Celebrity Life

The former fashion executive saw an opportunity in the Covidian chaos.

The post Scions of style: DayAway founder, Martha Waslen, wants you to go on a daycation appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The former fashion executive saw an opportunity in the Covidian chaos.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

The former fashion executive saw an opportunity in the Covidian chaos.

The post Scions of style: DayAway founder, Martha Waslen, wants you to go on a daycation appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The luxury resort tapped on renowned Hong Kong designer Andre Fu for its latest revamp.

The post Hospitality icon Capella Singapore updates itself for the new modern traveller appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The luxury resort tapped on renowned Hong Kong designer Andre Fu for its latest revamp.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

As close as one can come to the serenity of the Andaman ocean -- all without first having to brave the pandemic-era perils of commercial air travel.

When it comes to options, Rosewood's palatial waterfront property in Hong Kong boasts nothing short of an embarrassment of riches. Aside from the 400 or so lavishly appointed rooms in the main hotel, the opening of Carlyle & Co earlier this June (the nec plus ultra of private social clubs, sequestered away on the uppermost floors of the property) serves as yet more enticement for repeat stays: giving members, and a handful of their lucky guests, access to 8 New York-inspired suites on the 54th floor. But wait -- there's more.

Concomitant with the launch of Carlyle & Co, the team at Asaya Hong Kong -- Rosewood's resident 'urban wellness concept' -- has unveiled its own program of themed, weekend-friendly stays. Dubbed the 'Asaya Wellcation series', guests are given the "space and support" needed to break from the relentless pace of metropolitan living. In English? This may well be the most extravagant wellness-themed staycation in Hong Kong money can buy. At any rate, certainly one of the most exclusive.

Location: 9/10

Figuratively and physically secluded from the remainder of the Rosewood premises, the bulk of your 'Wellcation' takes place on the 7th floor -- in one of two 'lodges' that are the Asaya universe's riposte to the traditional corner suite. A winding staircase, adjacent to the private treatment rooms on the 6th floor -- where you'll initially arrive and be greeted by your Wellcation 'coordinator' -- signals your approach; taking you up onto a terrace flanked by keening trees, pebble-strewn channels and row upon row of candelabra-esque lights. Lodgings are located at the end of this area, directly atop the 6th-floor bathhouse facilities.

Even before decamping to your private quarters, there's an atmosphere of calm and remoteness that most Hong Kong hotels will be hard-pressed to replicate -- never mind those operating in the midst of Tsim Sha Tsui. In spite of glittering nocturnal views overlooking Salisbury Road, your immediate surroundings on the 7th floor give the uncanny impression, much of the time, of a resort in Phuket; complete with birdsong, dense canopies of greenery, and very little in the way of noise pollution.

Design: 8/10

As in the surrounding hotel, the grounds at Asaya have been designed with the aid of New York-based Tony Chi Studio. For Chi, texture and colour are the primary channels of creative expression: both the private and public spaces share in a similarly dulcet palette of sand, ecru and other neutrals; whilst providing a striking backdrop against which to bask in Asaya's truly varied array of greenery. Indoors, mineral rock and stone account for many of the built surfaces; and (to nobody's surprise) there is an emphasis on crafting wide airy rooms that possess a distinctly 'domestic' edge -- in spite of all their grandeur.

Room: 9/10

Overnight guests at Asaya always reside in one of two 'lodges' -- vast, freestanding signature suites that are not replicated anywhere else on Rosewood's premises. At just south of 1,000 sq. ft. there's abundant space (and more importantly, privacy) to entertain -- even if each lodge has been designed with an optimal occupancy of two in mind. Aside from a self-contained bedroom and sitting area (both using similar design accents to what you'll find throughout the rest of Asaya) each lodge's killer feature is a powder room that has been tailormade for private treatments. Just as well, since the 24 and 48-hour Wellcation packages include a choice of facial/body treatments, performed in the comfort of your own lodgings.

