Dreamy Sagada

#Latepost Like four years late. Just came back to this page after a looooong lull. Between my last post and today, there’d been at least a couple of life-changing events and had no choice but abandon this blog for a while. But don’t you worry, I will be updating this page more often and share…

Amansara

From the moment your plane lands, the Amansara touch is invariably felt. The VVIP treatment begins at the immigration. A designated person approaches you, takes your passport and processes it.  All you will do is sit and wait.  Don’t worry,  it does not take forever to complete the procedure.  Outside, a vintage Mercedes-Benz limousine awaits for…

Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor

Perhaps the “Grand Dame” of old-world luxury accommodation in Siem Reap, the Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor epitomizes the quality of travellers in the early days of the 20th century. Built only a few years after Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, it has afforded guests comfort and ease that was thought of as implausible at…

La Residence D’Angkor

  Among Siem Reap’s upscale hotels, a unique property stands out.  If you want to experience an authentic Khmer accommodation, head on to La Résidence d’Angkor by Orient-Express located on River road near the city center. Utilizing natural wood, the hotel was designed according to the traditional Khmer style of architecture.  The foyer opens to…

Shinta Manila

Modern Heritage is the phrase that best defines this swanky boutique style hotel; a fusion of both old and new in a contemporary setting. No less than the acclaimed American architect Bill Bensley, named as one of the Top 100 Architects and Designers by Architectural Digest, was tasked to build this ultra-modern yet distinctly Angkorian…

Welcome to Siem Reap

A holiday at this Khmer town may no longer mean “backpackers” or “basic accommodation”. Construction of  luxury accommodations has been on the rise in the last decade. “Bong, Angkor was never lost. It has always been here.”  So asserts my conscientious guide, addressing me in the local way of saying “Madame”, correcting for the nth time,…

Mark of Prestige

Author’s Note: Another version of this article was published in the January 2012 issue of the Philippine Tatler magazine The pursuit of wine perfection continually burns in the mind of Château Haut-Brion’s Jean-Philippe Delmas. The cool November night was wrapped in anticipation as the Wine Story owner Romy Sia prepared to host the arrival of a…

Beyond Cakes

Diamond Hotel took the cue from its best-selling pastries to pave the way for the birth of The Cake Club that features not only Parisian-inspired cakes but artisan ice creams as well… The ever dynamic, ever changing landscape of Bonifacio High Street at The Fort has a new, sweet-toothed muse in The Cake Club. Inspired…

Re-inventing Lu

For a dining experience that has been dubbed as unusual but surprisingly good, Lulu restaurant is definitely that, and more. Restaurant ownership is one of the most highly stressful endeavours. But it’s also one of the most gratifying successes. If there is one person who truly knows about it, the chef Tom Hines would be…