Rediscover culinary roots with the Luxury Group by Marriott International

The Luxury Group by Marriott International is bringing the Luxury Dining Series back to the Asia Pacific in 2025.

Source: The Luxury Group by Marriott International. Key visual for the Luxury Dining Series 2025.

This year’s lineup of luxury hotels includes The Ritz-Carlton, Perth; The St Regis Singapore; The St Regis Jakarta; and The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok. Each property will offer curated culinary experiences prepared by Marriott International’s culinary and mixology team.

“We are thrilled to unveil the latest edition of the Luxury Dining Series, featuring an expansion of stops with a broader lineup of culinary talents across our global portfolio of luxury hotels,” said Oriol Montal, Regional VP, Luxury, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International.

“This year’s exclusive collaborations and experiences will celebrate ancient ingredients reimagined for the modern palate, reflecting a key theme identified in The Future of Food 2025 report – forgotten flavours. Through immersive collaborations and multisensory storytelling, we are offering crafted, unforgettable culinary experiences that seamlessly blend craftsmanship, cultural heritage, and innovation.”

Australia - August 15-17 - The Ritz-Carlton, Perth

Curated by Chef Brian Cole of Hearth and Chef Katsuhito Inoue from Chef’s Table at The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, the East Meets West dinner will offer a fusion of Australian open-fire cooking and Western Australian produce with Japanese kaiseki in a traditional multicourse dining format. 

The two culinary maestros will also pair up for a second farm-to-table menu, dubbed Farmers’ Bounty. Available for one night only, this menu pays homage to the land, the season, and the hands behind the harvest. Presented by Chef Cole and Pastry Chef Jiu Jiang, Hearth’s reimagined afternoon tea experience will celebrate Western Australia’s diverse landscapes, stories, and flavours, including the creamy delights of Margaret River Dairy and the aromatic nuances of native bush spices. 

An exceptional tasting will be prepared by Marco Barsotti, Beverage & Bars Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, and award-winning Head Bartender Kentaro Wada from The Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo. Expect handcrafted tipples, paired with distinctive bites by Executive Sous Chef Stephen Cocks. 

Singapore - August 29-31 - The St Regis Singapore

Staying true to the Forgotten Flavours theme, The St Regis Singapore will feature an authentic four-hands Cantonese menu at Yan Ting by Executive Chinese Chef Chan Chung Shing and Daniel Wong, Michelin-starred Chinese Executive Chef of Jin Xuan Chinese Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong. The menu reintroduces indigenous ingredients in inventive ways to bridge tradition and innovation. 

Guests can also look forward to a six-hands menu at The Astor Grill curated by Chef Vladmir Veiga - Head Chef of one Michelin-starred LAB by Sergi Arola of The Ritz-Carlton, Penha Longa Resort, Executive Chef Fabio Granata of The St Regis Singapore, and Chef de Cuisine Angelo Sergio of The Astor Grill. 

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s independence, Chef Angela Lai, former pastry chef of two-Michelin starred Tairroir Taipei, and winner of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef in 2021 by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, joins forces with Executive Pastry Chef Ng Chee Leong to reimagine beloved sweet and savoury flavours. 

To spotlight three of Asia’s most compelling cocktail destinations - Singapore, Jakarta, and Bangkok, Marco Dongi, Bar Manager of Bar Sathorn at W Bangkok from last year’s Luxury Dining Series returns to collaborate with Paulo Naranjo, Bar and Beverage Manager of The St Regis Jakarta to shake things up at The St Regis Bar.

Indonesia - September 11-14 - The St Regis Jakarta

Gastronomic adventures in Jakarta will kick off with a tasting of fine confections by celebrated Pastry Chef Janice Wong, featuring the rich flavour profiles of Indonesian cacao beans. Experience the Michelin-starred touch of IGNIV Bangkok as Chef Arne Riehn brings his distinctive interpretation of modern Swiss cuisine to Jakarta. Journey through the Indonesian archipelago with a family-style dinner led by Chef Almatino “Tino” Gabriel Ibrata, where the evening begins with a pre-dinner reception featuring a traditional wayang performance.

The St Regis Afternoon Tea experience will be designed by two pastry visionaries, Chef Janice Wong and Chef Kevin Lee. The menu marks an elevated take on afternoon tea, showcasing their avant-garde and flavour-driven approaches to desserts with a curated selection of sweet and savory bites.

