2017 04 Aug Sept

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Latest in Luxury Experiences
Iceland, Ho Chi Minh City, London, Lucerne,
Bali, Milan, Cambodia, Beijing, Épernay,
Hong Kong, Ibiza
The Blue Lagoon
Iceland Retreat Spa
LAGOON LIVING
VOLCANO STYLE
O
pening in Winter 2017, the Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland will take
guests into the heart of a spectacular, moss-covered volcanic field – offering
an exclusive travel experience like no other. Carved into an 800-year old
lava flow, this unique spa is the first of its kind in Iceland, taking advantage of the
therapeutic power of the area’s mineral-rich geothermal waters.
With a timeless Nordic design, the 62 modern suites at the Retreat’s hotel echo
the stark environment with earth-toned décor, accents of natural stone and dark
wood, and simple, comfortable furnishings. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide
up-close views of the dramatic landscape and the inviting milky blue waters of
the surrounding lagoon at the Retreat, which some suites can access directly from
the terrace. For dinner, guests can enjoy a seven-course tasting menu at Moss
Restaurant featuring dishes inspired by local culinary traditions – paired with fine
wines selected from a well-stocked cellar.
One of the world’s most astonishing destinations – and one of Iceland’s most
popular attractions – will soon be made even more luxurious. This intimate spa
experience is definitely one for the bucket list. CHRISTINE LEE
Le Petit Tirailleur - Painting
by Nguyen Manh Hung -
Property of Salon Saigon
RAVAGES TO RAVES IN
SAIGON
The city of Saigon, once synonymous with war and colonial rule, has risen
to one of Asia’s fastest growing business centres and excites guests from
all over the world in its latest incarnation––a hotspot of contemporary art.
Reverie Saigon, one of the world’s most opulent European showcases of
hotel design, has launched a private tour of the city’s emerging art scene that
has captured more than a century’s worth of history. The ‘Pearls of Saigon’
tour includes a five-course lunch at Salon Saigon. Its breathtaking architecture
provides the perfect canvas to focus on the history of Vietnam through her art––a
complex milieu of interpreting her various identities and ideologies from colonial
rule, to independence, through the ravages of war, finally leading to the sweet
serenity of peaceful artistic expression.
“The art that developed in tandem with what has unfolded in Vietnam since
the height of French colonialism is so evocative and revealing that even just
an introduction to it may well endure as the most memorable experience of a
traveller’s time in Vietnam”, General Manager Kai Speth said.
The eight-hour art extravaganza, tailor-made for you, includes the Duc Minh
private gallery featuring artists from the École Supérieure des Beaux Arts de
L’Indochine (EBAI) and a collection of other modern and post-modern works. In
the know experts Sophie Hughes and Stu Palmer, collectively, a gallery manager
and a film festival director as well as artistic collaborators lead the tour. The
lavish Salon Saigon hosts the private, five-course lunch where Vietnamese cuisine
takes centre stage, featuring live piano music and traditional Vietnamese dance.
LAURA ELLIOTT
12 World Travel