May 2015

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TRAVEL
242 May15
ROUGHING IT
Housed in a 17th-century Roman
bourgeois building in the heart of
the Italian capital, newly opened
hotel G-Rough looks at the city
with a nostalgic eye while keeping
contemporary design firmly in mind.
Design Hotels’ only member in
Rome, G-Rough captures 400 years
of architectural history in ten suites
that feature a signature rustic-meets-
refinement effect. The hotel is located
in historical Piazza di Pasquino, on the
edge of the famous Piazza Navona, with
a string of cool bars, restaurants and
cafés on its doorstep. Rates from EUR
405 (S$588).
Australia’s biggest city is set to shine brightly this month when
the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas delivers
its greatest programme yet. For 18 nights, from 22 May to 8
June, Vivid Sydney will again transform the city and harbour,
while expanding into new city precincts Chatswood and
Central Park for the first time. Aside from the light spectacular
incorporating the Sydney Opera House, musical highlights
will include live performances by Sufjan Stevens, Morissey,
The Hoodoo Gurus and former Silverchair frontman Daniel
Johns, while Vivid Ideas will feature heavy-hitting speakers.
The festival attracted a record 1.43 million attendees in 2014
and is the largest of its kind in the world.
NEW THAI HOTELS
The Sheraton
Samui Resort
is a new hotel
located on Koh
Samui’s Chaweng
Noi Beach. The
141-room retreat
is a 15-minute
drive from the
airport, and right
near a host of nightlife and shopping options, and the Wat Kunaram
temple. Adventure-seekers can take boat trips to nearby Angthong
National Park for world-class diving and snorkelling. On-site facilities
include a gym, tennis, pools and a spa offering a range of signature
massage and wellness treatments.
Special offer: EL readers can enjoy a special opening offer of THB
4,200 (S$175) per room per night for stays until 23 December 2015,
including daily breakfasts, a 15 percent discount on food and beverages,
complimentary internet, and more.
Now open in the heart of the Thai capital’s
lifestyle and shopping enclave, Amara
Bangkok has something of a Singaporean
flavour, reflecting the origins of the
hotel group; the executive chef is from
Singapore, for example, and the ballrooms
are named Tanjong Pagar 1 and 2. A
recently held art competition, “Amara: A
Stay With Art”, attracted dozens of entries;
winning pieces include several by local
Thai artists, and the artworks are displayed
throughout the property.
Light It Up