Malaysia-bound travelers listen up: We hear Kuala Lumpur is the spot for the next Grand Hyatt hotel. Slated to debut in 2012, the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will be part of a mixed use complex offering 412 guest rooms, including 42 suites.
Located in the Golden Triangle area of the city, the hotel will be nearby fashion hubs and business centers as well as museums, memorials and galleries. We hear that the property will offer a cafe, specialty restaurant, Sky Lobby Lounge, poolside restaurant and bar, a spa with 11 treatment rooms and a swimming pool
For more information visit www.hyatt.com.
Dhevanafushi, its first luxury resort in the Maldives. Dhevanafushi, which translates into “unique island,” is situated in Gaafu Alifu Atoll and is the only all-suite luxury resort in the Maldives.
Jumeirah Dhevanafushi has created an exclusive “two-resort island,” inspired by Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Along with the main island, which boasts 38 suites and villas, there is “The Ocean Pearls,” a distinctive water village situated a half-mile off of the main island.
Dhevanafushi provides spacious bedrooms featuring timber flooring, high ceilings and an open bathroom and shower. Guests also have access to their own private beach or garden and their own private swimming pool, as well as a private butler and personal chef.
The resort has three restaurants and a bar, all of which provide a personalized cooking experience where guests can enjoy innovative menu creations. Additionally, Jumeirah Dhevanafushi features a Yoga Pavilion and Talise Spa suspended over the Indian Ocean, a PADI-certified diving center and a variety of water sports ranging from canoeing and sailing to deep sea fishing and private boat charters.
In addition to Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, the Group will open the Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives later this year.
Visit www.jumeirah.com for more information.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of one of Thailand‘s most regal events – the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament.
We hear this year’s event will be held September 5-11 at Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa, which was the original venue back in 2001. In the past the event has raised over $300,000 for the National Elephant Institute, which provides medical care, sustenance, employment and mahout training for Thailand’s elephants.
For more information visit www.anantaraelephantpolo.com.
Like to mix it up? We hear that Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is inviting award-winning Bacchanologist Mark Jenner to concoct new cocktails and host cocktail making classes.
Jenner will be visiting from London May 17-21 in the hotel’s M bar to create a series of cocktails and pass his trade on to eager mixologists-in-training.
While visiting M bar, Jenner will craft exclusive cocktails incorporating Asian influences, using the local markets as inspiration. On Saturday, May 21, cocktail enthusiasts can partake in learning the history of cocktails, the secrets of bar etiquette and the skills needed to construct the perfect cocktail.
The event will be held between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
For more information visit www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong.
Shoppers across the spectrum, from the couture clutchers to the bargain boasters, will find solace in Hong Kong’s retail scene. Visitor spending surpassed $25.4 billion for the first time last year due to increased tourist arrivals, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (www.discoverhongkong.com). Up 32 percent from 2009, the official tally of visitor spending for 2010 in Hong Kong weighed in at $27 billion, with shopping taking the lead as the top tourist activity and pulling in $14 billion.
Hong Kong is packed with shoppers’ paradises. On Hong Kong Island the top shopping districts include Causeway Bay, which is peppered with department stores, small boutiques and bargain stalls. Youth fashion and shoes predominate this region and some of the most popular shopping malls include Fashion Walk, Island Beverly, The Lee Gardens, Lee Theatre Plaza, Times Square and World Trade Centre – wtc more.
Another popular Hong Kong Island shopping hub is Wan Chai, which is both historic and shopper friendly. Stroll down Queen’s Road East for your furniture needs, all of which can be sent back home to the U.S.
Luxury shoppers won’t want to miss the Admiralty district, which is famous for the labels on display. Visit Pacific Palace, which houses over 140 outlets.
In Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui is one of the most famous shopping areas and Granville Road is the main artery, lined with department stores and shopping centers. Harbour City is another prime destination for some retail therapy. Designer junkies should make a stop to Canton Road to peruse the high-end labels from both local and international designers.
If it is street markets that your clients are after, we recommend pointing them toward Kowloon’s Mong Kok district, which is known for its theme streets and street vendors. This is the spot for electronics as well as cosmetics and boutiques.
Travelers that err more on the adventurous side won’t want to miss the vibrant Temple Street Night Market, which is street hawking at its finest. Hagglers will revel in the bevy of clothing, pens, watches, CDs, electronics and more that sit nicely beside the aromatic food stalls and clairvoyant fortune tellers that gather at the Yau Ma Tei section of the street.
