INTERCONTINENTAL DANANG SUN PENINSULA RESORT

This award-winning luxe central Vietnam resort opened in mid-2012 on 39 hectares of a purposely preserved mountainside in the Son Tra Peninsula Nature Reserve overlooking Bai Bac Bay, the resort’s exclusive 700-meter golden sand beach.

Bangkok-based American architect Bill Bensley designed the indoor and outdoor spaces, creating a signature fusion of Vietnamese architecture, bold high-contrast décor, and whimsical, storied touches. The result is a fantastical realm spread across four levels— Heaven, Sky, Earth, and Sea—taking advantage of the incredible vistas from wherever you are within the resort.

Large white maisons with shuttered windows and black-tiled roofs, giant citrus-colored silk chandeliers, hand-carved stone elephants, gardens overflowing with enormous scented blooms, and a quaint boat-shaped funicular transporting guests between beach and hilltop.

A wealth of French and Vietnamese-inspired furniture, ornately crafted fixtures, and original artwork surprises and delights.

Guest rooms are awash with chic modern Vietnamese style and traditionally crafted touches. Think cut-out silhouettes reminiscent of paper lanterns, carved panels of merawan wood, richly embroidered silks, custommade ceramic tiles, and arched walls framing the endless views. All are decorated with the same flair as the public spaces, using black and white as a backdrop to four-poster beds, dark wood furnishings upholstered in pops of color, and eye-catching artworks. Bathrooms are hedonistic, with huge slipper tubs, rain showers, and a stock of Haarn amenities.

The resort’s all-day Vietnamese restaurant Citron showcases outdoor dining booths shaped like an inverted nón-lá, the iconic Vietnamese conical hat, and the ultimate in dining with a view. La Maison 1888 features https://www.danang.intercontinental.com/

Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire and resides in a re-creation of a colonial Indochine mansion, and the beachfront L_O_N_G Bar with giant and rustic swinging chairs is playful and inviting. The elegant and eye-popping black-and-white colonial design is striking, with details like electric-powered “punkah fans” adding to the exotic feel.

Whimsical luxury has a new expression in Vietnam.

It was designed by architect Charles Fitzroy Doll in a distinctive French Renaissance style and opened as the Hotel Russell in central London’s Russell Square in 1898. Following an £85 million makeover to restore it to its former glory, the property reopened in 2018. It is now Kimpton Fitzroy London, in honor of the original architect. If you’re wondering who Fitzroy Doll is, he’s the lauded architect whose grand designs led to the adage “All dolled up.” https://www.kimptonfitzroylondon.com/

The now heritage-listed building is clad in the original decorative thé-au-lait (“tea with milk”) terracotta and incorporates the coats-of-arms of the world’s nations as in 1898. The facade also features four life-sized statues of British queens above the entrance.

The interior features a striking, contemporary design created by internationally acclaimed Tara Bernerd & Partners, and the design thoughtfully honors the building’s heritage.

Most of the original lobby features of Fitzroy Doll’s 19th-century building are now restored and expanded. The look is grand and templelike, with multi-colored marble, dark wood, and extravagant chandeliers. The restoration also unearthed hidden gems, including a magical zodiac mosaic at the hotel entrance. The elegant guest rooms, all calming creams and beiges, feature subtle whimsical touches, such as colorful pillows by textile designer Kit Miles depicting a bronze dragon, “Lucky George,” found on the second-floor staircase.

As enticing as the rooms are, the hotel’s common spaces will call, including the discoball-bedecked cocktail lounge Fitz’s with its full-on Jazz Age glamour, antique decked shelves, plumes of ostrich feathers, and swathes of opulent fabrics. Glass-ceilinged, the Palm Court provides a peaceful oasis away from the hustle and bustle of central London and is ideal for afternoon tea and bubbles.

Design-led Kimpton Fitzroy London combines late-Victorian heritage with a quirky, modern vibe and a more inclusive style of luxury.

CARLTON CANNES, A REGENT HOTEL

As one of French Riveria’s first modern resort areas, Cannes became popular in the 18th century as a winter retreat for European royalty.

The Carlton Cannes was the first luxury hotel to open in Cannes and has been an icon on the Riviera for over 100 years. Known for hosting the established elite, from film stars to presidents, it is indeed storied. And it is not shy of fame, featuring in Elton John’s I’m Still Standing music video in the 1980s and Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘To Catch a Thief’ in the 1950s.

Now branded a Regent Hotel, this much-loved grande dame reopened in early 2023 after a five-year restoration project and stands as a symbol of the Belle Époque Riviera. French interior designer Tristan Auer, who worked with Cartier and Le Crillon, was responsible for the remodeling, recruiting 750 French artisans to assist.

The cream-colored facade, stretching the length of a city block with its twin domes, is instantly recognizable on the famous La Croisette.

When walking through the hotel’s revolving entry door, eyes are drawn to the soaring columns, their original rare marble uncovered through the removal of eight layers of paint, Murano glass chandeliers, and exquisite flower arrangements. The colonnaded expanse of Camélia Tea Lounge, with its arched windows framing Mediterranean views, also grabs attention.

Two new hotel wings envelop the rear of the property, creating an enclosed scented garden with pillared alcoves, sleek sunbathing decks, handcrafted cabanas, and Canne’s largest hotel infinity pool. The hotel boasts 332 rooms and suites, including 72 with sea views, featuring French period furniture, the French windows open onto wrought-iron balconies framing the sea and mountain views. The celebrity-named suites are on the sixth and seventh floors.

The Carlton Beach Club, the first beach club in Cannes when it opened in 1928, has also been revamped and revitalized.

The Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, enters a new era of glamour. carltoncannes.com/en/

Perched upon the highest ground in Florida, Mountain Lake is proof that life is more gratifying when you take the high road. Here, on this rolling and undulating landscape, over 125 historic and newer homes are tucked among 1,100 stunning acres of parkland. With limited 2+ acre homesites available, there is an opportunity to add your legacy to the rich traditions of Mountain Lake. Escape to a private retreat where privacy and solitude meet community and activity.