Lets take a look at the top luxury resorts of Bali. The problem with this sort of survey is there are far too many to really to choose from. Here are eight contrasting properties, at least one of which is bound to appeal!

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa
A member of the The Leading Hotels of the World Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa is set in lush tropical gardens with 150m of sandy beach front. The resort is barely 15min away from the airport so couldn’t be more convenient. Its also close to the major shopping opportunities, restaurants and bars of Kuta and Legian. Though with 381 rooms and suites and nine restaurants and bars to choose from you may in fact never leave the resort!

Main Pool Nusa Dua Beach resort

The Bale
If you prefer a smaller property The Bale a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the world may be a good choice. Also at Nusa Dua The Bale has only 29 imaginatively designed pavilions each with a sleek modern interior, a simple garden, a daybed and its own private pool. There is also a 24-hour butler service and a range of health and well-being treatments. Enjoy a meal at the Faces restaurant or a drink at the Fluid bar and lounge.

The Bale Delux Room

Karma Kandara
Heading further along the coast to the Jimbaran area you will find, perched on cliff 100m above the surf exclusive Karma Kandara Here just 46 stand-alone villas are built to maximize the stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Each has a private walled garden complete with an infinity edged swimming pool.

Karitka Plaza Hotel

Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel & Villas
In the center of the action of Kuta is the Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel and Villas . This larger property has 318 rooms,suites and villas with a full range of sporting facilities and close to the main shopping area of Kuta. The luxurious beach front villas offer 24-hour butler service, 2 bedrooms, kitchenette, outdoor tropical spa and a private plunge pool.

Anantara Seminyak Resort & Spa
This 5-star resort is located right on the beautiful Seminyak beach. The 60 stylish suites are apparently “designed to awaken the senses,and offer an extraordinary lavish destination experience”. That said they do look attractive and offer all the usual luxury amenities.

Kemah Tinggi
If you are looking for total privacy and the WOW factor that Tanah Lot’s Kemah Tinggi is a must stay sort of place. This villa offers five-star luxury, guaranteed exclusivity, luxury, outstanding service, contemporary styling, fantastic dining and cocktails all surrounded by views of the ocean and the rice fields. The villa is child friendly and will provide a pool fence if required.

Villas Sungai Bali and Sungai Gold
The two private villas can either be hired separately or together. The Sungai Bali is popular with honeymooners while the Sungai Gold offers 3 bedrooms. The Sungai experience is all about location, in an unspoilt village, great food, spa and yoga services, butler service and even a car and driver on hand.

Villas Sungai Bali

Kamandalu Resort & Spa
Set in the terraced rice paddies and the cool, lush green valley of Ubud is the boutique Kamandalu resort . This property has 58 individually designed villas all with spacious bedrooms, indoor living spaces, outdoor showers and private courtyard gardens. The pool villas also have a private outdoor free-form pools and a daybed.

So do you want action or quiet? Exclusive and remote or a big place right in the center of the nightlife? There really are properties to suit all luxury tastes in Bali!

Northern Thailand doesn’t have the same international profile as the busy Bangkok or the famous Thai beaches. The beautiful and culturally diverse region is well worth a visit and easily accessible by a quick flight from Bangkok to the areas capital Chiang Mai - Thailand’s second city.

Elephant Trekking, Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is modern city which still retains its traditional charm. Between the modern buildings you will still find bustling traditional markets. Almost all the handicrafts you see in Bangkok come from this region which is home to many of Thailand’s exotic hill tribes including the famous long-necked Paduang women who wear an amazing number of brass rings around their necks in the name of beauty!

Chiang Mai is a comfortable a base to trek in the area, take an elephant ride through the jungle, raft or visit traditional villages and lush orchid farms. Its also a convenient stop-over on your way to mysterious Laos or northern Vietnam. The area is mountainous in the summer gives relief to the oppressive heat of the plains. In the cooler months bring a jumper for the evenings.

