Millennium aims to inject new life in Patong

More hotels news today:

Phuket's famous Patong beach has finally received its first 5-star hotel. Whether this is a good thing or not, that would make a whole new discussion, however it is definitely a good story for Phuket's recovery since 2004 Tsunami.

London-listed Millennium & Copthorne (M&C) opened the 421-room Millennium Resort Patong Phuket yesterday. The resort is part of a new mega shopping and leisure complex, Phuket Jungceylon, in Patong. The development aims to change the face of Patong Beach and inject new life into the area.

The Asian family market and upmarket tour groups including MICE are among its key targets. Apart from the shopping draw, the resort boasts a ballroom which can seat 300 people for a reception and 14 function rooms, four f&b outlets, two swimming pools, a health and fitness centre and the Escentika Spa.

M&C is expanding in Asia, but thus far more in cities, including Millennium Wuxi and Millennium Chengdu (opening 2008/2009). Recent openings include Copthorne Hotel Qingdao (May), Grand Millennium Beijing (April), Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen (January), Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok (November 2007) and Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur (September 2007).

M&C is also in a joint venture with Indian group Rakindo to build 20 to 30 contemporary business-class hotels in India, the first of which will open in 2009 in Chennai.

In Singapore, one such hotel will open in one of the city's trendy nightspot area, Mohamed Sultan Road, in 2009.

In the Middle East, M&C recently opened two new properties in Dubai and one in Kuwait. It has announced the signing of a further seven management contracts in the UAE and one in Dubai.