Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2016 i Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Macau

Few hotels celebrate a 140th birthday, but that’s exactly what the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is doing this year. First opened in 1876, the hotel has hosted everyone from Joseph Conrad to Lauren Bacall. Here are some lesser-known facts: Bt100 Price of a room in 1947 when the hotel’s longest-serving employee, 95-year-old Ankana Kalantananda, started work there 2 Number of floors the hotel had at its 1876 opening, the first building in Thailand aside from royal palaces with two levels Bt20 Cost of a dinner at the Oriental in 1947 US$250 Amount six investors each contributed to purchase and restore the property in 1947 3:1 Hotel staff to guest ratio, one of the highest in the world #TLASIA THIS MARCH, READERS OFFER THEIR MOST ALLURING RESORT PHOTOS SHARE AN INSTAGRAM PHOTO…

A FEW YEARS AGO, Australian fashion doyen Camilla Franks—creator of the colorful range of kaftans worn by A-listers like Oprah and Beyoncé —conjured a new way to style her flagship boutique on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. “I wanted sand on the floor,” Franks confides, “but the council wouldn’t let me.” This year, her vision came to fruition on Neo Beach—a strip of sand fronting the One&Only Reethi Rah resort (oneandonlyresorts.com; doubles from US$1,850) in the Maldives. Set in an A-frame hut, the sandbottomed pop-up shop overflows with not only kaftans but shorts, swimsuits and jumpsuits from Franks’s latest collection, inspired by her travels through Spain, Greece and Turkey. She says the property is “a perfect canvas for Camilla with that beach-to-the-bar vibe they have.” If you can’t make it there before…

HEAD SPACE Hoods are cut to maximize peripheral vision—“useful when biking or crossing the street,” says cofounder Johan Loman. MAKER’S MARK Each coat is handmade using high-quality rubberized cotton, while elongated cuffs with double-welded seams help keep clothes dry. GOOD FORM The straight cut works for both men and women. “The shape evokes the traditional fisherman’s raincoat, but with an updated, slimmer silhouette,” Loman says. IN LIVING COLOR The lightweight coats come in classic hues like charcoal, black, green, white and navy. stutterheim.com; from US$295. FLIGHT PLAN The first ever non-stop flight from London to Jakarta launches on March 31. Garuda Indonesia is flying the new route on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, five days a week, every day except Monday and Friday. For now, flying the other direction, from Jakarta…

Manathai Surin When the Manathai Surin owners enlisted the Thailand-based CDG design group, they wanted to integrate regional interior designs while avoiding the all-too-common pitfall of overloading the room with dark teakwood and Thai silk. The result: clean-lined, light-filled rooms that are tastefully Thai and not overwrought. Lotus ponds surround the resort’s pool, and the pièce de résistance is the oversized birdcage sofa in the lobby, a nod to the Phuket custom of keeping nice-looking cages outside the home. The hotel’s restaurant caters to mild-palated Westerners, but with a prime location on the upmarket Surin Beach, Phuket’s best eateries are easily accessible. manathai.com/phuket; doubles from Bt2,443. Fishermen’s Harbour Urban Resort The 390 spacious rooms have a relaxed weekend-away vibe and, despite their massive size, the property manages to mute the…

THE SUN HAD JUST SLIPPED DOWN between the apple trees, silhouetting a group of Normande cows against an orange-purple sky, as I foraged around a vegetable garden on my hands and knees. Yanking out a couple of radishes to add to my pannier of organic produce—turnips, broccoli, brussels sprouts and celeriac—I felt gratifyingly like a peasant in a Millet painting. Smoke from the chimney of La Petite Chaumière, the 16th-century thatched cottage we were staying in, mingled with fresh scents from the herb garden, where, alongside varieties of thyme, mint and sage, sat plants with even more-poetic-sounding labels: sarriette, pimprenelle and mélisse. Beyond them, a moss-flanked path led to a latched front door, behind which a crackling fireplace glowed. The only thing missing was the Three Bears. The Three Bears,…

ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC AHILYA BY THE SEA Goa MANDAPA, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE Ubud PHUM BAITANG Siem Reap THE SOUTH BEACH Singapore THE TEMPLE HOUSE Chengdu AUSTRALIA HALCYON HOUSE Cabarita Beach LIZARD ISLAND Great Barrier Reef THE OLD CLARE HOTEL Sydney (see page 23 for more) PUMPHOUSE POINT Lake St. Clair, Tasmania EUROPE ARCTIC LIGHT HOTEL Rovaniemi, Finland ASHFORD CASTLE Lough Corrib, Ireland BATTY LANGLEY’S London COTTON HOUSE HOTEL, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION Barcelona DOMAINE DES ETANGS Massignac, France THE GAINSBOROUGH Bath, England HÔTEL DES GALERIES Brussels THE HOUSE HOTEL Cappadocia THE HOXTON Amsterdam JW MARRIOTT Venice LA FIERMONTINA Lecce, Italy LA GRANDE MAISON Bordeaux, THE LANESBOROUGH London SANT FRANCESC HOTEL SINGULAR Palma de Mallorca, Spain SIX SENSES DOURO VALLEY Lamego, Portugal SOHO HOUSE Istanbul U.S. & CANADA BACCARAT HOTELS &…

