Destination

Press Release

Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort invites all travellers to Phuket. Whether travellers are visiting for work or fun, the hotel is sure to cater to the needs of today’s everyday traveller with its approachable design, stylish comfort and all of the brand’s popular extras.

Nestled in a crescent-shaped bay of white sand, overlooking the azure ocean on Phuket’s highly sought-after west coast, Patong Beach is one of Thailand’s top tourism hubs. Located 45 minutes from Phuket International Airport, travellers can discover a wealth of attractions close to the resort. From golden beaches, idyllic islands and lush forests to fun-filled water parks.

The resort features 600 well-appointed, spacious guest rooms and suites, including pool access rooms with private terraces and the Ocean View suites, which offer breath-taking vistas of Patong Beach and the Andaman Sea. In addition, Family Suites offers colourful kids’ rooms with boat-shaped beds.

Each room features contemporary décor, comfortable bedding, a spacious bathroom with a power shower, and state-of-the-art amenities, including integrated USB ports and high-speed Wi-Fi.

Deluxe Ocean View Rooms

Make the most of the short escape in Phuket with Rao Tiew Douy Gun campaign. Thai nationals can enjoy additional benefits, such as a 40% discount on room rate and a THB 600 food and drink coupon per night. Marriott Bonvoy member who books Earn, Eat, Enjoy will receive exclusive Marriott Bonvoy bonus points, THB 300 resort credits, on top of the daily international buffet breakfast for two. Rates start from THB 2,950+++ per room per night. This offer is available from now until the end of September 2022. Book now!

By day, parents can cool off in cosy cabanas, plunge into two outdoor pools, or work out at the well-equipped fitness center, while their little ones have endless hours of fun at the Little Sea Gypsies Kid’s Club and playground. Throughout their vacation, young guests – from tots to teens – will have a chance to meet and greet with Loma, our smiley Irrawady Dolphin mascot. Moreover, all the kids can participate in a daily calendar of fun and creative activities, such as t-shirt painting, hat decorating, kids’ aerobics classes, jewellery making and more!

Guests can immerse in the resort’s design that welcomes them into a world of authentic local art, with interiors that reflect Phuket’s classical Peranakan culture. The resort feels like a living gallery, with a collection of almost 70 original paintings and sculptures, including works by Artslonga, an acclaimed local artist.

The hotel features five stylish dining venues; Chao Leh Kitchen is a bright all-day restaurant with an open-plan layout and a focus on local flavours, along with pan-Asian and international favourites. Sears & Co. offers a casual dining experience with indoor and alfresco seating, including a garden shaded by tropical trees; while The Deck Beach Club Patong is the perfect place to kick back and relax whilst listening to DJ beats, while enjoying light bites and signature cocktails, including Phuket’s Best Brews™ , as part of Four Points’ signature craft beer program that offers local craft beer on tap. Alternatively, the Lobby Bar is a chic space to take a break at any time of day, while the Pool Bar – with its seven-seat swim-up counter – is an enticing place to cool off.

The resort is home to five restaurants and bars, showcasing the finest local and imported produce

All guests can rest assured that Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort upholds the highest standards of health and hygiene. In line with Marriott International’s “Commitment to Clean” certification programme and official regulations, the resort has introduced enhanced sanitation standards across all areas of the property. These include deeper and more frequent cleaning, with extra attention given to high-traffic areas, and social distancing measures in all parts of the hotel.

Providing today’s modern travellers seeking work and life balance. The resort has moved from high-touch to touchless, using intuitive technology to create seamless and stress-free stays. For example, the Marriott Bonvoy App enables guests to bypass the front desk upon arrival with Mobile Check-In and Mobile Key solutions. In-stay requests and services can also be processed via the app’s Mobile Chat function. Moreover, sanitisation kits, the digital menu and resort activities will be available in all rooms and suites to give guests extra peace of mind.

An historic bridge in the Netherlands will reportedly no longer be dismantled to allow Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ‘ new superyacht to pass through.

Back in February, it was reported that Koningshavenbrug, a now-decommissioned lift bridge known locally as De Hef, would be taken apart temporarily so the billionaire’s new 417-foot yacht Y721, which is being built by Dutch firm Oceanco, could reach the ocean .

At present, the three-mast ship, set to be the second largest superyacht in the world and valued at nearly $500 million, cannot fit under the bridge without removing the middle section.