Local flavor a little more your taste? Hong Kong is an epicenter for Asian arts, crafts and products. Dried Seafood Street (Des Voeux Road West) is exactly how it sounds. Shoppers will find items like dried abalone and scallops as well as traditional medicine stores. Similarly, Herbal Medicine Street (Ko Shing Street) is the hub for all things traditional healing. For Chinese antiques pay a visit to aptly named Antique Street (Hollywood Road Upper Lascar Road/Cat Street). This stretch pops with color as it is flanked with shops selling silk products, wooden crafts and jade.
New to the scene: Designer Tory Burch debuted her first boutique approximately six months ago at Hong Kong’s IFC Mall.
Up and coming: It was announced last month that luxury icon Prada is planning to file a listing application for a Hong Kong IPO rumored to be worth almost $2 billion, according to Reuters. The fashion guru is expected to list in Hong Kong at the end of June. Approximately 38 percent of Prada’s 2010 sales came out of the Hong Kong region.
Keeping travelers in the know: Shoppers love Hong Kong because of its tax-free status. What’s more, the Hong Kong Summer Spectacular, held June through August, is a city-wide sale. Translation: Never pay full retail for anything in Hong Kong, including accommodation, dining and entertainment in addition to shopping. The majority of department stores and shopping districts offer consumers wow-worthy bargains, while restaurants and hotels work to match the competitive rates.
Once upon a time, albeit a very recent time, China was the land of the two wheel. Before cars became the craze the majority of Chinese rode bicycles. In honor of Earth Day and environmental stewardship, Fairmont Beijing is encouraging guests to revisit this pedaling past.
The hotel sits on Beijing’s manta thoroughfare near the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, as well as a slew of bicycle routes. The hotel has teamed up with the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center to develop a complimentary self-guided excursion into one of the city’s famed and fast-disappearing hutangs, which is within biking distance from the hotel.
The Heritage Biking Tour includes half a day of exploration with a map of the narrow alleys and passageways that constitute Old Beijing. The route is expected to take about 2.5 hours.
For more information visit www.fairmont.com/beijing.
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In the Vietnamese province of Quảng Ninh, 99 miles out of Hanoi, Life Heritage Resort Ha Long Bay has launched the latest generation of luxury, with its fleet of 22 heritage-style junks, each a floating four-star hotel room. On six-hour day cruises from $220, guests can create their own itinerary aboard their private vessel, crewed by a captain, engineer and cruise host acting as butler.
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Hong Kong architect Steve Leung– who’s been described as “one of the leading lights in the world of design”– created the interiors for Sing Yin, the authentic Cantonese restaurant that opened at the W Hotel Hong Kong at the end of 2010. It’s a stylish space, combining classic Hong Kong scenes and ancient Chinese artifacts. (You’ll also find murals of Hong Kong’s electrified streets and LCD fish tanks projected on the walls.) To quote the designer: “Sing Ying’s design is a further elaboration of how my philosophy Enjoy Life, Enjoy Design can be woven into daily life. I hope diners of Sing Yin have the opportunity to soak up Hong Kong’s unique culture while enjoying the world-class cuisine on offer.”
Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts is opening Macau’s first 5-star all suite urban resort in the heart of Cotai City.
Banyan Tree Macau is to open on May 15, 2011 at Macau’s newest landmark, the $1.9 billion integrated resort Galaxy Macau.
Banyan Tree Macau is the group’s first property in the former Portuguese enclave.
It will be also be the first in Macau to feature private indoor relaxation pools in all its 246 suites.
Ten Pool Villas, ranging from 450 sq.m. to 950 sq.m., feature both private pools and air-conditioned cabanas with sliding glass doors opening directly onto their own gardens on the ‘Beach Resort Deck.’
Suites range from 100 sq.m. Grand Cotai Suites and 150 sq.m. Grand Macau Suites to 150 sq.m. Spa Suites, with their own treatment rooms, and a 670 sq.m. split-level Presidential Suite with two-bedrooms, a dining room, show kitchen and in-suite relaxation pool.
Here’s some fodder for foodies: The Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra in Cambodia has opened its eighth restaurant, Fu Lu Zu. The new dining digs joins the ranks of a Chinese restaurant, Japanese restaurant and Italian restaurant, as well as a chocolatiere, an Old World bar, two poolside eateries and La Coupole, which blends both Western and Asian flavors.
We like the idea of Fu Lu Zu, which takes on a timeless look (think plush red seats and coffered ceiling). Here gourmands can feast on shark’s fin and braised bird’s nest as well as lobster, crab and barbecued pork.
Saturday and Sunday mornings are reserved for dim sum, and, as a nice touch, the restaurant will remain open into the wee hours for famished night owls.
For more information visit www.sofitel.com.
-Meagan Drillinger
