8/15/2019 Hotel Trend Luxury Resorts

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LUXURY I PLUSH RESORTS

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       T       H       E  LUXE LIST

e all know Asia is

renowned for its

natural, spiritualand cultural beauty.

Here, inner peace

can be found simply by watching

the golden sun rise over the stupa of

a temple, or a walk along the serene

sands of a deserted beach. But other

times – when 24-hour butler service,

pillow menus and exclusively

curated art are on offer – more is

definitely more. From a modern

art sanctuary in Hong Kong to a

traditional Balinese village turned

luxe, we check out six of Asia’s

most lavish resorts for you to

check into in 2016.

 Bali’s slice of paradiseMandapa: A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Ubud

What better place to recharge

than Ubud, Bali’s spiritual heart?

Imagined by renowned interior

designer Jeffrey Wilkes, Mandapa’s

35 suites and 25 private pool villas

have been designed to embrace the

surrounding tropical landscape.

Natural and neutral furnishings

– sustainably sourced, of course

– create a mood that is both eco-

friendly and ultra luxe. While

Mandapa offers four restaurants,

including authentic Balinese at

Sawah Terrace and a detox selectionat the Pool Bar, ‘Dining Beyond’

is aimed at ‘collectors of unique

experiences’. The programme

offers five one-of-a-kind culinary

experiences: the intimate dinner

in the private cocoons of Kubu

restaurant with the Ayung River as

the backdrop is a must. Yogis will be

in their element with classes at 7am

and 5pm daily an d when you’re ready

to truly relax, book a treatment at the

on-site Mandapa Spa.

READY TO TREAT YOURSELF TO THE EXTREME ON YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY?

SOAK IN YOUR OWN NATURAL HOT SPRING, SLEEP ON 600 THREAD-

COUNT SILK SHEETS OR CHOOSE TO TRAVEL IN A ROLLS-ROYCE

LIMO AT THIS YEAR’S HOTTEST PLUSH RESORTS

WORDS ALESSANDRA BERGAMIN 

w

8/15/2019 Hotel Trend Luxury Resorts

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 A Parisiansalon in SingaporeHotel Vagabond,Singapore

Singapore’s first

experience-driven luxury

hotel, Hotel Vagabond,

will transport you back

to 17th-century France.

Designed to embody

the concept of a salon,

the Vagabond aims to

immerse guests in the

theatre of art, food,

drink and conversation.

The 42-room hotel,

featuring interiors by

French designer Jacques

Garcia, runs a palette

of deep red velvet, gold

trimmings and floral

accents. But its heart lies

in the Vagabond Salon, a

modern interpretation of

the cultural, intellectual

and social hubs that

characterised 17th-

century French society.

6564 

therapeutic spa ‘journeys’,

including massages as

well as manicures and

pedicures in a dedicated

studio. Exclusivity is also

an Aman special: the

resort offers just 24 suites

and four two-bedroom

villas, each with either

garden or bay views andinteriors that invoke

the simple elegance of

Japanese design. And

who knows who you’ll

bump into there: the likes

of Bill Gates and Mark

Zuckerberg are said

to be fans of Aman’s

luxury hideaways.

 Where high-rollers feel mostat homeLouis XIII, Macau

Soon to be Macau’s

newest ultra-luxury

resort, Louis XIII is

designed for the world’s

most affluent guests. The

hotel – reported to have

cost a staggering US$1.5

billion (S$2.1 billion) – is

due to open later this

year. Located on the Cotai

Strip, the hotel will offer

238 multi-level suites

with direct elevator

access, including a

US$130,000 (S$182,260)

per night, 1,860sqm villa.

The butlers, who are on

call 24 hours a day, have

been trained in Paris to

meet the world’s highest

standards. Meanwhile,

L’Atelier De L’Ambroisie is

an invitation-only retail

centre offering couture

and limited-edition

luxury goods. And forget

the shuttle – Louis XIII

offers the world’s largest

fleet (30) of custom Rolls-

Royce Phantoms for guest

transport.

Here, you can watch an

independent film, listen

to a jazz quartet or mingle

with the hotel’s artist

in residence. All this

conversation will require

some fuel, so luckily the

salon doubles as a bar

and five-star restaurant.

Award-winning chef

Andrew Nocente creates

flavoursome masterpieces

with options such as rum-

cured pork belly.

