Nick Walton’s Welcome To Asia, January 2017

Offering sun worshippers a sophisticated new oceanside destination, Akyra Beach Club Phuket has opened this month on spectacular Natai Beach. Part boutique retreat, part tropical beach club, Akyra boasts 59 luxurious guest rooms and stand-alone villas, as well as a beach spa, beachfront pool, and fully-equipped gym. Offering an elegant and chilled-out ambiance, sensational sunset views, and a menu of top notch comfort cuisine served from a vibrant open kitchen concept, Akyra’s beach club features al fresco dining and a series of exclusive cabanas, the perfect spot from which to enjoy regular international DJs, and live music acts. 

The first urban resort in one of China’s largest cities, the Regent Chongqing opens this month in the financial district of Jiangbeizui, at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. With 181 guest rooms and 21 sumptuous suites, each boasting river vistas and the five-fixture bathrooms made famous by Regent in the 1970s, the hotel’s elegant and contemporary interiors, which are complemented by an impressive art collection featuring works by Lee Eun, Donnie Pan, and Yi Meng, echo the economic importance of Chongqing in today’s China, while also paying homage to the city’s rich heritage. Be sure to sample authentic Sichuan cuisine at Lijing Shuen and during the warmer months, head to the outdoor rooftop bar for seasonal cocktails.

The latest addition to Singapore’s boutique hotel scene, The Warehouse Hotel opens on the city’s Robinson Quay this month as the first hotel project by the Lo & Behold Group. A former ‘godown’ waterfront warehouse that dates from 1895, the chic 37-room boutique hotel has been created by award-winning design agency Asylum, and boasts guest spaces dressed in rattan and natural leather; an expansive art collection that taps into the region’s rich history; an elegant rooftop infinity pool; and a signature restaurant by chef and ‘mod Sin’ pioneer Willin Low. 

Located in Da’an, one of the city’s most cosmopolitan neighbourhood, Taipei’s new Hotel Proverbs, a member of Design Hotels, pairs minimalist design by local guru Ray Chen with decadent décor, from its rectilinear façade of black mesh to its touches of copper, walnut, leather, stone and delicate fabrics. Each of the 42 guest rooms include LED televisions, complimentary minibar, Nespresso machines, and Yamaha digital stereos, with the additional perks of butler service, in-house digital International New York Times access, pocket wifi and in-room Mac laptop use. Leave time for laps in the rooftop pool, premium imported beef at TK Steak, or old-fashioned Taiwanese concoctions at East End bar.