Tag: relaxed luxury

Advanced Retreats: Luxury and exclusivity exceed all expectations at these singular properties

When most people describe their dream holiday, they are picturing a secluded island or exclusive resort that provides royal comforts and an escape from the bustling outside world. These blissful bespoke stays come with rejuvenating spa treatments, decadent meals and fun activities. With services that go above and beyond. it is their prime location and other amenities not seen at most hotels that set them apart.

Chalet Zermatt Peak

Overlooking the magnificent snow-capped Matterhorn is a lavish luxury chalet with spectacular architecture, resplendent interiors and top-notch hospitality that conjure a lifetime of wonderful memories. A stay at Chalet Zermatt Peak commences with staff ushering you through a candle-lit tunnel into 820 square metres of space spanning five deluxe double bedrooms for 10 people with balconies and bathrooms with walk-in showers, living area, a fully equipped kitchen, wine cellar and indoor swimming pool. Floor-to-ceiling windows gift vacationers panoramic views of Zermatt, and there’s a terrace that stargazers will adore.

Beyond this, the chalet boasts a wellness space with a sauna room offering wet Finnish and dry Swedish experiences, a hammam featuring bio steam, and indoor and outdoor jacuzzis.

Professional masseuses are on hand to provide a range of refreshing and aromatic spa treatments.

As for gastronomy, the quality of food is credited as one reason why guests choose the chalet time and again. Meals are prepared and tailored to your party’s whims by an in-house gourmet chef, and connoisseurs will find wines for perfect pairings. Afternoon tea is also served every day with Champagne if desired.

The temptation would be never to leave this oasis of consummate comfort, though Zermatt boasts year-round skiing – three ski lifts are conveniently located less than a kilometre from the chalet. Also, within walking distance for the outdoorsy are paragliding, heliskiing, sledging, ice skating and more. Short strolls will take you to the Matterhorn Museum and Gorner Ridge, and if you want to venture further, just hop into a private limousine or helicopter.

Location: Zermatt, Switzerland
Price: 120,000 CHF (HK$1 million) for seven nights in peak season
Reservations: chaletzermattpeak.com

Hilltop Estate, Laucala

Only the elite can dream of occupying this exclusive and extremely difficult-to-reserve villa perched at the top of Laucala, a private Fijian island of crystal-clear waters and lush green forests. Home to the COMO Laucala Island resort, this idyllic isle offers a superlative range of activities including an 18-hole golf course designed by David McLay Kidd, stables for horse-riding and a sustainable farm providing wagyu beef for guests – all this besides a full complement of watersports. It is certainly a fantasy holiday destination, with just 25 villas affording privacy and a sense of escape from the outside world.

The Hilltop Estate, which can hold 8 guests, sprawls over 12,000 square metres, affording enchanting views of the island greenery edged by rugged coastline and dreamy beaches. It comprises three buildings, with the biggest, Delena, encompassing the master suite, living room, library, a stone bathtub and personal swimming pool with waterfalls. Family and friends can occupy Rua, which also has a swimming pool, and Dua. The interior architecture has an earthy vibe and furnishings favour natural materials like sago palms and coconut husks. Your own chef, chauffeur and nanny if required mean you don’t need to lift a finger to care for your guests.

A traditional Fijian Bobo massage, in which experts use their hands and feet to knead tired deep tissue, is the top billing on a menu of calming, rejuvenating treatments that can be enjoyed in the residence or at Shambhala Retreat, Laucala’s wellness space. All massages and facials use locally sourced and natural ingredients.

In addition to the private chef who will prepare the meals of your choice, there are four restaurants on this large private island. A particular favourite for lovers of Asian cuisine is the Seagrass Lounge and Restaurant, a treetop retreat serving pan-Asian delicacies. All food is prepared with fresh produce farmed or grown on the island.

The most fantastic feature of a Laucala sojourn, though, is the charter flight arranged for you on demand. Departing from Fiji international airport, the plane dips down to a private runway surrounded by azure waters, ensuring zero hassle upon arrival.

Location: Laucala Island, Fiji
Price: Starting at US$455,000 (HK$3.5 million) per night
Reservations: reservations@laucala.com

Echo Camp White Desert, Antarctica

If you crave an out-of-this-world vacation, then these unique space-station-like pods located in the Queen Maud mountains of Antarctica should top your bucket list.

Accessed from Cape Town by private plane, there are six accommodation pods, with each allowing 2 guests, at the recently opened Echo camp, two of them being standalone with a kingsized bedroom and ensuite bathroom and the other four interconnected with four bedrooms, lounge area and dining room. Built with sustainable materials, each heated pod has floor-to-ceiling windows and white carpeting, thus blurring the lines between cosy indoors and icy outside.

While you contemplate the pristine vistas all around, a group of well-trained staff, including hosts, guides and personal chefs who cook gourmet meals to your order, assures that your stay is nothing less than memorable. If you book the Early Emperor package, you can partake in thrilling activities like fat biking, abseiling, ice climbing and skiing right outside your pod. Above all, you should not miss an excursion to the colony of Emperor penguins that usually dwells a few kilometres away.

Given that Echo is a polar camp within the coldest place on Earth – temperatures can plunge below -60oC – guests require a thorough medical checkup and doctor’s all-clear before venturing south. The team at White Desert, Antarctica’s only hotel, also conduct safety lessons prior to the trip of a lifetime.

