PLAN AHEAD
早著先機
The hottest new openings and experiences率先掌握炙手可熱的新景點和旅遊體驗
KATE SPRINGER’S GUIDE TO THE HOTTEST NEW OPENINGS AND EXPERIENCES
FROM
snorkelling with manta rays in the Maldives’ newest luxury resort to standing on top of the world in Manhattan, we’ve shortlisted 10 of the most notable openings to set your ’gram alight.
THE NAUTILUS
Where: Maldives
The remote Baa Atoll, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve on the western edge of the Maldives archipelago, recently welcomed The Nautilus resort. As the only Relais & Châteaux hotel in the country, the new address skips all the usual gimmicks (sorry, no underwater restaurants here) in favour of low-key boho-luxury. Choose a beach or overwater villa – each with a dedicated butler – and then make your own adventure. It’s all about flexibility: eat breakfast whenever you want, order off-menu, enjoy spa treatments on the beach, join a morning yoga class, swim with manta rays and whale sharks, or just drink champagne in bed.
thenautilusmaldives.com
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
Where: Osaka, Japan
Ready your 1-Up Mushrooms: the first Super Nintendo World theme park area is set to open at Universal Studios Japan this summer. Devoted to all things Nintendo – think Mario, Luigi, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Yoshi and friends – this ’90s joyride feels like a real-life video game, promising immersive games, rides and restaurants. By donning ‘Power Up Bands’ and connecting with the park’s dedicated app, guests can tap into augmented technology to hit blocks and collect coins – just like Mario.
usj.co.jp/e/nintendo
PAPAROA TRACK
Where: South Island, New Zealand
With its surreal landscapes and pristine nature reserves, New Zealand is one of the world’s best trekking destinations – and it just got even better with the opening of the South Island’s Paparoa Track, one of the country’s 10 designated Great Walks. About 3.5 hours northwest of Christchurch by car, the 55-kilometre path takes three days to walk oneway, or two days to mountain bike. The scenery is spectacular: you’ll pass karst rock formations, cross dramatic suspension bridges and watch the sun set over the Tasman Sea. Well ahead of your trip, be sure to book bunks at designated Great Walk huts – they’re basic but comfortable, with cooking facilities, toilets and fresh water.
doc.govt.nz
BOURSE DE COMMERCE – PINAULT COLLECTION
Where: Paris, France
In June, Paris will flex its cultural muscles once again with a new landmark museum. This time, French billionaire François Pinault, founder of the Kering luxury fashion group, has teamed up with Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando to transform the city’s former stock exchange into the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection. Located near the Louvre, the private museum will showcase more than 5,000 contemporary works from blue-chip artists like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Cindy Sherman, alongside video installations and a 300-seat auditorium for screenings and performances. Come for the art collection, but stay for the dramatic 19th-century architecture. After meticulous refurbishments, Ando has breathed new life into the Medici columns, double spiral staircases and graceful central cupola.
boursedecommerce.fr
THE GREAT SOUTHERN
Where: Australia
If you love slow, romantic rail travel, this one’s for you: Australian luxury train operator Journey Beyond Rail recently introduced the Great Southern route to its network. Offering world-class dining and stylish accommodation, the three- to 12-day rail journeys trace the southeastern coastline for an idyllic mix of wine, culture and natural scenery. The signature six-day Coastal Adventure package, for instance, kicks off in Adelaide’s wine country, before stops in the Grampians to admire ancient sandstone mountains, Canberra for an arts and heritage tour, and Coffs Harbour for a beach break or round of golf. Finishing off the week, you’ll spend a day exploring Brisbane, then venture off the coast to Moreton Island to meet some dolphins.
journeybeyondrail.com.au
MORE GREAT WALKS
New Zealand’s Department of Conservation maintains 10 Great Walks across the country. Here are three of the best.
ABEL TASMAN COAST TRACK
60 kilometres, 3-5 days
Explore the northeast coastline of the South Island, where you’ll spot fur seals and bathe in Cleopatra’s Pool – a natural rock pool with a moss-lined waterslide.
TONGARIRO NORTHERN CIRCUIT
43-kilometre loop, 3-4 days
Hike through an active volcanic landscape, where vivid contrasts take the form of jade-hued lakes and lush alpine glades.
MILFORD TRACK
53.5 kilometres, 4 days
One of the most scenic walks in the world, the Milford Track passes icy glaciers, dense rainforests and gushing waterfalls before finishing at the famous Milford Sound.
ME BY MELIA
Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai is no stranger to ultra-luxe digs, but the new ME by Melia takes hospitality to the next level. Part of the cube-like Opus building, designed by the late Zaha Hadid, this swanky design hotel is down the street from the Burj Khalifa – and yes, you’ll enjoy uninterrupted views of the world’s tallest tower. Revolving around Hadid’s famously fluid, minimalist design aesthetic, ME by Melia features an outdoor pool, sleek spa and 187 rooms and suites with your choice of a soothing ‘desert’ or ultra-dramatic ‘midnight’ colour palette.
melia.com
EDGE
Where: New York City, US
The highest observation deck in the western hemisphere has just opened in New York’s Hudson Yards development in western Manhattan. Dubbed ‘Edge’, this 345-metre-high observation deck promises a trendy champagne bar and 360-degree views that stretch from the High Line to Central Park and the Statue of Liberty. But it’s not for the fainthearted: attached to the 100th floor of the 30 Hudson Yards tower, the dizzying deck extends 24 metres out into the air, with angled glass walls and a peek-a-boo glass panel underfoot that’ll make you feel like you’re floating over Manhattan. For the best snap, walk to Edge’s easternmost point, where a small glass deck big enough for one person will ensure uninterrupted selfies and skyline views.
edgenyc.com
THE LONDONER
Where: London, UK
The Londoner, which debuts this June, couldn’t be in a better location: smack in the middle of Leicester Square and the West End’s vibrant theatres, boutiques and restaurants. Overlooking the square, rooms star muted, earthy tones, wood panelling and pops of contemporary art. There’s plenty to do across the 16-storey property, from two screening rooms to a rooftop bar with firepits, a ‘gastro tavern’, live music, a subterranean spa, and six eclectic restaurants. Brownie points: The Londoner is set to be one of the greenest hotels in the country, boasting innovations such as a ‘liquid film’ that will cut back on evaporation and energy loss from the pool.
thelondoner.com
ACE HOTEL KYOTO
Where: Kyoto, Japan
Launched in Seattle in 1999, Ace Hotels has become synonymous with minimalist interiors, local artwork and heritage architecture. So it’s no surprise that the brand earmarked Kyoto, Japan’s capital of culture, for its first Asia outpost. Prolific Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Los Angeles-based Commune Design have turned the historic Kyoto Central Telephone Company Office into the stylish 213-room Ace Hotel Kyoto. Sleek and serene, the hotel features a central courtyard garden, handmade wooden furniture and buoyant artwork by 98-year-old Samiro Yunoki, a katazome (fabric-dying) master. Rooms include tatami mattresses, while suites include private onsen-style baths.
acehotel.com/kyoto
INFUSION ON LONG
Where: Cape Town, South Africa
Over the past two years, South Africa has started to relax its cannabis laws. THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) remains illegal to sell or use in public; however, the non-psychoactive CBD ingredient, known for its calming and pain-relief effects, is fair game. Sensing a budding opportunity, Infusion On Long opened in January as Cape Town’s first CBD cafe. Located in the buzzing city centre, the restaurant serves up Mediterranean-style seafood platters, salads, pastas, smoothie bowls and refreshing cocktails – all with an optional dose of CBD.
infusiononlong.co.za