Fancy staying in a five-star hotel? Find them all right here! And if you need us, we’ll be in our box-sized apartment, crying on the floor.

Global Wellness Day at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

June 9, 2018 is Global Wellness Day and the following are initiatives with various Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

With the slogan “One day can change your whole life,” Global Wellness Day is celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year as an international day. The main aims of the day are:

• To recognize the value of our lives
• To pause and think, even if for just one day of the year
• To be free from the stress of everyday city life and bad habits
• To make peace with ourselves
• To raise awareness about living well and increase motivation, not just for today, but for the remaining 364 days of the year

First celebrated in 2012, Global Wellness Day was established in Turkey as the “first” day dedicated to living well, and has now been accepted worldwide. Global Wellness Day has been officially celebrated in 100 countries at 4000 different locations in 2017, reflecting its success. Global Wellness Day will be celebrated on Saturday, June 9th, 2018 in more than 100 countries at 5000 different locations.

For Global Wellness Day the Shangri-La Hotel, Doha, will be hosting a special Sunset Yoga on the Helipad followed by Iftar for the participants.

Banyan Tree Tengchong creates new iconic Hot Spring & Holiday Resort

This week, the highly anticipated Banyan Tree Tengchong has officially opened it’s doors. The hot spring resort is located in the heart of the Gaoligong Mountains, an important strategic site in the old Tengyue Prefecture famous for its hot spring, breath-taking scenery, pleasant climate, rich heritage, and ethnic diversity.

With state-of-the-art facilities, thoughtful services, pristine natural environment and geothermal resources, Banyan Tree Tengchong delights guests with Banyan Tree’s signature hospitality style, offering bespoke holidays full of romance, comfort and authentic destination experiences.

Taking advantage of its natural geothermal resources, the resort offers a hot spring experience with 3 geothermal pools of different temperatures and an Onsen Garden featuring four outdoor mineral pools, allowing guests to fully relax in the restorative hot spring while enjoying the surrounding nature. The resort’s thermal water contains high concentration of therapeutic silicic acid fluoride, rich in microelements that can benefit our body. With neutral texture, taste and color, the water is one of the few local hot springs that can be used for drinking, bathing and therapy.

Banyan Tree Tengchong features 37 hot spring retreats and villas. Each room provides natural hot spring water for guest’s daily use and a private thermal pool.

The Rees Hotel Queenstown Winemaker’s Culinary Series Dinner with Quartz Reef

Looking for the perfect winter getaway…with great wine? For exceptional wine and delicious cuisine, The Rees Hotel Queenstown’s latest Winemaker’s Culinary Series Dinner with Quartz Reef is the perfect choice for a long weekend getaway this winter.

Look forward to savouring Quartz Reef’s collection of quality wines while tasting the sophisticated, elegant flavours from True South Dining Room’s awarded executive chef, Ben Batterbury. Enjoy an indulgent weekend away at The Rees Hotel with the ultimate trifecta of luxury, fine dining and relaxation.

Hosted by GM of The Rees Hotel Mark Rose and wine legend and owner of Quartz Reef, Rudi Bauer, guests can try an outstanding array of wines. Rudi’s Austrian heritage and two decades of winemaking experience give Quartz Reef wines further dimension and variety. The Pinot Noir is the spirit of Central Otago while the Pinot Gris takes on a rich, dry, textured flavour.

The Rees Residential Package $NZ335 per person includes:

• One-night stay on Saturday 4th August in Lake View Hotel Room
• Breakfast for two
• Two tickets to the Culinary Series Dinner with Quartz Reef

Yasawa Island Resort & Spa introduces Fiji’s first ever Degustation Lovo

Fiji’s Yasawa Island Resort & Spa has raised the bar on Fiji culinary experiences, with their all new “Flavours of Fiji – Five Course Degustation Lovo”.

The five course degustation menu has been designed by Executive Chef Brent Assam to combine traditional Fijian cooking methods as well as flavours, but served with a creative and culinary twist.

The courses are designed around seasonal root crops grown on the island and the abundant stock of freshly squeezed coconut cream is a definite in each dish. The local fishermen are readily available to supply the chef with an assortment of heavenly seafood, be it beautiful reef fish, succulent lobster & crabs or the ever popular Yellow Fin Tuna.

With family weeks still available during the July and September school holidays, the all new menu, 11 pristine white sand beaches and tailored kids activity programme , Yasawa offers a discerning, yet authentic Fijian family holiday experience.

Leisure Packages – Crown Metropol

Whether you are looking for a romantic mid-week getaway, a relaxing night away from reality or an unforgettable staycation with the family, Crown Metropol Leisure Packages have you covered. As winter rolls around and the social calendar slows it is the perfect time to treat yourself and your loved ones by taking a break.

Don’t hibernate at home. Book a night with us and score a family bowling pass, a hot breaky for the kids and valet parking.

• Overnight accommodation in a Luxe room
• Free kids breakfast at Atrium
• Valet parking
• $50 AMF Bowling gift card

Good things come in threes so book two nights and we will give you one for free, as well as a bottle of sparkling wine and valet parking to seal the deal.

• Three nights’ accommodation in a Luxe room
• Valet parking
• Bottle of sparkling wine
• Colouring in books for the kids

Mandarin Oriental announces new hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that it will manage a new hotel in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, scheduled to open in 2020.

The property, which will be called Mandarin Oriental, Saigon, will form part of Union Square Saigon, a commercial building in the heart of the city, that is currently under renovation. The hotel will be situated on the upper floors of this mixed-use complex, which will also house a variety of international luxury retail outlets. The project owner is Union Square Company Limited.

Mandarin Oriental, Saigon will comprise 227 guestrooms and suites, six restaurants and bars, a range of meeting and banqueting spaces, a fitness centre, a Spa at Mandarin Oriental and an outdoor swimming pool.

Mandarin Oriental, Saigon is adjacent to the Saigon Opera House and the People’s Committee Building and within walking distance of most of the key landmarks in the city. Its position is ideal for guests wishing to enjoy the city’s vibrant dining and shopping areas.

Hotel Jen’s new ‘Local Rituals’ Activation

The urban and quirky Hotel Jen brand, part of the world-renowned Shangri‑La group, inspires guests to Leave Boring Behind and travel like they mean it with its Local Rituals brand activation a part of its new and excitingly unique Follow The Voices campaign – an insight into each city’s best hidden gems. For the kind of traveller who likes to roam off the beaten path or who prefers an authentic experience rather than exploring cliché tourist spots, this is for them. We thought this would be of interest to you and your intrepid readers.

Hotel Jen’s exclusive Local Rituals concept provides its guests with the best-kept secrets by a local resident – from boutique stores to cultural hotspots – all to be shown through the hotel’s guided tours. It doesn’t end there, however.

Travellers shouldn’t just see a city, but should also hear it. Hotel Jen, therefore, invites visitors to discover a city through the voices of the people from trusted locals, through an immersive audio experience on their respective phones or devices. This will be a location-based neighbourhood audio guide highlighting interesting and unexpected places, and the insider stories that make them a must-visit.