HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — A 115-year-old municipal theatre designed by French architects is the centrepiece of a newluxury holiday showcasing Vietnam’s colourful culture in the heart of its most progressive metropolis. The Caravelle Hotel’s ‘Opera Nights’ package aims to amplify the echoes of Ho Chi Minh City in its early days, as a...
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Three of the world's finest hotels are located within Vietnam, according to the latest edition of the 'T+L 500', Travel + Leisure magazine's annual compendium of the best international hotels. The Nam Hai in Hoi An won a spot on the list for the first time. Sofitel Legend...
TOKYO – Tokyo usually doesn’t conjure thoughts of tranquillity and resplendent natural settings, but the new Palace Hotel Tokyo debuted earlier this year as a bounty of refreshing contrasts – bridging the megacity’s reputation as an adrenaline-fuelled business hub with the serenity of the country’s much loved Imperial Palace gardens. Opened in May, Japan’s most...
MUMBAI, India — Add India to the select roster of countries that are home to a GHM property. The exclusive management group last week unveiled plans for The Aayu Mumbai, a 42-suite luxury hotel and setting for India’s first restaurants by the world’s most decorated chef Joël Robuchon, and culinary star Hide Yamamoto. The property...
As if any of us needed further proof that China was the verge of reorienting the East-West axis, check out this first line from a recent Travel + Leisure feature: “China is in the midst of what may be the biggest building boom in human history, surpassing the creation of the Pyramids and the Great...
BALI, Indonesia — Less than six months after putting the finishing touches on an extensive refurbishment, The Legian Bali has been put on a pedestal by one of the most prestigious hospitality organizations in the world. On Nov. 18, the legendary resort on Seminyak Beach picked up a ‘Commitment to Quality’ award from The Leading...
MANILA — A year after Sofitel Philippine Plaza closed its flagship restaurant, Spiral is rising like a phoenix, plump, glistening and strutting toward a reputation as one of Asia's finest new dining venues. In anticipation of the restaurant's US $11 million renaissance, which was celebrated earlier this month during an extravagant grand reopening event, the...
HALONG BAY, Vietnam —The newest option to open in famed Ha Long Bay is a day cruise through the rarely explored Western Isles aboard the UNESCO Heritage Site’s only international-standard fleet of private junks. Life Heritage Resort Ha Long Bay has begun ferrying small groups on customisable four- and six-hour cruises through lesser-known portions of...
HALONG BAY, Vietnam (19 Nov. 2012) — The Emeraude’s annual rite of passage through northern Vietnam’s dry-docks concluded recently and the cruising vessel emerged with more deluxe bathrooms and completely refreshed cabins. The new bathrooms feature rain shower heads, new sinks, repositioned toilets and an aesthetic makeover that trades in the old school nautical feel...
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — As Ho Chi Minh City hurries to cut the ribbon on a new crop of gleaming shopping malls and high-rise complexes, one of its most iconic hotels is quietly unveiling a nostalgia-tinged sanctuary of wellness and rejuvenation in the historic heart of the city. Six weeks after its soft...
