is allowed on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 16 July to 23 October. ... Hotel Update Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:44:16 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_114.html Hotel Update Management deals on new Thai properties. • Radisson Hotel Bangkok Sathorn is set to open mid October. Located in downtown Bangkok, it will have 436 guest rooms in contemporary Thai style and three new restaurants – 100°East, The Crust and Zin. • Accor takes on the management of two beachfront Mercure resorts on Samui namely Mercure Samui Buri and Mercure Samui Fenix. Mercure Samui Buri Resort marks Accor’s first mid-scale hotel situated at northern ... Vacation ownership set to grow Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:42:01 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_113.html Vacation ownership set to grow Thailand is potential for vacation ownership to grow. Thailand is high on Absolute Group’s agenda for vacation home ownership. It is selling the concept to wealthy Thais through its subsidiary, Absolute Vacation Club, and reckons Thai customers could be in the top rank in three years. The group, announced, last week, it has invested in six properties due to open by 2011. In addition it will seek joint ventures with hotel ... Suralai Private Resort On Koh Samui Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:04:42 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_112.html Suralai Private Resort On Koh Samui SURALAI, a stunning new private villa which takes it name from the ‘residence of the angels’ in Thai mythology, is now open for private rentals in the scenic northern hills of Bophut in Koh Samui. The private six-bedroom tropical paradise (www.suralai.com ) is designed to accommodate parties, families or groups of up to a dozen people, with only one rental at a time taking over the whole mini resort. Created by international ar... Samui Regatta sailed on strong Mon, 8 Jun 2009 23:57:01 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_111.html Samui Regatta sailed on strong The 2009 Koh Samui Regatta was another successful lifestyle event with 32 boats competing in 5 different racing classes from countries as diverse as Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia. Entries and spectators from all across the region have arrived on the island to enjoy a week of top flight sailing, with extravagant parties planned at various locations after each race. As the final event on the AYGP calendar, the Samui Regatta is seen as one of... The Launch of a new brand - Real Estate Website Mon, 8 Jun 2009 23:54:41 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_110.html The Launch of a new brand - Real Estate Website Exclusive Properties - Luxury Real Estate Professionals Samui Villas & Homes is proud to announce the launch of Exclusive Properties as a new brand for our multi award winning Estate Agency division. Exclusive Properties has evolved naturally, in a similar manner to our other branded services, out of a need to target our clientele more effectively and to offer those clients specific and tailored services to su... Lift off for luxury villa rentals Mon, 8 Jun 2009 00:18:58 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_109.html Lift off for luxury villa rentals Over the last 10 years in places like Koh Samui, Phuket and Bali, luxury properties have been replacing coconut trees faster than the tourists can rent them. The luxury holiday market has not only expanded, but also shifted to Asia from the Caribbean, while private regional investment has increased sharply as rental yields from second homes offer opportunities for owners to enjoy an income at the same time as their property appreciates. Although recen... PG up Phuket frequency Thu, 4 Jun 2009 05:51:08 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_108.html PG up Phuket frequency Bangkok Airways adds an extra flight on Phuket route. Bangkok Airways increases frequency on its Bangkok-Phuket route from three to four daily, starting 1 July. The additional service will depart Bangkok at 1355 and return from Phuket at 1610. The current three flights depart Bangkok at 0915, 1150 and 1730 and return from Phuket at 1005, 1400 and 1945. Happy all the way Tue, 2 Jun 2009 01:47:04 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_107.html Happy all the way THAI offers happy fares to boost intra-Asia travel. Thai Airways International's latest online bargains should stimulate travel in Asia. The new promotion has a sales and outbound travel deadline of 31 July with ticket validity of 14 days. No mileage accrual. Exclusive of taxes and surcharges, Happy All the Way to Asia fares are: Bt33,900 to Hong Kong; Bt4,000 to Guangzhou; Bt1,900 to Kuala Lumpur; Bt2,000 to Penang; Bt5,305 to Denpasar, Bali; B... PG hands out rooms Tue, 26 May 2009 05:51:43 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_106.html PG hands out rooms PG offers a two-night stay when you buy two tickets to Siem Reap or Samui. Bangkok Airways offers a two-night stay at hotels in Siem Reap and Samui, when passengers buy two return tickets. The promotion is valid for travel by 15 July. A Samui fare costs Bt7,900 per person, inclusive of taxes and surcharges. With two tickets it is packaged with a two-night stay at Samui Palm Beach in a deluxe room with breakfast and a roundtrip airport transfer... Bangkok Airways plays safe Fri, 22 May 2009 00:24:36 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_105.html Bangkok Airways plays safe Bangkok Airways focuses on upgrading aircraft to sustain traffic on the current network. Bangkok Airways says it has no definite long-term plans on expansion or new destinations, except for the possible resumption of its Macau service in Q4. The airline cancelled its Macau service, late last year, in the face of unrelenting competition from Thai Air Asia, which operates three daily flights to the casino destination. Faced by ... Thai AirAsia talks expansion Fri, 22 May 2009 00:22:21 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_104.html Thai AirAsia talks expansion There appears to be no finishing line for Thai AirAsia as plans expansion in China. Thai AirAsia is planning to new services to Hangzhou, China, this December and may fly to India next year. Thai AirAsia CEO, Tassapon Bijleveld, confirmed, last week, the airline had filed an application to fly to Hangzhou, to tap airport incentives for the airline that operate direct flight from Bangkok. He said a service to Hangzhou had st... Phuket Villas & Homes See Strong Rental Demand Mon, 18 May 2009 00:56:30 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_103.html Phuket Villas & Homes See Strong Rental Demand Speaking to Andrew Craig General Manager of Phuket Villas & Homes it is interesting to see how the non traditional villa and condo product is now becoming a keen competitor of hotels. Currently