Wallpaper 10

ILLUSTRATION: EOIN RYAN

ARTFUL LODGE R

From urban oases in Thailand and Malaysia

to a waterside retreat in China, new openings

that are full of Eastern promise

Once an important scenic stop along the

old imperial Grand Canal, Wuzhen still

draws day trippers from nearby Shanghai

and Hangzhou for its cinematic tableaux

of classic timber houses that are clustered

around a labyrinth of canals linked by bijoux

stone bridges. An ideal setting, in other

words, for the Alila group’s third and newest

China property. The 125-room resort is

the work of Hangzhou-based practice GOA

Architects, which took inspiration from

Wuzhen’s old town five minutes away to

create a low-rise sequence of white, vaguely

futuristic, glass and stone-clad pavilions

that are joined by a series of canals and a

central pond. The rooms are mood-lit retreats

with spacious bathrooms and feature either

private plunge pools or small courtyards.

The public spaces, especially the main

dining room and sprawling indoor lap pool,

are sleek diversions, both offering panoramic

tree-lined lake views. Daven Wu

939 Ziyedong Road, Wuzhen, Jiaxing , Zhejiang ,

tel: 86.573 8871 2222, alilahotels.com.

Rates: from RMB4,000 ($587)

Malaysia has long been celebrated for its

tropical jungles, steamy climate, unusual

wildlife and idyllic islands, but now its capital

city is on the rise thanks to a series of new

hotel openings. Located in Kuala Lumpur’s

buzzy Golden Triangle neighbourhood, with

lush views over KLCC Park, the 209-room

Four Seasons property can be found in

a mixed-use skyscraper designed by local

practice NRY Architects. Without straying

from the Four Seasons’ signature understated

luxury, interior designers Wilson Associates

lined the guest rooms with tactile leather

details, double-layered curtains and textured

wallpaper in muted greys that don’t detract

from the views. Three of the six bars and

restaurants have been outfitted by Hong

Kong-based AB Concept, which has brought

the outside in with natural light and floral

motifs, particularly at Yun House, where chef

Jimmy Wong’s double-boiled black garlic and

sea whelk soup is a must-try. LH

145 Jalan Ampang , tel: 60.3 2382 8888,

fourseasons.com. Rates: from £180

It’s been a long time coming, but the

Waldorf Astoria group has finally landed in

South East Asia. Its location, in Bangkok’s

Ratchaprasong, pays off visually with

spectacular views over the Royal Bangkok

Sports Club and the city’s skyscrapers.

The 171-room hotel occupies 14 floors of

a 60-storey tower that its architects, global

firm Gensler and local studio DI Designs,

conceived as a spiralling magnolia flower in

bloom, while most of the interiors are the

work of André Fu. The Hong Kong-based

designer took his cues from memories

of visiting the Waldorf Astoria New York

as a child, while infusing the interior

with a delicate sense of place. The lime

and mustard accents in the Front Room

restaurant echo the shades of Thai spices,

while bronze screens are garnished with

art deco patterns and subtle Thai twists.

Among the hotel’s six bars and restaurants,

the top-floor Champagne Bar offers views

across the city. Lauren Ho

151 Ratchadamri Road, Bangkok; waldorfastoria.

com. Rates: from THB 13,500 (£309)

Capital gain

FOUR SEASONS, KUALA LUMPUR

Water world

ALILA WUZHEN, JIAXING

Thai break

WALDORF ASTORIA, BANGKOK

400 : Dawn

redwood trees

planted around

the hotel

30 : Square skylights that

allow natural light to

filter through to the

hotel’s vast indoor pool

48 : Pendant lamps

suspended from

the ceiling of

Shui Shi Kou, the

main restaurant

2 : Stained glass-

inspired cabinet doors

in The Lounge, the

hotel’s all-day café

and tea room

20,000: Ceramic

discs used to

create The Cloud,

an installation

in the Yun

House restaurant

6 : Booths inspired

by colonial

Malay architecture

in The Lounge

16 : Number of

bespoke, handmade

chandeliers, which

were designed to

evoke the silhouettes

of Thai temples

4 : Height in metres

of the archway in

the brasserie, which

pays tribute to the

arcades of the Waldorf

Astoria New York

80 : Cumulative

length in metres

of the sculptural,

art deco-inspired

bronze screens

throughout the hotel

290 ∑

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