Four hours had passed before I looked up from my heated lounge chair to see the time. This was after a 1-hour reflexology appointment to soothe my runner's legs, an express facial that gave me a rosy glow--more on that later!--and putting away more than my share of the tiny snack plates of almonds and apricots while reading the Wall Street Journal in the recovery room.
A girlfriend and I recently made a day of it at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, also known as a spaceship spa that lifts you off into a timeless world of comfort and indulgence.
Four hours had passed before I looked up from my heated lounge chair to see the time. This was after a 1-hour reflexology appointment to soothe my runner's legs, an express facial that gave me a rosy glow--more on that later!--and putting away more than my share of the tiny snack plates of almonds and apricots while reading the Wall Street Journal in the recovery room.
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villa hoa sua frangipani The Villa Hoa Sua is a lovely hotel in a lovely town.
Of the three hotels I chose to rest my head in Hoi An--the Life Heritage Resort, the Ha An hotel, and the Villa Hoa Sua, the Villa Hoa Sua was by far our favorite. Personalized and friendly service, a tucked-away location and the outdoor bathrooms set this hotel apart from even if its 5 star counterparts. This hotel is perfect for those who prefer quiet and beautiful surroundings.The rooms stood out for tasteful wood furnishing with outdoor showers and stone baths. Bong, the owner's brother/manager, warned us that I would run out of hot water if I chose to fill up the tub. In any case, the smallish pool next to the breakfast bale provided ample room for submersion. I often chose to take my Vietnamese coffee and croissant on the bale. This red-tile roofed structure is wall-less and is surrounded by a moat with goldfish. Teakwood, textiles and tailoring, oh my! Southeast Asia delivers on both value and selection, whether it be brand name fashions at 3rd world prices or handmade crafts from the turn of the century. Listed below are my 5 top destinations for shopping. I think I can make it to 10...Note, these are not the most comfortable of tourist destinations. If you want to buy your teakwood and batiks in comfort, head to a local department store.
5. Bandung outlets, Indonesia A number of western clothing lines have factories in Indonesia, such as Burberry, Zara and Nike. Some of these garments somehow make it out of the factory instead of traveling across the seas for their final destination at a mall. A number of stores have sprung up that sell this leakage. To be fair, I have not visited Bandung for 5 years. But when I did I bought a pair of Burberry capris for $5. But then I moved to Japan, gained weight from all of the rice I was eating--yes, you can get fat from Japanese food!--and the seams split. Game over. 4. Green Hills Market, Manila Most denizens of Manila know Green Hills as a bargain shopping emporium. When I am in Manila I go here strictly for the pearls. And for the "antiques" which may or may not be old. Pearl vendors are arranged like spaces on a checkerboard and offer up bargain prices for high-quality pearls. South Sea pearls, which tend to be rounder and more luminous are also sold but fetch a higher price. If you visit it is good to write down the name of the vendors you like and obtain their cards. The vendors change places on a regular basis so you may never find their wares in the same spot. 3. Jat tu Jak market Good for Thai souvenirs, modern home furnishing and clothes. 2. Bali Bali may not have the rock-bottom prices of my #1 shopping destination but the variety and quality of the art, textiles, and antique are top notch. A society that cultivates artists combined with a tourist market = explosively creative modern and antique products. This ranges from cute wooden kitties on a couch. Bargain hunters for your run-of-the mill souvenirs should head to the Sukawati Art Market or the Denpasar market. 1. Yogyakarta I am giving this a number one ranking for the value, quality and selection of Yogyakarta's market and many antique shops. This is where you buy your antique batiks, wayang kulit puppets and elegant hand-carved doors and beds. I will include Jepara in this category even if it is a day's travel away. This is where US home interior chains buy their outdoor furniture and some of their tables. We kicked off our Vietnam vacation with the Sofitel Metropole. Our very first night we realized that we would be spoiled for the rest of our trip. Our room in the main building of the hotel was lovingly decorated with period touches, including pencil sketches of daily life in 19th century Vietnam. Our bathroom included a rain shower, whirlpool tub, and L'Occitane amenities.
