The most common question in our business is “What thread-count is the best?” The answer is certainly not straight forward. When you mention thread-counts everyone has an opinion of what is best and what you should have etc. The answer is, as with most things, it depends.
Thread-count is the number of threads or yarn woven into a square inch of cloth. There are threads running lengthways known as Warp and width ways known as Weft. The thickness of yarn or thread is known as the denier and is shown as a number. The higher the number the thinner the yarn.
Percale is any fabric with a thread-count over 200 Thread-count. A standard 200 Thread-count would use 40’s Denier Yarn and in a square inch there would usually be 110 yarns in the weft and 96 in the warp. Total 206, which is then rounded down. When the thread-counts increase, thinner yarns are required otherwise you simply cannot squeeze them into the square inch. For example our 400 Thread-count uses 80’s Yarns in the warp and 60’s in the weft and there are 200 threads running in the warp and 196 in the weft. Total, 396 which is then rounded up.
When you get into higher thread-counts there is a danger of the cloth becoming too thick. To create an 800 Thread-count for example some companies would use 60’s yarns spun together and woven into a square inch. This just creates a very thick cloth and as a result air cannot pass through easily and it becomes uncomfortably hot to sleep under. To create a perfect 800 Thread-count cloth you should ideally use 100’s yarns in the warp and 80’s in the weft but this is of course expensive and so people tend to cheat.
So in conclusion, there is no perfect thread-count, we feel 400 made properly offers a lovely softness and drape but is still very breathable and because the yarns are not super thin they withstand constant washing and ironing.
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Les Suites Orient, a member of Epoque Hotels, is set to soft-opening this May, expected to offer its guests a new level of luxury accommodation in Shanghai.

Centrally located on the world famous Bund, Les Suites Orient offers a panoramic view of the Huangpu River, Pudong and the Yu Garden. At 23 stories, the Les Suites Orient is situated within an original Bund Heritage building, blending art deco design with Oriental allure. The Hotel is only steps away from the Yu Garden and is 10 minutes from the city center and Pudong Lujiazhui Finance District, and 15 minutes from the Shanghai World Expo Center.

The Hotel offers 168 guest rooms, including 43 suites and rooms for disabled guests, all decorated in a neat and elegant tone reflecting the signature Les Suites luxury. The comfort of guests is the top priority in Les Suites, with a host of customized amenities and privileges available, including Les Suites Mobile Life, 24-hour multilingual Concierge service, complimentary breakfast and free flow of coffee, tea and refreshments.

Les Suites also offers the latest technology with unlimited wireless internet connection throughout the entire hotel. A fitness center with a Zen platform, business center, and multifunctional meeting rooms are just some of the additional facilities guests can enjoy in Les Suites Orient.

Epoque Hotels is a collection of worldwide avant-garde, trendy-chic, and luxury-classic boutique hotels based in over 100 destinations. With its +270 hotels in its portfolio, divided in two lines : Avantgarde Line and Epoque Classic, it is rapidly establishing itself as the leading reference in the segment of boutique hotels. Headquartered in Miami, the company has also sales offices in Italy, UK and France.

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Singapore’s Raffles Hotel has been sold to Qatari Diar investment fund by Fairmont Raffles Hotels in a deal worth $275 million.

The 103-room hotel, famed for its colonial splendour and as the home of the Singapore Sling cocktail, was put up for sale a year ago by the Saudi multi-billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, whose Kingdom Holding Company owns a controlling stake in Fairmont Raffles. The original price tag was $350 million.

Both Fairmont Raffles and Kingdom have confirmed that a sale of the Raffles Hotel is under discussion. However, in a report by The Times, the Qataris are said to be still quantifying the amount of money required to refurbish the hotel and revamp the adjacent retail and leisure facilities, with the project, including the addition of another 78 guest rooms, is expected to cost as much as $100 million.

The Fairmont Raffles, created from the merger four years ago of the Fairmont and Raffles groups, operates more than 100 hotels globally, some under the Swissôtel chain. Its Fairmont-branded portfolio includes The Savoy, in London, which is scheduled to reopen in the next few months after the completion of a refurbishment.

The Raffles Hotel was founded in 1887.

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One of the world’s most challenging construction projects and certainly the most expensive stand-alone integrated resort property ever built, Marina Bay Sands has been officially opened.

“Nearly four years ago, we embarked on a journey we believed would define the future of our company and at the same time change the face of tourism in Singapore and the South Asian region for decades to come. Now, as we (open) Marina Bay Sands – one of the most remarkable leisure and business destinations ever created – it seems both of those ambitions (have) come true,” said Las Vegas Sands chairman and chief executive officer Sheldon G. Adelson.

Adelson added: “Despite the challenging, and at times unprecedented economic conditions companies like ours recently faced, our dedication to completing this development never wavered, not even for a second. That determination defines this company as much as our ability to create and develop masterpieces such as Marina Bay Sands. We have no doubt the property will be a tremendous success, but how we got to this point will be every bit as important to the future prospects of our company.”

Marina Bay Sands CEO Thomas Arasi said the property is planning for 963 hotel rooms, part of the shopping mall and convention center, celebrity chef restaurants along with other dining outlets and the casino to open on April 27 subject to construction proceeding as scheduled and being able to attain the necessary regulatory approvals.

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InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the development of a new InterContinental hotel in the Beijing city centre, which will be located adjacent to the Sanlitun entertainment area.

The InterContinental Beijing City Centre, which is likely to feature 320 rooms, is owned by Beijing Topwin Real Estate Development Co Ltd and expected to be ready by 2014.

