7 Stones

The Seven Stones that make up a Home

Upon arrival, I immediately picked up the first stone, the stone of impeccable service. Several attendants in shorts immediately came with umbrellas, sheltering us uselessly from the torrent of water. At the receiving area, they were apologetic, as if the gloomy clouds were of their own doing, as if the sun had never forsaken them before.

8 Suites

Pampered in the Land of Peace

The holidays provide opportunities to get away from the hustle and bustle of life in the metropolis, and to devote quality time with friends, loved ones, or family. Workaholics look forward to this time of the year, but planning a holiday could be just as stressful as work.

Amanpuri

Amanpuri: Pampered in the Land of Peace

A few steps into the receiving area and the style and graceful elegance of Amanpuri began to unfold. The resort's main swimming pool and the expanse of the Andaman Sea glowed with the vermillion gold of the setting sun with the silhouette of swaying coconut trees framing this magnificent three-dimensional picture postcard.

Amanusa

Pampered to the Max

The whole 7.8 hectare area is really a multi purpose complex that includes three hotels- from 6 star to budget, a condominium complex, a mall, four cinemas, a church, the Star Cruises offices, a promenade, and one of the biggest casinos this country has seen.

Amanwana

A Haven for Elegantly Communing With Nature

Over the next several minutes, a troop of rambunctious Macaque monkeys came running full tilt like simian speed bikes through the nearby jungle. From the corner of my eye, a trio of deer shyly ambled through the sandy paths leading to the guesthouses. Over the next few days, I was to see them and other denizens of the area.

Amarela

The Beach behind a Garden behind a House Called Amarela

As soon as I noted my little mistake though, and had finally exposed my eyes naked to the high noon heat, every detail blazed golden before me, and the sands burned white yet remained cool, feeling soft like warm powdery milk, the grains swarming between my toes and coating my feet.

Amari

Amen to Amari

The wind whistled through my hair as the birds sang praises to the golden sun. I opened my eyes and blinked hard. Was this all just a dream? I looked around and inhaled the salty sea air and smiled, this was the real thing.

Amari Vogue

The Hideaway that is Amari Vogue

Cold towels (infused with lemongrass, cold ginger, and lemongrass tea) and the warm smiles of the Staff were refreshing. I will never forget this gracious hospitality which I had encountered so many times on my Thai adventure.

Amorita

Round capiz lamps suspended in the air. Shell lamps set up on pillars surrounding the halls. Everything golden, set to twenty-four hour bossa and jazz and the breeze blowing from the direction of a rippling infinity pool overlooking a cliff.

Anvaya

A Cradle of Nature on the Edge of Bataan

Upon my arrival, I saw that Anvaya Cove could have easily passed as stuff of legends: a virgin beachfront and an immense sanctuary cradled between the beautiful Zambales and Bataan mountain ranges. Stories could be conjured from the sight, but the myth that might have been born out of the captivating backdrop could never surpass the unmistakable smiles on the young faces, the relaxed aura of lounging parents, and the sun-blessed activities of friends who have all chosen to partake of this jewel of a retreat.

Apulit Island Resort

A Panoramic Island Paradise

Hidden by the vastness of the sea and the towering limestone cliffs, the unspoiled site of Apulit Island Resort offers enough privacy for vacationers who simply want to get away from it all. It houses 50 water cottages that are all built by the shore, and these are no ordinary beach houses. Each one was constructed based on the classic nipahut design — a traditional Filipino architectural style–but with the convenience of modern amenities and some eco-friendly facilities, too.

Astoria

Almost Living in Astoria Plaza

The ultimate test of a pleasant stay in a hotel is when you get to experience luxury without sacrificing the homey feeling. A boutique hotel like Astoria Plaza has captured the comforts of a home while preserving the service of a true blue five-star hotel.

Awilihan

The Lake with a hundred Couches

I discovered that Brunei is vast in terms of its natural wonders, its grand Islamic architecture, centuries of royal heritage, and a wealth of destinations for travelers like me who found out that it is virtually impossible to experience this Kingdom in just a day or two.