The managers of this hotel deserve credit for getting all of their staff on board with providing excellent service. Although some of the staff had limited English, they all sought to go above and beyond their duties to ensure that we were comfortable. We didn't see as much as Hanoi as planned as we fell in love with the Bamboo Bar and ended up dining in and staying for a night cap. This hotel is a destination in itself. My fiancee and I are planning another trip to Vietnam just so that we can stay here again. The Dragon's back hike reminded me of why Hong Kong deserves its rank as one of the best cities in the world. One can go for a proper hike in the morning and dine at the 108th floor of the Ritz that same evening.
This hike was more strenuous than my friend and I imagined. We appreciated traveling along the spine of some of Hong Kong Island's more rural bits. I recommend you bring a swimsuit so that you can visit the Shek-O beach afterwards for a swim. The Thai restaurant at the intersection at Shek-O is also popular with the local expat scene. This is the hotel to be in if you like 5-star service but not the premium price for a high-end hotel. Club level benefits made my visit to the Langham Place Mongkok on a recent girls' getaway. There is near non-stop service on the club floor, and not the simple carbohydrates and coffee that one would find at other hotel club floors. This is real food. Dimsum and champagne in the afternoon and veggies with dip along with one's choice of wine, beer or stilled water. A breakfast of Swiss muesli, yogurt smoothies, made-to-order omelettes, smoked salmon. Champagne on Sunday mornings. The Financial Times as reading material. Extra spa benefits. All on the 41st (I believe?) floor with a fantastic view of Kowloon.
Our room was cozy--read small but not too small--and had great bedding and mattresses. We were happy with the bathroom for the great water pressure, amenities and makeup mirror. The floor-to-ceiling windows afforded a great view. The spa treatment at the Chuan spa was ok. My friend and I had a Thai massage. Afterwards the two masseuse sat on our lounge chairs in the recovery area trying to sell us face products. I felt like I was on a beach in Krabi. Enough with the product pushing. The massage was still worth it, especially with the free half hour add on we received because of the Club benefits. One complaint is that our room did not seem to be cleaned until after 2pm during the 4 nights we stayed, even though we hit the convenient "clean me" switch next to our door. The concierge provided helpful maps during our visit and made convenient travel arrangements for our airport transportation and trips to Macau. The hotel bus picked me up on time and took me to the airport with 0 stops. Overall, I will definitely stay here again. Especially if I can find a deal. Hotel Modern Honolulu... The Modern Honolulu hits the sweet spot with its zen pool and party scene, Michelin-starred restaurant and minimalist rooms. Recommended for young professionals and couples who want to enjoy a design hotel and great facilities but at a lower price point than true 5-star hotels.
Loved the clean and sleek details of the white-furnishings in the room. The bathroom also had great water pressure and ample towels. The amenities are of average quality but not bad. Ahhh, yes, surfing: Waikiki presents itself as the perfect beach for a beginning surfer. A number of surf schools exist right on the beach. I thought there would be more technique but essentially your instructor is there to choose waves for you--a skill--and give you five minutes of instruction on how to do a reverse burpee and stand up on your board. Oh, and paddling you out on on your 12 foot board and yelling at you to stand at just the right time. And think of the iconic paddle out to a break with Diamond Head looming on your left. Like a 1950's postcard or a Beach Boys album. And Morimoto. A trendy restaurant with sizeable portions. Go figure! I had never seen a plate of sushi in front of me that I didn't think I could finish. Until I came here. The $40 chef's choice sashimi is more than enough for one person. Overall, the menu has a good mixture of authentic Japanese and fusion dishes. Recommend sitting outside so you can watch the sunset over the yacht club. We took the recommendation of our Swedish waiter and ordered the calamari salad. My hunch is that the chef fried the calamari in a beer batter, which, as promised, stayed crispy. |