Photo Credit: Regent Hong Kong
From Hong Kong to Singapore and beyond, here are the places to stay and play in Asia
BY: LAURA SCHREFFLER
HONG KONG
REGENT HONG KONG
Photo Credit: Regent Hong Kong
The Regent Hong Kong, a former icon in Kowloon, has returned to its former glory in a major way following a two-year, top-to-tails renovation. This haute hotel, with the glittering and glorious Victoria Harbour as its backdrop, is guaranteed to be a must-visit destination for the jet set amidst landmarks like K11 MUSEA, Avenue of Stars, City Art Square, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Native designer Chi Wing Lo has managed to seamlessly blend the city’s historical past with its innovative present via a rich tapestry of 368 rooms and 129 suites, as well as gentle references throughout the property, balancing tactile natural materials. An iconic white marble staircase, resembling a miniature waterfall, and the grandeur of the classic design set the stage for a magnificent experience, transforming even the smallest of details into a study of the city’s past. And while guests may appreciate this insight into the past, they’ll fully love its modern, endlessly epicurean present. One of the world’s finest Chinese restaurants specializing in Cantonese cuisine, Lai Ching Heen (previously known as Yan Toh Heen), brings black pearl diamonds and two Michelin star fare back to the hotel. The Steak House presents curated selections of the finest meats from pristine farms around the world, while Harbourside’s immersive buffet experience of global cuisine transports guests to the world’s best local markets. There’s even a Nobu here, which says it all: proprietor Nobu Matsuhisa’s name is synonymous with cutting edge Japanese cuisine and a sexy party vibe worldwide. Which means, of course, like everything else on site, Regent Hong Kong defines ‘best of the best.’ Additionally, the hotel’s Regent Club opened in September, offering guests an exclusive, light-filled private sanctuary, designed in an elevated way, like the bridge of a cruise ship. Here, afternoon tea and evening cocktails are offered quietly and discreetly, with postcard perfect views of the harbor, underneath a dazzling array of lights meant to simulate those which dance around and reflect the vibrant waterfront every evening set to “A Symphony of Lights,” focusing the viewer’s eye on the iconic cityscape. Speaking of iconic views, well, there isn’t one better than from the property’s crowning jewel: the presidential suite. This state-of-the-art, 7,000-square-foot duplex has its own private terrace and infinity swimming pool, five bedrooms, a dining room, tearoom, private gym, rainforest shower and whirlpool bathtub, private sauna, and steam room. The reopening of the rest of the reimagined hotel’s new hallmarks, such as the spa and additional rooms, will continue to be rolled out in the coming months.
18 Salisbury Road Regent, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
JAPAN
HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL & SPA
Photo Credit: HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL & SPA
There are very few places in the world that are more traditional or distinctive than Kyoto, and at HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO, a Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa, those traditional elements are adhered to respectfully and perfectly, creating an incredibly authentic experience. The Mitsui Fudosan Group’s flagship is located right in the heart of Kyoto, directly opposite UNESCO World Heritage site Nijō Castle, the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period, across Horikawa-dori. This 75,000-square-foot property was the former home of the Mitsui family for over 250 years, which is reflected in its current reincarnation of 160 guest rooms — because what makes this hotel such a standout is its sense of history. There are quiet Japanese gardens set among lily ponds, tiny wooden bridges, and water features, visible from many of the guest rooms, as well as a subterranean natural hot spring in the THERMAL SPRING SPA. There are even two private onsens for a decadent experience (best enjoyed whilst nibbling on caviar and sipping champagne, in my humble opinion). The culinary concepts echo the wonders found throughout the property. At TOKI, a mix of Japanese and French cuisine is perfectly prepared item by item on a long, teppan-brushed steel counter. That the highest-quality Matsusaka wagyu beef found anywhere in Japan is served here is no accident: Mie Prefecture — the current home of the Mitsui family — is the source of said meat. At Italian eatery FORNI, guests can experience all the 24 distinct terms of the solar calendar through flavorful dishes made from the freshest Italian and locally-sourced Kyoto ingredients (many of which are prepared on an okudo-san — a traditional Japanese kamado-style cooking range — reimagined as an oven for pizzas and oven-roasted dishes). Visible from all seating locations, the garden at FORNI reflects the seasons. There is also THE GARDEN BAR, which serves up both local and global liquor-forward libations, as well as SHIKI-NO-MA, a private space created from reconstructed Japanese cypress, a private dining space where — among other experiences — some of the last remaining Kyoto geisha or geikos (traditional Japanese female entertainers) treat guests to a dance, a lingering look at an ancient art form of yesteryear.
