This is especially true at luxury hotel brands that typically do not discount below their own web advertised lowest prices like Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula.

FORBES: Why You Need A Travel Agent, Part 2

The company, Dubai Ports World, would do so by purchasing a British concern, Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Company ("P and O").

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: A Harriet Miers moment

This demanding group of busy travelers placed Singapore's Raffles, Tokyo's Park Hyatt, Bangkok's Oriental, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia in Singapore and Hong Kong's Mandarin Oriental, Regent and Peninsula (at No. 1) among their choices for the world's top international and city hotels.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Travel Watch

The Regent Hong Kong was rated No. 2, the city's Peninsula No. 3, the Oriental in Bangkok No. 4, Hong Kong's Island Shangri-La No. 6 and its sister property in Bangkok No. 8. (The No. 1 spot went to the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans).

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Travel Watch

In contrast, most Asian hotel chains, such as Shangri-La Asia, Mandarin-Oriental, and Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (which holds the Peninsula brand), own and manage their own hotels.

ECONOMIST: Asia��s hotels

In the last decade, big international chains such as Shangri-La, Peninsula, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton have moved in, dominating the luxury hotel scene.

BBC: Business trip: Tokyo