Best New Hotels 2009 slideshow

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, USA

SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, USA

Philippe Starck breaks the mould with this rebirth of the old Le Meridien. Highlights of his six-storey Starckitectural statement are the ground-floor Bazaar with its pâtisserie, bar and tapas eateries catered by celebrity Spanish chef José Andrés and the rooftop, with its oversized picture frames arranged to capture striking views of Beverly Hills and the Santa Monica mountains. Of the 297 rooms, notably furnished with “floating” beds backed by glass headboards, 61 are suites and seven of those are “fitness suites” equipped with 200-exercise Technogyms. Work it out.

Insider tip: Harley Pasternak, founder of the 5-Factor Diet, designed the fitness program.

465 South La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA, +1 310 247 0400, slshotels.com. Doubles from $570 per night

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SLS HOTEL AT BEVERLY HILLS

URBN Hotel, Shanghai

URBN Hotel, Shanghai, China

Shanghai’s coolest boutique hotel is groovy, baby, and green. The URBN feels more like a private club than a hotel; behind its antique façade you’ll find 26 rooms featuring funky sunken lounges, platform beds and stone showers custom-made for two. To atone for such luxury, the forward-thinking URBNites offset every carbon particle emitted from their indulgent digs, and they’ve installed solar shades and rain harvesters. Reclaimed timbers and bricks give the interiors a timeless, soothing quality.

We like: The location, close to the beating heart of Nanjing Road.

183 Jiao Zhou Rd, Shanghai, China, +86 21 5153 4600, urbnhotels.com. Standard rooms from $389 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY URBN HOTEL

Alila Cha-Am, Thailand

Alila Cha-Am, Thailand

Noted Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag’s modernist vision of a beach resort embraces sculptural forms, natural materials and excellent feng shui beside the Gulf of Thailand. The bare concrete walls and floors of the 79 rooms and villas are warmed with woods and limestone and lavished with home theatre systems, Apple TV and free WiFi. The Spa Alila offers indigenous treatments by day and transforms into the vampish Red Bar by night. A “leisure concierge” can help arrange outings such as night-time squid fishing.

We like: The shimmering expanse of Cha-Am, Thailand’s longest white-sand beach.

5 Moo 7, Tambol Bangkao, Amphur Cha-Am, Petchaburi, Thailand, +66 32 709555, alilahotels.com. Doubles from $270 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ALILA CHA-AM

Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara, USA

Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara, USA

Fans of Santa Monica’s legendary Shutters on the Beach will know to expect something special from its sister property, the Canary in Santa Barbara. The Moorish-accented hotel offers 97 rooms, a rooftop pool and a lobby enlivened by the sounds of exotic birds and tree frogs from the Canary Islands. It’s kooky but classy – the marine hues and eclectic sophistication of the interiors are thanks to Michael Smith, the LA designer picked by the Obamas to revamp the White House.

We like: Snuggling beside the rooftop fireplace to watch winter sunsets.

31 West Carrillo St, Santa Barbara, California, USA, +1 877 468 3515, canarysantabarbara.com. Doubles from $665 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY CANARY HOTEL

Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Look out New Zealand. Baillie Lodges’ $17-million foray into the luxury retreat business last year is set to give the trans-Tasman lodge network a run for its money. The Southern Ocean Lodge perches on a cliff above Hanson Bay surrounded by wilderness alive with native fauna – wallabies, bandicoots, platypuses and, of course, kangaroos. Sustainably styled in local limestone, glass and recycled timbers, the 21-suite haven features such adult attractions as a walk-in (and help yourself) wine cellar, an always-open bar, and accomplished regional cuisine from head chef Tim Bourke.

We like: The Southern Spa, featuring three treatment rooms decked in Florence Broadhurst wallpapers.

Hanson Bay Rd, Kangaroo Island, SA, (02) 9918 4355, southernoceanlodge.com.au. From $900 per person per night, twin-share, minimum two-night stay.

