Preferred Hotel Group Announces Partnership With Lebua Hotels & Resorts

HONG KONG – August 2008 – Preferred Hotel Group is pleased to welcome lebua Hotels & Resorts to its collection of over 650 hotels and resorts worldwide. Its Thailand property, lebua at State Tower in Bangkok, is a member of Preferred Hotels® & Resorts and Lake Okareka Lodge in Rotorua, New Zealand is a member of Preferred Boutique™.

lebua at State Tower, Bangkok
The lebua at State Tower is an all-suite luxury hotel in Bangkok with breathtaking views of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River from each of the 357 spacious suites. Ranging in size from 66 to 266 square meters, each suite has a river facing balcony, separate living room, fully equipped kitchenette, DVD player and provides Bulgari bath amenities and a mini-bar with Petrossian selections. Business travelers will appreciate the workstation design and high-speed Internet access, as well as personalized stationery.

The hotel is located centrally in Bangkok’s commercial district, just a 10-minute walk to the Sky Train station and a short stroll to the venerable Chao Phraya River. The Dome, located on the top floors of the State Tower, features an array of award-winning dining options, including a stunning alfresco restaurant with dramatic views of the cityscape and the glittering Dome, in addition to seven other upscale gourmet venues. Chefs from the Dome restaurants can also showcase their culinary skills in the suites for private dining. Fitness facilities include a gymnasium, sauna, outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and massage rooms.

lebua at State Tower was recently listed in the Pure Decadence Listing of The 101 Best Suites in the World by Elite Traveler Magazine, USA and chosen as Asia’s Leading Design Hotel by World Travel Awards 2008.

“A perfect fit for the brand, lebua at State Tower marks our first Preferred Hotels & Resorts brand in Bangkok. A luxury all-suite accommodation with superb facilities, the hotel will offer a unique product to our Asia portfolio,” said Mark Simmons, Area Managing Director, Asia.

Lake Okareka Lodge, Rotorua
Nestled on a secluded peninsula, 15 minutes from Rotorua city and 45 minutes by air from Auckland, the exclusive Lake Okareka Lodge can be reached by helicopter or floatplane. Surrounded by the lake’s pristine water and New Zealand’s renowned green landscape, the stylish 7,072 square foot lake house has three luxury suites – booked to only one group at a time for up to nine guests. This gated estate features a private jetty and boathouse, private beach, and a helipad. Activities range from fishing, watersports, golfing, mountain biking, visiting the nearby crystal springs or simply relaxing with a massage in the lodge’s massage room. Lake Okareka Lodge was recently listed in the Pure Decadence Listing of The 101 Best Suites in the World by Elite Traveler Magazine, USA and chosen as New Zealand Leading’s Luxury Lodge by World Travels Award 2008.

“The Lake Okareka Lodge represents the essence of the Preferred Boutique brand – a distinctive travel experience with a personality on an intimate scale,” said Lynne Ireland, Managing Director of Preferred Boutique.

“At lebua, we believe in challenging the existing norms of luxury and offering our guests memorable moments that they can cherish. We are proud to be a part of the Preferred Hotel Group, which appreciates quality with the same zeal that we pursue excellence,” said Deepak Ohri, Chief Executive Officer of lebua Hotels and Resorts.

About Preferred Hotel Group
Celebrating 40 years of excellence, Preferred Hotel Group is a global leader in the hospitality industry, delivering high-performance sales, marketing, and technology solutions to more than 650 independent hotels and resorts in over 75 countries. Its family of brands represents a collection of the finest hotels in the world and include: Preferred Hotels & Resorts (www.PreferredHotels.com), Preferred Boutique (www.PreferredBoutique.com), Summit Hotels & Resorts™ (www.SummitHotels.com), Sterling Hotels™ (www.SterlingHotels.com) and Historic Hotels of America™ (www.HistoricHotels.org). For more information, please visit www.PreferredHotelGroup.com.

In September 2007, the company entered the luxury real estate market with the launch of Preferred Residences™ – a membership and exchange program for luxury shared ownership resorts that provides an exceptional level of service and amenities. Properties are held to exacting standards derived from the same Preferred Global Standards of Excellence™ on which the company has built its 40-year heritage in the hospitality industry. For more information, please visit www.PreferredResidences.com.