The hotel will be the third InterContinental hotel in the city after InterContinental Beijing Financial Street and InterContinental Beijing Beichen.

Currently, there are 14 InterContinental hotels in Greater China and a further 17 are under development.

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The W Retreat Koh Samui, the first W Retreat in Southeast Asia will open this spring.

An all-villa beachfront resort set on the north shore of Thailand’s famed Samui island, the W Retreat Koh Samui will be adjacent to The Residences at W Retreat Koh Samui, which will feature 17 secluded beachfront villas ranging from three to five bedrooms and from 1,000 to 2,752 square meters. Each residence offers a modern tropical Zen style with exotic touches, and each offers full access to the benefits, services and amenities of W Koh Samui.

“W Retreat Koh Samui will redefine the way we live and play, delivering a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience with the signature W twist,” said Coetzer Deysel, general manager of W Retreat Koh Samui. “We are delighted to bring our world of ‘Wow’ to Koh Samui, one of the coolest islands in Southeast Asia.”

W Retreat Koh Samui will offer panoramic sunrise and sunset views of the Gulf of Thailand from its beachfront location. The Retreat will feature 75 private villas equipped with modern lifestyle innovations, including a private pool, daybeds, an outdoor shower, Yamaha sound system, 47-inch plasma screen TV, wine refrigerator, and the signature W bed.

The design of W Retreat Koh Samui will reflect a modern “Thai Zen” design, featuring clean lines, spaces that flow, and materials that reflect relaxation and warmth. The overall wood tone used throughout the Retreat is based on the bleached color of the driftwood washed up onto the shore. Key materials will also include white terrazzo floors, red mosaic tiles and black Thai-inspired vanities.

Guests of the Retreat will be able to enjoy preferred dining reservations and seating at The Kitchen Table, which will serve freshly baked treats, gourmet pizzas and inspirational buffets, as well as at W Retreat Koh Samui’s signature Japanese restaurant, Namu. Before dinner, guests may spice up their evenings with one of W Retreat Koh Samui’s signature cocktails at the lounge – Sip.

aWay Spa, the signature spa at W Retreat Koh Samui, will offer guests a wellness escape with signature treatments including massages, facial and body treatments, manicures and pedicures, as well as a range of treatments incorporating local Thai influences. aWay Spa will also comprise spa villas, Tonic juice bar and the first “Thaimazcal” treatment facility. First of its kind in Asia, the Thaimazcal treatment is unique and based on Mexican tribal rituals, using local Thai ingredients.

Guests will also be able to enjoy the pool, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, water sports center and tennis court, Style Lab and much more.

The Great Room function area at W Retreat Koh Samui will serve as an ideal island venue for business gatherings, creative meetings and so on. The Great Room can be divided into two areas and serves 60 people with the latest in meetings technology.

This April, The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, one of the most successful Ritz-Carlton hotels in the world, will begin an expansion project that will increase the total number of guest rooms and include the addition of several new restaurant concepts. This project is expected to be completed in early 2012.

The beachfront resort currently features 138 sea view guestrooms over seven floors. Spearheaded by Dubai-based architectural firm Rice Perry Ellis, there are plans to build an adjacent wing to house an additional 163 guestrooms, bringing the total number to 301. Of these, 18 are designated as suites including two Royal Suites, each providing more than 180 square meters (1,937 square feet) and offering a 180-degree panoramic view of the Persian Gulf.

All guest rooms will be equipped with a dreamy bedding experience, state-of-the-art technology including wireless and wired internet access, iPod docking stations, flat screen televisions and DVD players as standard to enable guests to both work and relax in their rooms. Located on the third floor of the new wing is The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, offering six complimentary food and beverage presentations throughout the day and dedicated multi-lingual concierge service.

“This major project is part of our goal to meet our guests’ requirements in the coming years,” said GM Andrew Nasskau. “Since the resort’s opening 11 years ago, our number of guests have increased annually, and with the development of The Walk and Dubai Marina, we are predicting even higher visitors’ interest in The Ritz-Carlton at the completion of this expansion programme.”

As the new wing is located away from the resort’s guestrooms and recreational facilities such as the Spa and swimming pools, Nasskau believes the impact will be minimal. “We are mindful of the effect that the expansion programme will have on our guests and we will make every effort to ensure that their comfort and enjoyment will not be compromised,” he said. “All our rooms and suites will still be occupied for the next two years, and the only areas that will be closed are La Baie, the spa pool and garden in front of the new wing.”#

To capitalize on the requirements of corporate travellers, the resort will boast sizable meeting and function space to include an 800-square-meter (8,640-square-feet) grand ballroom that is divisible by six, a boardroom and three multi-purpose function rooms.

In total, the resort will offer 1,160 square meters (12,528 square feet) of meeting space, all of which will be equipped with the most advanced technology. In addition to a world-class audio and visual set-up, the hotel’s Technology Butler, floral artist services and a dedicated catering and conference team ensures a seamless experience for all meetings and events.

Culinary offerings will be enhanced by the 10 new private dining rooms within an enclosed solarium in the Italian specialty restaurant Splendido, and the signature restaurant La Baie will be revitalized by a new concept and a larger dining space. During the day, sun-worshippers may enjoy the fresh look of the Pool Bar & Grill Pavilion which can accommodate up to 100 guests around the new swimming pools.

The new wing will feature the resort’s famed landscaped gardens including new outdoor swimming pools and a terrace. A 2,020 square meters (21,743 square feet) Spa and Fitness Center, with separate entries for men and women, will showcase a fully equipped gymnasium, beauty salon and 13 private treatment rooms.