Hotel Okura Manila, Philippines
Located within Resorts World Manila, the Philippines’ first integrated entertainment resort, Hotel Okura Manila offers direct access to and from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal through Runway Manila, a full air-conditioned pedestrian skybridge.
There are 190 rooms across a number of categories, and includes the Hinoki-yu Room which features Hinoki (Japanese cypress) wooden bathtubs handcrafted by Japanese artisans from Nagiso Town, Nagano Prefecture.
On the topmost floor are the leisure and recreational facilities such as a fitness centre, and a 20-metre pool overlooking Manila’s skyline. Aside from two meeting rooms, F&B options on-site include Yamazato, a Japanese fine-dining restaurant with private rooms; and Yawaragi, an all-day restaurant serving both Western and Asian specialities, as well as high tea and cocktails.
The Hotel Kyoto Palace, BW Signature Collection by Best Western, Japan
Nestled in the city’s central Nakagyo Ward is the group’s hotel in Kyoto, and the inaugural BW Signature Collection by Best Western branded property in Japan.
The boutique hotel offers 57 guestrooms and suites across several room types such as the Premier Theatre Room equipped with a 42-inch flatscreen TV; or the Premier Triplet Room, good for three adults or two adults and a child. Rooms are furnished with a minibar, complimentary Wi-Fi, and tea and coffee making facilities, while bathroom amenities are from Kyonoyuki, a Kyoto-born organic cosmetics brand.
Facilities on-site include a bar, restaurant, and a spa with separate areas for men and women.
Kimpton Kitalay Samui, Thailand
Kimpton Kitalay Samui, the first resort in South East Asia for IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury boutique brand has opened with 138 rooms and pool villas. There are five F&B venues on-site, ranging from Fish House, an all-day beach house serving seafood dishes, to HOM Baking Company with its baked goods, confectionery, speciality teas and cold press juices.
Families with their little ones in tow should check out Junio, the 500m2 split-level Kids Club at Kimpton Kitalay Samui. Little guests can learn new skills like tie-dye, coconut leaves weaving, or roll up their sleeves for a day tending to plants and growing their own sprouts at the resort’s Herbs Garden. For the adults, recreational facilities include the Pimãanda by HARNN spa, a 24-hour gym, outdoor pool, or try “Rue Sri Dad Ton” – Thai Hermit’s programme which teaches self-stretching and body manipulation poses.
Holiday Inn & Suites Sydney Bondi Junction, Australia
Previously operated as the Quest Bondi Junction, the property has undergone an extensive refurbishment of its guestrooms, lobby, and public spaces to reflect Holiday Inn’s branding. The all-suite property in the heart of Bondi Junction offers 82 keys, all of which come with kitchenettes. Complimentary gym access is available for guests, as well as an all-day restaurant.
Frasers Hospitality will open its first property in Phnom Penh come October 2022, the first of three openings slated for Cambodia over the next few years.
By 2026, Frasers Hospitality will have three properties in Cambodia – the 88-room Capri by Fraser, Phnom Penh in October 2022; the 78-room Capri by Fraser, City Centre in 2024; and the 200-room Fraser Residence Sen Sok, Phnom Penh in 2026.
Tonya Khong, senior vice president, head of Asia-Pacific at Frasers Hospitality, said: “Our three properties will be operational in the next few years and ready to accommodate the return to travel, as well as the anticipated boost from regional events such as the 2023 Southeast Asian Games and the RCEP. Moving into Cambodia signals our long-term ambition to grow our presence in the country and South-east Asia.”
Both Capri by Fraser properties are located in the heart of the Cambodian capital, and only a five-minute drive from each other. Both properties will have a mix of hotel rooms, studio apartments and one-bedroom units, designed to cater to transient business travellers and mid-level executives on extended stays.
In the vicinity are banks, finance, real estate and pharmaceutical companies, as well as non-profit organisations. The properties are also within walking distance of government offices, embassies, malls and F&B outlets.
Guests can expect the hallmarks of the Capri by Fraser brand such as the Spin & Play concept, where they can utilise self-service laundrettes while having a go at video games on the latest consoles, and a 24-hour gymnasium. Another signature social space is The Den, a large communal and versatile space fitted out with the latest technology.
Meanwhile, Fraser Residence Phnom Penh is in Sen Sok, an up-and-coming district on the north-west fringes of the city centre. Slated to accommodate expatriates on extended stays, the serviced apartment is part of an integrated development that includes a retail mall, medical centre and an office tower. It is also close to amenities such as international schools, malls and a golf course, and a 15-min drive to the CBD and industrial parks.