Ascott Sweeps 24 Accolades At Business Traveller And World Travel Awards

CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited, has swept a total of 24 highly coveted accolades at the 2013 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards and World Travel Awards for Asia & Australasia as well as Europe. The awards recognise Ascott as the leading serviced residence provider across Asia Pacific and Europe. With these awards, Ascott has been recognised with 104 accolades to date in 2013, exceeding the 79 accolades it garnered in the full year of 2012.

For the 10th straight year, readers of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific magazine have voted Ascott The Residence as the 'Best Serviced Residence Brand' in the region. The poll, which was conducted by an independent market research company, also unveiled Ascott's premier serviced residence in its home base of Singapore – Ascott Raffles Place – as the 'Best Serviced Residence' in Asia Pacific. Ascott has won in these two award categories every year since their inception in 2004. Ascott Sathorn Bangkok and Ascott Makati also came in second and third place respectively for 'Best Serviced Residence' in Asia Pacific.

At the World Travel Awards for Asia & Australasia where winners were voted by travel professionals and consumers, Ascott was conferred 12 awards, including the top honour of 'Asia's Leading Serviced Apartment Brand'. Ascott also clinched leading serviced apartment and brand awards for Ascott The Residence and Somerset Serviced Residence in China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

At the World Travel Awards for Europe, Ascott garnered eight accolades. It beat contenders from various countries to receive the highest accolade of 'Europe's Leading Serviced Apartment Brand'. In addition, Ascott's Citadines Apart'hotel brand and properties triumphed in seven other categories in Belgium, England, France and Germany.

Mr Lee Chee Koon, Ascott's Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are humbled to be voted the best in Asia Pacific and Europe by travellers and travel professionals. Their continued support is fundamental to Ascott's success. Winning Business Traveller Asia-Pacific awards for 10 years in a row, and World Travel Awards across different geographies, demonstrates the consistent high quality of our products and services. Across our properties in more than 80 cities across over 20 countries, our 5,000 staff dedicate themselves to providing excellent services and exceeding our guests' expectations. These awards truly go to all our staff who have made it possible for Ascott to garner 104 accolades so far this year."

Mr Lee added: "As a company that started in Singapore in 1984, Ascott is honoured to be recognised alongside other Singapore brands such as Singapore Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines. Premium quality and efficient, reliable services are attributes that have allowed Singapore brands to enjoy high international appeal. As customers' needs evolve with time, we will continue to invest in innovation and create special touches to deliver the best stay experience for them."

Mr Julian Gregory, Managing Director of Panacea Publishing, which publishes Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, said: "For 22 years, the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards have allowed our readers to recognise those companies that deserve recognition for their products and services. Ascott has passed an amazing milestone by winning 'Best Serviced Residence Brand' and 'Best Serviced Residence' in Asia Pacific for 10 consecutive years, bearing testament to its impeccable standards in helping to make business travellers' journeys seamless and productive. We congratulate Ascott and their staff on this great achievement."

Mr Graham E. Cooke, President and Founder, World Travel Awards, which is widely regarded as the 'Oscars of the travel industry', said: "The World Travel Awards has been recognising leading companies that push the boundaries of products and services since 1993. Ascott did phenomenally well this year. Travel professionals and consumers from around the globe have voted for Ascott, leading to its win in an impressive 20 categories across Asia & Australasia as well as Europe."

To enhance customer experience, Ascott has embarked on an extensive programme to refurbish 37 properties in Asia Pacific and Europe. The newly renovated properties have received positive reviews from customers. Ascott has also recently introduced new web and mobile booking features to enable easier and faster search by guests for its properties. These encompass a citywide search function that allows guests to view all available properties in a city, and filters to help guests narrow down available apartments according to their needs. Guests can also perform a multi-city, multi-property or multi-apartment booking within a
single reservation process.

In addition, Ascott has begun offering free internet access to all guests who book its apartments at Best Available Rates. Free internet is available across more than 100 properties under the Ascott, Citadines and Somerset brands worldwide. Ascott is also progressively boosting bandwidth to meet the increasing data demand by guests.

Please click here for the list of awards Ascott has won at Business Traveller Asia-Pacific and World Travel Awards. For Ascott's 2013 accolades, please visit

http://www.theascottlimited.com/en/aboutus/awards_and_accolades.html?year=2013.

About The Ascott Limited
The Ascott Limited is a Singapore company that has grown to be the world's largest international serviced residence owner-operator. It has more than 22,000 operating serviced residence units in key cities of Asia Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region, as well as over 10,000 units which are under development, making a total of more than 33,000 units in over 200 properties.

The company operates three brands – Ascott, Citadines and Somerset. Its portfolio spans 81 cities across more than 20 countries, 20 of which are new cities in Ascott's portfolio where its serviced residences are being developed.

Ascott, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CapitaLand Limited, pioneered Asia Pacific's first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore 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 29-year industry track record and award-winning serviced residence brands that enjoy recognition worldwide.

Ascott's achievements have been recognised internationally. Recent awards include DestinAsian Readers' Choice Awards 2013 for 'Best Serviced Apartment/Residence Operator', TTG China Travel Awards 2013 for 'Best Serviced Residence Operator in China', Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards 2013 for 'Best Serviced Residence Brand' and 'Best Serviced Residence in Asia-Pacific', Business Traveller UK Awards 2012 for 'Best Serviced Apartment Company' and TTG Travel Awards 2012 for 'Best Serviced Residence Operator'

Visit www.the-ascott.com for more information and connect with us on social media at www.the-ascott.com/connect.

About CapitaLand Limited
CapitaLand is one of Asia's largest real estate companies. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, the company's businesses in real estate and real estate fund management are focused on its core markets of Singapore and China.

The company's diversified real estate portfolio primarily includes homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixed developments. The company also has one of the largest real estate fund management businesses with assets located in Asia. CapitaLand leverages its significant asset base, real estate domain knowledge, product design and development capabilities, active capital management strategies and extensive market network to develop real estate products and services in its markets.

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