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Published: 12:00am, 6 Jan 2004

Pen friends Peninsula hotels have won top honours in the Conde Nast Traveler 2004 Readers' Choice Awards. In the Asia, Australia and Pacific Nations category, The Peninsula Bangkok and The Peninsula Manila won Best by Service awards. The Bangkok hotel also won Best by Rooms and Best by Design categories. The Peninsula Hong Kong won Best by Food. For a full list of award winners, see the Gold List in the magazine's January issue.

A good bet The Galaxy Resort & Casino is to open several properties in Macau over the next two years. First up will be the Galaxy Waldo hotel, in April, with 38 tables. Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino (model pictured right) will open in 2005, with 600 rooms in a landmark skyscraper. And a mega-resort hotel will open in Cotai in phases, starting in 2006.

SAA signs on South African Airways has become the 16th airline to join the Asia Miles programme. In exchange, Cathay Pacific has joined the African airline's SAA Voyager Miles scheme. Members flying on SA Airlink and SA Express can also earn and redeem Asia Miles. For details, see www.asiamiles.com

Booking in A new guide to self-catering properties in France, Alistair Sawday's French Holiday Homes, Villas, Gites And Apartments, was published yesterday. It has 285 entries, ranging from a cliff-top turret in Biarritz to a hamlet in Burgundy, complete with chateau, which can be hired in its entirety. Available at www.specialplacestostay.com, for #11.99 (HK$167).

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