East Bali
A resort in the true sense of the word, Komune offers everything needed for an active and enjoyable holiday. The surf here is among Bali's best, although…
Must-see hotels in Asia
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
For ultraluxe living in designer style, there is no finer Hong Kong hotel – provided you're willing to forgo a pool. Piggybacking on to the top floors of…
Karimunjawa Islands
With a private beach, this gorgeous hillside resort offers a genuine island welcome. Rustic cottages with open-air bathrooms have magnificent sea views or…
The Bund & People's Square
Grandly marking the southern end of the Bund is the former Shanghai Club (1910), once the Bund’s most exclusive gentlemen’s hangout. The 20 original rooms…
Manila
The lower-budget sister of Cocoon is hardly a downgrade. Rooms are slightly smaller, but efficiently designed with open closets and lovely room dividers…
Con Dao Islands
This astonishing hotel enjoys a dreamlike location on the island's best beach, 4km northeast of Con Son town. Its 50-or-so ocean-facing, timber-clad beach…
Manila
With a soaring lobby lounge punctuated by floor-to-ceiling bay windows and sequoia-sized columns, the Shangri-La wins the award for Makati’s most stunning…
New Delhi
Classicism meets art deco at the Imperial, which dates from 1931 and was designed by FB Blomfield, an associate of Lutyens. Rooms have high ceilings,…
The Pamir Highway
It seems patronising to be surprised by this luxurious hotel in the middle of Kalai-Khum but given the difficulty of building anything in the region, with…
Phnom Penh
From the golden age of travel, this is one of Asia’s grand old dames, in the illustrious company of the Oriental in Bangkok and Raffles in Singapore. This…
Bentota, Aluthgama & Induruwa
We would love to tell you just how incredible this place is, but the simple truth is that there are no words to describe the sheer opulence of this hotel…
Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
Easily the chicest place to stay in the Andamans, this ecoconscious British-owned luxe-boutique hideaway is built into a banana-and-betel-nut plantation,…
Downtown Kyoto
This elegant ryokan has long been favoured by celebrities from around the world. Facilities and services are excellent and the location is hard to beat…
Agra
Following Oberoi's iron-clad modus operandi of maharaja-level service, exquisite dining and properties that pack some serious wow factor, Agra's best…
Tamil Nadu
A different Chettiar charm inhabits this gorgeously renovated, French-run mansion from 1910, 6km east of Kanadukathan. Rooms combine the traditional and…
Palawan
The Philippines' top resort has one of the remote Cuyo Islands all to itself and can be reached only by private plane from Manila. The island is ringed by…
The Gobi
This is the most comfortable place to stay. The big draw is the log-and-stone restaurant-bar, reminiscent of a Chinese–style temple, the smart gers with…
Kuala Lumpur
It’s hard to believe you’re in the heart of KL when staying at this gorgeous boutique property that epitomises Southeast Asian chic. The black polished…
Chitwan National Park
A minimalist palace set in lush grounds, Kasara Resort easily wins the best design award among Chitwan lodges. Where else does the entryway to your villa…
Kyūshū
In a word: gorgeous. Also: rambling and minimalist, with 100-year-old woodwork, a pine garden and Karatsu-yaki pottery for your in-room seafood meals. Koi…
Phu Hin Bun NPA & Tham Kong Lor
These stilted bungalows sit in an immaculately landscaped, jungle-like garden at the edge of Nam Hin Bun. The more expensive rooms have en suite bathrooms…
Ubud
Set in a spectacular river valley enclosed by rice fields, this stunning Ritz Carlton resort is the size of a small village. It's replete with facilities …
Luang Prabang
With its stunning hilltop grounds, seamless service and stylish wood rooms, Luang Prabang's first luxury hotel minted revivalist Indo-chic. The infinity…
Jaipur
The legendary Pearl Palace continues to exceed guests' expectations with excellent rooms that defy their tariffs. There’s quite a range of rooms to choose…
Tokyo
Overlooking the Imperial Palace from atop Ōtemachi Tower, this outstanding hotel incorporates natural materials – including dark stone walls, blonde wood…
The Bund & People's Square
Dating from the 1930s, this art deco beauty was a famous hangout for the glitterati in the swinging 1930s. Splendidly refurbished, it features a sumptuous…
Siem Reap
This beautiful resort feels like a boutique Cambodian village. Rooms are set in spacious, elegantly furnished wooden villas, some with private pools, and…
Pulau Pangkor
An impeccably managed private island resort lies west of Pulau Pangkor, reachable only by prebooked guests on a 20-minute boat transfer from Marina Bay…
Bangladesh
One of Bangladesh's most exciting and innovative accommodation options, the Mermaid Eco-Resort is a series of low-impact coastal bungalows raised on…
Borobudur
Set in a magnificent garden of mature hardwoods, abundant creepers and outrageous sprigs of orchids, this boutique hotel (3km east of the monument) offers…
Dushanbe
Not the newest but arguably Dushanbe's top address weaves traditional colours, fabrics and woodwork into a bright 21st-century tower topped by a rooftop…
Punjab (India)
Built as a garden palace for Maharaja Rajinder Singh, this nostalgic heritage hotel is Punjab’s most graceful place to spend a night. The enormous,…
Bangkok
Zoom back to the 1930s in this retro-chic riverside heritage hotel, where art deco influences, marbled floorings, plantain-lined aqua courtyards and…
Rajshahi & Rangpur
Run by a highly deserving NGO that works on health, educational and agricultural projects, this fabulous guesthouse housed in an ivy-clad red-brick…
Luang Prabang
This beautiful compound of villas (one is the former house of the Lao Red Prince) boasts stunning rooms with huge beds, fine furniture and a decorative…
Phnom Penh
Housed in an elegant French villa, this immensely popular and atmospheric place kick-started Phnom Penh's boutique-hotel obsession. All rooms have…
Yogyakarta
Right in the heart of the city, this historic hotel is easily the best in its class and is a Yogya landmark. Dating back to 1918, it’s been sensitively…
South Lombok
The aptly named Heaven on the Planet has units scattered along a cliff's edge, from where you'll have spectacular bird's-eye views of the sea. Others are…
Tissamaharama
Offering exceptional value, this hotel sits in a large, tranquil compound with accommodation facing a stunning 20m pool and elegant lobby-restaurant…
Dhaka
This brand new hotel markets itself for the business crowd but is tricked out like a funky boutique number. Stylish furniture and wall decorations give a…
