Offers range from culinary tours and fashion insights to art, adventure and sport experiences. Each is designed to give guests unique access to local experiences, such as a bespoke street food tour in Bangkok, enjoying prime seats for a New York Knicks game and meeting their star players, or following in the footsteps of royalty with a private tour of the Palace of Versailles.

“We are delighted to partner with Abercrombie & Kent to offer our guests innovative ways to enhance their stay. A&K is a renowned global travel brand and these are unique experiences curated by them and exclusive for Mandarin Oriental’s guests,” said Kristin Ruble, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s senior vice president of Brand and Experience Marketing.”

For suite bookings in Bangkok, the operator can arrange a helicopter tour from Bangkok to the old capital of Thailand – Ayutthaya – to explore the ancient city alongside an acclaimed archaeologist. In Hong Kong, A&K experts, Yim and Fung Ming-Chip, will lead guests on a tour of the cultural history and Chinese arts.

Art lovers will enjoy a private viewing of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ before sitting down to an exclusive dinner within Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan or get the VIP access through the iconic glass pyramid into Louvre, one of the world’s most prestigious art museums, with art historian sharing deep knowledge of the ubiquitous masterpieces on display. In Barcelona, take the best seats in the house with a VIP visit to FC Barcelona’s famous Camp Nou stadium, and dine with one of their legendary players.

“A&K and Mandarin Oriental are old friends. For decades our guests have stayed at Mandarin Oriental properties around the world – enjoying its exemplary hospitality in the best locations,” Geoffrey Kent, chief executive, chairman and founder of Abercrombie & Kent commented. “This natural partnership will allow guests to experience the A&K difference – insider access that nobody else can provide, creating memories that last a lifetime.”

For more information on the combined room and experience packages, visit http://www.MandarinOriental.com.

Travellers do not only want to feel inspired themselves, they also strive to impress their friends. That is why many travellers are turning to alternative accommodation types as a way of expressing their individuality, with 39 per cent of Thai travellers expressing that they like statement accommodation that is unique so they can seem like a trendsetter.

Living like a local is key for over half (59 per cent) of Thai travellers, who believe that staying in a home-type accommodation lets them see areas of a city or parts of a country that they wouldn’t have otherwise explored

Keeping a close eye on the travel budget is also top priority, with over half (62 per cent) stating that staying in a home-type accommodation allows them to feel that they are getting the most value for their money.

Olivier Gremillion, vice president at Booking.com, says: “We are seeing a clear trend among travellers to try unique types of accommodations and we understand that the perfect stay may look different for each of them. So whether it’s an icy igloo, a cosy cabin or luxury villa you’re after, Booking.com offers more than 5.8 million instantly bookable homes, apartments and other unique places to stay to make sure that your next special experience is just a few clicks away.”

Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 53,492 respondents across 31 markets. In order to participate in this survey, respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have travelled at least once in the past 12 months and be either the primary decision maker or involved in the decision making of their travel. The survey was taken online and took place between October 16 and November 12 last year.

With 2,387 awards won since its inception in 1994, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts is consistently honoured for its experiential brands in top global listings. Among the international benchmark awards garnered in 2018, Banyan Tree was conferred Travel+Leisure US World’s Best Awards 2018 Top 20 Hotel Brands in the World, DestinAsian 13th Readers’ Choice Awards 2018 Best Hotel Brands for Leisure and Beijing News The Best Hotel Brand 2017.

The Banyan Tree Ungasan, Bali won Forbes Travel Guide 2018 Star Awards World’s Most Luxurious Hotels and the coveted AAA Five Diamond rating of Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

The exotic Banyan Tree Ringha and the new Banyan Tree Anji set amidst tranquil bamboo forests won Travel+Leisure China Awards 2018 China’s Best Boutique Hotels and Best New Hotels respectively.

“We value the importance of accreditations bestowed by the industry partners and our guests, which spur us to continually raise the bar in providing exemplary products and services. I would like to thank our guests and business partners for the ever-strong support and our associates for their dedication in delivering exceptional experiences and pioneering sustainability for which Banyan Tree is known,” said Ho Ren Yung, vice president, Brand HQ of Banyan Tree Holdings.

With a wide geographical spread across 30 destinations, Banyan Tree offers a deep sense of place and infuses the uniqueness of the locale through design and build,

Known for weaving romance into travel, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqu?s in Acapulco, Mexico was voted Travel+Leisure US World’s Best Awards 2018 Top 100 Hotels in the World & Top 10 Resort Hotels in Mexico, while Banyan Tree Bangkok was in the Top 5 of Bangkok Hotels and Banyan Tree Phuket was listed in the Top 10 of Resort Hotels in Southeast Asia.

