The vintage red ‘Hotel Indonesia – Kempinski ‘ sign above Jakarta’s busiest traffic circle is nowadays nearly dwarfed by the gleaming skyscrapers all around it, but it’s a curious historical landmark. Known locally by its acronym ‘HI’ , the hotel is an eerie symbol of President Sukarno’s obsessive 1960s effort to create a ‘New Jakarta’ that would bring international respect to his nation and pride to his struggling people. Opened with great hoopla in 1962, Hotel Indonesia epitomized the era’s modernization drive, and as it declined over the years in …

Indonesia is one of the most popular tourist destination countries in the world. The famous of its culture, tradition, and of course its hospitality. Although for the last few years, Indonesia condition is a little bit unstable, and there are some security issues regarding Indonesia, but the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia is steadily climbing. It must be confessed that there is so much that Indonesia still needs to do. Besides a much more aggressive promotional effort, it needs much more tourism support, namely accommodations, restaurants, transportation, and infrastructure. …

One of the biggest draws of Intercontinental Hotel West Lake Hanoi is the view, most of the 359 rooms overlook Hanoi’s Ho Tay (West Lake) and the 800 year old Golden Lotus Pagoda. The scenery is equally appealing from the hotel’s lakeside bar, which is set on its own island and accessible by way of a torch-lit bridge.
Dining options include brasserie fare at Café du Lac and homemade croissants and sandwiches at Le Gourmet, while the guest rooms pay homage to local artisans with intricate hill-tribe textiles and crafts and …

Kyoto Much as we love Kyoto’s traditional inns, this modern hike on the ryokan is as alluring as can be. From the lobby to each of the 13 rooms, design and decor is unique and whimsical, thanks to the posse of local artists who were called upon to craft different looks for each space. One room is all white, draped with swaths of billowing muslin, another lakes its cues from China, with red-lacquered furniture and charcoal-black walls. It’s a bravely contemporary statement for a place that is walking distance to …

Lodge at Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay Immortalized by a visit from Captain Cook in 1770, the craggy Cape Kidnappers peninsula juts into the Pacific Ocean at the southern end of Hawkes Bay, a leisurely six-hour drive from Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island. The area is the nesting ground for the world’s largest colony of gold-crowned gannets, and Hawkes Bay itself is home to more than 70 wineries and 20 golf courses.
It’s here, perched amid cattle and sheep pastures, that you’ll find the Lodge at Cape Kidnappers, whose sprawling estate …