With a history tracking more than two decades, The Table Bay still shines like the brightest, most vigorous star on Cape Town’s impressively eclectic Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Gorgeously dressed in an impeccable façade of yellow, blue and white, its an immense feature of the waterfront’s colourful scene, screaming luxury from across the bay and…
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In Spring Hill, Brisbane, you might have driven past a white building with a fairly unique, cascading design. If you spotted it, you probably thought it was an ordinary office building. I can’t imagine how many times I’ve driven past it without noticing it. But office building it it not. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s been sitting…
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This month marks the one year anniversary of the opening of one of the finest new additions to the Brisbane hotel scene, the five star Calile Hotel, set on the edge of the Fortitude Valley, on the booming and revitalised James Street. Local architects Richards and Spence designed the $100 million urban resort, with balconies…
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It’s complicated with Phuket. Much like Bali, the popular holiday destination has many different sides, with some suffering under the weight of overtourism while others shine with untouched pristine beauty. Kata Beach almost sits at a comfortable middle, although it’s much closer to the more relaxed side. Quiet and downbeat, the area boasts direct access…
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It must be hard for a property to maintain its own identity in the ever-competitive market of luxury Bali resorts. Some lean heavily on comfort in the hopes for some distinction, while others are generous with dining options and amenities to set them apart. Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu need not try too hard with the…
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Quaint, friendly and absolutely delicious. There are many ways to describe the historic British Columbian capital of Victoria, a small city with a very big heart. It’s often referred to as the highlight on any Canadian itinerary – it’s certainly one of mine – and anyone would surely agree once they walk the serene Ogden…
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Though The Fantauzzo may be one of Brisbane’s hottest hotel openings of 2019, it’s not Art Series Hotels’ first property for the city. That honour belongs to The Johnson, which made its debut back in 2016, making an impact as a clean-cut tribute to the lasting legacy of master abstract artist Michael Johnson. Part of…
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W Hotels are about to stage a massive comeback in the Australian market, returning down under with three properties, one for each major city across the east coast. While Melbourne and Sydney openings are on the horizon, Brisbane was the first to receive the luxury Marriott brand’s renewed energy when W Brisbane cut the ribbon…
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Set in a residential area and surrounded by quite a few Embassies, the Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle sits in an old 8 story building, with the sort of entryway that feels as much as “Old New York” as it does blend into its surrounds. The architectural influence of cities like New York and Philadelphia…
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The shimmering silver, reflective ripple-like façade of Shadowplay by Peppers looks awkwardly out of place in overdeveloped Southbank. Melbourne’s major entertainment district is no stranger to impressive buildings, but this new apartment hotel really is something else. It’s as if the building has been ripped from the pages of a futuristic graphic novel, standing at…
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As one of this country’s most beloved modern artists, it was only a matter of time before quadruple Archibald Prize winner Vincent Fantauzzo received his very own Art Series Hotel. The Australian hotel brand, now owned by AccorHotels, is a decade on from their first property – Melbourne favourite The Cullen – and has continually…
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The Peppers brand has always been a valuable player in Australia’s hotel industry, with a penchant for seeking out great locations and turning in interesting accommodations with distinct identities. From the mighty bright Peppers Soul on the Gold Coast, to the fascinating Peppers Silo Hotel in Launceston, which has converted disused silos into luxury accommodation…
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The Ovolo Hotels brand is one that you’ve probably seen popping up quite a bit of late, with new openings in Australia (including this one in Brisbane). But the brand all started in Hong Kong about 18 years ago. It was a hotel placed in a slim building in the heart of Hong Kong (literally…
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Often cited as the kind of bucketlist stay that alone is worth the trip to Phuket, legendary resort Sri Panwa has maintained a league of its own since opening in 2005. Almost 15 years later, the property, which tops the jagged jungled-covered Cape Panwa along the island’s south-eastern tip, has welcomed celebrities and royal family…
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Built into an unassuming front, situated in the heart of Hobart and boasting water views from many of its rooms, the Mantra Collins Hotel delivers everything one may want from a visit to Tasmania’s capital. The rooms themselves boast a contemporary design with a touch of luxury, and a taste of the practical, with a…
