Rising from the sea of cookie-cutter rooms sweeping through South-east Asia are these boutique retreats, packing local flavour and personalised experiences.

The Alcove Library Hotel, Vietnam
USP Its well-stocked reading room and American-themed bar and grill provide the Western business professional an affordable reprieve from the city’s chaotic streets. Located five minutes from Ho Chi Minh City’s airport, the hotel offers 38 affordable rooms.
Target Travelling professionals and mid-range leisure tourists, especially from Western markets.
Price US$$89++-US$$129++
Opened October 19, 2012

Maison D’Hanoi Boutique Hotel, Vietnam
USP Its location in the heart of Hanoi’s quaint Old Quarter – the shopping hub of the capital. The company also has four years of experience managing sister property, Maison D’Hanoi Hanova Hotel. Run by a Singaporean general manager, the hotel will offer 42 guest rooms and suites, complete with a piano bar and restaurant.
Target Leisure and business guests looking for something a bit more intimate and affordable.
Price US$80-US$100
Opening December 1, 2012

Seri Chenang Resort & Spa Langkawi, Malaysia
USP The six heritage villas showcase the unique styles of Malay architecture from the states of Kedah, Selangor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu. Butler services also incorporate Malay values, cultures and traditions.
A haven for birdwatchers, the resort is also an ideal spot to catch bird species escaping the winter from November to February.
Target Leisure travellers from all markets, especially from regional, the UK and European markets.
Price RM1,800-RM6,000 (US$588- US$1,959)
Opening January 1, 2013

The Courtyard Boutique Hotel, Malaysia
USP Centrally located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and within walking distances of two major shopping centres. There is a small grassy area on the ground floor known as the courtyard, which offers respite from the city bustle. With only 11 rooms, guests have more privacy compared to larger establishments.
Target Business and leisure travellers from regional countries.
Price RM200-RM350 (US$65-US$114)
Opened June 1, 2012

Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia
USP An indulgent experience in the undiscovered Koh Rong archipelago with 27 villas offering luxury such as handcrafted furniture, king-size beds, oversized baths, fully stocked fridges and private decks and pools. As well, Song Saa’s commitment to protecting the local environment and supporting local communities, plus chefs serving customised menus and an over-water Vista Restaurant and Bar offering 360-degree views of the sea.
Target Discerning travellers who appreciate the natural environment.
Price US$1,336-US$5,153 (all-inclusive)
Opened March 2012

Navutu Dreams Resort & Spa, Cambodia
USP Building on the experience of its sister property in Fiji, Navutu Stars Resort, this Siem Reap property offers a Mediterranean-inspired resort setting in a tropical garden. The 18 rooms feature whitewashed interiors adorned with half-moon sofas and objets d’art sourced from around South-east Asia. Facilities include a saltwater pool, a yoga studio, a fitness centre, a spa offering Asian and South Pacific treatments, and a fine-dining restaurant spotlighting southern Cambodian and Italian cuisines.
Target Well-travelled professionals, honeymooners and families who want a relaxing and quiet destination.
Price US$100-US$200
Opened August 1, 2012

Sense Hotel Seminyak, Indonesia
USP Located in the upmarket area of Seminyak and within walking distance of Petitenget beach and Bali’s best restaurants and bars such as Ku De Ta, La Lucciola, Potato Head, Hu’u and The Living Room Bali. Its 68 rooms fuse together modern and traditional Balinese architectural elements, and there are also free shuttle services within the Seminyak area.
Target Guests from Indonesia, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Price US$250-US$350
Opened June 2012

Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa, Philippines
USP An hour and a half from the ferry and airport in Bohol, diving and snorkelling can be done right off Amun Ini’s private beach. The 16-suite resort has also gotten nods for its Western execution of Asian-Filipino dishes using fresh local produce and seafood.
For sightseers, the town of Anda has a historical church, while ecotourism activities like boat rides to La Manok island and cave exploration are possible.
Target Asians and Filipino expats in the region initially. Amun Ini has already attracted some guests from Europe and the US, where it will focus its marketing efforts beginning 2013.
Price US$250-US$300, depending on whether a breakfast or a full-board package is selected
Opened January 2012

The House of Cebu, Philippines
USP 38 large rooms (four categories with sizes ranging 36m2-108m2) that combine unique themed murals and interior design with executive comfort. A great F&B experience is also offered, with German/European cuisine at Paseo Uno and flea market-inspired decor at the Scrapyard bar.
Target Business travellers visiting the nearby business and IT parks, as well as international leisure travellers interested in a boutique hotel experience.
Price US$143-US$172
Opened June 2012

