Hotels Resorts Spas 2015.pdf

elite traveler HOTELS, RESORTS & SPAS 2015 29

Pretty Beach House, New South Wales. Below: Hideaway Beach, Maldives

TAKE THREE/// TRANQUIL ESCAPES

Three of the best places to escape the chaos of Tokyo city life if you manage to tag a few extra days of leisure time onto your next business trip

BEACH RETREATS

1 FOR HISTORY KAWAGOE

2 FOR NATURE HAKONE NATIONAL PARK Distance from the city: 120 mins This mountainous region is just two hours west of Tokyo. It has great hot springs and some of the best views of Mount Fuji. japanguide.com

3 FOR ZEN 52ND FLOOR, ANDAZ HOTEL

They’re both yards from the beach. They’re both surrounded by nature. And they both open their doors this summer. We size up two new luxury beach retreats HIDEAWAY BEACH, MALDIVES The new Hideaway Beach resort comprises 103 villas, set among coconut groves and perched over the blue lagoon on Dhonakulhi Island. Book one of the two Hideaway Palaces, perched on the resort’s secluded sandbank, which come with complimentary 24-hour butler service. From $1,839 a night, hideawaybeachmaldives.com PRETTY BEACH HOUSE , AUSTRALIA Two years after a devastating fire, this retreat located over Pretty Beach in New South Wales, 55 miles from Sydney, has reopened. Designed by Michelle Leslie, decor is natural and raw with hand-hewn sandstone and lots of copper and brass. The owners can arrange sea plane trips to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. There is also a well-stocked wine cellar and on-site sommelier. Full rental from $8,600 a night, prettybeachhouse.com

Distance from the city: 30 mins

Distance from the city: 0 mins

Head to Kawagoe by train. The main street, lined with clay-walled houses, is exactly how Tokyo used to look in bygone years. koedo.or.jp/foreign/english

Book in for one of the early morning yoga classes on the rooftop of the Andaz hotel. Classes take place every

Saturday at 7am. $32 tokyo.andaz.hyatt.com

EAT, DRINK, STAY: TOKYO

What to eat, drink and where to stay in Japan’s buzzing capital

EAT

DRINK

STAY

The Hidagyu Japanese beef tenderloin at Peter, The Restaurant on the 24th floor of The Peninsula Tokyo. Its floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer stupendous sunset views of the Imperial Palace and city skyline. Tenderloin $158 for 200g tokyo.peninsula.com

Diamonds Are Forever Martinis at the Lobby Lounge and Bar in the Ritz-Carlton. It’s made of vodka, lime and a one-carat diamond, served with a live band playing the Shirley Bassey classic.

In the 1,500 sq ft Aman Suites at the Aman Hotel Toyko. Each has a traditional Japanese bathtub, modern décor and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Imperial Palace gardens

ZETTER TOWNHOUSE

and Tokyo Skytree. Suites from $1,400 amantokyo.com

Cocktail $22,600 ritzcarlton.com

The newest Zetter Townhouse hotel opens this summer in Marylebone, London. If you plan to stay, be sure to book the Rooftop Apartment, which comes with its own roof terrace

and an outdoor bathtub. Rooms from $400 a night zettertownhouse.com