40 new hotels in Asia: The big 4-0

Valerian Ho rounds up 40 new properties to check out in Asia 1) MOVENPICK SUKHUMVIT 15 BANGKOK Opened: May 2015 A great location on the popular Sukhumvit Road is coupled with 297 high-tech rooms and a host of modern amenities in this stylish hotel. Dark-wood fittings and furnishings contrast with clean white walls and bedding, while huge TVs and walk-in rainshowers are also provided. The hotel’s free 24-hour tuk-tuk shuttle is a useful service, while the 20-metre rooftop pool is a peaceful place to relax away from the noise of the city below. Lelawadee restaurant offers Thai and European dishes. movenpick.com 2) THE REVERIE SAIGON, HO CHI MINH CITY Opened: September 2015 The Reverie’s Italian-style décor creates classical splendour, blended with Asian opulence. Floor-to-ceiling windows in all 286 rooms and suites reveal views of the skyline and Saigon River. Rooms are furnished by some of Italy’s finest design houses, including Colombostile and Provasi. It’s located in the CBD. thereveriesaigon.com 3) AVANI RIVERSIDE BANGKOK Opened: April 2016 The first new-build property for Minor Hotel Group’s fast-expanding four-star brand, the 248-room Avani is located next to the Anantara Riverside (also part of the group). Rooms and suites offer river views, while the four food and drink venues include rooftop bar Attitude. The property has large meeting and conferencing facilities, with 4,500 sqm of space including a ballroom capable of hosting 800 people for a banquet. avanihotels.com 4) NOVOTEL BANGKOK SUKHUMVIT 20 Opening: this month The 244-room hotel will have a rooftop bar on the 26th floor, and a pool and bar on level nine. novotel.com 5) ST REGIS KUALA LUMPUR Opening: this month Starwood’s new luxury property is located in the Sentral Precinct. It has 208 rooms and almost 3,000 sqm of function space. starwoodhotels.com/stregis 6) OASIA SUITES KUALA LUMPUR Opened: April 2016 The brand’s first foray outside Singapore, this 247-room hotel is next to Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur’s only surviving primary rainforest and nature reserve. stayfareast.com 7) THE SOUTH BEACH, SINGAPORE Opened: September 2015 This hotel is part of the South Beach mega mixed-use development which also comprises offices, residences, retail space and a private club. A roster of leading lights in the design world have collaborated on this project, including architecture by Foster and Partners and global design firm Aedas, interiors by Philippe Starck and installations by artists Lee Lee Nam and Soh Ee Shaun. The hotel features 654 rooms and suites, an all-day restaurant, three bars, two sky gardens and two infinity pools. There is also a ballroom in one of the original early 20th-century buildings. thesouthbeach.com.sg 8) HOTEL VAGABOND, SINGAPORE Opened: October 2015 Lovers of small artistic establishments should visit Hotel Vagabond, a boutique art hotel that is the first in Asia to feature interiors by celebrated French designer Jacques Garcia. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member, it has an elegant art deco façade and bright-red shutters, while all artworks were sourced and commissioned by owner Satinder Garcha. The solid-brass rhino reception desk took craftsmen from 15 villages in Rajasthan eight months to create. Other exotic features include striking gold banyan trees in the foyer, handcrafted sculptures by French artisans, and photographs by the owner in the 42 rooms. slh.com 9) FAIRMONT JAKARTA Opened: January 2015 The 380-room Fairmont has one of the largest hotel lobbies in the city, with three separate entrances. It also features 3,500 sqm of meeting space, including a 1,200-sqm ballroom. The 22nd- floor K22 bar offers panoramic views, and there are Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Located in the Senayan district, the hotel is close to the Jakarta Convention Centre and the Indonesian Stock Exchange, and linked to the Plaza Senayan shopping and office complex. fairmont.com 10) SOFITEL SINGAPORE CITY CENTRE Opening: late 2016 This 223-room property is part of the Tanjong Pagar Centre, which will include the city-state’s tallest building, at 290 metres, and an “urban park”with a capacity of 2,000 delegates. sofitel.com 11) CONRAD MANILA Opening: September 2016 Overlooking Manila Bay, the Conrad will have 347 rooms and suites, a spa and an infinity pool. conradhotels3.hilton.com 12) SHANGRI-LA AT THE FORT, MANILA Opened: March 2016 The 576-room hotel is housed in a mixed-use complex that includes Kerry Sports Manila, offering more than 8,000 sqm of fitness facilities across two floors. shangri-la.com 13) HOTEL PROVERBS TAIPEI Opened: September 2015 Hotel Proverbs Taipei was designed by renowned Taiwanese architect Ray Chen, whose