Meritus Hotels & Resorts is to open an exclusive spa resort in Chiang Mai in early 2006. Owned by the Lord Mayor of Chiang Mai, Khun Boonlert Buranupakorn, the resort is located along the banks of the Mai Ping River. Employing all local products as far as possible, the resort will reflect the culture and tradition of the 18th century Lanna Thai Kingdom. This will be the Group’s second property in Thailand, after the Meritus Suites State Tower on the corner of Silom and Charoenkrung Roads in Bangkok.
In other expansion plans within the region, Meritus in September 2004, opened a convention center in the Luodian new township of Shanghai - the 76-room Meritus Lake Meilan Convention Center. The Group is now finalizing opening plans for an adjacent 267-room golf resort with the same owners later this year. Final stages of negotiations are also underway for another city hotel in Shanghai, whereas in Sanya, the 188-room Meritus Wanjia Spa Resort is slated to open by September 2005. Meritus has also confirmed that it is also about to firm up an agreement to manage a 5-star hotel in the city of Ningbo.

In Malaysia, the Group has now relinquished the management of the Riviera Bay Resort in Malacca.
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