BURMA BOATING YACHT CHARTERS (burmaboating.com). From their port in the pristine Mergui Archipelago, where they run regular cruises, the fleet can sail you anywhere from the Andaman Sea to the Java Sea in relaxed luxury. MUSIC FESTIVALS EXPAND YOUR AURAL HORIZONS AT SOME OF THE MANY MUSIC FESTS AROUND THE REGION. WONDERFRUIT (wonderfruitfestival.com). Chonburi, Thailand. December 15-18. Arts, sustainable living and music pumping til past dawn. RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL (rwmf.com). Kuching, Malaysia. August 5-7. The best traditional musicians from the far reaches of the globe. ADELAIDE (adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au). A slew of festivals throughout the year showcasing art forms from cabaret to guitar. FUJI ROCK (fujirock-eng.com). Yuzawa, Japan. July 22-24. All the big names, presented Coachella-style, minus the pretentions, plus hot springs. SHED HARRIED HONG KONG IN BEAUTIFUL, BEACHY, LEAFY SAI…

GETTING THERE Zhongdian is connected by air to Chengdu and Shanghai-Hongqiao on China Eastern Airlines (flychinaeastern.com), and Kunming on Lucky Air (luckyairinc.com), among other Chinese cities. Expect delays as the Diqing airport is often fogged in. Hylandia by Shangri-La A great base to explore this remote region, the modern hotel is a mix of Tibetan, Nepalese, Indian and Chinese design that merges well. Try the ginger tea in the comfortable lobby, as an alternative to yak butter tea and to help with the altitude. Menus here are strong on organic dishes, and there’s even a garden on one rooftop. shangri-la.com; doubles from RMB750. Caravane Liotard Treks for between two and 12 people are geared towards individual levels of experience, last between two and four days, and can top 4,000 meters.…

To most Sydneysiders, the former workingclass enclave of Chippendale was a nondescript area easily overlooked in favor of the posh, beachy eastern suburbs. But just as its neighbors—Surry Hills, Redfern and Darlinghurst—have been transformed by gentrification, so too has a creative scene come to Chippendale’s once rough-and-tumble streets. At the vanguard of the revival is The Old Clare Hotel (theoldclarehotel.com.au; doubles from A$279), which occupies a 1915 brewery and a 1930s pub. The owners have taken great care to honor the buildings’ impressive bones while incorporating contemporary global influences: Midcentury Danish furniture, light fixtures from a Lebanese design studio, organic toiletries from New Zealand brand Triumph & Disaster, a sexy rooftop pool and tongue-in-cheek Aussie touches including black tote bags in the closets printed with phrases like RANDOM CRAP. The heart…

There are cocktail options galore at the new Fairmont Jakarta. CLUBS Of late, the club scene in Jakarta has been losing a little of its neonlit luster. The timing couldn’t be better for this newcomer, which offers a much-needed injection of fun… and vodka. Revolution Jakarta’s club-hoppers will be lining up to knock ‘em back at Revolution, slated to open this month. Calling itself a “vodka party bar,” Revolution is looking to be part bottle service, part spectacle. The bartenders will juggle spirits, like a scene straight out of the movie Cocktail, and the waitresses will take regular dance breaks to pump up the party. If the staff’s pep doesn’t get you out on the dance floor, a few shots of 80-proof liquid courage will do the trick. revolution-jakarta.com; vodka…

BANYAN TREE Who doesn’t want to stay in their own private pool villa on an island vacation? It is the stuff of holiday dreams, and last year the Banyan Tree Phuket decided to answer the collective cry for a discreet dip by adding pools to all of their spacious villas. That’s right, there is nary a dry lot in sight, and every one of their room categories comes with its own private pool for your lounging and paddling pleasure. The one-bedroom villas are perfect for couples, with en-suite bathrooms and his-and-hers dressing areas, while the two-bedroom villas are great for families—each comes with a big kitchen, cozy dining area, living room, two bedrooms and sliding glass doors opening onto a giant terrace with a sunken tub, a nine-meter swimming pool…

HOTEL Le Domaine d’Ablon This countryside property comprises two luxurious suites and a self-contained cottage; service is impressively intimate, from dial-up apple tarts to a pick-yourown vegetable garden. domaine dablon.com; suites from €350. WHERE TO EAT Charlo A butcher shop and rotisserie serving Angus steaks and tasty spit-roasted chicken. 29 Rue Breney, Deauville; 33-2/31-88-36-96; mains €10–€29. La Fleur de Sel Chef Vincent Guyon’s Honfleur restaurant mixes seasonal local ingredients with a dash of the exotic. lafleurde sel-honfleur.com; prix fixe from €30. La Poissonnerie Pillet-Saiter A traditional shop run by sixthgeneration fishermen in Trouville’s famous market. A trip to Normandy is not complete without experiencing the soupe de poisson. poissonnerie-pilletsaiter.fr. La Terrasse des Ammonites Watch the sun go down with small plates and a glass of something chilled at this seafront…