PHOTOGRAPH SHARYN CAIRNS

Greenwich Hotel, New York

Greenwich Hotel, New York, USA

Robert De Niro is a man of impeccable taste, judging by his debut hotel in Tribeca. The 88-room inn, its exterior fashioned from hand-cut bricks and nine-metre-high windows, is a clubby, elegant space furnished with a post-modern mix of oak flooring, Carrara marble, silk rugs from Tibet, Moroccan tiles and bespoke leather settees made in England. An outpost of Agostino Sciandri’s Ago restaurant bustles in a burnished room of artificially aged charm. By the time you reach the basement Shibui spa, with a roof salvaged from a 250-year-old Kyoto farmhouse, you might think an extravagant bowerbird has put the place together. But it all works – wonderfully.

Insider tip: Paintings by De Niro’s late father, Robert senior, grace the hotel.

377 Greenwich St, New York City, USA, +1 212 941 8900, thegreenwichhotel.com. Doubles from $780 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY GREENWICH HOTEL

Hotel Murmuri, Barcelona

Hotel Murmuri, Barcelona, Spain

Trust Spain’s most flamboyant city to embrace a haven of urban chic on the Rambla catwalk. The Murmuri’s 19th-century façade conceals 53 rooms and five one- and two-bedroom apartments, each decked in grainy woods and velvety fabrics by British designer Kelly Hoppen. The hotel’s Bar Marfil is a hit with guests and locals alike, so expect a house-party vibe at weekends, fuelled by Thai chef Ian Chalermkittickai’s sushi and Asian-inspired tapas.

Room to book: Superior rooms have a bird’s-eye view over the Rambla and more space than the compact standards.

Rambla de Catalunya 104, Barcelona, Spain, +34 935 500 600, murmuri.com. Classic rooms from $235 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH SHARYN CAIRNS

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, Turkey

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, Turkey

Camp like a pasha at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The latest Four Seasons property in Istanbul is a 19th-century palace in a dress-circle postcode near Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque. Expect handpainted ceilings and inlaid marble in the 166 rooms, with romantic windows overlooking the garden, the city or the fabled Bosphorus Strait. Palace Roof suites on the top floor offer the ultimate indulgence of private terraces with 180-degree views. Indulgence reigns too at the subterranean spa with its 10 treatment rooms and three hammams.

Insider tip: For maximum Ottoman luxury, stay in the former palace building (not the modern wings).

Ciragan Caddesi 28, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey, +90 212 381 4000, fourseasons.com/bosphorus. Doubles from $850 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FOUR SEASONS HOTEL ISTANBUL AT THE BOSPHORUS

Angsana Riads, Marrakech, Morocco

Angsana Riads, Marrakech, Morocco

Angsana’s collection of riads offers six evocative experiences in the heart of exotic Marrakech. Each of the guesthouses has been authentically restored and modernised to exacting standards: Riad Si Said lies deep within the medina and its courtyard shimmers with antique mosaics; Riad Aida was once part of the Bahia Palace and home to Morocco’s chief architect. Riad Tiwaline transports you to a 14th-century laneway filled with Arabian Nights fantasy, while at Riad Bab Firdaus a terrace restaurant serves Thai and Moroccan cuisine to its incredibly fortunate guests.

Room to book: The Majorelle suite in Riad Si Said.

Various locations, Marrakech, Morocco, 1800 050 019, angsana.com. Doubles from $183 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ANGSANA RIADS

Tierra Atacama, Chile

Tierra Atacama, Chile

Holidaying in the world’s highest, driest desert has become a lot more desirable with the opening of Tierra Atacama by the Purcell family, operators of Chile’s Portillo Ski Resort and Hotel. This hotel marries traditional elements with iron sheeting and sandblasted glass to create a unique architectural statement, while the 32 rooms provide guests with outdoor showers, private patios and arresting views of the active Licancabur volcano. Trained guides lead excursions into the desert to see flamingos and vicuñas, Inca settlements and a valley of geysers. Or you can just hang by the pool with a Pisco Sour.

We like: The three-bedroom family suites. Very thoughtful.

