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TRAVEL NOTES
local news and expert tips for the jet set
NEW AND NOTED
New openings include Punnpreeda Pool Villa Beachfront Samui (tel +66 (0)77 246333, www.punnpreedapoolvilla.com) along Bangrak beach which offers 130m of sand just for guests only.
On the other side of Thailand, Phuket’s Indochine at Villa Santi (tel +66 (0)76 380800, www.indochine-villasanti.com) offers several holiday home options ranging from two- to six-bedrooms in Patong. With a world-class spa for pampering and a three-storey glass-walled restaurant and lounge with stunning sea views, the property holds true to its promise: “Your bliss is our command”.
On Siem Reap’s Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Tara Angkor Hotel (right, tel +855 (0)63 966661, www.taraangkorhotel.com) offers tailor-made service to international guests, with english, Japanese and French-speaking members on staff. The property’s 213 rooms are decked out with tasteful touches of Cambodia – woodwork sculptures and ruby-red Khmer silk abound.
HIT THE ROOF
Imagine living under a roof angled so dramatically that its peak faces the sky and its lowest point is just barely touching the ground.
Inspired by the roofs of ancient Thai and Laos temples, Azaya’s (tel +66 (0)53 863140, www.azayavillas.com) 12 luxury villas are bringing unprecedented architectural finesse to Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district. The holiday homes are on a 17-rai (over six acres) site which includes a spa, tennis court, gym and other amenities.
More than just plain good-looking, the striking roofs are functional too. “They allow lots of natural light to enter the home. Going from room to room, you notice the variation between ceiling heights and which adds excitement and even a sense of mystery,” says creator and developer Ian Hirsch. Prices start at a cool 21 million baht (about US$700,000).
24 MINUTES
That’s how long it takes us to fall asleep in a hotel, says a survey by Westin Hotels and Resorts. That’s 11 minutes more than when we are in our own beds.
For a quicker trip to dreamland, try The Westin’s Heavenly Bed®, a mattress, pillow and linen combination like no other.
The beds are in the rooms of all of their properties, including the Westin Bangkok (tel +66 (0)2 207-8000, www.westin.com/bangkok). Alternatively, order one for yourself on www.westin-hotelsathome.com
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