Press Release
September 21, 2000
The Royal Orchid Sheraton has forged a strategic partnership with Mandara Spa; a young and highly successful, privately
owned Resort Spa Management Company. The Royal Orchid Mandara Spa, targeted for an early 2001 opening, is being
built as part of the multi-million dollar refurbishment of the grand “Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers”.
Set on the bank of the River of Kings in the heart of Bangkok’s business and entertainment precinct, the Spa will
feature both traditional and international health and beauty treatment, featuring high quality imported and natural
products. It will offer an interesting and exciting array of traditional and unique treatments delivered in attractive
city resort environment with spacious Spa treatment rooms. The spas will provide “the ultimate indulgence” by gracious
staff, in a beautiful garden setting, with fresh air, natural light and a breathtaking view of the river. The
goal will be to provide guests with an unforgettable and comprehensive resort spa experience.
Every detail and touch is thoughtfully added. The flavour is distinctly Asian, and lusciously tropical. Influenced
by ancient natural beauty, healing and rejuvenation secrets of Asia, delightfully indulgent treatments, which include
various massage therapies, aromatherapy, herbal wraps, exfoliation treatments, body treatments & scrubs, baths,
reflexology, waxing, manicure, pedicure and facial services.
The Spa also offers its exclusive range of beauty products and spa accessories. The range includes the products
used in the spa treatments. Based on traditional Asian recipes, these products are handmade from high quality indigenous
ingredients, completely natural and are full of nature’s nourishment and exotically aromatic.
About Mandara Spa
Shiseido Co., Ltd. makes a significant equity investment in Mandara Spa
Through the agreement, Shiseido will acquire a 40 percent stake, respectively, in Spa Partners Asia Limited (SPAL)
and Mandara Spa LLC (MSL). SPAL currently operates Mandara Spa facilities in the Asia Pacific region, while MSL
is currently focused on operating Mandara Spa facilities in the United States and Micronesia.
Discussions that led to Shiseido's decision to invest in Mandara Spa were initiated in October 1999 between Mr.
Thomas Gottlieb, founder and CEO of Mandara Spa, and Mr. Yasutaka Mori, Director of Shiseido and General Manager
of Corporate Business Development. Since opening its first spa on Bali in 1996, Mandara Spa has rapidly established
numerous new facilities worldwide. Mandara Spa was impressed by Shiseido's global prominence, the high quality
and reliability of its products, and its renowned product development capability. Shiseido concluded that the benefits
of the investment would be considerable in light of Mandara Spa's growth potential as a leading resort spa chain
with worldwide operations. The Company also recognized an opportunity to supply Mandara Spa facilities with Shiseido
products in addition to get useful information for cosmetics operation such as consumer demands.
Mandara Spa has emerged from its roots in Bali, Indonesia, to become one of the world's largest operators of resort
spas. Today the company operates over 30 luxury spas located in fine resorts in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand,
Micronesia, Maldives and its new US flagship, the Paris-Las Vegas Casino Resort. It also operates spas aboard the
award-winning Silverseas Cruise Line. Already the market leader in Asia, Mandara Spa is now focusing on leading
resort properties in Hawaii and the Caribbean, where a number of major resort spas are currently in development.
Over the next four years, Mandara Spa plans to add approximately 20 new spas, which are forecast to generate meaningful
revenue growth.
Mandara, a privately held corporation, recently entered into a joint venture partnership with the Shiseido Company.
Mandara Spa is headquartered in Honolulu, and is the fastest growing spa management company in the world, serving
more than 250,000 clients a year. Many of its 700 employees are also graduates of the Mandara Spa Training School
based in Bali.
About Mandara Spa
Mandara Spa is a company with international experience in operating over 35 spas and salons in Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand, Guam, Saipan, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Aruba and on international cruise ships. The spas are located in a variety
of resorts and hotels, from small boutique hotels to large international destination resorts. Mandara Spa is now
the market leader in Asia, operating spas for a number of major hotel groups, including: Hilton, Westin, Nikko,
Club Med, Outrigger, Pacific Islands Club and Marriott. Another five are under development in the Far East as well
as Hawaii. Mandara's largest spa has now opened at the 2,914-room Paris-Las Vegas Casino Resort.
John Pritzker Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
For 25 years, Pritzker served as general manager of various Hyatt Hotels, rising in 1984 to Divisional Vice President
of Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. In 1998, he founded Red Sail Companies, a Chicago-based diversified sports, retail,
and entertainment provider with 22 comprehensive watersports concessions worldwide. He is president of that company
and, for the past 12 years, has been a director of Ticketmaster, Inc. In 1998, he partnered with Thomas Gottlieb
to found Mandara Spa. Mr. Pritzker serves as a director of Chemdex, the U.S. Ski Team Foundation and San Francisco
Day School.
Tom Gottlieb President
For more than 20 years, Thomas Gottlieb has been actively involved in banking, venture capital, business development
and hospitality and tourism operations in Asia. He has lived or worked in Asia since 1976. Having held positions
in the Asian divisions of First National Bank of Chicago and then Citicopr, Gottlieb became chief investment officer
of InterPacific Group, which has interests in development, real estate, resorts and recreational facilities throughout
the Pacific Basin. In 1993, Gottlieb established Sierra Pacific Investments, focusing on investments in the hospitality
industry, from which Mandara Spa was born in 1995. It is his vision to see Mandara become the world's leader in
spa development and management.
###
Contact:
Benjawan Sudhikam
Director of Public Relations
Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers
Tel 266-0123 ext 3451-2
benjawan.sudhikam@sheraton.com
http://www.mandaraspa.com