Badian

Balmy Breezy Badian

The famous lanzones being off-season was a blessing in disguise during my trip, because I discovered that Camiguin was more than the golden fruit with its sweet, succulent flesh. Camiguin is a thing of beauty: under the sea, on the surface, along the beaches, atop hills and towering mountains and volcanos.

Berjaya Redang Resort

One-night Stand in Paradise

The only five-star resort in the whole of Redang Island, it had all the typical grandiosity of luxury accommodations: an impossibly long driveway with neatly manicured lawns, fancy walkways. and perhaps even opulent fountains, archways, or gates.

Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort

A Taste of Grand Things to Come

As soon as you walk into the reception area, your attention is captured by the big lagoon-styled pool, which, according to General Manager Marty Jastillana, is the biggest pool in Panglao, perhaps even in Bohol. This pool is the center of two rows of deluxe rooms and a bar on the far end. With a big clear pool below and a great big sky above, you can already tell that, here, you are in for a relaxing time.

Boracay Tropics

I was impressed with how the reception area was arranged, the floors were polished and the interiors were tastefully put together.

Boutique Hotel

Boutique Hotel Bed and Breakfast: Intimacy de Luxe

There are seven rooms, which are not numbered but instead named after emotions in ascending order of intensity as you go from the ground floor to the second. Each room is unique, promising a one-of-a-kind setting.

Caylabne

Nature's Portraits Caylabne

The water were deep azure blue, complementing the light blue hue of the sky abundant with fluffy clouds. Trees covered many areas of mountain with a refreshing shade of green, while the yachts docked on the breakwaters floated like white jewels.

Club Paradise

Club Paradise Resort

"We have turtles," the dive shop manager offered, "and giant clams, too." I considered this a moment. On a diver's portfolio of underwater sightings, turtles were cool but they couldn't compare to bragging about a dugong encounter.

Conrad Centennial Singapore

The Luxury of Being Conrad

If the five Suntec Towers represent the fingers of the hand and the Fountain of Wealth is the palm, then the Conrad Centennial Singapore is the pulse where you can feel the heartbeat of one of the world's most dynamic cities.

Dusit Thani Hua Hin Resort

Fit for a King

Dusk was falling by the time we arrived in town. A convenient two and-a-half hour drive for those wanting to escape the busyness and buzz of the capital city, it offers a calm that will almost immediately wash over you as the clustered buildings fade into lowly dots on the horizon.

Empire Hotel and Country Club

A Kingdom within a Kingdom

The two gentlemen who opened the gigantic doors of the Empire Hotel and Country Club looked bright and spirited even at one in the morning. In spite of the urge to immediately check in and rush to my room for a few hours of sleep, I had to stop for a moment and gaze at a mural.

Eskaya

Escape to Enchanting Eskaya

Although only approximately one hour by air from the city of Manila to Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol, one feels transported to some far-flung island paradise. Nestled in the midst of 16 hectares of verdant flatlands, rolling hills and gradually ascending cliffs, Eskaya boasts a commanding view of the deep-blue Bohol Sea.

Four Seasons

Four Reasons to stay at the Four Seasons

Walking down this "shopping mall" was like taking a leisurely stroll down one's favorite promenade. One doesn't even have to think about the quality of the merchandise on display, they were already narrowed down for you.

Harris Resort

Harris Resort Kuta Bali: Location. Location. One Great Destination

I've never seen hotel slippers like these in all my travels save for the terry cloth or the paper-like ones. The vibrant color jumps at you as all the other orange colored things that were everywhere around the hotel, most notably on the Harris "players" as the staff are called. It just brings to mind the energy and vibrancy of the young spirit it imbibes – simple, unique, friendly.

Imperial Samui

Living Life in The Imperial Samui

Mount Kanla-on may not be the highest, but it is definitely the most beautiful mountain I've seen in the Philippines. Its astonishing sceneries, magical flora and fauna, and a legendary and bloody history make Kanlaon Volcano the pride of the Negrenses and mountaineers who have witnessed its beauty.

Krabi

A Tale of Two Resorts: A Taste of Krabi, Thailand

The very first thing that the Sheraton Krabi resort allows you to do is exhale with undisguised relief. After being cramped in crowded cities, airplanes, and airports, the spacious, 40-acre grounds are, literally, a breath of fresh air. The resort is just forty minutes' drive from Krabi International Airport, and immediately it welcomes you with its airy lobby, and its huge wooden pillars that open up to the gardens and on to the sea.