high-profile projects also include the cabin interior of China Airlines’ B777-300ER and Hotel Quote Taipei. Chen has used copper, rich wood and leather elements, as well as exquisite textiles, to great effect in the public areas. Each of the 42 rooms blends classic European style with contemporary design; the effect is cosy and luxurious. Starting from 33 sqm, rooms offer free wifi, movies and Nespresso machines. The property is located in the city’s Eastern district. hotel-proverbs.com 14) TAIPEI MARRIOTT Opened: November 2015 The city’s largest integrated destination complex, the Taipei Marriott consists of 320 guestrooms, a convention centre, a high-end shopping mall and luxury apartments. It also boasts a heated rooftop pool. marriott.com 15) FOUR SEASONS SEOUL Opened: October 2015 This Four Seasons property is set in the central business district and has 317 luxurious rooms and suites. Its seven restaurants and bars include Shanghai-inspired Yu Yuan, with a Peking duck oven, Italian restaurant Boccalino, and Charles H, a“Prohibition- era NewYork speakeasy with a twist of Korean energy and style”. The three-storey spa and fitness complex has a Korean sauna, and an indoor driving range. fourseasons.com 16) COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT SHIN-OSAKA STATION Opened: November 2015 This 332-room hotel is in a superb location, only a minute’s walk from the Shin-Osaka bullet train station. courtyard.marriott.com 17) FOUR SEASONS KYOTO Opening: late 2016 The outdoor spaces at this 124- room, 57-residence property will include an 800-year-old Japanese water garden, a glass bridge and a traditional matcha tea house. fourseasons.com 18) HILTON TOKYO ODAIBA Opened: October 2015 This property is located in Odaiba, a popular waterfront district built on an artificial island facing central Tokyo. Its 453 guestrooms include 17 suites with private balconies, most offering views of Tokyo Bay and Rainbow Bridge. The Royal Garden Room features a jet bath, grand piano, bar and private garden. There’s also a ballroom and spa. hilton.com 19) THE PRINCE GALLERY TOKYO KIOICHO, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL Opening: July 2016 The 35th-floor bar of this 250-room property will offer panoramic views from double- height, floor-to-ceiling windows. luxurycollection.com 20) NUO HOTEL BEIJING Opened: June 2015 The first hotel from a Chinese state-run group aiming to go global, the interiors of this 438-room luxury property are inspired by the golden age of the Ming dynasty, with works by established and emerging artists used throughout to glorious effect. The enormous lobby features two pieces by Zeng Fanzhi, one of China’s most acclaimed artists – a silver and bronze sculpture called Le Shan, and an oil-on-canvas piece called Landscape 2014. These are flanked by gigantic blue-and- white porcelain vases, while five huge“moon”gates complete the larger-than-life effect. The hotel has seven food and drink venues, including Chinese cuisine at Jia, and Japanese at Nuo’ki, as well as a spa, pool and gym. nuohotel.com 21) WANDA REIGN ON THE BUND, SHANGHAI Opening: June 2016 Wanda Reign is Chinese group Wanda Hotels and Resorts’ premium brand. Facing the Bund, the 193-room property will feature a top-floor French restaurant and club led by two-starred Michelin chef Marc Meneau offering panoramic views of Pudong and the Huangpu River. The property is a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts’ Legend Collection. wandahotels.com 22) SOFITEL KUNMING Opened: December 2015 Located in the central business district of Kunming in China, the Sofitel’s interiors are inspired by bothYunnan province’s local cultures and French haute design. In the lobby, red glass-fronted balconies and crystal-encrusted drapes evoke European theatres. Also featured is a multimedia water wall projection. Panoramic views of the city or Dianchi Lake can be enjoyed from each of the hotel’s 397 rooms, three restaurants, and the Parisian-style bar on the 50th floor. sofitel.com 23) INTERCONTINENTAL BEIJING SANLITUN Opening: summer 2016 The food and drink offering at the 303-room property will include Chinese, Japanese and tapas restaurants, plus a bar specialising in whisky and beer. The Sanlitun district itself is full of dining and drinking venues. ihg.com 24) MELIA SHANGHAI HONGQIAO Positioned to welcome meetings and event delegates, this 190- room hotel is close to the huge new 1.5 million sqm National Convention and Exhibition Centre. melia.com 25) PARK HYATT GUANGZHOU Opened: December 2015 Located in Zhujiang New Town, next to the Pearl River, this 208-room hotel has a 25-metre pool and spa. The 70th-floor bar – the highest in the city – offers classic cocktails, vintage wines and champagnes along with