In the suite's wet areas, the scale is equally spa-like and impressive. A narrow strip of window (frosted for privacy, of course) runs across the triple-height ceiling; with an oversized soaking tub/bath salt trolley combo -- usually the centrepiece of smaller, Hong Kong-side hotel rooms -- tucked away in one corner. It is, to borrow a phrase from every fictional media mogul's favourite cousin, an "abundance of footage" -- let down, ever so slightly, by the absence of a few in-room amenities (e.g. a safety deposit box).

Service & Facilities: 9/10

For the duration of your stay, guests' needs are exclusively attended to by the Asaya urban wellness team. To that end, service is pitched at a calibre commensurate with what you'll have experienced on your last spa appointment or poolside sojourn -- notwithstanding one or two lapses which tend to occur when staff from the main hotel insert themselves into the picture. (Pro tip: Should you choose to take your breakfast in the courtyard adjoining the shared 'Glass House' leisure space, please note that this meal is prepared by the same kitchen responsible for Rosewood's in-room dining.)

Fortunately, Asaya's resident wellness practitioners -- who you'll inevitably end up spending significant time with, as part of each Wellcation's therapeutic/sports science inclusions -- are uniformly effective. Whether you're looking to address concerns of the mind, body, or something in-between; each session is individualised enough that you can transmute discoveries made during your time at Asaya back into daily life.

Food & Drink: 8/10

With the exception of breakfast -- a light repast with the option of being set-up on Asaya's grounds or inside your own lodge -- all of the sipping and supping you'll be doing occurs within the confines of the eponymous Asaya Kitchen. A partially al fresco space adjacent to the hotel's 25-metre infinity pool, the menu here has benefited from something of an overhaul since the restaurant's early days as a wellness-centric destination. Now, the cuisine of Executive Chef Renaud Marin (formerly of Upper Modern Bistro) has evolved into something more 'health-adjacent' -- and is all the better for it.

Using many of the principal ingredients of the Mediterranean diet -- olive oil, legumes, unprocessed cereals, seafood -- dishes are brimming with the sort of energetic, seasonal flavour you'd hope to eat when surrounded by so much water and greenery. But that isn't to say you'll leave half-full -- not by a long shot. For Wellcation guests, take the headache out of your itinerary and spring for a bit of everything with the 4-course set lunch menu.

A plateful of lobster cooked in its own bisque and served over cavatelli; or a king crab tartlet topped with dill and roasted beets: this is all satisfying cooking, prepared with tip-top ingredients that just so happens to possess as much sustenance for the body as it does for the soul.

FINAL RATING: 8.5/10
PERFECT FOR: Couples and families who enjoy taking their R&R together, without skimping on any of the 5-star trimmings.

Asaya Hong Kong, 6/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 3891 8588

The post Staycation Review: 24 Hours in the ‘lodge’ at Asaya Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong continues to delight us with fun and curated experiences that attempt to transport us to our favourite destinations right in the heart of Hong Kong. Following the success of their first curated staycation, which brought us to Paris during Le French May — replete with authentic bistro experiences, French skincare and champagne — Grand Hyatt is turning its attention to New York this summer for an all-American escape.

Everyone's favourite Grand Hyatt Steakhouse has been completely dressed in Stars and Stripes and decked out in red, white and blue colours and little touches of America - including miniature figurines of the Statue of Liberty.

The four-course dinner menu is crafted specially by Head Chef Marc Benkoe, who has chosen premium American produce to prepare a spread of American classics, from Boston lobsters, thick-cut bacon slabs, New England clam chowders, macaroni and cheese, and of course, the steaks.

Speciale de Claire oysters or Oscietra caviar can be added to your appetisers to elevate the experience even more. We also highly recommend the Snake River Farm US Wagyu Striploin, which combines the melt-in-your-mouth texture of Wagyu with the beefy deliciousness of all-American steak.

The meal also comes with a wine-pairing option, featuring a great selection of American wines handpicked by resident sommelier Maxime Duval.