Exceptional evening experiences include a noteworthy bar takeover that will honour the origins of punch in Batavia. During this event, Yasuhiro Kawakubo of Punch Room at The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza, and Giovanni Graziadei of Punch Room at The Singapore EDITION will present signature creations from their respective bars that reflect the rich legacy of mixology.

Thailand - September 25-28 - The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok

This year’s series concludes in Bangkok at the new The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok. At Duet by David Toutain, Toutain himself and Chef Valentin Fouache will join hands with Chef Adam Catterall of Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred Roganic, the acclaimed outpost of three-Michelin-starred Chef Simon Rogan. The trio will present a six-hands European tasting menu rooted in honouring local terroir. 

The Bangkok and Hong Kong collaborations continue with another six-hands meal focused on French tradition and Asian finesse starring Chef Toutain and Chef Fouache and Hong Kong’s Louise with Executive Chef Loïc Portalier.

For a special Friends of Lily’s brunch helmed by Chef Pop, guests can further expect an explosion of Middle Eastern, French and Thai flavors prepared by Chef Tala Bashmi - crowned MENA’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best, Chef Portalier, and Chef Jai of Charmgang.

Adding to the excitement is an intimate private dining experience at Lily’s, exclusive to 10 guests. Crafted by Chef Bashmi, diners can expect a delectable blend of Bahraini cuisine in each soulful bite. 

Headed by Bar and Beverage Manager Ewen Ledan, Calēo Bar will feature a guest bar takeover by Simone Rossi - celebrated cocktail master from Hong Kong and creator of Ratafia Rossi, a distinctive Italian ratafia cherry liquor, and Angelo Sparvoli, Head Bartender of the legendary American Bar at The Savoy, London.

Featuring beans from some of the most distinctive cacao regions around the world, guests can dive into a multisensory chocolate afternoon tea experience at Calēo, where they can enjoy guided tastings, and live demonstrations into the craftsmanship of Executive Pastry Chef Sylvain Constans behind each bite.

Marriott Bonvoy members will also have the opportunity to bid on exceptional dining events using their Marriott Bonvoy Moments loyalty points. The experiences include exclusive dining collaborations, cocktail masterclasses and more, at each of the seven destinations in this year’s Luxury Dining Series.

To explore Marriott Bonvoy Moments, please visit https://moments.marriottbonvoy.com

Hashtag: #MarriottBonvoyMoments

Marriott announces security breach could affect up to 500 million guests

On November 30, Marriott announced that it is investigating a data security incident involving the Starwood guest reservation database.

The company has determined that there was unauthorised access to the database as of November 19, 2018. The database contains guest information relating to reservations at Starwood properties* on or before September 10, 2018. Starwood brands include: W Hotels, St Regis, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Element Hotels, Aloft Hotels, The Luxury Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, as well as Four Points by Sheraton and Design Hotels. Starwood branded timeshare properties are also included.

On September 8, 2018, Marriott received an alert from an internal security tool regarding an attempt to access the Starwood guest reservation database in the US. Marriott engaged security experts to help determine what occurred, and learned that there had been unauthorised access to the Starwood network since 2014. 

"The company recently discovered that an unauthorised party had copied and encrypted information, and took steps towards removing it. On November 19, 2018, Marriott was able to decrypt the information and determined that the contents were from the Starwood guest reservation database," Marriott said in a statement.

The company estimates that the encrypted information affects a maximum of 500 million guests who made a reservation at a Starwood property. "For approximately 327 million of these guests, the information includes some combination of name, mailing address, phone number, email address, passport number, Starwood Preferred Guest account information, date of birth, gender, arrival and departure information, reservation date, and communication preferences. 

"For some, the information also includes payment card numbers and payment card expiration dates, but the payment card numbers were encrypted using Advanced Encryption Standard encryption (AES-128). There are two components needed to decrypt the payment card numbers, and at this point, Marriott has not been able to rule out the possibility that both were taken. For the remaining guests, the information was limited to name and sometimes other data such as mailing address, email address, or other information," the company said.

“We deeply regret this incident happened,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s President and CEO. “We fell short of what our guests deserve and what we expect of ourselves. We are doing everything we can to support our guests, and using lessons learned to be better moving forward.

“Today, Marriott is reaffirming our commitment to our guests around the world. We are working hard to ensure our guests have answers to questions about their personal information, with a dedicated website and call centre. We will also continue to support the efforts of law enforcement and to work with leading security experts to improve. Finally, we are devoting the resources necessary to phase out Starwood systems and accelerate the ongoing security enhancements to our network.”

