Kiwi Curated
The City Guide: 4 Urban Retreats in Southeast Asia
by Joy PecknoldBangkok, Jakarta, Shanghai, Singapore and Siem Reap are all teeming with arts, culture, history and food, glorious food. For those charting a course to these cities, here are our five favorite places to stay right now.
Where do we start? How about the arrival—get picked up by one of their fleet of Rolls-Royce Silver Spurs or land the chopper on their private rooftop helipad. A sight see up the River of Kings on one of The Peninsula Bangkok’s four restored rice barges is a must. And when you’d like to remain stationary, plunge into their three-tiered pool sheltered by palm trees.
The term “hidden gem” is overused, but Kosenda truly fits the phrase. The nightly rates start at a delightful $78 USD, the rooms (60 of them) are individually designed, the location is killer (close to National Monument, shops and restaurants), and The Awan Lounge rooftop bar is like a jungle hideaway that boasts staggering city views.
No need to head to a rooftop for a view here, the Grand Hyatt Shanghai begins on the 53rd floor of the Jin Mao Tower, one of the tallest in the world, and the rooms give guests a pretty perch from which to gaze down on Shanghai. But you can always go higher to the pool or Cloud 9 bar. And be sure to book a visit with the onsite traditional Chinese medical masseur, Dr. Guo, at Club Oasis Spa.
Claiming spots on the annual best-of lists of Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, the Park Hyatt Siem Reap is both your gateway to exploring the Angkor region and an enticing destination unto its own. Minutes from the Angkor Wat temples, the hotel makes it easy to spend a day visiting the UNESCO site and then return to relax—a pool terrace suite facilitates that.