Location: Antarctica
Price: Starting at US$780,000 (HK$6.1 million) per person for seven days
Reservations: info@whitedesert.com Season dates: 24th November 2023 – 31st January 2024

ANI

Drawing its name from the Swahili word andjani which means ‘journey ahead’, ÀNI is the world’s first private resort collection. Founded in 2010, ÀNI offers exclusive retreats in the most beautiful and far-flung corners of the earth, from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia. Each ÀNI destination is designed exclusively for a single group of guests, accommodating up to 20 or 30 guests across 10 to 15 suites. Currently offering four resorts worldwide, ÀNI’s destinations include Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Dominican Republic, and Anguilla, each claiming panoramic ocean views in a pristine natural setting. Consummately private, each resort operates as an all-inclusive experience except ÀNI Anguilla which is on a half-board basis. They support their local ÀNI Art Academy and offer every facility and space a group of guests could possibly desire during their stay. A full complement of staff (between 20 and 30 per resort) tailors every detail – from dining and spa treatments to kids’ activities and exploration of the region – to ensure a bespoke experience that defies expectations.

Locations: Thailand, Sri Lanka, Dominican Republican and Anguilla

Price: Starting at US$75000 (HK$580,000) per person

Click here to make your reservations.

Experiencing the award-winning André Fu Suite at the Upper House

To live life beautifully and comfortably is a luxury; and luxury living in the modern era does not equate to loud, extravagant displays of grandiose design or wealth. Instead, it lies in the exquisite details and craftsmanship that offer dwellers an elevated experience of comfort, quality and well-being, assuring them of peace of mind as they start and end each day. Indeed, aspiring to a life of joie de vivre today can be as simple as indulging in the solace of a comfortable space away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

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A relaxing reading corner

First Impression

The newly redesigned suite perched on the 48th floor of The Upper House hotel encapsulates this sentiment, challenging the aged notion of luxury design. Endearingly named after the boutique property’s internationally acclaimed designer, Hong Kong-born architect and tastemaker André Fu, it unveils a modern sophistication that embodies the design ethos of his studio: relaxed luxury.

Step into the 1,960sq.ft suite and an immediate sense of tranquility washes over you. A soothing palette of mineral blue, dusty mink and pale ivory is illuminated by the spread of natural light that pours into the space through large windows. With breathtaking views of the Central business district and the incessant movement of Victoria Harbour as the backdrop, you feel – somewhat perversely – that life is much calmer up here.

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The view of Victoria Harbour from the master suite

The refurbished suite pays homage to the longstanding partnership between Fu and The Upper House, providing a peek into the designer’s personal journey. Certainly, his work for the hotel, which opened in 2009, earned him global accolades and served as a springboard to the Cambridge University alumnus’s successful career in interior and hospitality design.

Relaxed Luxury and Modern Interiors

Along its walls run graceful brushstrokes inspired by Japanese ink wash paintings, a gallery featuring hand-sketched illustrations of Fu’s original concepts for the space, and artisan books from his own library – a charming touch any design enthusiast would appreciate. Fu describes his design as one that is not meant to “impose a lifestyle, but to enable guests to embrace their personal expression of living”.

Since the furnishings for the suite, as well as the decorative lighting and home accessories, were handpicked by the award-winning designer from his eponymous Living collection, each piece is an extension of his signature style. Fu notes: “I’m thrilled to be able to bring my own André Fu Living brand to the House as part of this new suite, and once again, I’m eager to see how guests will respond to it, whether it’s through entertaining or indulging in an urban escape.”

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The expansive dining area sits 18 people with a beautiful city view in the backdrop

From the sculptural ottoman that sits by the windows underneath an evergreen, to the linear fluidity of the mid-century-inspired furniture, to the delicately garnished porcelain tableware, comfort and craftsmanship are the focus here. Exuberant lavishness is conspicuously absent, replaced by subtle richness, relaxed splendour and an understated sophistication that expresses luxury in the slightest details. As the queen of quips, celebrated fashion designer Coco Chanel said, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”

Also Read: Home Tour: Elegant villa with a garden in Tuen Mun

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The dining table sits 18 people, decorated with pieces from the André Fu’s Living collection​

The Fu Aesthetic

The André Fu Suite is both intimate and inviting. Elevating the space’s sense of privacy and comfort, the previously two-bedroom penthouse was reimagined as an oasis for two people with a penchant for parties and/or hideaways. A grand dining table seats 18, while the guest bedroom has been flipped into a dedicated spa area with twin massage beds to offer socialising and a true sense of relaxation in equal measure. The bathroom provides a unique refuge in which to cleanse off the stresses of the day. It’s a spacious, natural-toned area equipped with a bathtub à deux and boundless views of the city skyline.

Combining the refined experience of a luxury hotel with the privacy and comfort of a contemporary residence, the suite – serving as an interlude between one point and the next – affords guests a sense of home whilst away from home. Once ensconced within its walls, basking in the here and now is all that matters.

“We continue to bring our guests new and transformative experiences for which our brand has become known,” says Kristina Snaith-Lense, General Manager of The Upper House and Pacific Place Apartments. “It is only natural and a delight that we continue to work with André after all these years, incorporating elements of his brand’s sensibilities whilst maintaining the DNA of our House.”

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The guest bedroom was torn down to create a dedicated spa area

The hotel is conveniently located just above Pacific Place, within sight of the epicenter of luxury shopping and dining, as well as the exhilarating nightlife that the vibrant city has to offer. Round-trip transfers in the hotel car are naturally provided to guests who reserve the suite. Whilst a night in this subtly luxurious suite costs HK$60,000, the price tag includes Champagne, breakfast for two, a 90-minute in-room wellness treatment for you and your significant other, and a gift from the André Fu Living collection.

Also Read: Inside a stunning 3,000 sq.ft Stanley Home

(Text: Roberliza Eugenio Photos: The Upper House)