Four Seasons Resort, Chiang Mai, Thailand

All this may be a little hard to get to if you check into Chiang Mai’s first and still probably its best 5-star resort: the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. The only downside to this place is that it would be hard to tear your self away long enough to visit the area! Opened 12 years ago the Four Seasons Resort blends into the surrounding countryside of rice paddies, but is only 30 minutes by shuttle bus from downtown. The Resort has 64 elegantly appointed pavilions, each with a private covered veranda, and 16 self-contained magnificent residences. The residences come in various sizes with up to 3 bedrooms and include a live-in room maid which may take a little getting used to: but being spoiled is easy to get used to! The style is modern Thai featuring teak floors and beautiful silk furnishings. Guests of the resort residences have exclusive access to a full-service Residence Pool which features a children’s pool area and a whirlpool. Naturally the bathrooms (one for each bedroom) come complete with a whirlpool bathtub, separate shower and double vanity, as well as a separate dressing area.

Four Seasons Chiang Mai: Residence

The Spa at the Four Seasons is quite simply out of this world Or as they themselves put it

Step into the spa and you enter a luxurious temple of harmony for body, mind and spirit - an indulgent sanctuary created exclusively for your pleasure and well-being. The fragrance of specially blended oils, herbs and spices fills the air, and your body and mind immediately relax in anticipation of the exotic experience that awaits.

Voted the World’s Best Spa by Conde Conde Nast Traveller (UK) in 2007 Reader’s Award, features seven spacious treatment suites offering total privacy for individuals or couples. Each suite offers a variety of facilities, including outdoor showers, private herbal steam rooms and outdoor soaking tubs. Two of the suites have tropical rain shower massage tables.

Another highlight of the Four Seasons Chiang Mai is the cooking school which is an all day event which starts with a visit to the local markets to pick your ingredients. The specially designed kitchen allows both novice and experienced cooks to cook up a storm of traditional Thai specialties such as kaow soi gai (Chiang Mai curry noodle soup with chicken) and gaeng hung lay (dry spiced curry with pork and pickled garlic). There is a different dish every day of the week so the budding Thai Chefs can spend all week in the kitchen!

Cooking School, Four Seasons, Chiang Mai

Singapore is one of the world’s great food cities. In my opinion even better than NYC or Paris: because the huge range of quality and variety of cuisines on offer.

Singapore Clarke Quay

Singapore is a polyglot city with sizable communities of Indians and Malayasians as well as Chinese. On top of that a bit of ex-colonial master England’s cuisine and you have some seriously good food available. In fact you don’t have to even go expensive to get authentic and tasty. Many of the locals live in tiny apartments and see no reason to stay in and cook when they can go out and eat for a few dollars at the local hawker centre. But if more up market is your style then there are plenty of options available.

You won’t go far wrong by heading towards the touristy but popular Clarke Quay where excellent, expensive restaurants line the waterfront many with river-side or balcony dinning. Singapore’s hot, tropical climate really encourages evening outdoors evening dinning and Clarke Quay is the place to do it. If you can’t decide on which Indian/Cantonese/Mexican/Italian place to choose then move after the first course or two! The people watching will keep you entertained between courses but in general you will find the food quick to come and the service top notch.

Ritz Carlton Lobby

With day time temperatures around 30C and the humidity nearly 100% the middle of the day is great time for a siesta, and you will be needing one if you indulge in the Ritz Carlton’s Sunday Brunch. The vintage pink Moet flows freely and there are 10 varieties of freshly shucked oysters from around the world on offer, not to mention specialist stations cooking and serving goose liver, lobster, sashimi, pasta and ice-cream. Run by Executive Chief Australian Geoff Bone and Nicholas Anthony the Ritz-Carlton Millenia is gaining a great reputation with foodies world-wide.  Served in the visually stunning Glasshouse Restaraunt the all inclusive price of S$116 (+tax) includes unlimited Moet & Chandon so remember to pace yourself through this 3.5hour extravagance.

If bubbly is not your think at 11:30am on a Sunday then you can also choose from an extensive wine list and selected cocktails to wash down the freshly shucked oysters, seafood, roasts, 50 French farmhouse cheeses and freshly baked soufflés.

