EasternWonder
BALI
The Center, Ubud
Private Rental: STONE HOUSE
A true hideaway behind high limestone walls, nearly two miles out of the town and surrounded by paddy fields. These three villas, full of salvaged antiques and blissful nooks and crannies, are sheltered by Jasmine – scented gardens. There is also a pool large enough to swim lengths in. Both homely and seductive, it’s a real find.
The East - Karangasem
Best Villa Idanna Pucci
Idanna Pucci’s simple villa in the foothills of Mount Agung defines remote. Built out of volcanic rock and teak, with a library, swimming pool and lovely garden looking out over an amphitheatre of rice fields, this is the ultimate Balinese private world.
Taking Point
This year’s most exciting launches in Southeast Asia are the fruition of architect Bill Bensley’s fantastical imagination. From private villas in the temple city of Siem Reap and a tented camp in the elephant corridors of Cambodia’s southwest, to a massive beach resort project in Vietnam’s Phu Quoc for JW Marriott, these retreats redefine the true meaning of escapism.
Three of The Best Colonial-Era Hotels in Yangton, Myanmar (Burma)
The Boutique Retreat
THE SAVOY
An atmospheric antidote to design hotels, with large polished teak bedrooms looking out on the city’s best kept secret: a beautiful flower-garlanded pool.
The Santuary
BELMOND GOVERNOR’S RESIDENCE
An oasis of birdsong, rippling water and shaded verandas, where a Burmese buffet lunch is a must.
The Icon Relaunched
THE STRAND
This jazz-era grande dame with its smoky cocktail bar ups the ante with a new pool and dining terrace, and four-day trips on its elegant river cruise boat.
Shanghai & Yangzi
STAY
at the Fairmond Peace Hotel in Shanghai, an art-deco beauty immortalized in Noël Coward’s play Private Lives. The Chinese Suite is a fine spot to dream up an adventure like Elgort and Evangelista’s.
FLOAT
on the Yangzi River, whether it’s on a bamboo raft, a Kayak or a private cruise with an English-speaking guide.
