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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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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Regular readers of our site will know our admiration for the zen-like luxury hotel and resort brand Aman. They are one of our top hotel brands, alongside Soneva, for the ultimate in luxurious getaways. So you can imagine our excitement at the announcement of a brand new Aman Private Jet service that allows passengers to…
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Regular visitors to T3 at London’s Heathrow Airport might believe the terminal’s Aerotel has been operating for months thanks to the large signage outside arrivals, but the terminal has just welcomed its 2nd hotel in close proximity to Terminals 3 and 2. This new space allows guests to book in several hour blocks or overnight…
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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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Last week Governor Andrew M. Cuomo presented a vision plan to transform JFK International Airport into an airport equipped to meet the demands of the 21st century and “worthy of the State of New York”. Based on the recommendations of the Governor’s Airport Advisory Panel, the recently unveiled vision plan lays out a comprehensive, airport-wide framework…
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Launching alongside Plaza Premium’s New Rio Lounge, the new Aerotel, located on level 3 of the international departures pier (airside) in Terminal 2 is the first airside transit hotel in Rio (GIG), and the first for the group in South America. “Aerotel Rio de Janeiro gives new definition to airport transit hotel for travellers having long layover time at the airport or taking flights in the early hours. Designed for travellers…
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We love a special jet, and there is no more special than Four Season’s little black number revealed today to the world’s press. This is the basically the Orient Express for the 21st century, carefully transporting 52 very exclusive passengers on a money-can’t-buy itinerary of a lifetime. Working in partnership with Four Seasons Hotels, TCS…
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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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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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