SPINDLY ARMRESTS, CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT legroom, a dreaded middle seat—the aggravations of flying economy class are many. In the past, the only alternatives were to shell out for pricey first or business class, to cash in frequent-flyer miles, or to foster a relationship with a single airline with the hope that one day, your loyalty might be rewarded. Unfortunately, free upgrades for high-flying regulars are few and farther between than ever. Airlines have begun filling empty seats by offering them to the highest bidder. Before a flight, passengers either receive an e-mail informing them that they have the option to compete for premium economy, business- or first-class seats or can check for the option on the airlines’ website. If your bid is successful, you’ll receive notification usually between 72 and 24…

GETTING THERE Applications will open in April for rooms on the Seven Stars in Kyushu (cruisetrain-sevenstars.com) departures between October 2016 and February 2017. Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com), Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) and Thai Airways (thaiairways.com) fly to Fukuoka Airport directly from their hubs. From the airport, ride six minutes on a Kuko Line train to Hakata Station (subway. city.fukuoka.lg.jp/eng; ¥260). JOURNEYS 4 Days, 3 Nights roundtrip journey travels from Fukuoka to Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Kumamoto, and includes a night at a ryokan in Kirishima hot-spring resort town, from ¥1,060,000 for two people sharing a suite, and from ¥1,600,000 for two people sharing a Deluxe suite. 2 Days, 1 Night round-trip northern Kyushu journey travels from Fukuoka to Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Oita, and includes visits to Arita’s porcelain kiln, the picturesque…

Since this marks the 100th issue of Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, that’s one of the tasks we set out for ourselves this month (see the results on page 78), and, to be honest, I think we left out about 400 that could have made the final cut. Turns out that it’s easy to come up with 100 worthy trips, meals, sights and settings in this region brimming with cultural, culinary and scenic diversity. Whether it’s sipping a sundowner on Phu Quoc in Vietnam, cityhopping for haute Chinese meals, or following Sri Lanka’s tea trail, excellent food and drink options abound. Then there are the reinvented ways of visiting popular spots. How about a luxury cruise on the Mekong? Staying in style on West Lake in Hangzhou or hot-air ballooning in Laos?…

SAY HOLA TO SOUTHEAST Asia’s first Casa Loewe. Opened in January at Singapore’s Paragon mall, the new concept store (above) by the 170-year-old Spanish fashion house invites trendsetters to browse its luxury crafts in a homey atmosphere conceived by the brand’s creative director Jonathan Anderson. Following the store’s success in Tokyo and Madrid, this is Anderson’s first foray into Southeast Asia, and he’s trying to bring the brand’s classic style to an intimate setting in Singapore. The design, with ornate touches like a green-agate ceiling, may be right out of Spain, but Anderson’s latest collection reflects a recent trip to Japan— think manga comicinspired menswear and sporty ladies’ items. Although the new Casa Loewe is the third Loewe’s shop in the nation-state, it’s the region’s only venue conceptualized by Anderson.…

IT TOOK 15 YEARS FOR INTERIOR DESIGNER Alberto Chan to return home to Macau, and less than 12 months for him to make a mark on the gaming center. His understated creative voice is rising above the bellow of the mega casinos, the whisper everyone leans in to hear. Chan spent almost two decades in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hong Kong, and he’s bringing some of the low-key cool of the urban centers to Macau with his brand-new concept store Quarter Square (89 Largo Maia de Magalhães, Taipa; 853/2857-6914; quartersquare.co). The store held its grand opening in December and is shaking up Taipa’s village scene, blooming in the middle of decades-old local diners and shops selling overpriced tourist knickknacks. Soft-spoken and cheerful Chan says he is striving to…

THE SCENE MAKER SOHO HOUSE ISTANBUL Hotels have been opening in Istanbul at quite a clip lately. But none captures the energy of the city quite like the Soho House in Beyoğlu, set in a cluster of buildings that includes the former American Embassy. The inlaid wood and gilded interiors had been hiding under drywall and white paint; now, they embellish a private club for members and hotel guests, with three restaurants, a speakeasystyle bar and a rooftop pool, where a glittering crowd smokes and airkisses into the night. The rooms, in a new structure across a pretty courtyard, impress on their own: warm, tactile cocoons of dark wood layered with beautiful textiles. Think of them as a necessary respite from the formidable chic next door, so close and yet…

SUPER SAVER New World Manila Bay Hotel, Manila Access to the Residence Club Living Room, with all-day refreshments, afternoon tea and evening cocktails, comes at a steal for those registered on the website. The Deal Residence Club offer: a night in a Residence Club room, from P4,650 for two, through March 31. Save up to 50%. manilabay.newworldhotels.com. FAMILY HONG KONG Campus HK Your 61-square-meter room has four individual beds and desks as well as a kitchen to use for your snacking pleasure. For complimentary breakfast, head to the property’s new dining outlet, Anchor’s Seafood & Beer House. Return at sunset for a few beers, a seafood buffet and views of the Rambler Channel. The Deal Family room promotion: a night in a family room, from HK$1,100 for four, through July…