Ascott's Somerset Serviced Residences in Vietnam Win Guide Award for Excellent Performance for The Ninth Consecutive Year

CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has been conferred the Guide Award for Excellent Performance for its Somerset brand of serviced residences in Vietnam. The Guide Award is given to providers of the best products and services for travellers, diners and shoppers in Vietnam. This is the ninth consecutive year that Ascott has won this award.

The Guide Award is presented by The Guide magazine, a leading Vietnamese travel and hospitality magazine. Winners of the annual Guide Award are first nominated by readers of The Guide Magazine and subsequently selected by the executive board of the magazine in consultation with representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as well as experts from the travel, hospitality, food and beverage and retail sectors.

Mr Graham Black, Ascott's Country General Manager for Vietnam, said: "It is an honour to be recognised by readers of The Guide magazine and industry experts to be the best serviced accommodation provider in Vietnam. At Ascott, we take pride in creating memorable stay experiences for our residents through our unique LIFE approach – providing a Local touch; respecting our guest's Individuality; offering the Feeling of home; and Exceeding expectations. This award attests to our service excellence and affirms the strong brand reputation we have built up in Vietnam over the last 18 years."

Ascott is currently the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in Vietnam with about 1,600 apartment units across ten properties. These include two Somerset serviced residences in Ho Chi Minh City – Somerset Chancellor Court and Somerset Ho Chi Minh City, and three in Hanoi – Somerset Grand Hanoi, Somerset Hoa Binh and Somerset West Lake. Ascott will also be opening its first serviced residences in Hai Phong City and Danang – Somerset Central TD Hai Phong City and Somerset Danang Bay – in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Ideal for business executives who are relocating or travelling with their families, Somerset serviced residences offer well-appointed apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom units and penthouses. The apartments feature spacious living room, fully-equipped kitchen and modern amenities such as washing machine, dryer, cable television, DVD player and complimentary Internet access, allowing residents to simply move in without having to worry about the hassles of moving into a new home. There are also recreational facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts and playgrounds, 24-hour security and comprehensive services provided.

Besides Somerset serviced residences, Ascott manages two other brands of serviced residences globally. Its flagship Ascott The Residence offers top business executives discreet services in an exclusive environment. Its Citadines Apart'hotel caters to independent travellers who want quality accommodation and the flexibility to pay for the services they require.

About The Ascott Limited
The Ascott Limited is the world's largest international serviced residence owner-operator with about 22,000 operating serviced residence units in key cities of Asia Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region, as well as over 8,000 units which are under development, making a total of more than 30,000 units.

The company operates three brands – Ascott, Citadines and Somerset. Its portfolio spans over 70 cities across more than 20 countries, 15 of which are new cities in Ascott's portfolio where its serviced residences are being developed.

Ascott, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CapitaLand Limited, is headquartered in Singapore. It pioneered Asia Pacific's first international-class serviced residence in 1984. In 2006, it established the world's first Pan-Asian serviced residence real estate investment trust, Ascott Residence Trust. Today, the company boasts a 28-year industry track record and award-winning serviced residence brands that enjoy recognition worldwide.

Recent awards include DestinAsian Readers' Choice Awards 2012 for 'Best Serviced Apartment', TTG China Travel Awards 2012 for 'Best Serviced Residence Operator in China', TTG Travel Awards 2011 for 'Best Serviced Residence Operator', Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards 2011 for 'Best Serviced Residence Brand' and 'Best Serviced Residence in Asia-Pacific', and Business Traveller UK Awards 2011 for 'Best Serviced Apartment Company'.

About CapitaLand Group
CapitaLand is one of Asia's largest real estate companies. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, the multi-local company's core businesses in real estate, hospitality and real estate financial services are focused in growth cities in Asia Pacific and Europe.

The company's real estate and hospitality portfolio, which includes homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixed developments, spans more than 110 cities in over 20 countries. CapitaLand also leverages on its significant asset base, real estate domain knowledge, financial skills and extensive market network to develop real estate financial products and services in Singapore and the region.

The listed entities of the CapitaLand Group include Australand, CapitaMalls Asia, CapitaMall Trust, CapitaCommercial Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, CapitaRetail China Trust, CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust and Quill Capita Trust.