Insider access to the areas' best hotels, hottest restaurants, sights, shopping, cultural attractions and much more, plus maps for easy navigation throughout the region.

Mobil Travel Guide, the originator of the prestigious Five-Star ratings and certifications program in the United States and Canada, announced the release of its second international guidebook featuring hotel and spa ratings entitled Mobil Travel Guide: Hong Kong & Macau.

This guide, the second in Mobil Travel Guide's inaugural suite of international titles, will feature an abundance of information on the rapidly evolving tourism landscape in these two regions. In addition, Mobil Travel Guide will release the newest international additions to their esteemed Four- and Five-Star list of hotels and spas in Hong Kong and Macau on November 6, 2008.

Mobil Travel Guide: Hong Kong & Macau comes fast on the heels of the company's first ever international guide, Mobil Travel Guide: Beijing, which was released this past May. Mobil Travel Guide's international guidebook collection will expand to Europe, with the release of Mobil Travel Guide: London in July 2009

"Our inspectors have been making anonymous, three-day visits to the hotels and spas for the past year, evaluating the properties under one set of global standards, as part of our effort to create an easily identifiable, cohesive, global Star rating system; one that every traveler can depend on," said Shane O'Flaherty, President and CEO of Mobil Travel Guide.

"With international tourism reaching record levels in the hospitality-rich, Hong Kong market as well as the burgeoning leisure market of Macau, it was a natural choice for our further integration into the international marketplace."

The guide includes more than 50 Star-Rated hotels and nearly 70 top restaurants offering great values at every pricepoint, from luxury to budget. The guide also includes Star rated hotel and resort spas in Hong Kong and Macau.

The Mobil Four- and Five-Star ratings reflect the best-of-the-best in hospitality excellence and have long been considered one of the highest achievements in the hospitality and travel industry as well as a trusted resource for millions of consumers looking to make more informed travel decisions.

The Mobil Travel Guide Star ratings are defined as following:

A Mobil Travel Guide Five-Star hotel delivers consistently superlative service and a luxury environment with the ultimate in amenities. Guests are treated to the utmost in pampering, with every need anticipated and exceptional attention to detail shown from check-in to check-out. The hotel's facilities are of an exceptional design and quality, and include amenities such as a fine dining restaurant, first-class fitness center or top-notch spa. A Mobil Travel Guide Five-Star spa, located within a hotel or resort, provides exceptional service in a luxury environment. Service goes above and beyond the traditional spa experience, allowing guests to achieve the highest level of relaxation possible.

The Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star hotel is an outstanding establishment located in a distinctive setting that offers exceptional service. Amenities are refined, sophisticated and luxurious and may include automatic turndown service and 24-hour in-room dining. A Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star spa, located within a hotel or resort, offers a luxurious experience in an elegant and serene environment. The staff offers personalized service and an extensive selection of treatments including facials, massages, and salon services.

The Mobil Travel Guide Three-Star hotel is a well-appointed property with a full-service restaurant and expanded amenities such as valet service, luggage assistance, concierge service and a fitness center. The Mobil Travel Guide Three-Star Spa is a physically well-appointed facility within a hotel or resort that has a full complement of staff to meet the guest's needs.

Mobil Travel Guide provides the most comprehensive and objective hotel, restaurant and spa ratings and reviews in the United States and Canada, using hundreds of criteria for each vertical that are updated annually. Mobil Travel Guide's international Star rating system will follow the same exemplary standards and guidelines followed by all Star award winners in the United States and Canada.