Celebrity Life

As if you need another reason for a staycation before this isolating and travel-starved year ends, a swanky new luxury hotel is all set for its debut next month.

The Hari Hong Kong is the second property of independent hospitality group Harilela Hotels, which opened The Hari London in 2016. Described as “swish”, and “welcoming”, the group’s first looks like the sort of place modern-day Don Drapers would live in, with Mario Testino on the walls, opulent marbled surfaces, and plush furnishing in bold colours.

British interior designer Tara Bernerd is the mastermind behind The Hari London, and has followed up her work for its upcoming sibling in Wan Chai with an equally debonair style, albeit more refined. The 210 guest rooms, including three signature rooftop suites with killer views of the city skyline, feature a neutral palette of beige, brown and grey, accented by pops of colour from the contemporary artworks on the wall.

Extra attention is given to the social spaces of the new hotel, which includes a lobby lounge, Japanese restaurant and terrace bar Zoku and Italian restaurant Lucciola, to draw discerning locals into its stylish confines. “Beyond a perfect night’s stay, The Hari Hong Kong aims to foster a deeper appreciation for the neighbourhood and the city — it will be the best way for locals to get reacquainted with Hong Kong and for discerning travellers who want to do more than scratch the surface of the city,” says Dr. Aron Harilela, Chairman and CEO of Harilela Hotels.

More details here.

(All images: The Hari Hong Kong)

The post Out of Staycation Ideas? The Hari Hong Kong Will Open its Doors on December 12 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Luxury hotel group Capella has a knack for creating luxurious, tranquil cocoons in busy cities — just take a look at its hidden sanctuaries in Singapore, Shanghai and Bali.

If not for the dreadful pandemic, we’d have had a taste of its first opening in Thailand by now. Opened last month, Capella Bangkok, situated along the Chao Phraya River in the Thai capital city, has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from the award-winning hospitality group, including some serious villas. Yes, villas. In Bangkok.

Sandwiched between Thailand’s revered river and Charoenkrung Road — Bangkok’s oldest paved road — the property not only offers killer waterfront views across all of its accommodations, but also easy access to the city’s trendiest cafes, bars and art galleries. With Capella Curates, guests can get a glimpse into the soul of the storied locale with a selection of local experiences designed by Capella Culturalists.

In contrast to the heaving, exhilarating surrounds so recognisable of the city, the rooms, suites and villas, have a refined neutral palette of warm wood tones and simple lines, complete with elegantly minimalist furnishings that will bring you to a state of calm in no time. Villas and Verandahs come with outdoor jacuzzi plunge pools for further relaxation.

You can hit the town and dine at a myriad of fabulous venues, or you can stay within the serene confines of Capella Bangkok and get exquisitely fed at Côte by Mauro Colagreco, which delivers a contemporary menu that pays homage to the traditional recipes and cultural heritage of the French and Italian riviera. For the uninitiated, Chef Colagreco’s three Michelin-starred restaurant in France, Mirazur, snagged first place in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards last year. The alternative is Phra Nakhon restaurant for time-honoured Thai recipes of the district. There’s also Stella, a gorgeous cafe-bar serving decadent patisserie and craft cocktails in a sultry, boudoir-like setting.

For more information and reservations, visit Capella Bangkok’s website.

This story first appeared on Prestige Singapore

(All images: Capella Bangkok)

The post Capella Bangkok, the Luxury Hotel Group’s First Thailand Property, Opens Along the Chao Phraya River appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

If you seek a tranquil, scenic, upscale retreat, consider the exquisite five-star resort called Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. Cited amidst 20,000 acres of a maritime forest in the heart of the low country between Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, this picturesque locale is quite beautiful. From dramatic May River […]

The post Experience Elegance at its Finest at Montage Palmetto Bluff appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

If you seek a tranquil, scenic, upscale retreat, consider the exquisite five-star resort called Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. Cited amidst 20,000 acres of a maritime forest in the heart of the low country between Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, this picturesque locale is quite beautiful. From dramatic May River […]