La Luz

La Luz Beach Resort

Its secluded coves, dense forests, and many more natural wonders – Naambon Falls is just a little less than two kilometers away – render it the perfect place to go both hiking and biking

Laguna Redang Island Resort

Smash-hit Beach, Real-life Fun: the Laguna Redang Island Resort

By virtue alone of its four-star rating, Laguna Redang topples the competition with all the other Pasir Panjang accommodations. And because it rests on Pulau Redang's best blanket of sand, which is also said to be the best in all of Malaysia, it outclasses even its five-star rivals in all the other coves and islands.

Le Meridien

Le Meridien: The Biggest Secret in Bali

It is this charm that invites people to return, such as one man we met who had visited the resort every year since its founding. It is a place where people who return are greeted by familiar faces who have become old friends.

Marco Polo

The Voyage to Marco Polo

Because Kublai Khan privileged Marco Polo with a golden tablet that he presented when in need of sanctuary in Kublai Khan's kingdom, Marco Polo had the opportunity to explore many places.

Marriot

Marriot Hotel: Next Door to Royalty

It is on this royal ground that Hua Hin Marriott Resort and Spa built a retreat along the Gulf of Thailand, far, far away from worries. It is a little kingdom of its own, where warm and fragrant breezes drift through open air lounges, and spacious guestrooms open up to the majestic view of the gulf.

Microtel

Microtel Inns & Suites

With the hotel's island setting, the design of Microtel Boracay harmonizes with the beach ambience particularly in its furnishings, landscape design and with the incorporation of smaller balconies and individual pocket gardens outside some of the rooms.

Misibis Bay

Peak of Bliss

How could anybody pass up the chance to view this wonder? Clearly, not I. It was my second day in Misibis Bay, Bicol's six-star luxury playground resort, and I never imagined this scene: myself viewing Mayon Volcano at the cusp of sunrise and sipping hot cocoa while astride an ATV.

The Nam Hai

Remembering The Nam Hai with a Sigh

I turned the tassel around in my hand, letting its soft threads hover over my palm in a ticklish dance. It was deep red and just a tad heavy; its silky smooth threads bound together by sturdy black plastic. Dangling from one end was a key, which literally opened the door to a little piece of heaven – our very own villa at The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam.

Nusa Dua

The Five-Star Portal into Balinese Tradition

Nestled comfortably in the southern peninsula of Bali, and roughly 20 minutes away from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Nusa Dua could very well be considered as a neighborhood of elite hotels—like the resort counterpart of Beverly Hills, or if you want to be more poetic but nonetheless accurate, like jewels on a string.

Oberoi Bali

A Piece of Paradise

Bali is special. It's a magical, mysterious place made exotic by travel agents and vacation brochures, an island hotspot that holds on to its culture even as it embraces others'.

Peacock Garden

Peacock Garden: Heidelberg in Baclayon

Can you imagine being served authentic European cuisine in a high-end hotel right in the heart of a typical Philippine barrio? I couldn't, until I went, that is, to the Peacock Garden Resort and Spa in Upper Laya, Baclayon town, in the island province of Bohol.

Pearl Farm

Finding the Sun at Pearl Farm

Seemingly an auspicious sign from the heavens, the sun shined so brightly; I felt the heat seep through my skin. Strange, that in the middle of typhoon season, I was given an opportunity to put some color back on my skin.

Picasso

A Night in a Museum

As it turns out, the woman has two faces. She is sleeping if you view the panels from one end of L.P. Leviste street, and her eyes open when you stare from the opposite side. But if you were to look at the building head-on, it would appear to be nothing more than a clean canvass with its white exterior and simple architecture.

Plantation Bay

Plantation Life at Plantation Bay

Serendra, which is situated at the heart of Bonifacio Global City, is indeed a place where one would choose to live. Who wouldn't want to come down to a multitude of restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, personal services, and home and fashion accessories?