Burasari Heritage Luang Prabang, Laos
USP Set in a restored teakwood residence, the 23-room boutique hotel is decorated in French colonial style and equipped with modern amenities. Nestled right by the Nam Khan river, it is only a few minutes’ walk to the night market and the main street where almsgiving to monks takes place every morning.
Target FIT and small groups, mostly from Asia, Europe, Australia, the US and the UK.
Price US$140-US$260
Opened November 14, 2012

Riverside Boutique Resort, Laos
USP The first luxury resort in Vang Vieng accessible as a weekend retreat from Vientiane via a three-hour drive. The decor is distinctly Lao, with each building featuring a different ethnic theme. Located in a quiet part along the Nam Song river, there are 32 rooms and two suites, a large swimming pool and a fully-equipped 120-pax conference room.
Target Western tourists en route to Luang Prabang or Vientiane, Vientiane residents seeking a weekend gateway or retreat/seminar location, and regional visitors from Thailand, China, Vietnam and South Korea.
Price US$70-US$300
Opened July 1, 2012

Naumi Liora, Singapore
USP Situated in the ethnic enclave of Chinatown, the hotel is surrounded by post-war colonial buildings, hip coffee joints and watering holes, as well as contemporary upscale and old-school Chinese restaurants. Housed in a heritage building designed in the 1920s, its 79 rooms are split into four categories. Its stylish sister, Naumi Hotel, is an award-winning property in Singapore.
Target Business and leisure travellers who like staying within a colourful and vibrant district.
Price S$380++-S$580++ (US$310-US$473)
Opened November 20, 2012

The Amoy, Singapore
USP Guests enter by the Fuk Tak Chi Museum, which was once a Chinese temple. Dating back to the 1800s, it was one of the first stops for immigrants coming from China who went to this shrine to offer thanksgiving for their safe arrival. Located within shophouses and with only 37 keys, service is highly customised according to individual needs and preferences.
Target Business travellers who work within or close to the central business district, as well as leisure FITs.
Price S$200-S$300 (US$163-US$245)
Opening First half of 2013

Cabochon Hotel, Thailand
USP Housed within a historic four-storey building, the hotel captures the charm of 1920s Shanghai chic with a lounge-cum-library – dubbed The Joy Luck Club – featuring vintage memorabilia from around the world, and the Thai Lao Yeh restaurant is decorated with century-old timber. There are only four suites and four studios, each personally appointed by Eugene Yeh who brought to Bangkok The Eugenia Hotel.
Target Couples, families and business travellers yearning for a peaceful and charming environment.
Price 4,000 baht-8,000 baht (US$130-US$260)
Opened April 2, 2012

Riva Surya, Thailand
USP In the historic heart of Bangkok, with easy access to treasured icons such as the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, as well as the lively Khao San road. Guests can expect panoramic views of the Chao Phraya river, while direct water transport offers a convenient way to reach most of the city’s attractions. All 68 rooms feature modern designs and amenities, with Thai influences. The market-inspired Babble & Rum cafe also boasts a strong commitment to organic, locally sourced produce.
Target Business travellers, experiential independent travellers and small higher-end MICE groups.
Price 3,900 baht-15,000 baht (US$127-US$488)
Opened September 15, 2012

This article was first published in TTG Asia, November 30 issue, on page 12. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Additional reporting from S Puvaneswary, Marianne Carandang, Linda Haden, Calvin Godfrey, Mimi Hudoyo

Even in meetings, travellers want more playtime, causing a blurring of business with pleasure or leisure – i.e. bleasure – and forcing meeting organisers and hoteliers to look at work-life balance seriously.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula pushes the boundaries

The quest for work-life balance among today’s road warriors has crept into the meeting sector, where providing wellness to delegates has become a serious thinking point of meeting planners and hoteliers instead of an afterthought.

Research by at least three chains shows that ‘bleisure’ or ‘bleasure’ – a mixing or blurring of business with leisure or pleasure – is a real phenomenon.

Hilton HHonors’ survey, for instance, shows one in three UK employees invites partners and families along on business trips, and a high percentage of employers (45 per cent) is sympathetic and supportive of staff creating their own bleasure stays.

