Perusing the travel journals of a bygone epoch, the attractions of the far east were as invariably tagged to the exotic destinations as the fabled homes away from home along these oriental routes. With the expansion of colonialism came the flourish of trade and commerce and where there are the travelling rich, there will be opulent hotels to cater to their imperial expectations.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the fetish for colonial heritage has remained robust. A string of these alabaster grandees unsurprisingly survived into the modern age, and having been visited by the celebrities of yore-Maugham, Coward, Greene et al their reputations still greatly augmented in this modern era. Many of them have become the mantleplace trophies of various hotel groups. The French group Accor currently has the Raffles brand under its belt, with the original Sarkies-raised Raffles Singapore and Cambodia's erstwhile Grand Hotel d'Ángkor operating as its historic flagships. The central gem on Mandarin Oriental's eastern crown is ostensibly the MO Bangkok, another storied relic that opened its doors as The Oriental in 1876.
The only Asian grand hotel close to the 100-year mark that still maintains its independence and much of its resplendence is The Peninsula Hong Kong. Originally marketed as "the finest hotel east of the Suez", not only is this Italianate landmark still owned by the founding Kadoorie family, it has been renovated multiple times and has spawned a very successful chain of luxury hotels internationally, each with its own distinct style.
OLD IS NEW, NEW IS OLD?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2024-Ausgabe von Prestige Singapore.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2024-Ausgabe von Prestige Singapore.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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SYMPHONY OF THE SENSES
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Tapestry of the Heart
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FJORDS, FREEDOM AND FINE FOOD
Oceania Cruises' Riviera will make its debut voyage to Alaska in 2025, bringing guests deep into the wilderness of America's northernmost state while delivering The Finest Cuisine at Sea.
LESSONS FROM THE LONG ROAD
An extended cruise from Vancouver to Tokyo proves that to go further and deeper, you sometimes have to slow down.
Checks and Balance
Louis Vuitton's latest fine jewellery range, Le Damier de Louis Vuitton, is inspired by the house's Damier check. Artistic director for watches and jewellery FRANCESCA AMFITHEATROF takes us through the process.
IN DAZZLING FORM
Powered by a new movement, the Asia Pacific exclusive editions of the Round Skeleton Baguette 31 editions by Franck Muller sparkle with baguette-cut diamonds or coloured precious gemstones.
A TIME FOR SQUARE
In October, Patek Philippe unveiled its first wholly new collection of timepieces in 25 years. Prestige Singapore was among the first in the world to see the Cubitus trio of timepieces and find out how they were created.
STILL THE ONE
With a distinctive design including an off-centre dial, outsize date and an asymmetrical layout, the Lange 1 stood out from the horological pack when it was launched in 1994. It continues to do so even today, three decades on.