The plans sparked public outcry with De Hef viewed by many as one of Rotterdam’s leading landmarks and a popular destination for sightseeing tourists .

Now, according to Dutch news outlet Trouw , which filed a freedom of information request, the proposal has been shelved. It reports, as quoted by the NL Times, that Oceanco has “informed the municipality that it is canceling its current logistical plans.”

Trouw reported that the decision was a direct result of a public outcry that blew up when the plans were first proposed. “Shipyard employees feel threatened and the company fears it will be vandalized,” Trouw said, according to DutchNews.nl.

Local groups had previously voiced their opposition to the move. In February, Ton Wesselink from local history society Historisch Genootschap Roterodamum told Rijnmond : “Jobs are important, but there are limits with what you can and should do with our industrial heritage.”

There was similar anger online with a petition calling for a halt to the plans amassing thousands of signatures . The petition noted that De Hef was only renovated in 2017, at which time “the municipality of Rotterdam promised that the bridge would never be dismantled again.” Yet, it noted that that promise seemed “bound to be broken.”

While Bezos had pledged to cover the costs incurred in dismantling and rebuilding the bridge, the petition organizer felt the plans still sent a message that “as long as you are rich enough, there are no restrictions whatsoever.”

“Monuments can be modified and rules—that apply to everyone—lifted,” they noted, going on to contrast “the eagerness with which Bezos’ request is being indulged” to his “rigidness and refusal in providing basic human rights to his warehouse workers.”

Thousands more signed up to a planned protest that would have seen the superyacht pelted with rotten eggs as it traveled through the city.

“Calling all Rotterdammers,” wrote event organizer Pablo Strörmann on Facebook , “take a box of rotten eggs with you, and let’s throw them en masse at Jeff’s superyacht when it sails through the Hef in Rotterdam.”

It is not yet clear how Bezos or Oceanco intend to proceed with the delivery of the super yacht.

Newsweek has contacted Amazon, Oceanco and Strörmann for comment.

The country’s largest traveller insurer says Covid cases now make up just under a third of all its claims.

Jo McCauley​, chief executive of Southern Cross Travel Insurance​, said since the beginning of February 2022, Covid-19 claims have made up 32%​ of claims across its international and domestic travel insurance policies.

The cost of the claims is much lower than that of serious medical events suffered by travellers overseas, or emergency repatriations to New Zealand, with the average amount paid per covid-related claim of $1943​.

The average claim paid for domestic travel was $2164​ while the international claims average was $1884​, the insurer said.

READ MORE: Explainer: Travel insurance is limited for Covid-19 cover, ombudsman warns Kiwis plan overseas holidays, but ‘Covid cover’ on travel insurance yet to be reactivated MIQ changes: What you need to know before you book a trip overseas

For many New Zealanders Covid-19 was something we’ve started to put behind us, but for the travel insurance sector it was still very much alive, said McCauley.

Cancelled trips and delays to travel plans were the common theme of Covid-19 claims.

The majority of Covid-19 claims received by Southern Cross were for travel cancellation and interruptions which occurred when customers contracted Covid-19 while on their holiday, McCauley said.

Travel insurers added covid cover to their policies in 2021 as people began to look to travel again.

A consumer survey by Southern Cross Travel Insurance found nearly three quarters of travellers now ranked Covid-19 cover in their top three most important features of travel insurance.

Travel insurers had a rough ride in 2020 and 2021 as demand for their policies collapsed, resulting in redundancies in the industry.

The return of easier international travel had seen a flood of calls to Southern Cross Travel Insurance as people checked what policies covered them for.

“We’ve received a significant volume of enquires and claims from those who have actually had their trip impacted by being diagnosed with Covid, and our own team certainly hasn’t been immune to the virus,” McCauley said.

“All of this has meant that it’s been challenging for our customers to reach us, but please bear with us,” she said.

Australia, the United Kingdom and the Cook Islands were the most popular travel destinations, she said.

Covid cover in travel policies did not cover all Covid-related travel disruptions suffered by travellers, and McCauley urged people to read travel insurance policies to check cover levels before they travelled.

Claims from people who chose to places the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had classified as a level 3 or 4 travel advisory due to the risks of Covid-19, were unlikely to be covered by their policy.

An insured person couldn’t make a claim if they weren’t diagnosed with Covid-19 themselves, but were a close or household contact with someone not covered by the policy.