A typically tropical downpour in Singapore; a gallant staff member stepping forth with a huge umbrella before we get out of the taxi to ensure we reach the hotel without a drop of rain touching us. What a good start to our stay!
Naumi hotel is a 73 room boutique property lurking just behind the Raffles hotel complex. It’s stylish and smart and the staff are sharp in dress and even sharper in service. After our courteous welcome we were led to our room and given a quick tutorial on how everything worked – and this was one room that really needed instruction. The ingenious use of space in the compact rooms means the tea/coffee making facilities are cleverly hidden away in a slide out panel and the ironing board is concealed under the bed. The shower cubicle has ‘magic glass’ which at the touch of a button turns opaque. The staff member told us the button to control this was put high to stop children playing with it. Unfortunately for the hotel, it was within easy reach for us and provided childlike fun during our stay.
The room is high tech haven where you can mirror what’s on your Macbook onto the Apple TV or play Xbox 360 or Nintendo. If physical activity is more your thing the hotel has two tiny workout rooms. They may be the smallest workout rooms we’ve seen but we still managed to work up a sweat and build an appetite for the unique breakfast on offer in the lobby restaurant.
Champagne at breakfast may not be all that unusual but protein drinks, vitamin pills and aloe vera juice certainly are; we felt virtuous as we popped the pills before sipping our champagne. The breakfast buffet was small but we loved it and the healthy options it offered.
The most wonderful thing about Naumi is the swimming pool. Oh what a pool! A rooftop infinity pool with views of the Singapore cityscape. We spent a relaxing few hours there after dark, when the poolside becomes a bar. Lounging, sipping and taking in the views was the perfect end to a day in sultry Singapore.
– From US290+
Exclusive Offer! Mention L&B Hotels when you book to get a 10% discount!
– Fantastic infinity pool
– Imaginative and unique breakfast
– Stylish décor
– The standard rooms are very compact, if you have a lot of luggage or like to spread out you would be better off in a suite
– The hotel website is more fancy than functional and its talk of female guests getting ‘prettied up’ before going out makes me cringe.
+65 6403 6000
Steve & Candice
Review Team
Sigh–the Fairmont Kea Lani–you had me at aloha. The Fairmont certainly isn’t the only Maui hotel to greet guests with a lei upon arrival, but they are definitely the one you pictured when you thought “Hawaiian luxury hotel.” From the fluted archways over the open foyer, to the swooping view of the hotel’s Gatsby-esque grounds, the hotel strikes a balance of extremes between swoony opulence and charming simplicity. Everything is done so absolutely right, by a staff with such gracious serenity, it seems the most natural thing in the world to open the doors of your suite and find a comfortable living room opening onto the ocean-facing terrace, a bedroom (separated by French doors) outfitted with pillow-top mattresses and twin closets, and (my personal favorite) a bathroom paved floor-to-ceiling in Italian marble, strewn with more orchid blossoms and stocked with rose-scented soaps from New York’s Le Labo apothecary. Even the mini-bar went beyond the expected, with my favorite sencha green tea on offer alongside the Kona coffee.
The Fairmont is situated on Maui’s southwest shore in Wailea, a town that doesn’t lack for amusements. Some of the area’s best chefs have put out their shingle there, shops abound featuring local artists and internationally known retailers, and of course there is plenty of sports both on the beach and within the hotel complex. Nonetheless, the Fairmont is not an easy place to leave, even for the day. From the steam of rose-scented bath salts, to the sound of laughter drifting up from adjacent balconies, to the sight of the moon rising through the palms while soaking in the whirlpool tub, I have to confess that a night at the Fairmont Kea Lani was my favorite part of a day in Maui.
From US569+ per night
– Whimsical yet elegant aesthetic
– Opulent amenities from the in-room coffee bar to toiletries
– Gracious staff.
– Situated within a clustered “hotel alley” of other large, luxury accommodations
Chelsea Batten
Review Team
The Ritz Carlton is one of those hotels that gets almost everything just right. From the fantastic location just steps from the shopping and eating delights of Bukit Bintang to the attentiveness of the staff, it makes life easy for guests. A hotel which does that is just the place I want to lay my head at night.
Our premier suite was spacious and very comfortable with views over the swimming pool. Not only was the bedroom roomy and well appointed with a big walk in wardrobe and dressing area but the separate sitting room was large with plenty of room to spread out and relax. The butler managed to be attentive without being intrusive which is not an easy balancing act. All the other staff we encountered were equally friendly and welcoming.
We dined one evening at the hotel’s Cantonese fine dining restaurant, Li Yen, and I can say without shadow of a doubt that the six course meal there was the best Chinese meal I have ever eaten. Likewise the food at breakfast was imaginative (porridge bento box anybody?) and high quality with a cold buffet and hot items cooked to order off the menu.
After being steamed, stroked and scrubbed in a three hour couples’ spa treatment we were left alone to enjoy a private, outdoor rose milk bath. The bath was really more like a rose petal-strewn small plunge pool and we sank into it, sipping the spa’s strong, delicious ginger tea. Sheer bliss.
The hotel has an excellent gym which is a stroke of luck because they also have a very talented pastry chef whose irresistible cakes made afternoon tea and welcome cakes in the suite a real treat.
President Obama and 700 of his closest friends stayed at the Ritz Carlton a few days before our visit. All I can say is that the President has excellent taste.
From US190+ per night
– Great location close to eating, shopping and transport
– Quiet foliage-draped swimming pool
– Very good food in the restaurants and at breakfast, and fabulous cakes
– The main pool is not particularly pretty (the one next to the spa is great)
Steve & Candice
Review Team
It’s all about space, service and tranquillity at Sukhothai Bangkok. Named after an ancient Thai kingdom, the hotel uses local crafts throughout, giving a modern luxury experience whilst remaining Thai in feel. Located in the heart of Bangkok, Sukhothai is set in six acres of grounds where greenery and water abound. As you wander into the tree lined driveway and past the lily ponds, you enter a world far away from the frenetic city outside.
The abundance of space continues in the cool interior where the beautiful rooms start at a generous 38m². The suites have the most extravagant bathrooms complete with dressing area and large sized, high quality toiletries.
If you can drag yourself out of your opulent room you’ll find there’s a compact gym and a 25 metre pool to tempt you. Sunbeds are plentiful but the pool remains quiet and staff are immediately at hand to refill your complimentary glass of iced water should it run low, or if you feel like something a little stronger.
The buffet breakfast is not as extensive as you find in some of the larger hotels but it is more than adequate and high quality, with wonderful breads and cut meats among the usual hot offerings.
Sukhothai is a haven of peace and luxury amid the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
From US200+ per night
– Incredibly peaceful
– Beautiful rooms
– Great service
– Lovely pool area with plenty of sunbeds
– The gym is not great if you are serious about working out but adequate for most people
Steve & Candice
Review Team