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The New Asian Hotel

Southeast Asia has long been renowned for its hospitality industry. Home to some stunning hotels, where exceptionally high standards of service, glorious architecture and gorgeous surrounds combine with clement weather, it has consistently lured sun-seekers and culture vultures in equal measure. With a plethora of Nirvana-like packages, its hotels have been soothing tired souls and rejuvenating the world weary for decades—all the while injecting a little Eastern magic into the experience.

A beach in Bali? A retreat in the hills in Thailand? A volcano-clad Javan hillside home? A city-state hub? There are locations and styles to tantalize every traveler. Some have utilized vernacular building traditions and materials in their design, while others have relied on the beauty and serenity of site. All, however, have harnessed the innate grace of the local populations. Showcasing their culture and traditions has been an integral part of the package. After all, a gentle oriental smile that lights up the whole face goes a long way towards guest satisfaction.

Today, however, customers are demanding a bit more than a sweet smile. They want greater sophistication, better facilities, more entertainment. As a result, adding to the tried-and-tested brands, there is now a host of new hotels. Thrusting up-starts, they're tech savvy, cutting-edge design wise, snappy on the service, and more often than not intelligent and stylish too. Architecturally, some are very modern—think stark, cubist white boxes set against a glittering blue sea for example—while others appear more traditional, heavily disguising flat plasma tv screens, wireless internet access and other mod-cons behind a veneer of the vernacular. Whatever the style, however, the message is clear.

We are in a new world where the standards of the past are simply that. In the past. Nowadays, highly mobile travelers want all the conveniences of home and office when they are on holiday. In addition, they require drop-dead design, generous room sizes, personalized service, high-tech TV, internet and DVD systems, and plenty of choice—in activities, spas, cuisines, entertainment and more. The region is responding.

For the most part, it's these new kids on the block we feature in this book, though of course we don't neglect some of the older, top-end hotels too. Each has been selected for its sense of individuality and style, as well as its facilities and service. Be it a louche metropolitan oasis, a villa on the beach or a hangout in the hills—it has been designed with you in mind. Enjoy.