Nick Walton’s Welcome To Asia, July 2016

The Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta.

With its slick white-gloved butler service, Malay-inspired Bloody Mary and captivating cityscape views, the St Regis Kuala Lumpur has returned to the Malaysian capital. A luxurious enclave nestled within the One IFC development at the heart of the city’s Sentral Precinct, the reimagined St Regis takes its inspiration from a stylish Manhattan apartment, thanks to interiors and architecture by G.A. Design and a captivating curated art collection. Boasting 208 spacious guest rooms, each with walk-in wardrobes, sublime bathrooms and 24-hour butler service, the hotel is crowned by the Royal Suite, a 4,000-square-foot retreat that features a show kitchen, its own terrace, and a private gym and massage suite. Downstairs there are six restaurant and bar concepts, including Taka by Sushi Saito, the first restaurant to open outside Tokyo by three-Michelin-starred chef Takashi Saito. 

Hidden away on Thailand’s favorite island playground, Samujana, a chic private estate on Chaweng Beach, has unveiled its most expansive villa property yet. Villa 24, designed by Gary Fell of GFAB Architects, features eight luxurious bedrooms, uninterrupted views of the Gulf of Thailand, and a range of modern amenities, including two designer kitchens built specifically for group entertaining, a private in-house cinema, a breathtaking infinity pool, and a fully-equipped private gym. With its outdoor dining sala, Jacuzzi and games room, Villa 24 is the perfect spot for families and friends looking for unparalleled luxury and privacy on their next Thai escape. 

Bringing new levels of luxury to the Indonesian capital, the Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta has opened on Jalan Gatot Subroto within Capital Place, Jakarta’s Central Business District. Boasting just 125 modern suites, all of which feature sliding pocket doors separating sleeping areas from living areas, rich furnishings, state-of-the-art technology, spa-like bathrooms and thoughtful amenities, the César Pelli-designed hotel is part corporate retreat, part urban resort. Don’t miss the new hotel’s dining experiences, which include the Nautilus Bar, home to innovative  signature cocktails laced with the country’s most famous exports, including nutmeg, galangal, clove and lemongrass; and contemporary Italian restaurant Alto, opening later in the year. 

With breathtaking lines by Foster + Partners and the Wada Design Institute, Wanda Hotels & Resorts has made its grand debut in Shanghai with its new flagship hotel, Wanda Reign on the Bund. Situated along the iconic Huangpu River, the hotel features 193 luxurious guest rooms, including 14 uniquely designed suites, ranging from 45sqm to 288sqm. Each guest room is equipped with iPad smart in-room controls, spacious marble bathrooms and signature “Bed of Reign” beds, which feature handmade Talalay latex mattresses from the United States and tailor-made wool bedding from New Zealand. The hotel’s sublime suites also boast advanced massage chairs from Ogawa, 55-inch B&O LCD televisions, 5.1 Sound Bar systems and Hermes personal care amenities. Leave time for cocktails at the chic rooftop bar, home to captivating views of Puxi. 

An elegant alternative to the conventional Hong Kong hotels, The Olympian has opened in West Kowloon, combining the intimacy of a private residence with stunning Hong Kong Island views and a close proximity to leading dining and shopping precincts. With just 32 rooms, the new boutique hotel’s rooms and suites, ranging from 43 to 75 square meters, are some of the largest in the city; all feature soaring ceilings, contemporary décor, spacious bathrooms with soak tubs and walk-in showers, gleaming hardwood floors, and plush velvet furnishings. Be sure to book ahead for the hotel’s coveted chauffeured Rolls Royce airport transfers.