Nick Walton’s Welcome To Asia, March 2017

Located at the heart of the Japanese capital, the new Ascott Marunouchi Tokyo, opening this month, promises to lift the luxury benchmark for the city’s Marunouchi-Otemachi financial district. The first Ascott to open in Japan, the property boasts 130 elegantly appointed apartments, each featuring premium furnishings, city and garden views, separate living and dining areas, and fully equipped kitchens. Ranging from studios to three-bedroom units, apartments are spacious and contemporary, making for the ultimate home-away-from-home. Guests will also have access to a raft of facilities, including a swimming pool, roof-top terrace, reading lounge, and business center.

Located off the coast of Singapore, the newly-opened Cempedak Private Island features just 20 hand-crafted and fully-sustainable bamboo villas, offering savvy travellers a touch of Robinson Crusoe, albeit with a little more luxury. Created by the hospitality gurus behind Nikoi, another island resort nearby that’s especially popular with Singaporeans, Cempedak’s spacious villas were designed by Miles Humphreys with help from bamboo specialist architects Chiko Wirahadi and Ketut Indra Saptura, and feature spiral staircases, thatch roofs, private decks and plunge pools, all nested deep in a natural bamboo forest. Expect touches of volcanic rock, bronze, and recycled wood. Be sure to leave time for sundowners at the two-story black bamboo-clad bar, with its views across the South China Sea. 

Swiss hotel brand Movenpick has opened its first resort property in Indonesia, the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali. Inspired by the traditional five elements of Balinese design, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bali boasts 297 beautifully-appointed guest rooms and suites, each of which features private balconies, complimentary WiFi and touches of Balinese art. One of the highlights of the new resort is its captivating free-form swimming pool, which boasts its own artificial beach and lap pool. The new Movenpick property will also be a dining destination with the opening of signature restaurant Anarasa, home to interactive cooking stations, and Above Eleven Bali, a breathtaking rooftop cocktail bar. A dedicated Meera (Ocean) Kid’s Club and Teen Club make this resort an easy choice for travelling families; both offer a raft of daily activities to keep children of all ages entertained while their parents enjoy the Balinese sunshine. Just a three-minute stroll from Jimbaran Bay, one of Bali’s most popular beach destinations, the new resort is only 4km from the international airport and offers close proximity to some of the island’s best dining, cafes, and entertainment attractions, including Bali’s newest lifestyle and dining destination, the Samasta Village shopping complex. 

Situated at the heart of the Korean capital, Glad Live Gangnam has opened as the sister hotel of Glad Hotel Yeouido and the latest Design Hotels member in the region, offering travellers luxurious, design-savvy accommodation in one of Seoul’s most vibrant enclaves. Located near some of the best retail and entertainment hotspots in the capital, the new urban retreat features 210 rooms across three categories. The Glad House Suite is a mini museum decked with contemporary art objects curated by the Daelim Museum, Korea’s first photography museum; while The Glad Pool Suite has classic black and white interiors with modern touches, and includes a supersized bed, a soak pool, and a 79-inch LED TV, complete with Bang and Olufsen speakers for the ultimate in-room audio-sound experience. The Live Pool Suite is luxuriously-outfitted with marble walls and herringbone floors, and features a supersized bed and in-room mini pool. With a “color up your life” motto, D.Bridge Colour Avenue is the hotel’s upscale lounge bar that promises guests a completely new experience every season. The after-hours club D.Star opens from 11:30pm until 10am every Friday and Saturday. Featuring renowned Korean talent, DJ Komodo, the club is a popular drop-in spot for locals and visitors alike.