Calle Séquitor, Ayllú de Yaye, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, +56 2 263 0606, tierraatacama.com. Doubles from $1309 per person, for minimum two-night stay.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY TIERRA ATACAMA

Fontainebleau, Miami

Fontainebleau, Miami, USA

In revamping this landmark 1954 building (to the impressive tune of $1.5 billion), the savvy team have captured the anticipation of a great hotel experience – creating “a new culture… One that blurs the line between the glamour of the past, the luxury of the present and a new vision for tomorrow” as the website claims. As a guest, you’ll definitely feel special, at least until you realise that there are more than 1500 rooms in the hotel complex, plus 11 restaurants and nightclubs, including outposts of Gotham Steak by Alfred Portale and London’s Hakkasan. It’s more like a glam beach camp than an elite hotel, but it succeeds in being seriously sexy nonetheless.

Room to book: A room with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Why? You’re worth it.

4441 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, Florida, USA, +1 305 538 2000, fontainebleau.com. Superior rooms from $390 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FONTAINEBLEAU

Four Seasons, Florence

Four Seasons Florence, Italy

Only the elite will ever get to stay in this dreamy Renaissance palazzo packed with sufficient art and antiquities to trigger an episode of Stendhal Syndrome among swooning guests. The 15th-century Gherardesca palace, meticulously restored under government supervision, was once home to nobles and nuns; now, along with an adjoining conventino, it harbours 116 breaktakingly ornate hotel suites, each one unique. The public areas, too, are exquisite. A dozen bas-reliefs, commissioned by Alessandro de Medici in 1555, dazzle in the courtyard, and the hotel sits amid the oasis of the largest private garden in the city.

We like: The Santa Maria Novella range of spa products, produced by the Dominican Fathers of Florence since 1221.

Borgo Pinti 99, Florence, Italy, +39 55 2626 1, fourseasons.com/florence. Doubles from $990 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY FOUR SEASONS FLORENCE

Uma Paro, Bhutan

Uma Paro, Bhutan

Asia’s resort queen Christina Ong knows how to wow. Her Como Hotels Uma Paro sits magically above the Paro Valley, a decadent boot camp retreat for yoga- and massage-mad guests or, for everyone else, simply a compelling reason to visit the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Interiors of the 29 rooms are cool and modern with a dash of native décor – traditional wall designs are a specialty. Tradition reigns too in the Bukhari restaurant, where dishes such as “sicum paa”, dried local pork with Bhutanese chilli, are served and most of the produce is organic, farmed in the surrounding valleys.

Room to book: One-bedroom villas come with butler service and a wood-burning stove to warm chill mountain nights.

Uma Paro, Bhutan, +975 8 271597, uma.como.bz. Superior rooms from $455 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY UMA PARO

The Beach House at Manafaru, The Maldives

The Beach House at Manafaru, The Maldives

On an archipelago renowned for its restfulness, Manafaru promises “a level of serenity unsurpassed”. It’s a big call, but not without cause. For starters, the island resort, a member of Relais & Chateaux, sits on the lush northern tip of the Maldives, far from honeymooning crowds. There is a sorbet butler to dish out free ice treats as you laze poolside, and two islands just made for idyllic dinners à deux. And, of course, there are over-water bungalows with private infinity pools and glass flooring for aquarium views.

Insider tip: Rent a beach villa and get a private cabana on the beach.

Haa Alifu Atoll, Maldives, +960 650 0400, beachhousecollection.com. Water villa with pool from $1465 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE BEACH HOUSE AT MANAFARU

Donovan House, Washington DC

Donovan House, Washington DC, USA

Thompson Hotels unveils a vote-winner in Washington DC with the 193-room Donovan House. The décor is a well-behaved but distinctive arrangement of dark eggplant and olive tones, leather platform beds, 400-count Sferra sheets, iPod speakers and WiFi that should please sharp young Washington lobbyists. Downtime is best spent on the roof, where there’s a pool with panoramic views and a bar. The hotel’s Todd English restaurant, CHA, has a sushi menu, which is also available for room service.