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Name any city around the world and you’re bound to find a cluster of its best hotels lying around the central business district or the bucketlist landmarks. Very few tend to play outside of these invisible borders, and when they do, they’re often of the “you get what you pay for” compromise. For visitors, this…
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Jordan is a suburb you’ll find in Hong Kong’s Yau Tsim Mong District, and a lot like the rest of the city, it’s densely populated, with tens of thousands living in an area roughly one square kilometer in size. But it also is among the most diverse areas you’ll find in the entire country. With the…
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Saying a hotel had a “motel vibe” used to be a dirty word, but now it’s a bit chic, with clever hoteliers renovating outdated accommodation options into hotels bursting with sophistication and modern comforts – all with a touch of nostalgia. One such hotel is The Burrard, located less than 15 minutes walk from Vancouver…
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One of the newer locations for the international Intercontinental chain finds itself in San Diego; a luxury 400 room, 19 floor hotel which opened in September last year. The brand’s 3rd property in Southern California, the hotel sits right on the revitalised San Diego Bayfront. About the Room I stayed on the 15th room in…
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As one of the top rated boutique hotels in Victoria, British Columbia, The Oswego Hotel gets by beautifully on the simple pillars of good hospitality, great guest rooms, and excellent food and wine. Although you’d expect nothing less; as BC’s capital and one of the most pleasant small cities in the world (something that’s been…
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Also known as “Surf City USA”, Huntington Beach sits along a straight stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, with the Pacific Ocean seeming to stretch on forever; this section of the beach iconic for the concrete pier that stretches out into the Ocean, and the great food, drink and lifestyle options that accompany it. One of…
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In Covent Garden, just on the outskirts of the heart of theatre district (London’s West End), is one of the area’s finest hotels, St Martins Lane London. But this is luxury with a twist – with a green revolving door at the entry, and an eccentric design collection that await you in the hotel’s spacious lobby….
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Marriott has the W, IHG have Hotel Indigo, and Sofitel (owned by Accor) have the rapidly growing “SO/”. Hotel brands known for their warm luxurious embraces have, in the past decade especially, finessed their respective languages and funnelled them into younger, energetic off-shoots that fully commit to the “luxury boutique” label and thrive on individuality….
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The Dead Sea can hardly be claimed as a new attraction. When Christ was born not even 50km away, Cleopatra had already built the world’s first spas on the shore of the famously salty lake, so that she could bathe in the mineral-rich waters and retain her youthful looks. Clearly it worked, and many others…
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No one who has been to Canberra in the past few years would dare say the city lacks character. Though Australia’s capital may be better known as the seat of a chaotic political scene, its not hard to be won over by world-class museums, stunning urban vineyards, classic markets, spectacular light festivals and an exceptional…
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L.A-originated Paligroup have officially stretched out of the Golden State and headed up coast, opening their first boutique hotel in Seattle in what is easily the city’s most valuable location. Building on a reputation for dependable, eclectic neighbourhood hotels and suites like Palihotel Melrose and Palihouse West Hollywood, the recently opened Palihotel Seattle has sprung…
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Of the four Fairmont properties in Vancouver, only two can claim the distinction of immense waterfront views. Grand harbour vistas that stretch all the way to majestic coastal mountains, promising inspiration for all those who visit the great British Columbian city, immediately connecting them with the sense of adventure that gives Vancouver its allure. Unbeatable…
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“This is so incredible. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate them doing this.”, I heard a woman saying as I entered the new TWA Hotel at New York’s JFK, which opened yesterday alongside the modern Terminal 5. She said she used to work for the airline in the 70’s, and was wearing her…
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There may not be a hotel group as iconic in Canada as Fairmont. From Quebec and Whistler, to Lake Louise and Vancouver, the defining locations of this inspiring country are almost always accompanied by one of Fairmont’s historic properties. The group boasts an enviable claim on location, thanks to its history and position in Canada’s…
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Arriving on a train into Cardiff station, it was a 15 minute walk through the heart of the busy city on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to take me to the relatively recently opened Hotel Indigo Cardiff; hidden away in the Dominions Arcade. Like many Hotel Indigo’s around the world, this hotel has been built into the…
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