The steakhouse dinner can be booked on its own, but with the more than likely chance you'll stumble out the door with a food coma, why not go for the full experience and book yourself in for a Delicious USA Staycation?

Apart from the steakhouse dinner, the stay at the Grand Hyatt includes daily breakfast for registered guests (trust us, the breakfast spread at the Grand Café is not to be missed), and a bottle of Jack Daniel's Whiskey miniature (50ml) and a bottle of Michter's Bourbon miniature (50ml) as welcome amenities.

Complimentary late check-out at 4 pm is offered for Monday to Thursday departures, excluding the eve of public holidays and public holidays, and a special rate for valet parking during the hotel stay. Meaning, you'll have plenty of time to explore the wide range of facilities at the Grand Hyatt, including the Plateau Spa, the outdoor heated pool, the 24-hour fitness studio, the 400m jogging path and tennis courts.

The stay also comes with a complimentary HK$500 e-voucher, Nature Discovery Park tour and special shopping privileges at K11 Musea.

Priced from HK$3,100 + 10 percent service charge per room per night, the Steakhouse Delicious USA Staycation offer is valid now until 30 September 2021. Click here to book your staycation now.

The post A New York Minute at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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Blending Victorian charm with Romanesque features in the heart of the Regency town of Cheltenham, the Queens Hotel (part of the MGallery Hotel Collection group) has been delighting visitors since 1838. From the imposing façade to the elegant interiors to the culinary offerings, this four-star establishment aims to impress. Hotel One of the first purpose-built […]

Anyone who has visited the Cotswolds before will be familiar with its natural beauty – and as home to some of the most historic towns and villages in all of England, it draws in scores of tourists and visitors throughout the year. The 16th century market town of Stratford-Upon-Avon – steeped in rich history and […]

The 17th of May had rung in a third red carpet welcome into the UK, releasing a plethora of glamorous dining gems, and decadent five-star establishments from the clutches of lockdown 3.0. Despite the rapid vaccination figures, our European and across the far border neighbours continue to have an unsteady position on our lockdown release […]

The Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong has just completed the second phase of its hotel transformation, with two brand new F&B concepts that opened on July 15, 2021. Argo is set to become a staple for spirit aficionados in the city and worldwide, with a bar programme thoughtfully curated by Beverage Manager Lorenzo Antinori; while the new lobby café Gallery is primed to be the spot to see and be seen.

With exciting new offerings, plus new room designs, and things that we've always known and loved about the Four Seasons (an unbeatable spa programme and an existing collection of Michelin-starred dining establishments), we booked ourselves in for a fun-filled two-day staycation to check it all out.

Location: 10/10

Located in Central, connected with the ifc mall and a mere 7-minute walk from Hong Kong Station, you're well within reach of any imaginable convenience when you stay at the Four Seasons Hong Kong. The hotel also offers what is quintessentially Hong Kong's main attraction, floor-to-ceiling, panoramic views of the Victoria Harbour, unobstructed by nearby buildings and roadworks. The ferry terminals are also just a stone's throw away from the hotel — making day trips to the surrounding islands have never been easier.

Design: 10/10

The gargantuan task of revamping the Four Seasons — the hotel's first major transformation since it opened in 2005 — was given to two Hong Kong-based international design firms. Remedios Studio has given the guest rooms and suites a new look that reflects the modernism and tradition, the old and the new in Hong Kong, guided by Peter Remedios' own design philosophy. There are a lot of details in the room that catches the eye, from open shelves decorated with carefully selected glassware, porcelain and books, to wood furniture that recall the classical lines and geometric shapes of Ming Dynasty designs.

As for the new lobby, Argo and the Gallery café, the design was undertaken by AB Concept. Six new pendant lights are installed at the entrance to increase the lobby's warmth, guiding guests seamlessly from the driveway to the reception area. A raised area, dubbed "the stage" is also where guests can now congregate in, separate from the main reception by a set of elevated steps. The Gallery, the hotel's new lobby café, is sectioned off by an incredible bespoke crystal divider custom-made by Czech glassmakers Lasvit, providing guests with a sense of privacy whilst also being a focal point in the new space.

