Eclectic Feat
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HOME & INTERIOR DESIGN MEDIA OF THE YEAR ECLECTIC FEAT $8.00 AN ARTFUL ASSEMBLAGE OF COLOUR, PATTERN AND TEXTURE THAT INSPIRES STYLE TRAVEL NOTES HIDDEN HOTSPOTS Beyond the historic monuments and natural wonders that defi ne these well-trodden Southeast Asian destinations are cool enclaves with inspiring hotels that ought to be on the map of the design-savvy traveller THE SLOW MAIN IMAGE BRANDS RESPECTIVE IMAGES COURTESY OF IMAGES COURTESY SANJAY SURANA BY THE EDIT ELEMENTAL BEAUTY Canggu, Indonesia UNWIND: SPRING SPA It might be only 20 minutes north of Bali’s This wellness centre offers teeming, see-and-be-seen Seminyak, but yoga and beauty treatments in Canggu seems light years away in terms a soothing space—its interior of ambience. The small village between features a ceiling composed Seminyak and Tanah Lot has quietly emerged of bamboo stalks, as well as in the past few decades—fi rst as a magnet for locally made custom furniture surfers drawn by the consistent break, and that give it a sense of place. more recently with expats who have moved to escape the throngs and mayhem further south while enjoying the bars, cafes, restaurants and shops that have emerged to sate the burgeoning infl ux. TAKE IT SLOW To cast The Slow, a newcomer to Canggu’s ever-expanding boho-chic scene, as just a hotel is to do it a huge disservice. This multilayered beachside getaway has cool DINE: TWO TREES EATERY ART ATTACK accommodations, all-day dining and drinks, Named after the two trees by The Slow’s art collection oodles of art and its own retail outlet. Crafted the shopfront, this restaurant includes 90 pieces of follows the mantra of healthy by director-designer George Garrow and photography and sculptures by dining, served with local his wife, model Cisco Tschurtschenthaler, produce. The bright and airy artists such as Japan’s Madsaki the hotel pulls off the trick of being hip, space features myriad plants and Brooklyn-based Rostarr rustic, modern and cosy all at once—a feat it that add to its serene setting. accomplishes with buckets of style. The couple’s imprimatur touches upon all facets of the resort, from the ceramics designed by Cisco to the Non-Type store, masterminded by Garrow. The resort has a look best described as tropical brutalism, softened by locally artisan-produced furniture, textiles and crafts, as well as Bali’s trademark grace and warmth. Suites espouse clean lines and minimalism, with fl oor-to-ceiling windows and screen panels that swivel open to frame views of the village. The pool suites are swathed in verdant landscaping and come with private plunge pools. The Slow also likes to highlight how meals at its restaurant Eat & Drink focus on the three S’s—seasonality, sustainability and sane eating—with dishes that include wood-grilled meat and seafood, local vegetables, farm greens and fi eld grains. The restaurant’s interiors are irresistibly hypnotic, with botanical chandeliers, lattice wood walls and fun seating, while the rooftop is a gorgeous, serene spot for a drink at sunset and a chance to refl ect on the day’s pleasures. singapore tatler homes 81 STYLE TRAVEL NOTES HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND AN INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED HOTEL AND DINING SCENE MAKE THIS TOWN A CAPTIVATING LOCALE SOULFUL ESCAPE Luang Prabang, Laos The former capital of the kingdom of Laos, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has a seductive, hypnotic rhythm. Visitors frequent this captivating destination for the scores of gleaming temples, architecture that melds French colonial with traditional Lao style, and an increasingly sophisticated hotel and dining scene. Better yet, access from Singapore is a breeze, with direct fl ights available since 2016. ROYAL REALM For hotel junkies, Adrian Zecha needs little introduction. The visionary behind Aman Resorts and GHM has now added Azerai to his oeuvre—the fi rst hotel property opened in 2017 in Luang Prabang. Located across the road from the Hmong Day Market, the space has a fascinating history. On the French National Day in 1914, these French bungalows opened, fi rst used as offi cer’s quarters and later as Lao government offi ces. In 1961, the bungalows were reinvented as the Phousi Hotel, which remained the town’s top hotel for decades, eventually closing in 2014 to rise anew as the Azerai. Today, the rooms are housed in a two-level, L-shaped structure that skirts a pool courtyard. Each bright open-plan accommodation features plenty of light wood, and a living and bedroom area that opens through louvre doors onto an outdoor terrace with loungers. 