Bangkok (Thailand) – December 15, 2016 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts' expansion strategy in Asia reached another important milestone this week when the company secured its first hotel in Krabi – one of the region's most sought-after beach resorts.

Krabi is home to many of Thailand's most famous natural wonders, such as the famous cliffs of Railay Bay and "The Beach", made famous by the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.

And soon, guests will be able to experience this enchanting destination from the comfort of a Best Western hotel. The Hula Hula Resort & Spa, located in the heart of Ao Nang, Krabi's main tourist center, will be renamed Best Western Hula Hula Ao Nang Resort in December 2016.

The resort offers a total of 76 rooms, all modern, bright, and spacious, featuring state-of-the-art amenities such as free Wi-Fi. All guests enjoy sea views of the pool or garden from their private balcony or terrace, and some rooms even offer direct access to the resort's lagoon-style swimming pool.

The new resort offers a selection of restaurants, including an authentic Thai restaurant. Leisure facilities include a bar, an outdoor pool with a sun terrace, a spa with massage services, and a fitness center. The Best Western Hula Hula Ao Nang Resort also features an event space for up to 150 people, ideal for both business and private functions.

“With its spectacular scenery and wealth of natural resources, Krabi has always been one of Asia’s most popular travel destinations,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations for Asia. “Best Western had been looking for a suitable opportunity in this sought-after region for some time, and we are delighted to have found such a high-quality resort in the heart of Ao Nang.”

“Guests will love the open, tropical atmosphere of the Best Western Hula Hula Ao Nang Resort and its easy access to the region’s main attractions. I am confident that this resort will be an excellent addition to our growing Asian portfolio,” added Mr. Berrivin.

The agreement is part of Best Western's comprehensive expansion strategy in Thailand. Earlier this year, the company signed a landmark contract for three hotels in the popular tourist destinations of Pattaya and Hua Hin, totaling over 4,000 rooms. Furthermore, Best Western announced this month the opening of a new flagship hotel in Bangkok – the Best Western Premier Montien Riverside Hotel. In addition, the group will introduce its trendy VIP concept to Bangkok in the coming years.

These hotels complement Best Western's existing collection of hotels and resorts in Thailand, which includes Bangkok, Phuket and Buriram.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts: Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts is a privately owned hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers seven hotel brands designed to meet the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western℠, Vīb®, BW Premier Collection®, and GLō℠. For more than 70 years, Best Western has been synonymous with hospitality, providing its hoteliers worldwide with operational, sales, and marketing support, as well as award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to break industry records for accolades and recognition. For example, in 2016, nearly 60 percent of the brand's North American hotels received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. Business Travel News ranked Best Western Plus and Best Western among the top three upper-midrange and midrange hotel brands for three consecutive years. Best Western has also won the Dynatrace Best of the Web Gold Award for Best Hotel Website five years in a row. Best Western has also received eight AAA/CAA Lodging Partner of the Year Awards, recognizing the brand's commitment to exceptional service and value for its 56 million AAA members in the U.S. and Canada. Nearly 30 million travelers are members of the award-winning Best Western Rewards® loyalty program, one of the few programs where points have no expiration date and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. Best Western's partnerships with AAA/CAA and Harley-Davidson® offer travelers exciting ways to engage with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to introduce a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests see hotels.

* The figures are approximate, may vary and include hotels that are currently under development.

Contact: Siriporn Trachoo, Marketing & Communications, Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia, Tel.: +66 2 656 1260, Email: [email protected]

Siriporn Trachoo (Pan) | Assistant Marketing Communications Manager – Asia Best Western® Hotels & Resorts BWI (Thailand) Co., Ltd. | Unit 5A-2 | 5th Floor Gaysorn Place Office Building 999 Ploenchit Road Lumpini Phatumwan | Bangkok | 10330 | Thailand | Tel.: +662 656 1260 • Fax: +662 656 1252 | bestwesternasia.com