Even Chinese travellers today are “not shy” to mix business with pleasure, a Wyndham Hotel Group survey shows. More than two-thirds of Chinese travellers (67 per cent) say they bring a spouse or a family member along on business trips and 59 per cent extend business trips to include leisure time.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in South-east Asia notes a 50 per cent rise in bleasure bookings among meeting delegates, who add on a leisure stay pre- or post-meeting. Not only that, it claims that the bleasure phenomenon is also changing the way people meet: resorts are becoming a more popular destination for business travel and meetings, less time is being spent cooped up in the boardroom (reduced to an average of a day, with as many as two or three days spent in break-out sessions), and more time is being spent on programmes that include working with social and environmental charities. Not only that, it said around 25 per cent of enquiries required at least a half day be set aside for delegates to enjoy the spa or local excursions.

As a result of these findings, IHG is promoting blue-sky thinking and self-improvement meetings, according to Mark Flower, director of commercial, IHG South-east Asia.

Changing supply
Hotels and venues are rewiring to meet bleasure aspirations, with new properties having a better go at this.

The Crowne Plaza Phuket Panwa Beach Resort, for example, is launching a meeting room with its very own golf putting green.

The best spaces are also going to meetings, no longer in the basement like before. An example is The Summit, a meeting room at the top of a mountain offered by InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort.

The design of meeting rooms too is being redefined. The new Pullman Bangkok Silom Hotel G, for instance, has a meeting space called The Gallery, done in a New York-style art gallery. Apart from its conceptual decor and minimalist furnishing, the room offers plenty of daylight and is peppered with iPads for delegates. “Clients want more flexibility, reactivity, multi-tasking, connectivity, which impacts the interior design and even the service,” said Xavier Louyot, Pullman’s vice president global marketing.

Integrated resorts (IRs) such as Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Singapore see themselves as inherent venues for bleasure, due to the multitude of pleasure options available – spa, entertainment, art, F&B, theatre, casino, etc. And while delegates can enjoy these at leisure, IRs add value to meetings with group ideas, such as the Dine Around at MBS, which leverages on MBS’ six celebrity chef restaurants. Delegates tart with cocktails and canapés at the first restaurant, then move on to subsequent restaurants for starters, mains, desserts and digestifs. “This allows clients to have a leisurely culinary adventure that they may not normally get to enjoy on their own time,” said John Mims, senior vice president, worldwide sales and resort marketing Asia, Las Vegas Sands Corp.

“The expectations of business travel have changed. More and more, pleasure is a priority than ever before and they expect a higher level of comfort and service while on business. Being seasoned travellers, they also expect to be surprised by new and innovative offerings that they have not come across in other destinations – comparing, contrasting and making mental notes of what they like,” he said.

Soft?
But does bleasure put meetings in danger of becoming soft, pandering to a desire for more playtime?

Corporate chieftains such as David Levitt, president talent development of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, who organised O&M’s Asia-Pacific conference in Kyoto recently, said the success of a meeting still lies fundamentally in how well it has been thought out by the company.

“A lot of meetings follow a formula that is outdated and predictable. Because they lack a real set of tangible, aspirational meeting objectives, some well-thought out theatricality and sufficient investment in the areas that matter, disappointment can set in early. There is usually too much input/talking at, top-down, death by powerpoint and long-winded status updates, combined with a lack of real participation (not to be confused with insufficiently planned and thought-through break-out sessions). Most meetings also suffer from over-packed, crammed agendas that would benefit from being ruthlessly pruned and focused. And finally, not enough imagination applied to breaks, meals and fun – this is not about cost, it’s about imagination.

“We have learned the hard way that meetings need to be given a serious amount of careful thought well in advance – not simply because of the cost but to define what their purpose, motivational benefits and value are, and how to be able to sustain the momentum and commitments afterwards. All our significant face-to-face meetings receive a great deal of work in the planning stages.”

That said, Levitt agrees that his meetings are not all work and no play. “There needs to be reward in several forms,” he said. Asked if hotels were pushing the work-life balance too far, he said: “We ourselves are mindful of trying to get this right. I suspect some try to do so more than others, especially if it is a resort location which, by the way, is a pointless location selection by meeting planners if all they intend to do is keep their participants in a windowless meeting room with no time to enjoy the location except for a token dinner by the pool or on the beach.

“We have learned to seriously think more about the locations we choose, why and how to ensure they are relevant to the meeting’s goals and objectives and the wishes of participants.”

This article was first published in TTG Asia, November 30 issue, on page 16. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.

Additional reporting from Gracia Chiang