Marriott reported this incident to law enforcement and continues to support their investigation. The company has already begun notifying regulatory authorities. Marriott has also taken the following steps to help guests monitor and protect their information:

Dedicated website and call centre
A dedicated website and call centre has been set up to answer questions about the incident. A set of frequently-asked questions on the site may be supplemented over time.

The call centre is open seven days a week and is available in multiple languages. There are numbers on the website available for Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the UAE. Call volume may be high, Marriott said.

Email notification
Marriott has been sending emails since November 30, 2018, to affected guests whose email addresses are in the Starwood guest reservation database.

Free WebWatcher enrollment
Marriott is providing guests the opportunity to enroll in WebWatcher free of charge for one year, but only in the US, UK and Canada. WebWatcher monitors Internet sites where personal information is shared and generates an alert to the consumer if evidence of the consumer’s personal information is found. Due to regulatory and other reasons, WebWatcher or similar products are not available in all countries, Marriott explained.

"Don't Google WebWatcher," said John Shier, Senior Security Advisor, Sophos, warning that hackers will already be capitalising on the incident. "If you Google 'WebWatcher' you won't find the monitoring service, you'll find lots of links to spyware of the same name. Don't sign up for that. Do follow the links to country-specific versions of the official breach site. You cannot sign up for monitoring from the main breach page, you have to go to the all-but-identical versions of the page for the US, UK or Canada."

"The potential fallout from the Marriott’s Starwood data breach should be alarming to anyone who has stayed at a Starwood property in the last four years. Not only are guests at risk for opportunistic phishing attacks, but targeted phishing emails are almost certain, as well as phone scams and potential financial fraud. 

"Unlike previous breaches, this attack also included passport numbers for some individuals who are now at increased risk for identity theft. At this point, however, it's unclear what level of exposure each individual victim has been subject to. Until then, all potential victims should assume the worst and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from all manner of scams," he added.

Victims should be on alert for spearphishing, Shier noted. "This creates the perfect scenario for cybercriminals to actually spearphish consumers because they have this type of detailed information," he said.

And while Marriott has said it will email Starwood Preferred Guests who may be impacted, he said that recipients should not click on links in emails or other communication that seem to have come from Marriott or Starwood hotels. "It’s possible that criminals will try to take advantage of this by sending malicious tweets or phishing emails that look like they’ve come from the company. Hover over URLs and links to see the address before you click. Look at the email address to see where it is from," he advised.

Credit cards should be monitored for suspicious activity as well. "As a safety precaution, change the password to your online credit card account. If you use the same password for similar financial management websites, immediately change the password on those websites. As a best security practice, always choose a different, strong password for each sensitive account," he said.

He also suggested changing passwords to Starwood Preferred Guest accounts.

Marriott opens Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian

Source: Marriott International. The Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian.

Marriott International has opened the Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian. The hotel, a rebranded property, is operated by the New Development Group under a long term franchise agreement.

Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian is located in the Fengxian District, southern Shanghai, a developing commercial and industrial coastal district which also hosts spots for tourism. It has 13.7 k, of river shoreline and 31.6 km of coast. Bihai Sands Waterpark is a famous tourist destination in Fengxian and a popular summer resort.

The hotel is 42 km away from the downtown, a 45-minute drive from the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Hongqiao Transportation Hub and Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

“Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian is the first franchised hotel for the brand of Marriott International in China. It surely will deliver Courtyard by Marriott’s brand promise for offering business and leisure travelers a refreshing stay with friendly and attentive service,” said Henry Lee, Chief Operations Officer – Greater China of Marriott International.

“We are an established hotel in the local market. As a result of the highly acclaimed Courtyard by Marriott brand and the rapid development of Fengxian district, our hotel will welcome a broader audience of local, regional and international travellers,” said Yu Xiangzheng, General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian.

The 259 guest rooms of the hotel range from 36 to 150 sq m and feature a work area and high-speed Internet access. Other amenities include HD TV with satellite TV channels, a safe deposit box, minibar and the hotel’s bespoke Golden Pillow Service, offering guests the choice of seven types of pillow.

Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian offers both Chinese and international cuisine. The Pavilion all-day dining restaurant features an international buffet, while The Lounge at the hotel’s lobby is an ideal place for unwinding.

The hotel offers more than 824 sq m of meeting space. This includes 11 meeting rooms which can accommodate up to 180 people. All are equipped with advanced lighting, audiovisual equipment support and enjoy Wi-Fi coverage.

