Wanderfolk: Teardrop Hotels Open in Sri Lanka, Malaysia’s One&Only Desaru Coast, NYC Winter Outing
PUBLISHED December 3rd, 2019 06:30 am
This edition of Wanderfolk, we tread closer to home with new offerings on the horizon of Southeast Asia. Embrace the tropics with new additions: Malaysia‘s One & Only Desaru Coast, Sri Lanka‘s Teardrop Hotels, and the SureStay Hotel by Best Western Vientiane in Laos. Alternatively, escape the heat as holiday festivities abound in New York City.
One&Only Debuts in Asia with Desaru Coast
Between Bali and Batam, it’s easy to forget that Malaysia has its very own seaside retreat in Desaru. Where the South-eastern shoreline hugs lush rainforests, One&Only Desaru Coast personify the company’s Asia debut. Spacious, self-contained Junior Suites are perfectly framed by nature – a modern interpretation of the traditional Malaysian ‘kampung’ or village, and the exclusive four-bedroom Villa One Suite secludes guests reality with a private plunge pool, a private spa treatment room and an ocean-facing lawn.
For food, Ambara‘s Mediterranean cuisine come farm-to-table, while Ember Beach Club presents an intriguing dining destination: expect live music, water sports, and fresh seafood (and steaks) off the grill. One&Only Spa by Chenot surpasses expectations with bespoke programmes that include tailored nutritional menus, fitness schedules, targeted spa treatments, and stress relieving activities.
One&Only Desaru Coast will begin welcoming guests on 23 March 2020, with suites starting from USD$835++ a night. More details here.
Teardrop Hotels Announces Its Newest Tea Bungalow in Kandy, Sri Lanka
With crowd-free attractions and visa-free entry for all UK nationals til end January 2020, now is the perfect time to visit Sri Lanka. Curated journeys offer guests a fresh take on Sri Lankan high life; join the Hill Country Tea Escape with a ten-night journey through the lush and leafy plains of Hatton, Ella and Nuwara Eliya, or explore the coast and the southern sun with a week-long South Coast Tour filled with culinary insights.
The isle welcomes a series of new openings, including the final addition that is beautifully renovated Pekoe House in Kandy (set to open in October next year), set in northeastern tea estates and in view of the Knuckles Mountain Range. It joins existing properties Goatfell and Nine Skies with equally dramatic views of the island, stunning amenities, and farm-to-table food.
Teardrop Hotels’ new tea bungalows start from US$371++ per night on an all-inclusive basis. More details here.
Shun by Yanagiya Offers Sumiyaki Omakase in Thonglor, Bangkok
Revered culinary powerhouse Yanagiya, the 73-year old Mizunami-based irori institution and a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Mizunami in Gifu prefecture, brings intimate omakase sumiyaki to Thonglor, Bangkok, with Shun by Yanagiya. This is Yanagiya’s first overseas venture, seating 15 at a time. The establishment celebrates premium seasonal ingredients grilled to perfection over black and white charcoal used traditionally for iori cooking, with an ever-changing dining experience that varies throughout the year.
Current menu highlights include Tebasaki, Japanese style chicken wings, using specially bred 120-day-old free-range chickens, and Tastiest Part of the Sirloin – thin slices of Miyazaki Kuroge A4 rib cap marinated and grilled with a raw egg yolk and momidare sauce, accented with Pinot Noir.
Reservations will only be accepted at least three days in advance. More details here.
SureStay Hotel Takes Residence in Vientiane, Laos
Freshly opened this month, the SureStay Hotel by Best Western Vientiane finds itself in the center of the Lao capital. Just minutes away from the banks of the Mekong River and the city’s lively Walking Street, the hotel blends classical Lao art deco and French colonial styles for a historical flourish of interiors. Comprising a total 68 rooms and suites, the hotel also houses a in-house Sure Spa, top floor fitness center, and the Tipsy Elephant Rooftop Bar overlooking the mighty Mekong. Enticing attractions surrounding Vientiane include the Patuxai Arch, the spectacular golden stupa of Pha That Luang, and Wat Si Saket, which houses more than 2,000 Buddhist statues.
More details here.
NYC & Company Brings Food, Music, and Performances to New York City
Keen for a quick jaunt outside of Asia? After its successful debut in January, NYC & Company (New York City’s official destination marketing organization) is bringing back the NYC Winter Outing. Spanning January 21 to February 9 2020, it combines three signature promotional programs — NYC Broadway Week , NYC Restaurant Week and NYC Must-See Week — in a bid to inspire overnight trips during the winter month. Look forward to three weeks of select Broadway shows, attractions, museums, tours, and performing arts at 2-for-1 tickets, exclusive to Mastercard members. Before you hit the attractions, don’t forget to fill up at nearly 400 restaurants with prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner.
More details here.
