HOTELS
DECEMBER 2017 VIRGIN AUSTRALIA 035
CLOCK WISE FROM TOP
A blissful waterside spa pavilion
at the Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi;
experience true indulgence in
one of the Sala Samui’s pool
suites; an opulent bedroom suite
at the Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui.Four new resorts across Asia will have
you planning your next tropical escape.
Island Charm
Y
ou don’t need
a reason to visit
the blissful island
of Langkawi in
Malaysia, but if you’re seeking
one, find it in the Ritz-Carlton
(www.ritzcarlton.com) resort.
Drawing its design inspiration
from traditional villages,
the property’s rooms, suites
and villas — including some
that are stilted over the
water — feature gabled
roofs and large windows
framing the Andaman Sea
and surrounding jungle. Other
nods to local customs include
tarian payang dancing on the
beach at sunset. Even thedramatic spa pavilions have
local importance, resembling
intricately woven nets used
by the island’s fishermen.
The upscale hotel group
has big plans for the region,
with a second property that
welcomes guests to a Thai
island. The Ritz-Carlton, Koh
Samui features 175 suites
and pool villas set amid 23
hectares of gardens, once
a coconut plantation. Guests
have access to two secluded
beaches, a lagoon-shaped
pool and a ‘Swim Reef’, giving
a protected area to snorkel
with more than 50 species
of marine animals. There arealso six restaurants — not
least Baan Talat, an outdoor
market with street food stalls,
crats and cultural dances —
and a Muay Thai ring; this is
Thailand, ater all.
Also on the island is the
freshly minted Sala Samui
Chaweng Beach Resort
(www.salahospitality.com),
the hotel group’s second Koh
Samui property. Now open is
the Beach Wing, a collection
of 52 all-white villas and pool
suites that look like they’ve
slipped right out of Santorini.
There’s a breezy waterside
restaurant, beach bar and
moon-shaped pool, just
steps from the sand. Located
in Chaweng, in the island’s
north, the resort’s Garden
Wing will open late 2018, with
83 extra rooms and suites.
Further afield, in the
middle of the Indian Ocean,
the Shangri-La (www.shangri-
la.com) cuts a dramatic shape
in the Sri Lankan capital of
Colombo. On the Galle Face
Green promenade, the hotel’s
500 rooms ofer unbroken
views of the city. Back at
ground level, Chinese artist
Man Fung-Yi has crated
a life-sized infant elephant
sculpture from metal, adding
a sense of place from the
moment you enter the lobby.
There are five restaurants and
bars, as well as Shangri-La’s
signature Chi, The Spa, where
treatments unite Asian design
flourishes with local Sri Lankan
relaxation rituals.