the group manages Jivana and The Natai just over the bridge in the up market Natai beach area, while on the island there is Kata Gardens, Coolwater and Lakewood Hills. Interesting enough by November of this year the breach front ... Firefly focuses on Phuket Thu, 14 May 2009 02:38:49 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_102.html Firefly focuses on Phuket Firefly adds a second service to Phuket from its Kuala Lumpur base. Firefly, a fully owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines started a new service from Kuala Lumpur (Subang Airport) to Phuket, earlier this month. The airline already operates a service to Phuket from Penang that was launched in April 2007. The airline’s head of marketing and communications, Angelina Fernandez, said new services would probably be introduced in t... PG NEW Web Saver fare Thu, 14 May 2009 02:36:14 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_101.html PG NEW Web Saver fare PG brings back its low season web bargains. Bangkok Airways recently launched new Web Saver fares. Ticket validity is 14 days from the first travel date The roundtrip domestic deals are Bt1,800 to Chiang Mai; Bt2,200 to Phuket; Bt5,200 to Samui; Bt1,700 to Sukhothai and Bt3,600 to Trat. Taxes and surcharges for domestic routes are approximately Bt1,100. Regional trips, inclusive of taxes and surcharges, are Bt11,990 to Guilin; Bt1... JLL looks to new software to spur growth Wed, 13 May 2009 04:10:03 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_100.html JLL looks to new software to spur growth International property management firm Jones Lang LaSalle has introduced a new property management software system as part of efforts to achieve 15 percent growth this year. The new online tool OneView allows comprehensive reporting from a central source which can be easily accessed by clients whose property is managed by Jones Lang LaSalle. It also provides a range of reporting features including up-to-date financial sta... Hotelcorp takes over Bel Air Panwa Resort, Phuket Mon, 11 May 2009 02:26:03 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_99.html Hotelcorp takes over Bel Air Panwa Resort, Phuket Thai hospitality management company Hotelcorp has announced its takeover of the management, operations, sales and marketing and full condominium rental program of The Bel Air Resort & Spa, Panwa, Phuket. Hotelcorp acquired Bel Air Panwa Resort Co., Ltd. including the management rights to the rental program and the juristic condominium management from the Perth-based Watson Property Group. Mr. Roy E. Olsson, Preside... THAI revamps website Fri, 8 May 2009 01:28:44 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_98.html THAI rolls up its sleeves to improve sales and services via the internet. After a slow start, Thai Airways International is now getting up to speed on website sales in order to stay competitive. The airline has set up a new sales group within the management to look after online sales with a target to grow sales from 5% to 8% an improvement from 3% achieved in 2008. THAI vice president, information technology department, Sopit Pokasoowan, runs technical support. H... The Rebirth of Phuket Wed, 6 May 2009 03:05:11 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_97.html The Rebirth of Phuket I wasn’t far out from the beach — just beyond the lightly rolling breakers. My feet had left the sandy bottom, and amniotic water burbled around my shoulders. A sea eagle sailed between me and the hot afternoon sun. The starburst tops of a coconut grove delineated the beach. An arc of sugar, it stretched away to a cluster of rounded rocks and, beyond, a rise of greenery leading into the tufted mountains of a national park. I was floating in the Andama... EARTH DAY 2019 Fri, 1 May 2009 01:05:56 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_96.html EARTH DAY 2019. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that all of the efficient and renewable energy technologies being employed today will be considered old technology in just 10 years. There isn’t such a thing as “planned obsolesence” in energy technology, as the auto manufacturers were once accused of. It’s just that energy research continues at a determined steady pace, so what seems cutting edge today will be just “old”, but still useful, a decade from now. Energy is clea... Thailand PM plans a visit to DUBAI Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:52:28 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_95.html Thailand PM plans a visit to DUBAI Thai Cabinet gives green light on measures to revive tourism, while the PM may join the Arabian Travel Market. Thailand’s government leaders emphasised the crucial role tourism plays in the economy, at their Cabinet meeting, last Tuesday. The meeting gave the green light for financial aid, tax and tourism promotion measures to lift the industry, which was hit by the double whammy of worldwide economic recession and extended pol... Signs of revival for Asian property markets Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:07:14 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_94.html Signs of revival for Asian property markets The bottom of the market may already have passed, and demand is now picking up in some property sectors in Asia, including Bangkok, where properties in good locations have recorded strong sales, according to James Duan, managing director of Fragrant Property (Thailand). Part of the Taipei-based Fragrant Group, Fragrant Property has operations across the Asia Pacific region. In China, Duan said recovery was imminent in the big citi... Bangkok resident and hotelier, William Bridi passes away Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:04:08 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_93.html Bangkok resident and hotelier, William Bridi passes away The hospitality industry in Thailand and beyond has been saddened by the death of hotelier, William Bridi. Mr Bridi passed away at his home in Bangkok, 13 April. The US national held senior executive positions at The Rayavadee in Krabi, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts in India and Egypt, The Cascade Club in Bangkok, Starwood, and with Beacon Lifestyle Management Group. He is survived by his wife Rudee and two step children.... Modern Villa on a Thai Island Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:04:01 EDT http://www.theboutiquevillas.com/news_92.html Modern Villa on a Thai Island Mrs. Grebstadt and Mr. Hicks, own the public relations agency Grebstadt Hicks Communications. They teamed with Mr. Grebstadt's company, MAP Architecture & Planning Ltd., to create a Thai company so they could buy a half-acre building site. Generally, foreigners are not allowed to own property in Thailand. Mr. Grebstadt's company also designed the house. More Photos » When Lynn Grebstad of Hong Kong first thought about building a villa in Th...