MANILA, Philippines - In celebration of The Ascott Limited’s 25th anniversary last year, the Singapore-based serviced residence pioneer held a series of rewards for its customers culminating in a global grand draw.
The lucky winner would win a complimentary three-night stay every year for the next 25 consecutive years in any Ascott property worldwide. Guests staying at any Ascott property from April 1 to December 2009 were eligible for the draw.
After picking from over a whopping four million entries, The Ascott Limited has finally declared the winner, Tomo Takuma, who stayed for a year at Citadines Shanghai Biyun from April 2008 to March 2009.
Ascott flew the 35-year-old Shanghai-based Japanese expatriate to Singapore for the recent prize presentation at Ascott Raffles Place Singapore.
“I can’t believe my luck. In Japan, winning a prize of such magnitude is unheard of. I have never won such a big prize in my life,” said Takuma, upon receiving the grand prize from Chong Kee Hiong, CEO of Ascott Residence Trust Management Ltd.
In 2009, Ascott celebrated 25 successful years as the leader in the serviced residence industry, providing business and leisure travelers with international-class accommodation that combines the space and privacy of an apartment with the services of a top-rated hotel.
To commemorate the milestone, Ascott launched a series of rewards to thank customers for their support, which included the “25 Years with Ascott” grand draw.
“What makes Ascott special is the fact that their staff go out of their way to make you feel at home. They take the initiative to know me well and understand my requirements. They take service very seriously and my requests were always attended to promptly. Such a high level of reliability is very important. I have stayed in many places where my requests are often forgotten,” said Takuma.
As a seasoned traveler, Takuma sees obvious advantages in choosing serviced residences when one travels for business and leisure.
“Serviced residences offer ample storage space that long-stay travelers require. There is also a fully equipped kitchen for you to prepare a meal for yourself or your family and friends. When you are on business or leisure travel, sometimes what you need most is a delightful home-cooked meal,” he said.
The wine aficionado is looking forward to sampling the world’s finest wines for his first complimentary stay with Ascott. He said, “I love red wine, and the first place I want to visit is the Ascott property in Bordeaux,” referring to Citadines Bordeaux Meriadeck.