82 singapore tatler homes THE EDIT DINE: BOUANG Meaning “spoon” in Lao, this cozy boîte has a menu that that marries Asian street food with classic French bistro fare. Its decorative focal point: a mural of a character known as Lady Bouang, who’s holding a spoon. DRINK: 525 With its handsome interior, this watering hole could easily feel at home in any major city—its generously stocked bar serves locally-inspired cocktails along with bites such as aubergine caviar and buffalo sliders. SHOP: PASSA PAA HISTORIC PROVENANCE Bistro, which has a pleasingly relaxed Designed by in-house makers, Situated in the former capital of Laos, the Azerai ambience, and indoor and outdoor seating, this textile design studio melds modern techniques with has borne witness to a century of history—it was delivers French-infl uenced Western and traditional hand-stitching and fi rst used as offi cer’s quarters during the colonial Lao dishes, complemented by a wine list beadwork by local artisans. Its period, then as government offi ces, before housing that spans the old and new worlds. At the products can be seen, among the town’s top hotel for decades Bistro Bar, cocktails are infused with Lao other places, in the lobby and ingredients; the veranda at the front has a the rooms of the Azerai. bird’s-eye view of Luang Prabang’s main drag of Sisavangvong Road and its night market. Equally enchanting at night is the 25-metre pool, fl anked by sunbeds and resplendent under a banyan tree. singapore tatler homes 83 STYLE TRAVEL NOTES SCULPTURAL DISPLAY Hua Hin, Thailand Situated about three hours southwest CONCRETE PLANS of Bangkok by car, Hua Hin had humble For a property with only six rooms, Hotel beginnings as a simple fi shing village. But in Bocage makes a grand impression. Built the 1920s, King Rama VII made it his regal three kilometres north of the centre of getaway from the capital and it soon began Hua Hin, this teeny retreat sits at the back to attract Thai aristocracy; to this day, a of the stylish, concrete-cubed retail and royal residency remains. Visitors to the city entertainment destination Seenspace (the will encounter an easy-going, tranquil pace sister mall to Seenspace in Bangkok) on the in the town, in marked contrast to popular waterfront. Like the shopping centre, the beach getaways such as Phuket, Koh Samui Bocage building is concrete, but otherwise, or Pattaya. it’s unlike anything else in the city. 84 singapore tatler homes THE EDIT VISITORS TO HUA HIN WILL ENCOUNTER A TRANQUIL PACE IN THIS SEASIDE TOWN FAVOURED BY TASTEMAKERS AND ARISTOCRACY DINE: AIR SPACE This cafe-restaurant is an ode to the adventurous spirit of early air travel. Its glass- house concept mimics the Wright Brothers’ barn in North Carolina, alongside industrial piping and antique ephemera. SEE: VIRUS DR DOON STUDIO The sister project of Virus Space & Cafe is a music lover’s dream—it features a rehearsal space, a shop with shelves of vinyl records, a DJ booth, and a bar that pours craft beers from Thailand and Europe. With sharp lines and a semi-industrial feel, it comprises six rooms on either side of a simple, minimalist lobby with a compact seating area, a long table and discreet storage units running along the wall. The hotel was designed and is owned by Thai resort architect Duangrit Bunnag. “I hope the guest will experience extreme comfort, more than their own home,” says Bunnag. “That is why we have chosen the furniture that we have—for ease of use and to make you feel completely relaxed.” The huge rooms are dominated by a palette of white, grey and black, and are notable for their simplicity, with high ceilings, polished concrete fl oors, low platform beds by Porro, sofas by Living Divani, and balconies that look onto Seenspace’s grass roof and the MODERNIST PAVILION Gulf of Thailand. The most striking part of Designed by Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, each accommodation is, surprisingly, the the most striking part of each accommodation bathroom—encased in fl oor-to-ceiling glass, in The Bocage is the bathroom—the light-fi lled this light-fi lled space is fi tted with Antonio space is encased in fl oor-to-ceiling glass Lupi showers and freestanding tubs. singapore tatler homes 85.