JIMBARAN: The Ayana Resort and Spa Bali was voted one of the top 25 spas and resorts and top 25 leisure and conference hotels by Smart Travel Asia magazine’s Best in Travel Poll 2009.

Ayana was third in the poll, while Bali was once again voted Asia’s top holiday destination.Ayana was also the only hotel in Bali - and Indonesia - to make the list of Asia’s top 15 resorts in Travel + Leisure magazine’s World’s Best Awards 2009 readers’ survey, and was ranked Bali’s number one resort by leading Japanese travel magazine AB-Road. The honors come just months after Ayana rebranded to become an independent property under the management of the US-based West Paces Hotel Group. Read the rest of this entry »

Alan Thomas has been promoted to the position of Managing Director, Maldives and Sri Lanka, from his previous role as General Manager of Six Senses Hideaway and Evason Hua Hin, Thailand.

In his new role he will oversee the Soneva Fushi by Six Senses, Soneva Gili by Six Senses, and Six Senses Latitude Laamu - which is scheduled to open early 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

HUA HIN, Thailand (Fortune) — Yue-Sai Kan — one of the most recognizable women in China with a cosmetics empire and her own TV show — often needs to get away from the grueling pressures and polluted skies of Shanghai and Beijing, where she lives.

Her refuge of choice? A health spa in Thailand called Chiva-Som. “The service is amazing, and the food is amazing, too,” she says of the wellness center in the beach resort town of Hua Hin, where patrons are offered lemongrass tea all day as a diuretic and eat only healthy salt-free, oil-free, sugar-free food. “I go sometimes more than once a year, from three days to 12, depending on what time I have. But I would love to stay six months. That would really make me healthy!” Read the rest of this entry »

The Majestic Malacca is a boutique hotel where modern comforts and the charms of Malacca’s bygone era come together beautifully.

If buildings could talk, YTL Hotels’ The Majestic Malacca (TMM) would surely have a few stories to tell. Read the rest of this entry »

Francisca Rocha Antunes has been appointed spa director of the Six Senses Spa at Sharq Village & Spa in Doha.

She will be responsible for daily spa operations and management of staff to ensure outstanding customer service.

Prior to joining Six Senses, Antunes was general manager of the Sheraton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa in French Polynesia where she was responsible for the four-month transition of the Starwood brand to a Hilton Worldwide Resort. Details: sixsenses.com

North Lake Tahoe, CA (Vocus/PRWEB )  — The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe announced today that the Northern California mountain resort will open its doors to guests on December 9, 2009, in time for the upcoming ski season in Northstar-at-Tahoe.

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe”There is a lot of anticipation and excitement around this resort opening on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe,” said Allen Highfield, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton. “As we approach the three year anniversary of the ground-breaking, we are pleased to announce that guests may begin arriving on December 9.” The $300 million resort development broke ground nearly three years ago, on July 19, 2006 and has been on schedule to open in late 2009. Read the rest of this entry »

Ayurveda-based treatments are getting popular in most of the top spas across the globe. Now another traditional Indian system ‘vastu’ - which believes positive energy emanates from how all things material are arranged - is also taking root at these health and healing resorts.

It is a matter of time before spas are recognized as an industry devoted to the health and wellness and some recent visits to them clearly indicate how India- and Asia-inspired spas are much sought after, giving visitors some unforgettable experiences for the mind, body and soul. Read the rest of this entry »

Asia Luxury Travel Market, the region’s leading event exclusively for the luxury travel industry, took place in Shanghai from 15th – 18th June for the third consecutive year, with exhibitors describing it as “the best yet”.

The three day event brought together the top 300 Asian luxury travel buyers from 19 countries, close to 280 exhibitors from 36 countries and over 100 media from 11 countries. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s no better season than monsoon for spa therapies. The downpour rids the air of dust while the moisture in the air opens the pores of your skin and makes your body more receptive to the goodness of aromatic oils.

The Four Fountains Spa presents ‘Monsoon Mist’ - a new aromatic massage to celebrate the magic of monsoon. This massage combines the techniques of the classic aromatherapy massage and uses a blend of Patchouli and Cedarwood essential oils to evoke memories of the first showers of the season. Read the rest of this entry »

Las Vegas Sands has completed its three 55-story hotel towers at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, the company announced today. Sands will formally celebrate the topping off its $5.4 billion resort July 8.

Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson said the next step in the construction process will be placing the two-acre SkyPark on top the of the three hotel towers. The SkyPark will feature three swimming pools, several restaurants and bars, landscaped gardens and an observation deck. Read the rest of this entry »