Alex - Here have what I know

In an Anantara resort, you’d expect nothing short of divine treatment. The trademark of this upscale resort chain is quality, which is oozing out of every crevice of its latest baby Anantara Seminyak Resort & Spa in Bali. This Indonesian “Island of the Gods” has made a name for itself as an earthly paradise. It is an Ibiza in the tropics among travelers, whether they are bourgeoisie or bohemian, and the Anantara team is determined to help immortalize this reputation.

Trendy hotel and bar owners have been drawn to Seminyak’s azure waters and splendid sunsets for decades. This stunning natural environment inspired the two architects who designed Anantara Seminyak Resort: Antony Liu Budiwihardja and Ferry Ridwan from the architectural consultancy PT Dwitunggal Mandirijaya. The duo had to ensure that the resort did justice to Seminyak’s fantastic beach by amplifying the beauty of its views through the extensive use of glass roofs, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows that opened out onto panoramic views.
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Welcome respites have never looked better. Three-month old bespoke cocktail bar Klee, located at the rustic Portsdown vicinity, is one of the most inviting and interesting bars to open in Singapore this year.

Inviting because of its casual and laidback atmosphere, and interesting because this is one of the most unpretentious cocktail bars we’ve ever been in. Unlike other cocktail bars that are typically more chi-chi with lounge sofas thrown in for good measure, Klee is stripped down and modest, and the vibe is certainly more informal.

Get Personal

Built with a modest S$200,000 and named after the late Swiss expressionist artist Paul Klee (”His artworks are very colorful, just like the different cocktail concoctions we have here,” explains co-owner Edward Chia of the inspiration), Klee sits nicely with the other establishments in the area - bustling Italian restaurant Pietrasantra, hip barand-restaurant Cicada, and chocolate patisserie Laurent’s Cafe & Chocolate Bar.
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Those wondering how long it would take for the Dongcheng district of Beijing, the most prized tourist hub, to get a true world class designer hotel can rest easy. The Emperor Hotel, just one of 86 new hotels to open in this madhouse of a city in the last 12 months, has taken the niche. While the areas around the Forbidden City are well populated with Hyatts, Raffleses and Peninsulas, along with the odd courtyard minis like Cote Couer, this is the first truly upscale boutique hotel with just 55 rooms and a bunch of specials to round it off. According to the folks at Design Hotels AG, a company that represents and markets a selected collection of boutique hotels across the globe, The Emperor is the first such Luxury accommodation in China.

Modern Imperial Style

For a start, the property is in a truly unique location, a short stroll away from The Forbidden City. The Emperor building is located in the former premises of the Qinghua University Alumni and features a classical Chinese brick facade and roof. Beijing Dacheng YouFang Zhiye developed the building into a hotel project, and Germany-based wunderkinds Graft came on board to drive the interior design. This is the same Graft of Project Pink, a Brad Pitt-led initiative to rebuild the Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, showing the company’s diversity. Gregor Hoheisel, the founder of Graft, makes it clear that there are opportunities here that cannot be found in Europe or anywhere else. But because the building was more 1970’s grey brick, it was hardly possible to create a believable replicate of olden-day interiors and avoid the cheesy reinterpretation of Chinese style. However, Graft still tried to incorporate subtle hints of the traditional flavor to give the building a sense of place:
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For an establishment that is located at Big Splash at East Coast Park, 1 TwentySix does seem out of place at first. After all, the area is usually associated with teenagers and family types who come here for their afternoon stroll in the park or are looking for a quick economical bite at the fast food chains here.

Standing Out from the Crowd

But alfresco bar and fine dining restaurant 1 TwentySix, brainchild of Joseph Ong, the man responsible for gastrobar One Rochester, seems to have no problems packing in the crowds both for lunch and dinner, and especially during weekends. After all, the place does take itself rather seriously, juggling a restaurant serving European cuisine with an Asian twist, and a lush alfresco bar playing smooth and inviting downtempo music. 1 TwentySix‘ theme is maritime from its plush interiors to its lounge sofas aplenty outside to create a seaside bar / restaurant with a club-like atmosphere.
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