The post Experience Elegance at its Finest at Montage Palmetto Bluff appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

If you seek a tranquil, scenic, upscale retreat, consider the exquisite five-star resort called Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. Cited amidst 20,000 acres of a maritime forest in the heart of the low country between Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, this picturesque locale is quite beautiful. From dramatic May River […]

The post Experience Elegance at its Finest at Montage Palmetto Bluff appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

If you seek a tranquil, scenic, upscale retreat, consider the exquisite five-star resort called Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. Cited amidst 20,000 acres of a maritime forest in the heart of the low country between Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, this picturesque locale is quite beautiful. From dramatic May River […]

The post Experience Elegance at its Finest at Montage Palmetto Bluff appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

If you seek a tranquil, scenic, upscale retreat, consider the exquisite five-star resort called Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. Cited amidst 20,000 acres of a maritime forest in the heart of the low country between Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, this picturesque locale is quite beautiful. From dramatic May River […]

The post Experience Elegance at its Finest at Montage Palmetto Bluff appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

As an Expater I rely on blogs a lot. Not just for the pretty pictures, but to go about my daily life… everything from finding…

The post A round up of the best blogs for expat women appeared first on The Expater.

As an Expater I rely on blogs a lot. Not just for the pretty pictures, but to go about my daily life… everything from finding…

The post A round up of the best blogs for expat women appeared first on The Expater.

Sustainability has become a particularly popular and talked-about topic in recent years.

Prominent names in the fashion, beauty and F&B industries have jumped on the green bandwagon with everything from vegan leather to biodegradable packaging and plant-based foods. Hospitality group Ovolo Hotels is taking this a step further by pledging to go vegetarian in all restaurants, bars and in-room dining services across its properties, for an entire year.

This initiative is titled “Year of the Veg” and kicked off on October 1 in conjunction with World Vegetarian Day. According to Ovolo Hotels — which operates establishments in Hong Kong and Australia — it was “inspired to act on climate change and environmental conservation.” Its new vegetarian menus will showcase meat-free, plant-based dishes incorporated with locally and ethically-sourced produce.

[caption id="attachment_211247" align="alignnone" width="8688"] Corn kichdi at Veda. (Image: Ovolo Hotels)[/caption]

This isn’t the first time that Ovolo Hotels is offering fully green repertoires in its restaurants. Its Veda eatery at Ovolo Central became Hong Kong’s first vegetarian hotel restaurant when it opened early last year, and serves up healthy but tasty concoctions such as aloo gobi (baked cauliflower) and corn kichdi (spiced mushroom curry and sweet corn porridge). Over in Sydney, Alibi Bar & Kitchen at Ovolo Woolloomooloo specialises in vegan cuisine the likes of kimchi dumplings and pan-fried marinated tempeh.

Next in line to go plant-based are all-day dining spot Komune at Hong Kong’s Ovolo Southside, Monster Kitchen & Bar at Ovolo Nishi in Canberra, Za Za Ta at Ovolo The Valley in Brisbane, and Mr Percy at Ovolo 1888 at Sydney’s Darling Harbour. Room service menus in all Ovolo hotels will also be completely vegetarian.

[caption id="attachment_211245" align="aligncenter" width="672"] Spiced purple cauliflower at Komune. (Image: Ovolo Hotels)[/caption]

Ovolo Hotels has been ramping up its sustainability efforts over the past year by phasing out single-use plastic bathroom amenities, and switching out plastic straws with environmentally-friendly alternatives.

“Dining out – enjoying quality food and wine with good company – is one of life’s greatest pleasures. We want to be conscious about what we’re consuming and practice sustainability as much as we can because we believe this can have an enormous impact on the environment and humanity at large. To that end, we’re evolving our food offerings so that our guests can continue enjoying great dining experiences in a more sustainable manner,” said Girish Jhunjhnuwala, Ovolo Group’s founder and CEO. More details here.

This story first appeared on Prestige Singapore

(All images: Ovolo Hotels)

The post Ovolo Hotels is Going Vegetarian Across its Hong Kong and Australia Properties for a Whole Year appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.