We like: The mini-bar’s selection of Dean & Deluca snacks.

1155 14th St NW, Washington DC, USA, +1 202 737 1200, thompsonhotels.com. Doubles from $460 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY DONOVAN HOUSE

Orange Hotel, Rome, Italy

Orange Hotel, Rome, Italy

Orange may not be everyone’s favourite colour, but the location, attitude and budget pricing of this boutique Rome hotel should have universal appeal. Just a five-minute walk from St Peter’s Basilica, and with central Rome easily accessible, Orange is an avant-garde addition to the San Pietro neighbourhood. Its 26 “lodging solutions” – 23 rooms and three suites – are a surprisingly tasteful blend of orange and grey textiles and finishes and Deco-influenced styling. And there’s a roof terrace-cum-sundeck with charming views over the rooftops of San Pietro.

Insider tip: Earplugs are supplied in case the street noise gets too rowdy.

Via Crescenzio 86, Rome, Italy, +39 06 686 8969, orangehotelrome.com. Doubles from $176 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ORANGE HOTEL

Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge, Botswana

Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge, Botswana

How could you not love a place where you can sleep in million-star splendour on the roof of your suite and wake to a family of elephants lumbering through the Okavango Delta? Xudum focuses on the important things – like placing guests in the heart of the safari action on stilted accommodation above the delta and pampering them with individual plunge pools, alfresco showers and good food. The feel is sophisticated treehouse, the staff are very friendly, and the excitement of tracking down the Big Five is goose-bumpingly real.

We like: Lantern-lit evenings on the lounger of your private deck.

Okavango Delta Reserve, Botswana, +27 11 809 4314, andbeyond.com. From $853 per person per night, on a share basis, all-inclusive.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY XUDUM OKAVANGO DELTA LODGE

Rosewood Mayakobá, Mexico

Rosewood Mayakobá, Mexico

The latest luxe addition to the exclusive Mayakobá resort enclave on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula is a 128-suite stunner. On arrival, guests are feted with tequila and escorted by boat or golf cart to rooms decked in creamy local marble and wood. Most feature private roof sundecks, alfresco showers and plunge pools. A battalion of 40 butlers attends to every need, whether you’re at the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón golf course or the spa on its own lagoon-fringed island.

Insider tip: The spa’s signature Temazcal ritual, which includes a steam bath and herbs, is performed by an on-site shaman.

Ctra Federal Cancún–Playa del Carmen KM 298, Solidaridad, Quintana Roo, Mexico, +52 984 875 8000, rosewoodmayakoba.com. Lagoon suites from $1570 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ROSEWOOD MAYAKOBA

Boundary, London

Boundary, London, UK

In his first private venture since opening Bibendum in 1987, British style-guru Terence Conran has transformed a Victorian warehouse into a restaurant, a café, a rooftop bar and 17 very distinctive guestrooms. Located in newly trendy Shoreditch, Boundary is a collaboration between Conran, wife Vicki and friend Peter Prescott; works by 50 artists decorate the hotel, and rooms are styled after the great 20th-century designers and movements – Charles and Ray Eames, Andrée Putman, Bauhaus and Scandinavian. The hotel’s restaurant is winning rave reviews for its honest English and French fare, and there’s a rooftop sanctuary for cigar smokers.

Insider tip: Albion, the hotel’s streetfront café/bakery, is perfect for a cheapish lunch.

2-4 Boundary St, Shoreditch, London, UK, +44 207 729 1051, theboundary.co.uk. Doubles from $436 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY BOUNDARY

Injidup Spa Retreat, Margaret River, Western Australia

Injidup Spa Retreat, Margaret River, Western Australia

Cloistered behind a dense army of melaleucas, at the northern tip of Margaret River, Injidup is a stylish new arrival in WA’s elite coastal playground. Surrounded by 3000 acres of national park, the 10 villas exude a moneyed, minimalist style accented by private pools, jarrah sundecks and heated concrete floors. Local artists are represented in the handmade wooden furnishings, the Corten floral screens and a dramatic coral mosaic behind the reception area. The intimate day spa has just three therapy rooms – one for couples – and a selection of highly personalised treatments.