Aburano-Koji St. Nijo-Sagaru, Nakagyo-Ku, 284 Nijoaburanokojicho, Kyoto, 604-0051, Japan
AMAN TOKYO
Photo Credit: Aman Tokyo
Aman Tokyo doesn’t have to shout how great it is: this stunner need only whisper, and it will catch the wind. Aman’s first urban concept hotel is a true oasis, set high above the Japanese capital, offering dramatic panoramic views of the Imperial Palace Gardens and neighboring Ginza shopping district. The Otemachi Forest, a meticulously created natural oasis at the foot of the hotel, is brought inside through natural materials, earthy bamboo, and traditional Japanese design elements like washi paper, stone, and large ofuro soaking tubs, found in all 84 suites. This design aesthetic is most visibly apparent in the property’s masterpiece of a lobby, where an engawa — a wooden detail seen in traditional Japanese residences that divides the inside and out — impressively soars nearly 100 feet high. It’s a city hotel to be sure, a beautiful respite for business travelers that offers a plethora of quiet and calm experiences throughout the stay, from an ethereally elegant afternoon tea at the beautiful Japanese-style garden Lounge by Aman to the lovely spa. There’s also enough on-site dining to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters, from Aman’s Italian staple Arva, which offers views of Mt. Fuji and houses a two-story, glass-fronted wine cellar; and Musashi by Aman, a fine dining experience where traditional Edomae-style sushi is served.
The Otemachi Tower, 1 Chome-5-6 Ōtemachi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
THAILAND
ANANTARA KOH YAO YAI RESORT
Photo Credit: Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort And Villas
Luxury-based hotel group Anantara, responsible for creating high-end luxury hideaways across Asia, has opened one of its latest and greatest efforts in Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas, a secluded oasis located on an untouched island in the middle of Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay. Once a coconut palm plantation, the 27-acre site is situated between a wooded hill and a turquoise bay dotted with jungle-clad limestone islets that dot the horizon. Unfolding over a mile of golden beach, this new luxury resort is the height of tranquility, spaciousness, and luxury, just a 35-minute boat ride from Phuket and 20 minutes from Krabi. From the moment travelers arrive at the resort’s private jetty, they are immersed in the atmosphere of exclusivity and luxury, highlighted by a sprawling green lawn, a shaded swimming pool, and a golden beach. Here, there are 148 classically designed suites, villas, and penthouses, our favorite of which are the eight butler-attended sea view pool penthouses. At 3,939 square feet, these behemoths feature living and dining rooms, kitchens, master bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms featuring two skylight-lit rain showers, infinity-edge pools, sundecks with daybeds, and covered cabanas for alfresco dining. [However, there is only one that comes with a glass bottom infinity pool, seen from the living space below.] This is a true getaway, where every accommodation is made, and every possible convenience is offered. This means a slew of culinary concepts, inclusive of surf and turf eatery Beach Restaurant, traditional Thai spot Pakarang, and the appropriately named Japanese Restaurant. Plus, via Dining by Design, with only a private chef and butler present, guests can enjoy a gourmet picnic on an island sandbank, a romantic dinner cruise, or a champagne celebration in complete privacy. This is a common theme here indeed, given that Koh Yao Yai is still wonderfully undeveloped and devoid of mass tourism, offering an enriching journey for foodies, nature lovers, yogis, and marine enthusiasts alike. Inspirational and immersive excursions are also offered, such as vintage sidecar tours to a rubber plantation; batik-making, tie-dye classes; mountain climbing; scuba diving; and off-the-beaten-track adventures to tranquil Hong Island, where one can drift along mangrove canals in a kayak as native Hornbill birds soar above. On property, guests can also indulge via spa time at one of the several hydropools and hammams.