Popular with the well-heeled locals and ex-pats as well as tourists, you may be wise to get a reservation. If you are unlucky enough not to be in Singapore on a Sunday then drop by to try out Singapore’s iconic dish: chili crab everyday of the week at the Glasshouse Buffet. Or for a more formal setting check out the Ritz Carlton’s signature restaurant Summer Pavilion which features Cantonese cuisine

Brunch, Glasshouse

In fact from the sounds of it you would probably be wise to be staying in-house after that unlimited Moet deal, so why not check out the hotel itsself which has an awesome collection of 4,200 of Asian and other modern art and large rooms, which in their words feature:

• Modern-style decor
• Light, timber finishes and Tibetan-style, woven floor coverings
• Raised, feather beds with unobstructed views of the Singapore skyline or Marina Bay
• Large, marble bathrooms positioned on the outside walls of our hotel in Singapore provide panoramic views from octagonal windows
• Luxurious bath amenities
• Plush terry bathrobes
• Walk-in wardrobes
• Private, in-room safes
• LCD television with DVD player
• Bedside alarm clock
• Refreshment bar
• Multi-lingual voicemail
• High-speed Internet access

If you are looking for somewhere else to stay then check out our review of luxury central Singapore hotels

Photo Credits =Fairy Tales=

The worldwide financial crisis combined with over-inflated values, and softening demand will cause luxury real estate in Russia to fall to “West European levels,” said Tatyana Orlova, the chief economist at Alfa Bank, in a recent report

Moscow City

Russian real estate is extremely expensive by world standards, with the average price for 100 sqm of luxury real estate equal to 156 times per capita GDP, while West European real estate sells at 30 times per capita GDP, and for an analyst to predict a drop of this magnitude is almost unheard of. The report states,

Considering that a sharp decline in worldwide real estate prices recently occurred, we are expecting a major contraction in demand and a drop in prices for the Russian real estate market.

The report also raises inflation forecasts for 2008 from thirteen to fifteen percent and significantly raises inflation targets for 2009.

Last week, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with the  President of Alfa-Bank, Petr Aven to discuss the current state of the Russian financial system and banking sector.

According to Mr Aven, Russian banks have the financial resources necessary to overcome the current challenges, although this is a song we have heard sung before. Lehmann brothers were saying the same thing just before their collapse.

Assuming a high level of liquidity. more than a few Russian banks will be looking to take advantage of the international financial situation to gain a firm foothold on the global market, in much the same way as the Japanese financial institutions have been doing recently. Russia, like Japan, would like nothing more than becoming the next Wall Street

Mr Aven appreaised Mr. Putin of Alfa-Bank’s expansion into  South-East Asia, particularly in the retail, commercial and investment banking sectors.

Alfa-Bank is one of the biggest banks in Russia by assets and equity. According to its 2007 audited financial statements under IAS, the assets of Alfa-Bank Group, which includes OJSC Alfa-Bank as well as subsidiary banks and financial companies, totaled $22.7 billion. The group’s aggregate capital was $1.9 billion, and the loan portfolio less reserves was $15.4 billion.

The Bank has branches in Moscow and overseas, including subsidiary banks in Kazakhstan and Holland, and a financial subsidiary in the United States.

If, as it seems, Alfa has managed to avoid becoming heavily involved in the sub-prime mortgage market, now would be perfect timing for an aggressive entry into investment banking in the US.
Photo Credit - Russia Blog

The Sarojin, Khao Lak, Thailand was days from opening when the 2004 tsunami struck. At the time Khao Lak was Thailand’s fastest growing tourist destination and nearly 60% of its hotels were under construction. Many of those hotels have been raised from the destruction of the tsunami but luxury 5 star resort, The Sarojin has a special story.

