Relax at the Plateau, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong (852/2584-7688; hongkong.grand.hyatt.com) this festive season with the Hotel’s Spa Winter package. Priced from US$567, double, the deal entitles guests to accommodation in a terrace room, an herbal bath, daily breakfast, evening cocktails, and spa treatment for two. Also included is a 20-percent discount on any additional spa services.
Most accommodations center on Grand Hirafu. Here, make sure you stop by the chic J-Sekka Building (sekkamseko.com), home to a gourmet deli, spa, sake lounge, and a trio of restaurants. Nearby, Hotel Kanronomori (81-136/58-3800; kanronomori.com; doubles from US$240) has private and public onsens and a range of tatami or Western-style rooms.
Heading South you’ll find narrow alley Dazhalan, which, like Qianmen, enjoyed a heyday in the 1920s when locals would congregate to feast on street snacks or take in a film at Daguanlou Cinema (86-10/6303-0878), China’s earliest movie theater.
Paintball is the popular and fun game to be played. The game is able to pump our adrenaline when we hide or face the enemy. This game is also able to be a sport because it requires us to run, chase and hide from the enemy to win the game. With the thrill offered by the game, paintball has so many fans. Now day, people not only rent the gun when they are playing, but the have their own gun collection. Continue reading »
This new open-air bar-cum-resfaurant features Gothic black chandeliers and cozy sofa seating. The cuisine adds a modern twist to Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Indonesian favorites. Don’t miss the “grilled” cocktails with charred citrus fruits, elderflower essence, and long pepper-infused vodka. J1. Petitenget 19X, Seminyak; 62-367/737-809.
Nestle Amid The Thick forests of Taro, about a 30-minute drive north Of UbUd, the Elephant Safari Park (62-361/721-481; baliadventuretours.com) maintains an idyllic environment for its oversized residents. The 27 rescued Sumatran elephants that call the park home are doted upon by their handlers, not to mention by Australian owner Nigel Mason, who has grown the property from a few rice fields 11 years ago into a hish resort complete with 25 smart new lodgings. This month sees the launch of evening safari adventures for guests who are sleeping over, with pachyderm pick-up front your lodge followed by a 30-minute jungle trek and a dinner under the stars. Continue reading »
As the debate Rages as to where to find the city’s best Beijing (nee Peking) duck-is it the unctuous fowl at smoky old Liqun? The expertly carved and presented bird at the Grand Hyatt’s Made in China?-one name has risen above the fray, and for good reason. Celebrated chef Da Dong’s eponymous eatery now has two locations, the best being the newer one (22 Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng; 86-10/5169-0328), but its siguature dish remains singular: a “super lean” roast duck sliced at your table into succulent slivers of meat and skin, alongside the usual assortment of condiments, pancakes, and a lip-smacking hoisin sauce. What’s left on the bone gets made into a soup. Continue reading »
It may sound cliched, but a visit to the Great Wall is part and parcel of the Beijing experience. Avoid touristy Badaling, the nearest section, at all costs, and drive at least as far as Mutianyu, about 90 minutes from the city. Crowds can still be dense, but if you’re traveling with kids, you can share the novelty of taking a cable car up, and a toboggan down. Otherwise, head farther out to Simatai, a rugged stretch that rewards with dramatic views; the steep, nine kilometer hike from here to Jinshanling (where you can camp overnight) is a suitably great way to experience the Wall. Treks to more remote ramparts, including overnight stays at farmhouse, can be arranged through conservationist William Lindsay’s Wild Wall (wildwall.coin). Continue reading »
For everything else,head to Shin Kong Place (87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang;86-10/6530-5888), the capital’s premier mall for luxury brands.
will certainly test the limits of your appetite. Set imperial-style, spreads at Lia Jia Cai (11 Yangfang Hutong, Deshengmennei Dajie, Xicheng; 86-10/6618-0107) feature a never-ending array of traditional delights, whipped up by chefs descended from those who served the Dowager herself inside the Forbidden City.
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Hilton Hanoi Opera “Superbly located” in Hanoi’s French Quarter, this majestic property is a stone’s throw from the city’s attractions and businesses, with spacious guest rooms and suites, all of which feature “wonderful views of the Opera House” (84-4/933-0500; hilton.com). Continue reading »
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