live entertainment. park.hyatt.com 26) GRAND HYATT CHENGDU Opened: February 2016 Inspired by the great French mansions of the past, situated on the tenth to 39th floors of the Chicony Square building, the Grand Hyatt Chengdu features a floral theme throughout, most notably in its several tranquil gardens, which reflect the four seasons through carefully selected plants with colours depicting spring, summer, autumn and winter. An open garden, Putao, on the 15th floor is a lovely place to relax, while the Maze Garden on the terrace is a romantic location surrounded by tall, verdant plants. grand.hyatt.com 27) DOUBLETREE BY HILTON GUANGZHOU SCIENCE CITY Opened: August 2015 The extensive event space at the 301-room Doubletree includes a 1,000 sqm grand ballroom and a 2,500 sqm rooftop garden. doubletree3.hilton.com 28 WANDA REIGN CHENGDU Opened: December 2015 Designed with a“New Chinese Art Deco”theme, this 240-room hotel in the Jinjang district combines local Shu themes – from Chinese hibiscus to Sichuan-style trellis patterns, tassels and lanterns – with classic art deco motifs. wandahotels.com 29) THE GRAND MANSION, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, NANJING Opened: July 2015 An impressive collection of fine art, chinaware and handcrafted textiles is on display throughout this 158-roomproperty, which also features one of China’s largest hotel libraries. starwoodhotels.com/luxury 30) REGAL FINANCIAL CENTRE HOTEL, FOSHAN Opened: October 2015 Regal’s latest Chinese opening has 230 rooms and great sport facilities, including a golf simulator, table tennis, pool table and chess room. The metro station below the hotel offers access to downtown Foshan in ten minutes and Guangzhou in 25 minutes regalhotel.com 31) HILTON SHENZHEN FUTIAN Opened: October 2015 This centrally located 320-room hotel has 17 function spaces totalling 2,400 sqm, including a 600-sqm ballroom. hilton.com 32) KEMPINSKI HOTEL FUZHOU Opening: this month The 1,500 sqm ballroom and 700 sqm outdoor garden can host up to 1,200 guests, at this 327-room hotel. kempinski.com 33) HOTEL PRAVO, HONG KONG Opened: June 2015 A small, stylish property set in the middle of Tsim Sha Tsui, Pravo’s 92 rooms range from compact to deluxe suites, each featuring one of five design themes, from “rock-and-roll black”to“mysterious purple” and“classy gold”. Some rooms deliver city views from private balconies. Every room comes with a Handy 3G smartphone, which guests can take out around town and use to make free local and international calls to ten countries. The property also has a gym and rooftop patio, which can be hired out for private parties. citadines.com 34) RITZ-CARLTON MACAU Opened: May 2015 This luxury all-suite hotel is part of the Galaxy Macau development, an integrated resort offering premium shopping, fine dining, a 3D cinema complex, casino, spa, swimming pools and meeting spaces. The property’s 239 suites are located on the top floors of the resort. The design incorporates Azulejo tiles, a form of Iberian ceramic synonymous with the décor found in Macau’s heritage buildings. Hotel facilities include two restaurants and two bars, an outdoor pool, an ESPA health club, as well as a 750 sqm ballroom and meeting spaces. ritzcarlton.com 35) DOUBLETREE BY HILTON XIAMEN WUYUAN BAY Opened: August 2015 Situated in the Chinese city’s new CBD, this 270-room hotel has 1,400 sqm of function space. doubletree3.hilton.com 36) MADERA HOLLYWOOD, HONG KONG Opened: March 2016 This all-suite, 38-room boutique property in the city’s SoHo district has Hollywood-themed rooms. maderagroup.com 37) NOVOTEL NEW DELHI AEROCITY Opened: November 2015 Well-located for Indira Gandhi International airport, the 250- room Novotel has a health club and outdoor pool. novotel.com 38) ST REGIS MUMBAI Opened: November 2015 The country’s tallest hotel tower, at 39 storeys, this 395-room property offers superb views over the city and Arabian Sea. starwoodhotels.com/stregis 39) SHANGRI-LA BENGALURU Opened: September 2015 Situated between the CBD and residential suburbs, this luxury property offers 397 rooms, including 30 suites swathed in shades of gold, plum and green. Its meeting and function spaces are spread over two levels, and the 739 sqm grand ballroom is one of the largest in the city. A hotel representative meets guests at the airport to help ensure a smooth arrival. There are also eight dining options and a rooftop bar. shangri-la.com 40) ZONE BY THE PARK CHENNAI Opened: November 2015 Zone by the Park is Indian group the Park Hotels’mid-market brand. Located in the Chennai ORR (outer ring road) area, the 40-room hotel has an open-plan lobby with a restaurant, free wifi and work pods. Rooms have flatscreen TVs and desks, and there’s a rooftop pool. zonebythepark.com