Insider tip: Watch humpback and southern right whales migrate in winter from the comfort of your own deck.

Cape Clairault Rd, Injidup, WA, (08) 9750 1300, injidupsparetreat.com.au. Doubles from $650 per night, minimum two-night stay.

PHOTOGRAPH SHARYN CAIRNS

Mama Shelter, Paris, France

Mama Shelter, Paris, France

So this is what you get when you cross a philosopher, a flamboyant designer and the co-founders of Club Med: a wittily chic and affordable hotel in the edgy, up-and-coming Saint-Blaise neighbourhood. The brainchild of Cyril Aouizerate, Philippe Starck and the Trigano family, this democratic hotel (formerly a car park) has a mini-bar, a microwave and an iMac for entertainment in each of its 172 rooms. Typically gimmicky design features from Starck include a graffiti-daubed roof in the communal dining room and bar downstairs, and words woven into carpets.

We like: The free WiFi. Every hotel should have it.

109 rue de Bagnolet, Paris, France, +33 1 43 48 48 48, mamashelter.com. Doubles from $156 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MAMA SHELTER

Posada Puerto Bemberg, Iguazú, Argentina

Posada Puerto Bemberg, Iguazú, Argentina

Nestled amid the Misiones jungle, this is the ultimate base for Argentine adventurers. Just a 30-minute drive from Iguazú Falls, the former trading post is now a 14-room hotel where guests can dine on cayman (a type of alligator) and pacú (a piranha relative), trek to pristine waterfalls or navigate the Paraná River by motorboat. The décor blends comfort and culture; bright headboards from the Italian tenements of La Boca in Buenos Aires frame Egyptian cotton sheets and llama-wool quilts. And any sense of privation is eased by the wine cellar, the pool, and the grand piano in the lounge.

Room to book: The suite, with its private balcony overlooking the Paraná.

Ruta Nacional 12 KM 1596, Puerto Libertad, Iguazú, Argentina, +54 11 4005 0050, puertobemberg.com. Doubles from $389 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY POSADA PUERTO BEMBERG

Ivy Hotel, San Diego, USA

Ivy Hotel, San Diego, USA

The brightest light in the Gaslamp Quarter, the Ivy comes with a pinch of Hollywood pizzazz and a sprinkle of South Beach glamour. The remodelled interiors of this former boarding house are by LA-based designer Dayna Lee, who, channelling owner Michael Kelly’s whims, has created such unforgettable hotel amenities as the so-called Star suites, complete with share-showers and stripper poles. Not all the Ivy’s 159 rooms – which come with butler service and 50-inch plasmas – are so ostentatious, but this isn’t a place for wallflowers. Guests get VIP entry into the multi-level mega-club Envy and can while away whole days at Eden, the hotel’s rooftop bar with pool and cabanas.

We like: The free Escalade limo service that lets guests see San Diego in blinging style.

600 F St, San Diego, California, USA, +1 619 814 1000, ivyhotel.com. Doubles from $783 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY IVY HOTEL

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park, Western Australia

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Cape Range National Park, Western Australia

Okay, we admit it’s not technically a hotel, but this tented bush camp on the dunes just metres from the Indian Ocean typifies Australia’s new breed of premium accommodation. Pick a stunning location and crown it with a singular resort. Make sure the finishes are remarkable – 500-thread cotton sheets, a bar and lounge for sundowners, native herbal soaps – and the whole thing’s environmentally friendly. Then show guests an amazingly good time snorkelling with whale sharks or exploring Cape Range National Park.

Don’t miss: Kayaking through waters thick with turtles.