The Sarojin finally opened 8 months after the tsunami, having employed its existing staff to literally rebuild the resort. Every room is named after a staff member to recognise that effort. That commitment to the locals breeds loyalty. Maybe that’s why so many visitors report that The Sarojin is not just an amazingly beautiful resort but that the staff are exceptional even for Thailand, a country renowned for customer service. Nothing is too much trouble, managers introduce themselves to new arrivals and try to fulfill every strange “farang” request they receive.

Today thanks to the miracle of the fast growing tropical vegetation almost all signs of the 2004 disaster have disappeared. The local authorities have also recognized that coastal vegetation can protect against storms and tsunamis and have developed an extensive re-vegetation program along the coastal strip. Khao Lak, and Phuket Island are well and truly open for business once more.

The Sarojin is about 20 minutes by taxi from the Khao Lak town. The town provides great options for meals, shopping, markets and bars and clubs. The Sarojin is about one hour north of Phuket International Airport, in the Phang Nga province of Thailand.

Many guests at The Sarojin will probably never leave the resort. Which is possibly why The Sarojin has just been named “Asia’s leading boutique hotel” for a third consecutive year. The garden setting provides direct private access to 11km of secluded white sand beach, the sheltering Pakarany Cape, allows year-round swimming and water sports.

The Sarojin has only 56 guest residences (each 95-150 sq m) set in a secluded and sheltered 10 acres by the beach providing all year round swimming and has plunge pools, spa pools, intimate couples baths, rainfall showers, private gardens, spa, fitness and dining tables set in extraordinary locations.

Dining options include both the formal Ficus Restaurant (under a large tree!) or beside the shimmering Andaman Sea at the Edge restaurant. Alternatively for the same price meals can be delivered wherever you want: your own private beach barbecue; pool island pavilions; or in the
intimacy of your private dining sala. Or walk down the beach to a local restaurant: probably not as high class but well worth a look for a cheap lunch and a cold beer.
If you can drag yourself away from the plunge pools and beach recliners more energetic options include diving and snorkeling trips to the nearby famous Similan Islands National Park in the Andaman Sea. Or maybe a Thai Cooking class complete with a market visit to buy your ingredients with one of the resort’s talented chefs.

The Sarojin really has risen from the destruction of 2004 and it just one of the shining examples of the positive side of tourism in developing countries such as Thailand. We kept the best to last: we think the pool should be feature on any list of top luxury swimming pools of the world: 

South East Asia has a huge amount to offer as a luxury destination and visiting Indochina will make for a memorable holiday. Traditional luxury destinations such as Thailand’s Islands or Singapore are still great but my current pick is Indochina, one of my favourite parts of Asia with an enormous amount to offer as a luxury destination.

Indochina is the colonial name for what is now Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Their colonial legacy saw Indochina, suffer through decades of war and repression during and after WWII In the last ten years though the region is finally, after decades of destruction followed by more years of neglect,is finally emerging as a luxury destination for the more adventurous holiday-maker. The French weren’t very good at the boring bits of colonisation i.e. governance and infrastructure but they did leave behind two wonderful legacies: architecture and food. The French who visit Vietnam claim that the baguettes ubiquitously available for breakfast throughout the country are better than the those available in France today, probably because they are not mass-produced.

For the luxury traveller options are developing rapidly in all three countries. Old hotels are being renovated beautifully and new luxurious one’s being built by overseas investors. Prices tend to be quoted in US$, to which many of the local currencies are pegged. This is not only handy because you don’t have to keep your kip/dong/bhat straight - but if your investments are in other than US$ you know what good value you will be getting.