Interested?

The Last-Minute Weekends promotion offers rooms for two nights at RMB580 and up per night. Contact Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Fengxian at +86 021 5742 9999

Sathorn Vista Bangkok - Marriott Executive Apartments revamps its set lunches

The MoMo Café at Sathorn Vista, Bangkok – Marriott Executive Apartments is presenting a new set lunch with a menu of signature dishes coupled with a salad bar, a choice of soft drink and additional option of soup or mini dessert and house coffee or tea.

The menu* includes items such as chicken tandoori, hot basil duck breast, lemon and shrimp pasta and Japanese yakitori chicken.

Set lunches are available at THB 250++** from now until July 31, 2014, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 11.30am to 2.30pm. MoMo Café is open daily from 6am to 10.30pm. For more information, please call + 66 (0) 2 343 6789.

*Set lunch menus are subject to change daily
**The price is subject to a service charge and government tax.

Four new JW Marriott hotels in Asia by Q2 2015

Source: Marriott. The JW Marriott
Hotel Chongqing.

Marriott International’s luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, plans to open three properties in Greater China and one hotel in India by Q2 2015, bringing the brand’s Asia-Pacific portfolio to 28 hotels and resorts with 11 in China and seven in India. 

The four hotels are the JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing, China, the JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen Bao’an, China, the JW Marriott Hotel Macau, China

and the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar, India. By 2020, the global brand portfolio is expected to comprise 105 properties worldwide, 45 of which will be located in the Asia-Pacific region. 

“The addition of these four amazing hotels only continues to strengthen JW Marriott’s already strong presence in Asia,” said Simon Cooper, President and MD of Marriott International Asia Pacific. “We are embarking on an exciting time for the brand and region, and have plans to further expand the brand into new markets including Chengdu, Xian, Guangzhou and Dalian in China, Kolkata in India, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Phuket in Thailand."

”Asia is one of the fastest growing and most important regions for JW Marriott. Since opening the JW Marriott Hong Kong in 1989, we have been committed to building striking hotels that promise beautiful design and a memorable guest experience, delivering our signature intuitive service that speaks to this key area of the world,“ says Mitzi Gaskins, VP and Global Brand Manager for JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts. 

JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing, China (December 2014)

Situated in Chongqing’s central downtown district, the JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing boasts over 2,200 sq m of versatile event space equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology. The hotel offers Man Ho for Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine, all-day-dining at the Qing Kitchen, and Flame, which features a bar, open kitchen and performance stage. 

JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen Bao’an, China (Q1 2015)

The 356-room hotel is in the centre of Shenzhen Bao’an District, a 15-minute drive from Shenzhen International Airport and Shenzhen Bay Port. There are eight multi-function venues over 2,600 sq m of meeting and banquet space, with a 1,758 sq m grand ballroom featuring a light-changing LED ceiling. The all-day dining restaurant has an outdoor terrace while a fine dining restaurant located on the top floor offers views of the bay.

JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar, India (Q1 2015)

Just 1 km away from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Mumbai, the property offers more than 56,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor convention space, including 11 meeting rooms with the latest conferencing facilities. Guests can dine at JW Café or at Italian specialty restaurant Romano’s.

JW Marriott Hotel Macau, China (Q2 2015)

Situated in the new integrated resort Galaxy Macau, the JW Marriott Hotel Macau's pillar-less grand ballroom is the star of its many venue spaces. Culinary experiences including the Man Ho Cantonese restaurant, all-day dining venue Urban Kitchen, a pool bar and a lobby lounge.

Garden Lounge offers indoor-outdoor MICE option at Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok

The Garden Lounge at Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok – Marriott Executive Apartments is billed as a breath of fresh air among the usual meeting venues available in Sukhumvit. Designed to provide a versatile indoor-outdoor experience for groups from 30 to 160, the built up area features tall ceilings and comfortable furniture.

The Garden Lounge integrates several concepts – indoors and outdoors, modern and traditional, casual and elegant – into a single space. Including lawn and garden backdrops, the Lounge encompasses more than 400 sq m of space, and can accommodate meetings, cocktail receptions, product launches and similar events. 

Traditional indoor meeting rooms with onsite exhibition space are also available at the Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok - Marriott Executive Apartments, which has 300 fully-furnished suites range in size from 45 to 130 sq m, all with kitchens, bathrooms and wired as well as wireless Internet. The hotel is within walking distance or a short ride in the hotel's free tuk tuk service to Phrom Phong BTS skytrain station and The Emporium shopping complex. 