88, 8, Koh Yao Yai, Ko Yao District, Phang-nga 82160, Thailand
SOUTH KOREA
SIGNIEL SEOUL
Photo Credit: Signiel Seoul
Gangnam-style is a thing, and there isn’t one hotel in Seoul, the K-Beauty capital of the world, that embodies this more so than the Signiel Seoul. Located atop the 1,821-foot LOTTE World Tower, the sixth tallest building in the world and Korea’s largest, this stunner can literally be likened to the very height of extreme luxury. The hotel feels different from other luxury properties. While many of America’s wealthiest get away with low-slung baseball caps and artfully disheveled, unbuttoned designer coats, the guests here look like they’d be right at home on a runway (or at least sitting front row). Signiel (a composite of the words “signature” and “LOTTE”) is the group’s most premium offering, clearly, even winning the Grand Prix of the Best Grand Hotel in the World at the 2022 Villegiature Awards. This is obvious in every possible way, from its signatures restaurants, STAY by Michelin three-star chef Yannick Alléno, and 1 Michelin star Korean eatery, Bicena (becoming the only hotel in Korea to have two Michelin starred restaurants at the same time), to its Rolls-Royce house car and upscale sky bar, Bar 81, which, with 80 different brands, hosts the largest champagne collection in South Korea. The hotel also has its very own wine, La Tour D’Arche Signiel Margaux, from Bordeaux, and a collection of 235 rooms and suites, the largest of which, the Royal Suite, at over 3,800 square feet, has its own jacuzzi and secretary room. There’s also a pool, sauna, and fitness center with panoramic sky views, and the Retreat Signiel, a top-notch K-Spa, which has its own tea and oil ateliers. Can you see now why it was named the very best?
300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
VIETNAM
REGENT PHU QUOC
Photo Credit: Regent Phu Guoc
Regent Phu Quoc, one of the newest hotels in the tony Regent portfolio, is one of the most self-contained of the group’s properties. Located off the southwest coast of Vietnam and set alongside a UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserve in the country’s largest island of Phú Quốc, this all-suites-and-villas resort takes barefoot luxury to an entirely new level. Its thoughtful, carefree, home-away-from-home (but better) aesthetic was brought to life by BLINK Design Group, which created a resort experience, highlighted by unobstructed views of sparkling sea from every angle via expansive windows and verandas that invite natural light. Here, there are 302 suites and villas, our favorite type of which features private infinity pools that soar above the sultry skyline. There are some incredible dining options throughout, and an equally impressive spa, all surrounded by vast schools of Koi fish (as well as daily complimentary yoga on the rooftop and indoor and outdoor yoga pavilions or, for a bonus, a personal holistic wellness coach). But it’s the extras here that make this jungle-like resort the one to beat. There’s ‘Bath Hour’ on offer from the privacy of the Oasis bathrooms; access to Serenity, the resort’s personal yacht (as a side note, it is the only resort in the area to offer this kind of upscale amenity); and the totally wild, private dining experience that is Taste Gallery, where the resort’s six restaurants and bars converge to create a totally unique, art-focused, creative, immersive experience that is spearheaded by the property’s director of food & beverage, Bruno Anon. It’s truly unmissable.
Bai Truong, Dương Tơ, Phú Quốc, Kiên Giang
92509, Vietnam
SINGAPORE
PAN PACIFIC ORCHARD
Photo Credit: Darren Soh
Pan Pacific Orchard is one of the most majestic new hotels in Asia due in part to its dramatic foliage that brings the outside in. In fact, over 300 percent of the hotel’s land area is comprised of greenery, thanks to the stylings of award-winning designers WOHA Architects, with four interconnected, nature-driven sky terraces: Forest, Beach, Garden, and Cloud. Dramatic, nearly 400-foot green columns tower through the terraces, creating a spectacle of thriving flora. Mirrored ceilings reflect each unique landscape, from the sparkling pools of Beach Terrace to the manicured lawns of Garden Terrace, while open-air spaces welcome abundant fresh breeze and natural daylight for exquisite alfresco experiences. It’s no surprise that this 347-room hotel is as green as they come, with a slew of sustainability features inclusive of renewable solar panel technology, an in-room filtered water system, and a bio-digester system that transforms food waste into cleaning water. But make no mistake: this is still a luxury hotel, and one that’s complemented by the crème de la crème of concepts to boot. These include Mediterranean-meets-Peruvian eatery Mosella, which overlooks the greenery of Forest Terrace, and Garden Terrace hot spot Florette, which features one of the city’s best champagne lists — from growers to rare vintages and the classics — perfectly paired with the season’s freshest oysters; as well as The Chairman’s Lounge, which is overseen by famed Chinese chef Leung Wing Cheung. The property has also joined forces with Singapore’s Orchard Gin to create their own, supremely elegant libation. Soon, the property will launch Atelier-in-Residence, a program developed to welcome limited-edition, made-in-Singapore brands.
10 Claymore Rd, Singapore 229540
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