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SCMP Reporter

THE 235-room Goodwood Park on Scotts Road in Singapore is due to introduce a three-night rate from June until August selling for S$585 (HK$2,795). This is a good saving on the full daily rate of S$355.

  Contact Utell reservations on 866-0882.

  The 320-room Holiday Inn Park View on Cavenagh Road is discounting its full rates by 50 per cent from June to September 15. However, booking must be 30 days in advance and cannot be changed.

  Contact Holiday Inn reservations on 736-6855.

  The 420-room Carlton Hotel on Bras Basah Road is coming in with big discounts. Its regular rooms are priced at S$175 (the regular rate is S$300), and rooms on the business floor for S$220 (S$330).

  Contact Sterling reservations on 882-8877, or fax 882-8281. SHERATON is running a special promotion for travellers with American Express credit cards.

  For every two nights up to the end of August, you get the third night free. As this is based on full rates, it represents a 33 per cent discount.

  The hotels in Asia in the package are in Bali (one in Nusa Dua, the other in nearby Senggigi), Langkawi and Phuket. In the Pacific they are Gold Coast, Noosa and Port Douglas in Australia, and in Fiji.

  Contact Sheraton reservations on 739-3535. DRAGONAIR is to begin a twice-weekly flight to Phnom Penh in Cambodia from May 18. The flights will run on Tuesdays and Fridays.

  Dragonair is working with government-owned Kampuchean Airlines on the route. PREPARE for some surprises on your next trip to Islamabad in Pakistan. What with the Holiday Inn there is now the Marriott. And what was called the Islamabad hotel has now signed an agreement with Holiday Inn, so that this is now the Holiday Inn.

  The Marriott is on the Aga Khan Road, and the (newly-named) Holiday Inn in the Civil Centre.

  Contact Holiday Inn reservations on 736-6855, and Marriott reservations on 810-8366. FIXED hotel rates in Cebu are high - one reason why the resort area has not done as well as comparable ones in Thailand.

  But three linked resort hotels (not all on a beach) are running packages, which discount regular prices by around 50 per cent. The costly, albeit new, Alegre Beach Resort, is running a two-night package including some meals and airport transfers for US$306 (HK$2,385) per person sharing (so US$612 for a couple). The Cebu Plaza is selling rooms at 1,500 pesos (HK$455) until June 30. And the Park Place rate, but with no fixed expiry date, costs 1,250 pesos.

  But note that these are all local packages, and may not be bookable from Hongkong. And those at the Cebu Plaza and Park Place cannot be booked through travel agencies here or in the Philippines (or, rather, they do not include a commission to the agencies).

  Fax numbers for bookings: Alegre Beach Resort (63-32) 216949, Cebu Plaza (63-32) 312071, Park Place (63-32) 210118. NEWS on frequent flier programmes: Lufthansa's programme is different from some of the others in that business class gets double mileage (more usual is x1.5), and triple for first class (x2). But remember that part of this is reflected in higher point requirements for the rewards.

  The airline's programme is called Miles & More, partly because it gives more than miles for rewards. They include renting a chef from Lufthansa's catering subsidiary to cook a dinner for 12 guests; but this costs a whacking 500,000 miles.

  Others require a trip to Germany - BMW driver training (225,000 miles); balloon trip for four people (100,000); sightseeing for two on the airline's rebuilt Junkers 52 aircraft (75,000); one hour for four in a flight simulator (125,000).

  Contact Lufthansa on 868-2313. Members of British Airways's Executive Club get miles for each stay at a Mandarin Oriental hotel.

  Contact Mandarin Oriental reservations, on 881-1288.

  Members of Northwest's Worldperks frequent flier get 500 miles for each night at the New Otani in Tokyo. Contact New Otani Hotel reservations on 529-2713. FORTE Hotels has cut prices at 19 of its hotels under a promotional scheme, called The Clubs.

  The discounts are available at 11 hotels in Europe (including six in London) three in North America, and five in the Middle East. The package usually includes a small, around five per cent, discount on the rooms; five hotels include full buffet breakfast, and nine include service and tax.

Information compiled by Travel Database, GPO Box 12761, Hongkong. Fax 507-4620.



Summer melts away the rates for Singapore