There aren’t many hotels that are steeped in history, yet both Suiran and sister property Shisui both share similar traits. With hundreds of years of legacy between them, staying in these unassuming design properties hidden on the outskirts of two of Japan’s oldest and most important cities are destinations unto themselves. Working perfectly as a…
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On a recent visit to Mexico, I spent a few days in Riviera Maya to recharge and relax. Considering this wasn’t my first visit to Cancun, and there was a relatively new hotel on the block, I took the opportunity to try out Hotel Unico 20 87 Riviera Maya to see what this design-led all-inclusive…
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On a visit to Tokyo soon after travel restrictions ended, we were keen to find out how the city had evolved. Where better than at The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon which, despite officially opening in late 2020, had until that moment been denied a real launch. And while at the time of our stay there was…
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Situated a mere 30-minute seaplane ride north of Male’s International Airport in the pristine waters of Noonu Atoll, is Medhufaru. This two-kilometre island may not be well known by its real island name, but it is known by thousands of influencers by a different guise – Soneva Jani – one of the most iconic, pristine,…
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Every time we visit Tokyo we’re struck by how charmingly low-rise it is. By contrast with other Asia capitals, there’s been no crazy arms race to build the tallest tower. But that also means that, where you can get up high, you’re rewarded with unbroken views. That’s certainly the case at Andaz Tokyo, on the…
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Stepping foot on Lhivayani’s latest island resort you couldn’t feel further from the stresses of today’s world. Situated on the most southernly point of this pristine Atoll, there’s a real sense of the less developed, less touristic side of the Maldives. With just 4 of the 50+ islands inhabited, you’re encouraged to lose yourself, albeit…
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Situated in the heart of Istanbul International Airport is a little secret that perhaps everyone should know about. Thanks to Istanbul’s virtually exhaustive list of destinations, it might be that your connecting flight is more than just a few hours away. If you aren’t lucky enough to enjoy an airport lounge, or Turkish Airlines’ connection…
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For those of us who are trying to juggle the ever-changing landscape when it comes to emerging from our stay-at-home caves and craving some Vitamin D, there’s finally good news on the Horizon. As countries start their vaccination programmes, destinations like Greece are finally opening up to those vaccinated, COVID-free and those who’ve recovered from the virus…
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We’ve always kept an eye on Soneva, it epitomises the future of hospitality. The brand isn’t new, but the properties are well known within the industry for being the epitome of luxury, sustainability and service. While Soneva Fushi, situated in the Maldives might be the longest serving property in the portfolio, Soneva Jani – its…
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The Maldives has just opened its doors to a new resort, taking the all-inclusive concept to an entirely new level. Part of the Accor Group of hotels, Pullman Maldives Maamutaa – situated in the south of the Maldives – is the epitome of hedonist luxury without the exorbitant price tag. We were lucky enough to…
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2020 sees a wave of new hotel openings across the globe, and we’re already aware of a few in 2021 that we’re even more excited about, but have to remain tight-lipped. But here’s a round-up of just a few that have caught our eye. Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort Let’s start with a hotel we’re actually…
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Spanning across more than 9,000 square metres in two storeys, Aerotel Beijing is the first, only and largest in-terminal international airport hotel in China and among the world’s biggest. Brought to life by Plaza Premium Group, the new 215-guest room property is just 5 minutes’ walk from Domestic check-in and 10 minutes from International check-in…
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Trying to find a resort in Bali can prove difficult. We spent no less than 20 something evenings considering where to stay. We were so confused by the myriad of resorts boasting their own special propositions we ended up booking and cancelling and rebooking several times. As you can see from our previous Bali reports,…
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Now celebrating it’s one year Anniversary, the Kempinski Hotel in Muscat is one of the hottest opening’s in Oman’s capital city, Muscat. Situated in the prestigious Al Mouj district, just a short drive from the airport, it’s slightly away from the central Muscat area but benefits from a quiet beach, nearby marina and majestic views…
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So we don’t usually offer updates on hotels, but the new ‘Out Of The Blue’ jetty structure at Soneva Fushi, Maldives is so impressive, it’s almost like having a new hotel to write about. The two-storey overwater structure, (not as large as the one at Soneva Jani – but just as impressive) houses five brand new…
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Amankila, one of the Aman Group’s first hotels may now be in its 25th year, but its still as hot today as it was when it first opened. Designed by Ed Tuttle and Danilo Capellini back in 1992, the property embodies Balinese culture and architecture. Unlike the other five Aman properties in Indonesia, Amankila is situated…
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Dubai might be a sprawling metropolis of ever expanding hotels, apartments and skyscrapers, each featuring the biggest and best, it’s not always a matter of following the latest and greatest to find a gem of a hotel. Shangri-La Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road might be one of the first luxury hotels in Dubai, but its…
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Regular visitors of TheDesignAir may know that we are big fans of the Soneva Group. We’ve also been lucky enough to experience all three properties. While Soneva is the equivalent to Singapore Airlines in the hotel world, the group only has three very exclusive properties around the world (plus a private yacht for aquatic adventure lovers).…
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While all eyes are currently on Soneva Jani – the new prestigious overwater hotel – set to open in a couple of weeks time, the sister Maldivian property to to this new resort has been paving the way for barefoot luxury for two decades, and still continues to draw visitors from all around the world.…
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Following last month’s Hot Hotel, and part of our same trip to Japan we visit Amanemu’s sister hotel in the country’s capital, AmanTokyo. The hotel opened back in 2014, but has now fully established itself as one of the most luxurious properties in Japan, let alone the world. It was recently applauded Best Design Hotel…
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Pho Quoc is an island often overlooked by tourists when they visit Vietnam – heading for the cities that are so well documented, but is a hidden gem. Offering some much needed rest bite, Pho Quoc is only a short flight from Ho Chi Minh and prides itself on its naturally white beaches which slope…
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So we may be based in London, and always happy to travel far and wide, but this month we take a look at what’s available a little closer to home. Welcome to this month’s Hot Hotel, Rosewood London. We were delighted to be able to review the very first of the ‘new’ Rosewood properties for thedesignair.net. Rosewood,…
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When you hear ‘sustainable tourism’, let’s be honest, you wouldn’t picture yourself in a luxurious villa like the one above. However, we explored the finer side of the latest travel buzz-word in one of Thailand’s best hotels. Welcome to this month’s Hot Hotel, Soneva Kiri. The latest of the Soneva hotels to open, and still an established…
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Our latest trip with Fiji Airways brought us to the other side of the world from our London offices, where we managed to take some well needed rest before heading all the way back. We were lucky enough to stay in the award winning Likuliku Lagoon resort (one of our Top 10 Destinations for 2014),…
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Our newest writer to join TheDesignAir, Mel Kirk, über-successful blogger and owner of Tribal Media, has taken a trip that everyone in our office is green with envy of. With deep jealousy, we introduce you to her experience of one of our Hot Hotels, joining our very limited edition of hotels to take notice of…
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Now at thedesignair we haven’t covered hotels before, but we are starting our reviews to create a small collection of hotels, as in our travels we get to stay for some of the best hotels, we think, in the world. Our first secret gem is our inclusion of Sir Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot, situated in…
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