Banyan Tree Jiuzhaigou, Lijiang and Yangshuo were among Travel+Leisure China Awards 2018 China’s Top 100 Hotels and Banyan Tree Sanya was voted TTG China Travel Awards 2018 Best Spa Resort and Angsana Xi’an Lintong received the 9th China Meetings Industry Convention Conference Hotel of the Year 2017.

Banyan Tree Tamouda Bay in Morocco and the new design-savvy Dhawa Jinshanling in Beijing won Voyage Travel Awards 2018 Best Overseas Hotel & Top 50 Hotels of China respectively.

Banyan Tree Macau was the winner of DestinAsian 13th Readers’ Choice Awards 2018 Best Hotel in Macau and three Forbes Five-Star Awards for its resort, spa and Belcon restaurant.

At Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2018, Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary Phuket was voted Top 10 Best Overseas Hotel Spa and Banyan Tree Samui was named Top Asia Resort.

Banyan Tree Bangkok; Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund and Tianjin Riverside; and Banyan Tree Mayakoba and Cabo Marqu?s were among the Top 10: Bangkok Hotels; China Hotels; and Mexico – Eastern and Western Resorts.

Banyan Tree will continue to increase its global presence and foray into unique exotic destinations across the Europe, Asia-Pacific, Oceania and other regions.

Banyan Tree Spa, with its rigorous training curriculum by Banyan Tree Spa Academies in Phuket and Bintan, is well-loved for its art of touch and luxurious spa experiences by skilful therapists.

It was awarded the prestigious 28th TTG Travel Awards 2018 TTG Travel Hall of Fame – Best Spa Operator for the fourth year and the 13th China Hotel Starlight Awards 2017 Best Spa Operator of China for the 10th consecutive year.

The lifestyle-oriented Banyan Tree Gallery offers traditional handicrafts, spa products and accessories, resort-style home furnishings and apparel. As a global marketing platform, it helps sustain village crafts and employment for numerous communities.

Banyan Tree Essentials’ reformulated line of bath, body & aromatherapy products made of 95 per cent natural ingredients are responsibly-sourced.

The venue host of several keynote tournaments, Laguna Golf Phuket was named among the top three regional courses by Asian Golf Awards 2018 Best Golf Resort in Asia Pacific & Best Golf Course in Thailand.

In 2018, Banyan Tree made a pledge against single-use plastic on Earth Day and firmly supported International Year of the Reef 2018 with guests’ and associates’ activities for awareness-building on the growing threats to coral reefs and associated ecosystems across the planet.

“Sustainability has been ingrained as part of our corporate DNA from the very beginning and it is one of the key areas that we are truly proud of. Celebrating our Group’s 25th Anniversary in 2019, these awards reinforce our passion and commitment to grow our brands globally. We aspire to give our guests more exciting destinations around the world and foster our ongoing commitment towards driving sustainability for a better world,” added Ho.

The Group was named Shanghai Morning Post Tourism Awards 2017 Best Social Responsibility Brand, while Laguna Phuket, its flagship destination integrated resort reclaimed from an abandoned tin mine, was awarded the 2018 AmCham Thailand CSR Excellence Awards – Silver.

Elevating the destination’s economic and tourism development in the global sport arena, Laguna Phuket’s iconic 25th annual Laguna Phuket Triathlon in November was recognised with Sports Industry Awards Asia 2018 Best Sports Event Venue/Facility in Thailand – Gold and 2018 Best Races in Asia Awards for 3 categories – Best Overall, Best Destination & Most Challenging Triathlon Race: Short Course.

With the global expansion, the Group had 26 successful signing of hotel agreements for its four brands during 2018. It had 48 hotels in operation at the end of 2018, and seven new hotels are slated to open in 2019.

Find out more at http://www.BanyanTree.com.

The hotel offers affordable rooms and an allinone beach club setting with the launch of Tropics Beach Club, the hotel’s seaside community hub for sunning, swimming, dining, poolside parties with DJ tunes, fun games, special events and more.

“Lub d gives experiencedriven travellers something not easy to find – affordable accommodation that’s built and fitted to high standards along with amenities rarely associated with such affordability. Our hotels’ social spaces set us apart and include gathering points for many kinds of fun activities, in addition to green spaces for quiet relaxation.

“A defining feature is the hotel’s beach club, which has two swimming pools, a large central bar, openair restaurant and more, all right on the beach. You won’t find this quality and these amenities at this price anywhere else in Chaweng,” says chief operating officer for Lub d Group, Simon Morley.

