In the Conde Nast Traveler Business Travel Awards, Raffles Hotels & Resorts was ranked as one of the top 10 International Hotel Chains. It was voted number two, above eight other leading international hotel chains. Business travellers gave top marks to Raffles in different categories of the poll – Business Services, Rooms for Working, Service and Design. It scored a total of a high 91.5 points in the poll – with the highest marks for “Service” and “Business Service.” In addition, Raffles Hotels & Resorts was lauded for its innovative 24-hour check-in/check-out practice which is different from the traditional check-in/ check-out times observed in most hotels.

The Conde Nast Traveler is one of the most widely followed and influential travel publications in the U.S. This annual poll is conducted amongst discerning, international business travelers who make informed choices based on their frequent business travel experiences around the world.

“When we started to expand the Raffles brand beyond one single hotel, namely Raffles Hotel Singapore, as recently as 1996, we knew that we could not surpass the established hotels chains in terms of size and global footprint,” said Diana Ee-Tan, Managing Director, Raffles Hotels & Resorts. “However, we could distinguish ourselves and be a leader in terms of quality, by consistently delivering the Raffles promise to provide the best. To receive this recognition as one of the top hotel groups within a short span of time is particularly gratifying.”

Mrs Ee-Tan added, “This award is a tribute to our General Managers and their teams at Raffles hotels and resorts, who strive tirelessly to meet and often exceed the expectations of our residents. We must also thank guests who have given us their continued patronage and support.”

International Hotel Chains

Peninsula once again takes the gold among hotel chains abroad even though it has just four overseas properties—in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Manila—and one set to open in Tokyo in 2007. Two other Asian hotel companies grab second and third place: the Singapore-based Raffles group, with nine properties in China, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Europe; and Oberoi hotels, headquartered in New Delhi but with a reach as far as Mauritius and Saudi Arabia.