Cocktail bar Argo is given a neo-classical makeover and designed to give the space flexibility to transform from a cocktail bar by night, to a spot people can go to for breakfast, lunch and afternoon teas by day. Taking pride of place in the centre of the room is, of course, the magnificent bar area, a structural column that frames its wide range of liqueurs and rare spirits against the backdrop of the harbour.

Room: 10/10

We stayed at the newly renovated Grand Harbour View Suite, a corner suite that offers up sweeping views of the Victoria Harbour and the Kowloon skyline and, on a good day, views as far as Stonecutters Island and the New Territories. There's only one corner suite per level, from the 9th until the 20th floor, 732-square-feet of luxury that includes a walk-in bar area, a spacious living room that is separate from the bedroom. The walk-in closet is situated just behind the bed and right at the double-door entrance to the bathroom, which houses double vanities — getting pampered and ready has never been more convenient.

Our favourite area is perhaps the work-dining table with plush leather chairs and a reclining chaise lounge. Designer Peter Remedios, aware of changing travel trends and anticipating longer stays where travellers have the flexibility to work away from home, put in a lot of attention and small details in the room to make sure it was a space to be lived in and enjoyed. Neutral tones and matte wood finishing was purposely chosen to reference classic Ming Dynasty styles, while everything that is modern and necessary — high-speed internet, the room controls, the coffee machine — are all at hand.

Service & Facilities: 9.5/10

The Four Seasons Spa is led by Tania Bardhan, whose background in wellness destination offerings means that she looks beyond the traditional massages and therapies to give guests result-oriented programmes that they can benefit from long-term, such as a hugely successful sleep programme and other targeted therapies like Cranial Sacral Therapy that relieves stress and tensions.

Under the wellness umbrella, you'll find a series of meditation sessions, gong bath and vibration sound therapy sessions, mindfulness workshops, and more. Bardhan herself leads the meditations — the chakra meditation is great for beginners, as she'll guides you through the seven chakras, uses semi-precious gemstones as visual cues and chants along with you.

At the spa, which overlooks the pool, you'll find a range of attractive holistic healing rituals, as well as exclusive beauty treatments and massages. The Reawakening Ritual is perfect for combatting stress and aiding sleep. The three-step treatment starts with a full-body exfoliation, followed by a body wrap, finished with deep massage, with ingredients like Juniper essential oils (great for reducing stress levels), spirulina and fucus algae which are powerful antioxidants.

Food & Drink: 9/10

Head down to the newly opened Argo for a quick welcome drink — champagne with a fun gummy bear twist. Who knew it would be so delicious? Our favourite from the bar's debut menu, "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" is Bark, Leaf and Love cocktail, made with mono-floral lychee and longan honey from local bee farm HK Raw Honey.

There are a great many Michelin-starred establishments to dine in at the Four Seasons, but we chose for a more informal meal at the Caprice Bar, where we indulged in generous portions of French cheeses paired with fine wines, and sampled some more of Antinori's signature cocktails, such as the Caprice Bar Martini, and the Caprice Truffle Negroni.

For lunch, we opted for the highly recommended dim sum lunch set at three-Michelin-starred Lung King Heen, with a menu prepared by Chef Chan Yan Tak. We started off with a refreshing sparkling tea, followed by delicate dim sums, delicious barbecued meats, warming Chinese soup, a punchy wok-fried chicken dish, fragrant lotus leaf-wrapped fried rice, to finish, a chilled sweet soup and hot tea was served.

Rating: 9.5/10

Perfect for: A stress-free and indulgent weekend, plus retail therapy (just next door) if it calls to you.

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong

The post Hotel Review: Four Seasons Hong Kong Reawakening appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.