IRAPH SUI, Miyako Okinawa
A stunning seafront property that overlooks the warm pristine waters of Japan’s southern Okinawa islands, IRAPH SUI, part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, is nestled in natural greenery and lushly landscaped gardens on Irabu Island, 300km south-west of Okinawa’s main island.
Luxuriously appointed guest rooms offer a complete set of amenities and private balconies with views of the white sandy beach and azure ocean, with several suites also featuring private pools. The clean, crisp interior design of the hotel and guest rooms showcase motifs of island elements, including minsah weaving, the traditional Okinawan textile and crafts inspired by the surrounding coral reefs.
The hotel’s indigenous spa, SUI Spa, offers a diverse range of treatments that incorporate natural Okinawan products, such as a local salt blended for body scrubs and kucha, a mineral-rich deep sea mud. Irabu Island is part of the Miyako Islands that are known for beautiful white-sand beaches, clear warm water and exceptional diving experiences among unique underwater volcanic rock formations shaped over millions of years, majestic Ryukyu limestone arches, vivid coral reefs and colourful marine life.
Irabu Island itself is blessed with beautiful nearby coral reefs, primeval forests and a rich historic culture. Visitors can enjoy nearby excursions including visiting Toguchinohama Beach, known for its flour-like sand, Sawada Beach, famed for its unique landscape with large boulders resulting from a tsunami in 1771 and the iconic Irabu Bridge, the longest free bridge in Japan.
Culinary offerings here are authentically inspired and serve up modern cuisine with spectacular views of the ocean. Tin’In showcases an international selection of dishes that feature the finest local ingredients, including wagyu beef, pork and the freshest daily catch from the sea. The new Shimojishima Airport is opening this year, making it even easier to fly in on your private jet. And, as an added bonus, IRAPH SUI is pet friendly, so this could just be the perfect getaway for you and Rover.
THE APURVA KEMPINSKI BALI
Situated in the upmarket Nusa Dua area of Bali, The Apurva Kempinski Bali cascades down the hillside like one of the island’s iconic rice paddies, emerging from the cliff tops to gradually make its way down to the Indian Ocean. The property’s architecture pays homage to the island’s natural landscapes and manmade temples, through its naturalclad stone buildings, bougainvilleacovered terraces, and a network of waterways and shimmering pools. Tumbling waterfalls dot the lush landscape, flanking the spectacular Grand Staircase, a 250-step walkway inspired by Bali’s sacred Pura Besakih water temple that runs through the centre of the resort and provides a stage for nightly rituals.
Opulent interior spaces, created by Indonesia’s finest craftsmen and artisans, are a tribute to the country’s rich design heritage. At the crown of the resort, the pendopo-style lobby is a welcoming space with a soaring tiered roof that draws the eye up to the cosmos, while flourishes like the intricate Javanese hand-carved gebyok partitions are symbolic of Indonesia’s prosperous Majapahit kingdom. The 475 well-appointed guestrooms, suites and villas are replete with rich, exotic woods, local fabrics and typical Indonesian motifs that create a sophisticated atmosphere that’s both luxurious and homely.
Overlooking the ocean, the Apurva Spa is a relaxing haven where body and beauty treatments are inspired by time-honoured Javanese and Balinese wisdom and based on the ancient saying, rupasampat wahyabiantara: true beauty is achieved when outer beauty is in harmony with inner beauty. The Apurva Kempinski Bali also offers a collection of culinary experiences that celebrate the cuisine from Indonesia and Asia. Coastal delicacies from around the archipelago are on offer at Koral, Bali’s first aquarium restaurant, while Japanese flavours are showcased at Izakaya by OKU, an outpost of the award-winning OKU restaurant at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta.
The resort’s lush beachfront location, just 15 minutes from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, and wide range of facilities will definitely make this a popular destination for events. If you just happen to be looking for a spectacular wedding background, few can rival The Apurva Kempinski Bali’s 2,200 sq m ocean-facing lawn, perfect for al fresco cocktail receptions or celebrations under the stars, and the 1,076 sq m pillar-free grand ballroom with ocean views.
CAPELLA SANYA, Hainan
Inspired by the fabled history of China’s ancient Maritime Silk Road, Capella Sanya sets a new benchmark for the country’s luxury beach resorts. With 190 exquisitely designed rooms and villas set amidst lush gardens in the secluded Blessed Bay, on Hainan’s southern coast overlooking the South China Sea, the resort references the legendary trade route in its grand design and every detail of its ‘extraordinary journey’.