Cape Range National Park, WA, 1300 790 561, salsalis.com.au. From $685 per person per night, twin-share, minimum two-night stay

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SAL SALIS NINGALOO REEF

Ritz-Carlton, Beijing

Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, China

Known as “the Ritz-Carlton – Not Financial Street” to avoid confusion with its older Beijing sibling, service at the Chinese capital’s newest Ritz-Carlton is already legendary. The impeccable standard of care is what you’d expect at the hotel, which has been finished in the sort of grand, manorial manner that will be a comfort to old-money magnates and an inspiration to the nouveau riche. Experience an 18th-century vibe of Chippendale and chandeliers, white marble and wood panelling alongside the latest mod cons such as flat-screen televisions, WiFi and iPod docks.

We like: The rooftop pool, which has mesmerising views on a clear day.

83A Jian Guo Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China, +86 10 5908 8888, ritzcarlton.com. Doubles from $450 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY RITZ-CARLTON BEIJING

St Regis, Singapore

St Regis, Singapore

Singapore’s first five-star hotel in a decade cost almost $1 billion. And the result? A sky-scraping glass façade screening 299 rooms equipped with 24-hour butlers. Technophiles will be in raptures over the iPod-friendly stereo, Bose speakers and room-lighting program. Cultural types will appreciate the hotel’s private art collection (Botero, Chagall), while sybarites can head straight for the Finnish cedarwood saunas of the lush Remède spa, the city’s finest. And the more active can manage three sets on the cleverly air-conditioned tennis court.

We like: The New Year’s Eve party modelled on Lady Astor’s Black and White Balls (St Regis was founded by John Jacob Astor IV).

29 Tanglin Rd, Singapore, +65 6506 6888, stregis.com. Doubles from $820 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ST REGIS SINGAPORE

The Connaught, London

The Connaught, London, UK

This century-old landmark has had a $150-million makeover to crank up the comfort levels and hard-wire the old girl for the 21st century. Much has been preserved in Guy Oliver’s remodelling, including the Edwardian architecture and 60 per cent of the original furniture. What’s new are the computerised safes, cocktail bars secreted inside lacquered black and gold-leaf Chinese cabinets, and décor in tones of champagne/cream or eau de nil/duck-egg blue. Oh, and cashmere blankets. The new Connaught is pure class.

Insider tip: Splurge on the $32 cocktails at the Connaught Bar. They’re almost worth it.

Carlos Pl, Mayfair, London, UK, +44 207 499 7070, the-connaught.co.uk. Deluxe king bedrooms from $1117 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE CONNAUGHT

The Priory Country Lodge, Tasmania

The Priory Country Lodge, Tasmania

Bless the Scots. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have Australia’s oldest golf course, a whisky distillery and a Tudor lodge on our doorstep. The Priory Country Lodge dates back to 1848. Now it’s a picket-fenced luxury inn set atop Adelaide Hill in the historic village of Bothwell, an hour north of Hobart. Hoteliers Nicholas and Amy Parkinson-Bates, of Hobart’s award-winning Islington boutique hotel, have taken this property under their wing, so expect similarly luxurious furnishings, gorgeous art and a warm welcome.

Don’t miss: The chance to fly-fish in Tassie’s great lakes.

2 Wentworth St, Bothwell, Tasmania, (03) 6259 4012, thepriorycountrylodge.com.au. Doubles from $500 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PRIORY COUNTRY LODGE

The Opposite House, Beijing

The Opposite House, Beijing, China

It’s China, but not as you know it. The Swire Group’s hotel debut is impressive: a grand glass box in emerald green that defies tradition in Beijing’s up-and-coming Sanlitun area, formerly known as the capital’s diplomatic quarter. Its 99 loft-style lodgings are particularly roomy and comprise such treats as decadently deep oak bathtubs, heated floorboards and a bold, crisp design. A contemporary ground-floor gallery exhibits works by celebrated Chinese artists, while consultant chef David Laris (an Aussie) cures homesickness for Aussie travellers with haute-cuisine hamburgers and pavlova.

We like: Chauffeured city tours by Maserati Quattroporte and Audi Q7.

The Village, Building 1, 11 Sanlitun Rd, Chaoyang, Beijing, China, +86 10 6417 6688, theoppositehouse.com. Doubles from $525 per night.

PHOTOGRAPH JASON LOUCAS