Rasasayang

A Love for Life and all its Pleasures

The arrival statement began with the Rasa Wing lobby. The lobby does not look like a typical hotel lobby. In fact, it looks more like a spacious art gallery. The artifacts reflect not just the skills of arta choice of the a la carte breakfast at the Feringgi Grill or buffet breakfast at the Spice Market Café.

Rayavadee

Serene, Divine, Sublime: Rayavadee

Rayavedee stretches out over an impressive 26-acre cut of land. Within the property, foot paths intersect with cement bike and buggy trails. "Sawasdee Ka! Good morning, Sir! To breakfast, Sir!" came the cheerful greeting of my driver.

Resorts World

Pampered to the Max

The whole 7.8 hectare area is really a multi purpose complex that includes three hotels- from 6 star to budget, a condominium complex, a mall, four cinemas, a church, the Star Cruises offices, a promenade, and one of the biggest casinos this country has seen.

Sentosa

Rasa Sentosa Resort

In spite of the busy shipping lanes nearby, Siloso's waters are clear and free of oily residue. Deck chairs, thick towels and lifeguards are all standing by, waiting for guests to start enjoying another day of sun, sea and sand.

Shangri-La Boracay

Changing the Landscape of Luxury

All I could hear were the trade winds rustling the coconut palms and the murmuring sea. It was one of those moments of complete bliss as I rode through this luxurious resort property, succumbing to the delights of Filipino hospitality softened by a warm welcome befitting a head of state.

Shangri-La Mactan

Finding my secret garden in Siam Bayshore

Stop and get a piece of paradise that takes your breath away with its lush green landscape that embraces a rich-white sand beach awaiting guests to bask under the sun and splash to kingdom come.

Shangri-La Makati

Lost Horizon Found

I found it. I found what Hilton had lost here on top of the world where I had the best view of the city. My window at the Horizon gave me a pretty picture of Makati City, with views of the red parasols at the café below and the carefully trimmed bushes of the Glorietta Park.

Six Senses

Six Senses: Vietnam's best kept Secret

Placid and pristine, Ninh Van Bay is an area not too many Vietnamese are familiar with, let alone the rest of the world. Formerly a refuge for communist forces during the Vietnam War, the island peninsula has seen its share of conflict and turmoil.

St. Regis

A Wondrous Waterworld

This airy bistro of gold and crimson mosaic tiles and child-sized traditional Indonesian dolls (Boneka is the Bahasa word for which the place is named) serves up burgeoning buffet breakfasts–yes, it starts with a single order or two and then the waiters start coming up to you with more items you may wish to try.

Tanjong Jara

Unmistakably Malay

The deep, vibrant sound of the gong announced my arrival at the Tanjong Jara Resort. Just seconds after I alighted from the Mercedes limousine, I already felt like one of the members of the royalty who's about to spend a weekend in peace and luxury.

Tanjungaria

Caught Up in the Magic of Kota Kinabalu

"Place your right hand over your heart," she instructed. "Bow your head and body slightly while keeping visible eye contact. That is the way we greet people here." This symbolic and heartfelt gesture would set the tone for my three day visit.

Thunderbird Resort

Escape from Reality: a Gratifying Stay at the Thunderbird Resorts - Rizal

The loyal guests vary as foreign and local tourists alike regularly flock to the resort for the relaxing tropical setting that provides a stress-free ambiance; a true escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life.

V Villa

Reaching Nirvana in V Villas

Simply put, the design of V Villas follows a contemporary minimalist aesthetic. But such a statement would not suffice to describe how every element, every aspect of the place is the apotheosis of elegance.

Waling Waling

Boracay Bliss at Waling Waling Resort

Take in the spectacular sunrise or sunset view either with your favorite beverage or cocktail drink, followed by a seafood barbeque amidst lighted oil lamp dinners by the beach. And to cap your perfect day, mingle with friendly crowds at the open air bamboo bar to the tune of a Caribbean or samba beat under a canopy of twinkling stars.

Yaiya

Next Door to Royalty

I remember stepping into the wide bungalow of your abode, a cool welcome under the starkly hot sun of Hua Hin. It reminded me of my grandmother's home, of the cool shade of trees by the porch on summer days.