The generous accommodations include ocean-front and garden rooms and suites, as well as pool villas. The four-bedroom Oceanfront Pool Villa, for example, is the largest in the resort and comes complete with a private pool, jacuzzi, outdoor bar, massage pavilion, sunken lawn, BBQ pavilion, garage, and kitchen and staff accommodation.
AURIGA Wellness is a serene 4,020 sq m sanctuary for holistic pampering, a cocoon for guests to rest, rejuvenate and tap into celestial rhythms through a distinctive approach to wellness and beauty based on the cycles of the moon. Meanwhile, the cuisine and beverages at the resort’s four restaurants, bars and lounges, pay homage to the rich cultures, flavours and spices along the fabled trade route. Fine dining Lan Ting is styled after a traditional Chinese tea house, complete with a classical red-tiled roof, and offers a menu of modern Cantonese cuisine. The main restaurant, Silk Road, embraces the traditions of various ports along the Maritime Silk Road within a lively, interactive marketplace atmosphere, while The Library & Library Bar continues the journey in a club setting with snacks and cocktails inspired by spices, herbs, teas and ingredients from the region.
THE PUXUAN HOTEL AND SPA, Beijing
Hot on the heels of The RuMa Hotel & Residences in Kuala Lumpur, the latest Urban Resort Concepts (URC) luxury hotel is located minutes away from one of the world’s most significant historical sites, Beijing’s Forbidden City. Setting new standards for an urban haven, the 116-room luxury hotel sits atop the new Guardian Art Centre in an iconic stateof-the-art building at the intersection of WangFuJing Street and WuSi
Street. Paying homage to one of the capital’s most distinct quarters, The PuXuan stands as a gem of modernity amidst the neighbourhood’s ancestral heritage. An upper ring of rectangular glass panels evokes the brick patterns of the adjacent hutong dwellings, while the lower volumes of cuboids, formed of grey basalt stones, allude to their hue and form.
The hotel’s interiors exemplify URC’s hallmark design principles that can already be seen at The RuMa and its sister hotels: seamless integration of a luxuriously understated and soothing aesthetic, with the rich and colourful heritage of its environment. Rooms and suites feature handcrafted and artisanal furniture by Hermèsowned Chinese lifestyle brand, Shang Xia, and the finest materials and stateof-the-art technology.
URSPA offers a stylish space for revitalisation, with treatments based on the principles of modern science and ancient healing, along with a 24-hour state of the art Gym and Movement Studio. Another retreat within the hotel is The PuXuan Club on the 8th floor. Designed like a personal townhouse apartment, guests have 24-hour access to a fully serviced lounge space, private meeting rooms, outdoor spaces, a library, and a domestic kitchen and dining area designed by Bulthaup. Dining options include Rive Gauche, a slice of bohemian Paris that serves French ‘bistronomy’ cuisine and Fu Chun Ju, a Chinese culinary escapade with a menu that pays homage to traditional Cantonese flavours.
RAFFLES MALDIVES MERADHOO
Located at the southern end of the Maldives archipelago, near the equator on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, Raffles Maldives Meradhoo is setting new levels of luxury in one of the world’s largest and most remote island atolls. The resort is accessible by domestic flight, 55 minutes from Malé International Airport, followed by 15-minute speedboat ride from Kaadedhdhoo Airport. A hidden gem with unparalleled views of the Indian Ocean, the resort is the perfect escape for those seeking a private get-away within natural pristine water surroundings.
The 38-key property includes a secluded collection of Overwater Villas and Residences that lies adjacent to one of the vibrant house reefs and can only be reached by a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat. The Raffles Royal Residence will open later this year, offering unparalleled luxury with a private pool, generous living spaces, and lavish marble bathroom with a sunken bathtub and outdoor shower. The villas come with glass flooring panels, through which you marvel at the extraordinary marine life from the two nearby magnificent reefs that are thriving habitats for baby sharks, turtles and a myriad of tropical fish.
If you want to explore this underwater realm further, the hotel’s resident marine biologist and team of marine butlers are on hand to give you closer insights into this beautiful world with specially tailored excursions. More leisurely, wait till nightfall for the moon and stars to be reflected on the mirror-like ocean, creating an extraordinary spectacle or indulge in ths sybaritic pleasures of the award-winning Raffles Spa. End the day with champagne at the Long Bar, an island reinterpretations of the Raffles Singapore’s legendary Long Bar, before sitting down for dinner at the overwater Yuzu, the Peruvian and Japanese fusion restaurant, or at The Firepit, where you can enjoy flamegrilled specialties under the stars.