For more information, contact +66 2302 555 or email measukhumvitpark@marriott.com 

*Images from Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok - Marriott Executive Apartments.

Marriott Executive Apartments Sathorn Vista offering half price deal till December

The 32-floor Marriott Executive Apartments - Sathorn Vista, Bangkok in the business district has announced a 50% discounts from its best available rate, available till December 26. The deal includes accommodation, daily breakfast and in-room high speed internet.

Source: Marriott Executive Apartments -
Sathorn Vista, Bangkok website.

Guests can choose from one- to three-bedroom, fully-furnished apartment suites for any length of stay. The serviced apartments range in size from 65 to 165 sq m and are the price of a hotel room, according to the website. Round-the-clock service, staff and security are provided.

Hotel facilities include an all-day dining restaurant, a 24-hour fitness centre, and an outdoor saltwater pool.

For more information or reservations, call +66 2 343 6789 or email measathornvista@marriott.com.

The hotel received a certificate of excellence 2014 from TripAdvisor, and is ranked 4.5 out of 5 on the site. 

Marriott expands mobile check-in and checkouts to more brands

As part of its global mobile strategy, Marriott International has extended its mobile check-in and checkout feature to eleven additional brands – The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Autograph Collection, AC Hotels, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Marriott Executive Apartments*. 

The services are now available at 1,200 properties worldwide, and will be live at more than 4,000 hotels worldwide by year-end. Guest mobile check-in and checkout was previously available to nearly 500 properties of the company's flagship Marriott Hotels brand. The company's hotels have achieved a near perfect success rate in executing a half-million mobile check-ins to date, leading to nine out ten guests saying they will use it again.

With the Marriott Mobile app, Marriott Rewards members receive a push notification on their Apple iPhones or Android devices after 4 pm on the day before their arrival alerting them that they can check in. They will receive an automatic notification when their room is ready. 

Communicating in advance means the hotel is prepared for their arrival. Because payment information is stored within members' profiles, guests simply walk up to the expedited mobile check-in desk where their pre-programmed key card will be waiting for them.

At the end of their stays, guests receive a push notification alerting them that mobile checkout is available. Upon completion, guests will then be prompted to provide an email address where their bill should be sent, allowing them to confidently bypass the front desk. Mobile check-in and checkout are available in five languages: English, French, Spanish, German and Mandarin.

The company's award-winning Marriott Rewards became the first major hotel loyalty programme to offer geo-targeted, mobile offers using beacon technology. Participating hotels send members, who opt-in, push notifications on their mobile devices as they pass by "hot spots" within the property. Called LocalPerks, offers are tailored to the property, ranging from food and beverage to golf. Future plans for LocalPerks include extending them to the neighbourhoods surrounding participating hotels.

*Mobile check-in and checkout is available at all Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments and at a select but increasing number of Ritz-Carlton, Autograph Collection, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites properties. 

*Images from Marriott.

Autograph Collection set to debut in Australia

Australia-based businesses have a new venue for exclusive events. The Autograph Collection, an exclusive portfolio of hotels, is introducing Pier One Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia as part of its portfolio of nearly 60 hotels worldwide. The hotel offers a stunning harbourside backdrop for meetings and special events, including eight meeting rooms that have floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing water views.

Source: Marriott International. From Sydney to San Diego - Autograph Collection set to debut in three new world class destinations, including Pier One Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia. (PRNewsFoto/Marriott International)

Each Autograph Collection hotel has been chosen for its quality, originality, bold character and capacity to offer today's modern traveller a range of unique experiences. Representing Autograph Collection's debut in Australia, Pier One Sydney Harbour offers an exclusive waterfront experience in the heart of one of the world's most glamorous destinations. Guests can arrive by water taxi or by yacht via the hotel's private pontoon, which provides direct water access to nearby attractions including the Opera House, Manly and Darling Harbour.

Nestled alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge with panoramic views, the hotel offers easy access to the heart of the Central Business District, The Rocks and popular tourist destinations including Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, Martin Place and the Castlereagh Street shopping strip. 

The hotel has 189 guest rooms, including 18 suites. To celebrate its inauguration into Autograph Collection and for a limited time, the hotel is offering guests who stay two nights or more a complimentary upgrade to a water view suite with breakfast for two and double Marriott Rewards points.