AirAsia increases flights to Taiwan
AirAsia increases flights to Taiwan
From 15 April 2010, AirAsia will add two flights to its Kuala Lumpur to Taipei schedule, increasing its frequency to nine flights per week. The low-cost carrier has seen an increasing demand from travellers seeking flights to and from Taipei. Recent figures have shown an 80 per cent load factor since the launch of this route on 1 July 2009.
To cater to this overwhelming response, the airline has also introduced direct daily flights to Taipei from Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia and Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. These new routes bring AirAsia’s total number of weekly flights to and from Taipei to 23, making it even easier for British travellers to tour some of Asia’s most popular destinations.
Josephine Huang, marketing manager of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Europe), commented: “We are delighted that AirAsia’s new flights offer the opportunity to introduce even more British travellers to our island. The airline’s new services from Malaysia and Thailand make it possible for visitors to travel to some of Asia’s most impressive destinations at a very reasonable cost. We look forward to welcoming even more tourists to Taiwan in 2010 and beyond.”
Eastern Taiwan launches first bike hotel
Taitung’s popular Formosan Naruwan Hotel has introduced eastern Taiwan’s first bike hotel to cater to tourists wishing to explore the island on two wheels. This new hotel follows Taiwan’s increasing popularity as a great cycling destination.
The Formosan Naruwan Hotel has recently completed a large renovation project to transform a former employee block into 80 new suites. The 40 suites located on the property’s fourth and fifth floors have been specifically allocated for cyclists and feature in-room bicycle racks for added security. The new suites are situated near a bike lane encircling the city of Taitung.
Other key features include the opportunity for cyclists to wash their bikes and pump up their tyres at a special area in front of the hotel. The property’s lifts have also been designed to offer plenty of space for guests and their bikes.
This new bike hotel complements Asia’s first ever bike hotel, which opened in southern Taiwan in early 2009. The Yoho Bike Hotel in Kenting offers innovative features, such as an exclusive check-in counter designed to keep bikers’ feet off the ground; spacious lifts; special biker family rooms featuring in-room bike hangers; a bike spa and maintenance shop; and an outdoor bike training track and off-road training courses.
The world’s biggest bike company, GIANT, is Taiwanese and is working with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau to position the country as the number one cycling destination in the world for international visitors. With over 1,000km of scenic bike routes now available, there are great opportunities to cycle the sights of Taiwan.
New boutique art hotel launched in Taipei
An elegant new boutique art hotel has opened in the heart of Taiwan’s capital city, Taipei. Hotel Éclat features 60 luxurious rooms alongside impressive pieces of artwork and sculptures by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.
Located in the fashionable district of Da-An in central Taipei, the five-star property rests just minutes from the city’s best restaurants, fashionable shopping areas and main tourist attractions, including the world’s second tallest building, Taipei 101.
Key features of the hotel include a stylish bar, four modern meeting rooms and two impressive restaurants serving Cantonese and Mediterranean cuisine. A new European restaurant is due to open in the first half of 2010. Guests can also enjoy complimentary access to the nearby California Fitness Gym, as well as to one of Taipei’s most exclusive nightclubs, Room 18. Preferential rates are also available for guests visiting the nearby Shiseido Qi Spa.
Hotel Eclat’s signature Éclat Suite boasts Swarovski chandeliers, Murana glass sculptures, a lighted marble dining table and a Hasten bed from Sweden, which is rumoured to be favoured by royalty.
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