Northstar

20 | www.travelweekly-asia.com COVER STORY Luxur y Travel By Lee Xin Hui Travel providers are answering to travellers' desire for simplicity and local connections with understated elegant stays and highly emotional touches. Capella Ubud will feature 22 upscale tents when it opens in Q1 2018. LUX WITHOUT THE TUX There was a palpable buzz in the air at the annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia in Shanghai, and we're not just referring to the one you get from champagne. The luxury travel scene is bustling, and there's no better time to be a part of the action. Here, we break down five trends, to help you identify new business opportunities: Rustic Luxury Properties with pared-down designs will become a bigger draw as sophisticated travellers are ditching showy opulence – think gilded pillars, marble floors and crystal chandeliers – to embrace nature and (light) adventure. Cementing this idea is the popularity of glamping, which combines old-school camping and modern comforts typically found in high-end hotels. Opening in Q1 2018, Capella Ubud is a property we are highly anticipating. Nestled between Bali's dense rainforest, the Wos River and rice paddy fields, the hideaway will feature 22 upscale tents – each with its own plunge pool and personal assistant of adventure of 1800s European settlers and essence of Bali with avant garde features in rich hues. "It's all made for tent and adventure – a real bohemian experience," said Nicholas M. Clayton, CEO, Capella Hotel Group Asia, at a press briefing. Treehouse hotels are also firm favourites, as discovered in a recent Hotels.com survey, which cited a 30% rise in the demand for these elevated accommodations. Keemala in Thailand emerged as winner, while Silky Oaks Lodge Mossman in Australia and Japamala Resort on Tioman Island are among the top 10. Sense Of Place Luxury hoteliers have a new buzzword and it's 'sense of place'. Top stays that capture the hearts of well-heeled travellers incorporate a destination's history, culture and environment. "It's the idea where guests in a room take their blindfolds off, and can tell you where they are without opening the curtains," said Filip Boyen, CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). Take for instance, the 11-room ABBA Resorts Izu in Japan, a SLH hotel. Built in the ryokan style of a traditional inn, it blends seamlessly into its forest backdrop. Guests can lounge in open-air baths surrounded by old bayberry trees and iris flowers, and visit its Swords Art Gallery for a glimpse into Japan's history. In Singapore, The Luxury Collection, part of Marriott International, will soon debut Duxton Club, set in two pre-war colonial buildings: The Duxton House, built in the early 19th century; and The Duxton Terrace, said to serve Chinese merchants before being converted to army barracks. "It's all made for tent and adventure – a real bohemian experience." – Nicholas Clayton, CEO, Capella Hotel Group Asia Capella Ubud.

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