 An artsanctuary in a cityHotel Stage, Hong Kong

Kowloon’s newest

addition, Hotel Stage

incorporates the old,

romantic flavour of the

Yau Ma Tei district with

the neighbourhood’s

vibrant, contemporary

atmosphere. The hotel’s

97 guestrooms and suites

have been designed to

reflect both a sense of

place and space: oversized

windows provide natural

light and sweeping

views of local heritage

sites, while modern

touches include in-room

home but with modern,

luxurious perks: think

private plunge pools,

ambient lighting and

a palette of natural

colours and textures set

against sweeping views of

lemongrass plantations.

Come sunset, head to the

Cigar & Cocktail Lounge,where you can sip a

location-inspired drink

(a lychee chilli martini

made with smashed

lychee and chilli, peach

schnapps and rum) while

watching an orange sun

sink behind the clear-blue

infinity pool.

 The relaxationresort

 Amanemu, Japan

Set in the forests of Ise-

Shima National Park and

overlooking Japan’s Ago

Bay, the recently opened

Amanemu is all about

relaxation. The second

Japanese venture of ultra-

luxe resort brand Aman,

Amanemu embraces the

centuries-old Japanese

tradition of onsen (natural

mineral hot-springs)

that are common in

the region. The resort’s

spa offers two onsen

bath pavilions, a watsu 

pool for private water

treatments, and a menu of

Nespresso machines

and remote-controlled

lighting. The hotel’s

in-house art initiative,

Art Bridge, curates local

and international works

to connect guests to

the neighbourhood’s

history and culture. The

permanent collectionincludes charcoal and

watercolour work focused

on street life by artist

Kwong Man Chun; an

art installation that

reimagines the city’s

skylines by Angela

Yuen Ka Yee; and

Halley Cheng’s acrylic

and wood ode to the

neighbourhood’s trees.

Or check out Hotel

Stage’s dedicated gallery

space, Spotlight at the

Muse, which showcases

temporary exhibitions

and performances.

 TraditionalCambodianappeal meetsluxury living Phum Baitang, Siem Reap

You don’t just stay at

Phum Baitang, you

embark on a visceral

journey that will transport

you to a Cambodian

village far from the

frenetic pace of Siem

Reap. Just a 10-minute

drive from UNESCO

World Heritage-listed

site Angkor, this five-star

resort offers 45 villas,

each designed to replicate

a traditional Cambodian

Phum Baitang,

Siem Reap

Terrace villa(includes breakfastand taxes) fromKHR2,260,000(S$794); pool villa(includes breakfastand privateplunge pool) fromKHR2,520,800(S$885).Phum

Svaydangkum,

Sangkat

Svaydangkum,

Siem Reap,

Cambodia,

+855 6396 1111;

phumbaitang.com

 Amanemu, Japan

Suites startat JPY124,481(S$1,554); villasstart at JPY427,140(S$5,333).2165 Hazako Hamajima-cho,

Shima-shi, Mie,

Japan, +65 6715

8855; aman.com/

resorts/amanemu

Louis XIII, Macau

lxiii.com

LUXURY I PLUSH RESORTS

RATES &

DETAILS

Mandapa:

 A Ritz-Carlton

Reserve, Ubud

Suites (includebreakfast, wi-fiand 24-hour butlerservice) fromIDR5,850,000(S$611); villas(include privatepool, breakfast,wi-fi and 24-hourbutler service)from IDR8,850,000(S$925).Jalan Kedewatan,

Banjar Kedewatan,

Ubud, Gianyar,Bali, Indonesia,

+62 361 479 2777;

mandapareserve.

com

Hotel Vagabond,

Singapore

Classic roomsstart from S$209,suites start fromS$315.39 Syed Alwi

Road, Singapore,

+65 6291 6677;

hotelvagabond

singapore.com

Hotel Stage,

Hong Kong

Rooms are pricedfrom HKD1261(S$228); suites fromHKD2904 (S$525).1 Chi Wo Street,

Jordan, Kowloon,

Hong Kong,

+852 3953 2222;

hotelstage.com

ABOVE and BELOW:Tradition meets modernluxury at Phum Baitang

Hotel Stage’s sleekinteriors provide asense of space

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Therichly coloured interiors at Hotel

Vagabond; gourmet delightsat Louis XIII; a warm welcome

at Phum Baitang; poolsideperfection at Mandapa; trueopulence at Louis XIII