South East Asia’s gateway cities are generally: Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. You arrive and depart by some of the world’s newest and best designed airports and get the option of flying in the lap of luxury with airlines such as Singapore Airlines which is currently of course offering the new A380 offering effectively private cabins in first class. The flight time to the main destinations of Indochina from any of these cities varies from 30 minutes (Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos) to nearly 2 hours (Singapore to Hanoi)

One of the things with Indochina is that thanks to the Americans the road and surface transport infrastructure is completely stuffed,or as the tourist brochures will have it: undeveloped. Vietnam is a long narrow country which you will know if you have visited New Zealand can be difficult to maintain a decent infrastructure even with a good economy. Vietnam hasn’t yet had time to fix their infrastructure. Cambodia and Laos have have even worse roads : both were more heavily bombed than Vietnam during, what is known locally as the American war, so are only now starting to develop a real roading system. However Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam share a wonderful alternative: the Mekong River. The compact distances make flying an excellent option with frequent flights connecting Hanoi, Danang (central Vietnam for Hue and Hoi An), Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) as well as Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Phnom Penh, Laos’ gem Luang Prabang and its capital Vientiane.

Indochina’s Top Luxury Destinations

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The huge city/temple complex is probably the number one reason why most visitors come to Cambodia. To even briefly explore the ruins takes at least three days: an air conditioned taxi and guide are both essential. The complex is best seen from the air: it’s so huge and to date still mainly un-excavated so that it is impossible to understand the scale of the area from the sky. Close up though you will marvel at the skill of the artisans. Unfortunately the whole complex bankrupted the visionary King Suryavarman II who had it built in the early 12th century. The complex was lost to the jungle for centuries which explains its remarkably well-preserved carvings. There is even a huge ancient swimming pool, unfortunately still under renovation!

A word to the wise :Angkor Wat is the only site worth seeing in town (its actually a few kilometres out of town). Siem Reap is rapidly turning into a typical cheap, tacky Thai resort town, where you are more likely to find bad food than anywhere else in Cambodia. Choose one of the excellent first class hotels available in the area and give Siem Reap itself a miss.

Luang Prahbang, Laos

Laos, the self- proclaimed “land of a million elephants” has the dubious distinction of being the most bombed country on earth. And Laos wasn’t even involved in the Vietnam conflict. America had agreed with the Thai authorities for bomber not to return with unused ordinance after their “reconnaissance” missions over Vietnam. Unfortunately southern Laos was in their flight path. Luckily for the tourist industry though Luang Prahbang is in the northern part of the country was not. Luang Prahbang is the former royal capital which is a completely preserved, but still living town which alternates gorgeous temples with French colonial architecture in a way that works incredibly well. The monks still walk through town at dawn every day to receive the offerings from the locals, and tourists, which is their only food for the day. It it not at all surprising that the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage listed. What is more surprising is that you will find some of the very finest French restaurants in Asia here as well. Within walking distance of the nightly markets where the local hill tribes sell their handicrafts. Luang Prahbang sounds like a made in Disney tourist experience but it is actually authentic – just a little off the beaten track: just not over-run, yet.

Luxury River Cruising.

River travel never stopped being a day-to-day option in this part of the world and now a new generation of purpose built luxury craft are starting to run on the Mekong and her tributaries. Luangsay Cruises offers a luxury cruises at both ends of the country. From/to northern Thailand’s Houey Xay to Luang Prahbang is a 2 day journey (boats don’t travel at night because of river hazards) with an overnight stop which will allow you to continue on to the Golden Triangle area of northern Thailand. The same company offers a new trip in southern Laos from Champassak to the 4,000 Islands area very near the Cambodian border. All through the southern part of Laos the Mekong is the border between Thailand and Laos. It is very odd to sit on the Laos side and see the bright lights of Thailand. Laos is still a poor country with limited infrastructure outside of Vientiane and Luang Prahbang but the people are charming and friendly and option of cruising is a very comfortable alternative. The Mekong river is not particularly wide so you’ll get a great view of both countries as you cruise by.

It is also possible to take a luxury cruise all the way from the Mekong Delta near Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) all the way to Siem Reap near Angkor Wat in western Cambodia via Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh on the way. Pandaw River Cruises offer luxury Mekong River cruises on their purpose built fleet of luxury boats. It’s an eight day leisury cruise from Angkor to Saigon: you will want at least 3 days at each end as well so its not a short trip: but an amazing way to see some truly remote and interesting country in luxury. In comparison the fight is less than two hours!

Angkor aerial view photo credit: All other photos: vacation tips