Accommodation choices include private rooms with ensuite bathroom and shared accommodation. All rooms are air conditioned and feature highquality bedding. There are 98 Deluxe private rooms with a choice of kingsize bed or two twin beds, and 10 Family and Friends rooms for up to four guests and a choice of kingsize bed with bunks or two twins with bunks. All private rooms have balcony with padded swinging chair and table. The hotel’s 16 separate shared accommodation spaces are available as Mixed and LadiesOnly rooms, all with comfort and safety features such as individual lockers, privacy curtains and staircases to top bunks.

Tropics Beach Club boasts a seethrough infinity swimming pool, pool bar, alldaydining restaurant, game hub, activity lawn and sunset decks.

The property is offering a special justopened offer of 25percent off all room rates from now to January 31.

Call (02) 635 7373 or visit http://www.LubD.com/samui

COMPLETE WITH a striking 18-hole golf course designed by the great Greg Norman, the 2,000-rai Thana City Country Club sports-and-leisure complex now has the Eastin Thana City Resort Bangkok at its entrance.

Opened last month, Thailand’s first Eastin Resort aims to match the success of the Eastin Ashta Resort Canggu Bali in Indonesia and Eastin Grand Resort Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

Golfers, whether travelling with their families or not, and short-hop vacationers can enjoy a marvellous holiday amid comfortable accommodations and five-star hospitality at affordable prices.

A 10-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the hotel is at Bang Na-Trat Road Kilometre 14 and boasts a contemporary design that blends in beautifully with the green surroundings.

It has 194 rooms and suites ranging from 32 to 96 square metres. The options include a superior room, a one-bedroom suite and a two-bed room suite.

“We saw the potential for sports tourism in Thailand and added the Eastin Resort to accommodate guests,” says Sorasa Phungsupan, assistant public relations director at Thana City.

“We want to be a one-stop leisure spot where sport lovers, families and vacationers can come and enjoy fun activities designed for all ages and lifestyle.”

Sorasa noted that Thana City has been a popular attraction for the sporty crowd for 25 years, drawing guests from Japan and South Korea as well.

“In 2017 we collaborated with Greg Norman, ‘the Great White Shark’, to build a world-class 18-hole championship golf course.

“We expanded the course from 6,800 to 7,008 yards and enhanced it with new greens, tee-off areas and landscaping to make it more challenging for players. We added an advanced floodlight system so you can keep playing until late evening. And we have a traffic-management system to ensure that everyone can finish their 18 holes within four and a half hours.”

The Eastin offers “Value for all Occasions” that lets guests check in at a time convenient for them with the assurance that the room will be ready. Children up to 16 can stay for free. Sign up for “Flexi Breakie” and you can eat breakfast as late as 11.30am, allowing for a longer snooze.

The resort has its own saltwater freeform swimming pool and a large fitness centre with a wide selection of state-of-the-art equipment and classes conducted by professionals.

I stayed a night in a 64-square-metre, high-ceiling one-bedroom suite that felt homey and relaxing with its earth tones and wooden furniture. It had free Wi-Fi Internet access and a dining area with pantry and a three-seat dining table, microwave, refrigerator, tableware and sink.

I loved lounging on the comfy sofa bed surfing the foreign satellite channels on TV.

The bedroom, spacious and convenient, had a king-size bed with USB hubs in the headboard and a work desk alongside an LCD TV and fully stocked mini-bar.

Inside the walk-in closet were a safe, umbrellas and slippers. There’s also a large separate shower, a wash basin with hairdryer and all the amenities you need and a separate toilet accessible from both dining area and bedroom. The private balcony afforded great views of the sunset beyond the vast greenery of the golf course.

The hotel restaurant is called Splash and has a pool terrace. It does a nice breakfast buffet of Thai and American choices and has a salad bar, coffee and juice counter and a dim sum corner where you can get Chinese fried dough and dumplings with soy milk.

During the day, for a little extra cash, you can get access to the clay tennis courts, basketball and volleyball court, futsal field and squash court. There’s also a “We Play” playground for kids to jump around in a ball pit or on trampolines and create art in a craft corner.

IF YOU GO

High point: Guestrooms are homey, airy and clean.

Low point: The main lobby entrance remains under construction and confusion ensues when using the same gate as country club members.

Pay for it: Until March 31, rates start at Bt2,000 for a superior room.

Find it: 100-100/1 Bangna-Trat Road Km 14, Bangplee, Samut Prakan

Call it: (02) 172 2300 or email eventco1@eastinthanacitygolfbangkok.com

Browse it: http://www.EastinHotelsResidences.com.