PARK HYATT KOH SAMUI SET FOR 2009 OPENING

Hong Kong, November 19, 2007 – Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement to manage a new luxury resort that is being developed by Proud Resorts Koh Samui Co. Ltd., a joint venture between real estate and hospitality investment specialists, First Oriental, and the Liptapanlop family. Scheduled to open in 2009, Park Hyatt Koh Samui will comprise 90 luxurious hotel villas and a further 24 residential villas, all set on a spectacular hilltop location overlooking Thong Krut Bay on Koh Samui’s southern shoreline.

“Koh Samui’s is one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations with an ideal climate and good accessibility, which makes it attractive for tourism related investment. This project presents an exceptional opportunity for Hyatt to strengthen its brand portfolio in Asia Pacific,” said Willi Martin, Hyatt Area Vice President South East Asia.

Commenting on behalf of the owners and developers, Michael Evanoff of First Oriental stated: “This idyllic location on an established, exclusive resort island is sure to attract discerning hotel guests and villa owners. We believe that management by Hyatt, under the prestigious Park Hyatt brand, will deliver the perfect guest experience to complement the scale and beauty of the development”.

Most of the hotel villas on the 20 hectare site are one-bedroom, 140 square metre units. There are also some larger villas with two and three bedrooms. Each has an outdoor living area, private pool, sun deck, terrace and private gardens. The design will be modern and minimalist, accented by traditional Thai architectural elements. The resort will feature a variety of international dining outlets; a spa and wellness facility offering traditional and innovative therapies and treatments. There are dedicated meeting and event services, and extensive family-friendly leisure facilities. The 24 private residences for sale are 250 square metres for the two-bedroom villas and 300 square metres for the three-bedroom villas. These are fully fitted to the same standard as the hotel villas and will be managed by Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

Park Hyatt Koh Samui is situated on Thong Krut Bay, along Koh Samui’s southern shoreline, less than 15 minutes from Nathon, the local commercial hub, and 45 minutes from Samui Airport. The hilltop setting of the hotel offers guests spectacular views over the Gulf of Thailand and the surrounding coastline, with fishing villages, coconut farms and palm beaches. A nearby island co-owned by the owners of the resort will provide berthing for yachts and a private beach where Park Hyatt guests can relax, enjoy a variety of water sports or dine al fresco.

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Contact:
Daniella Wu
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Phone: +852 2768-1271
E-mail: daniella.wu@hyattintl.com

Michelle Lau
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Phone: +852 2768-1293
E-mail:michelle.lau@hyattintl.com

About Global Hyatt Corporation
Global Hyatt Corporation, one of the world’s premier hotel companies, offers today’s travelers over 735 hotels and resorts (over 136,000 rooms) in more than 44 countries. The company’s affiliates own, operate, manage and franchise Hyatt branded hotels and resorts under the Park Hyatt™, Grand Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency™, Hyatt Resorts™, Hyatt™, Hyatt Place™ and Hyatt Summerfield Suites ® brands. In April 2007, Hyatt launched its newest global brand, Andaz. Global Hyatt Corporation is also the owner of Hyatt Vacation Ownership, Inc. operator of the Hyatt Vacation Club and fractional residential properties and U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc, which franchises Hawthorn Suites and Microtel Inns and Suites. Reservations for any Hyatt hotels worldwide may be obtained by calling your local Hyatt hotel, Hyatt Worldwide Reservations Centre or logging onto www.hyatt.com

About Proud Resorts Koh Samui
Proud Resorts Koh Samui Co. Ltd is a joint venture between First Oriental and the Liptapanlop family. First Oriental (www.firstorientalgroup.com) is an investment group operating throughout South East Asia. The First Oriental team brings extensive experience in the global real estate, construction and hospitality industries. Investments include prime residential and commercial properties in Thailand and Singapore. First Oriental also operates a hospitality services company and a property advisory and brokerage company. First Oriental is part of the Libra Group (www.libra.com), a modern conglomerate with global interests spanning real estate, hospitality, construction, transportation, energy and private equity. The group has hospitality interests in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. It works with international hospitality brands including Starwood, Hyatt and Relais & Chateaux as well as operating its own independent luxury hotel brands.

This release was published on openPR.