Bangkok – Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket and Centara Karon Resort Phuket have both been named as amongst the top 100 resort hotels in the Starway Tourism Awards organized by Coral Travel, one of Russia`s leading tour operators.

The Starway Tourism Awards are based on scores from customer surveys and relate to 2012, when Coral Travel handled more than 1.34 million tourists traveling from Russia to 26 countries throughout the world.

The award winners were notified in December 2013.

“Thailand is one of the top destinations worldwide for Russian tourists, and we are delighted that two of our Phuket resorts have been named as being amongst their favorite destinations,” says Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Centara Hotels&Resorts.

Coral Travel clients are from the upper-middle and upper echelons of the market, and the company organizes group and FIT tours using its own charter programs and regular flights, as well as engaging in the development of incentive, convention, sport and other forms of tourism.

Coral operates its own quality control system to ensure it is perceived in the Russian market as a benchmark for reliability and quality, and the surveys and awards are part of this system.

Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket is set directly on the sands at the most secluded part of Karon Beach, backed by green hills and grouped around a water park. The resort takes its design inspiration from the classic Sino-Portuguese architecture that characterizes Phuket Town, and offers a combination of rooms, suites and villas, all facing the ocean.

Centara Karon Resort Phuket, also at the island`s popular Karon Beach, is divided into four zones for the greater comfort of specific categories of traveler, ranging from families to couples, honeymooners, and groups. The accommodation offers a choice of rooms, suites and cabanas, the latter being set in the garden with each featuring a private pool.

Centara Hotels&Resorts is Thailand`s leading operator of hotels, with 47 deluxe and first-class properties covering all the major tourist destinations in the Kingdom. A further 18 resorts in the Maldives, Vietnam, Shanghai, Bali Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius Indian Ocean, Ethiopia brings the present total to 65 properties. Brands and properties within Centara ensure that specific categories such as couples, families, individuals, and meetings and incentives groups will all find a hotel or resort that is appropriate to their needs.

Centara operates 27 branches of Spa Cenvaree, one of Thailand`s most luxurious and innovative spa brands, together with its newly-launched value brand Cense by Spa Cenvaree, which provides core spa services for busy travelers. The company`s Kids` Club is available at all the family-friendly resorts to ensure that the youngsters and teens are taken care of. Centara Hotels&Resorts also operates three state-of-the-art convention centers in Bangkok, and two in northeastern Thailand, one being located in Udon Thani and the other in Khon Kaen.

The latest Centara brand is named COSI Hotels, an economy brand designed for travelers who predominantly make their bookings via the Internet and who want comfort and convenience at the most friendly prices available, which is under development with the first property due to open in 2016.

The Starway Tourism Award is presented to resorts that are highly rated by a worldwide customer satisfaction survey for excellence in quality services and hospitality.