Relais & Châteaux releases Asia Pacific Directory

Relais & Châteaux, an exclusive collection of some of the world’s finest luxury small hotels and gourmet restaurants, most of them in Europe, has released its first ever dedicated Asia Pacific directory.

The first Asia Pacific directory lists the 35 members from the region which have been admitted to this elite collection of some of the world’s finest small hotels and restaurants, and marks a significant step in Relais & Châteaux’s aim to expand its presence in Asia.

Established in France in 1954, the association of independent restaurants and small hotels now has 475 members in more than 55 countries, of which 23 are now in Asia Pacific and 12 in Japan.

Jaume Tàpies, President of Relais & Châteaux, said, “South-East Asia and China have been designated as priority destinations in our international development strategy. Our aim is to create a truly global portfolio of small independent establishments which embody the personalised service and fine dining values of Relais & Châteaux.”

The Asian commercial development drive is being spearheaded by new coordination and promotion offices headed by Stéphane Junca who will be based in Singapore, and general sales agents in main centres in the region, including Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Seven new Relais & Châteaux hotels and restaurants joined in Asia last year. They included Phuket Pavilions, The Eugenia, The Rachamankha in Thailand, Japamala Resort on Malayasia’s Tioman Island and Tamarind Springs in Kuala Lumpur, The Heritage Suites in Siem Reap, Cambodia and Bali Pavilions in Sanur, Bali.

Most recently, three boutique hotels in India joined, along with Saint-Pierre a distinguished modern French restaurant in Singapore.

The Association’s foothold in China includes two restaurants in Shanghai: Sens & Bund, founded by French restaurateurs, Pourcel brothers, and Family Li Imperial Cuisine, famed for preserving the culinary heritage of Beijing’s Forbidden City.

In line with its slogan ‘All around the world, unique in the world’, Relais & Châteaux is now seeking to expand into other important Asian markets such as Hong Kong.

Relais & Châteaux member properties are selected through a rigorous, demanding procedure. Only about 10% of candidate properties are accepted every year. Each one is unique, run by unique individuals who have unique vocations.

New members pay an admission fee, with average annual membership fees of € 14,000 – less than 1% of their annual sales revenues.

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