Tourists returning to Malaysia and Singapore will find appealing new accommodation options awaiting them.
While the pandemic slowed these travel hubs, both are now experiencing a surge in visitors, who have their pick of beachside locations, stunning views and luxury spa facilities. Here are three of the best new, tried-and-tested properties in the two countries.
Anantara Desaru Coast Resort and Villas, Malaysia
Set on Malaysia’s quiet south-east coast, Desaru is the country’s hottest new beach destination, thanks to its azure seas, proximity to Singapore and enticing new properties, such as Anantara Desaru Coast Resort and Villas.
An easy 90-minute drive from city centre Singapore, Anantara Desaru perfectly complements a stay in the busy city, offering serenity for couples, and abundant options for families, including a neighbouring golf course and water park.
I didn’t leave Anantara during my stay, though, due to its array of facilities. These include an impressive gym, spacious kids club, teens club with a rock climbing wall, and two large swimming pools, one of which borders a flawless, 17-kilometre stretch of beach.
There’s also a watersports centre offering kayaking, wake boarding and stand-up paddle boarding. Or guests can borrow one of Anantara’s bicycles to cruise its manicured grounds. To understand its natural environment better, I joined Anantara’s resident botanist for a nature walk, during which she explained the resort’s lush flora and majestic birds.
My relaxation was enhanced by a one-hour massage at Anantara Spa, which offers Malay and Thai-style treatments. I followed that with a Malay cooking class led by the chefs who’d cooked the extraordinary buffets I’d enjoyed for breakfast and dinner, in Anantara’s stylish Turmeric restaurant. Equally memorable was my steak and seafood feast at luxurious oceanfront venue Sea.Fire.Salt.
Satisfied by meals or tired from fun experiences, I always cherished the chance to retire to my deluxe sea view corner room. Starting from Dh700 a night for two guests, including buffet breakfast, Anantara’s 90 premier and deluxe rooms are big, at 49 square metres and 50 square metres respectively, and feature floor-to-ceiling windows, plush furnishings and huge bathrooms. There’s also 13 pool villas, plus five giant three and four-bedroom beach residences.
Voco Orchard Singapore
Many of Singapore’s wealthier tourists barely leave Orchard Road. This ritzy district is so laden with upmarket shopping centres, luxury brand stores, Michelin-star restaurants and elegant bars that it can serve as a self-contained destination.
It is also home to many of the city’s best five-star hotels, like Voco Orchard Singapore. Launched this January at the northern end of Orchard Road, it offers both respite from the bustle of city centre Singapore, as well as generous dining and entertainment options.
Voco was also a great base from which to delve into Orchard Road’s backstory, by following a marked walking trail that passes 28 of the neighbourhood’s historic sites. The hotel pays tribute Orchard Road’s origins as a farming precinct with a fruity fragrance in the lobby and spiced cookies gifted to all guests.
I barely had room for that latter treat, though, after gorging on the breakfast buffet at Opus Bar & Grill, which includes addictive pastries baked at the hotel’s D9 Cakery, one of four on-site dining venues. To burn some of those calories, I lifted weights and hit the treadmill in Voco’s 24-hour gym, followed by a swim in its big rooftop pool.
I never made it to Voco’s renowned spa, but I felt sufficiently pampered in my large, 32-square-metre deluxe room, which offered access to the hotel’s club lounge, where free drinks and snacks were in constant supply. The ultra-comfortable king bed in my room had fine bedding made from recycled materials, while organic skincare products in the bathroom were from Apotheke.
Starting from Dh1,000 per night for two guests including buffet breakfast, Voco’s rooms range from deluxe to the similarly-sized premium, 69-square-metre king suite the colossal 164-square-metre presidential suite, which is prices at DH4,000 per night.
Capri by Fraser Bukit Bintang, Malaysia
In the 40th floor lobby of Capri by Fraser Bukit Bintang, double-height windows offer expansive views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. The space is a grand entry statement for this new hotel in Bukit Bintang, the shopping, nightlife and dining hub of Malaysia’s capital.
Capri by Fraser opened the property last year, and prides itself on its modernity, lofty views and central location. The 43-storey high-rise has 319 studio and one-bedroom apartments, which are particularly appealing for longer stays.
I appreciated the kitchenette in my 30 square-metre studio room, which I stocked with drinks and snacks from the huge supermarket at the Pavilion shopping centre, just five minutes’ walk from the hotel. Lunch was barely needed, though, given the generous nature of the hotel’s buffet breakfast.
Hosted in its airy dining room on the 40th floor, with sprawling vistas of the city, the breakfast buffet featured freshly made omelettes, delicious pastries and a mix of Western and Asian hot dishes.
A unique feature of Capri by Fraser is The Den, which the hotel calls its “social hub”, a sprawling space spread across two floors with a pool table, board games, digital jukebox and seating areas with beguiling views. For those looking o keep to themselves, rooms offer high-speed Wi-Fi, large flat screen televisions and charging docks. I never did get around to using Lola, my room’s personal digital concierge technology.
Studio rooms at Capri by Fraser Bukit Bintang start from Dh270 a night for two people, including buffet breakfast. The 36 square-metre studio premier rooms and 50 square-metre one-bedroom premier apartments also provide free access to Pow Wow, a top floor lounge offering complementary snacks and drinks.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdinburgh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%204%20%3Cem%3E(unchanged)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBahrain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%2015%20%3Cem%3E(from%20September%2015)%3C%2Fem%3E%3B%20second%20daily%20service%20from%20January%201%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EKuwait%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20November%2015%20%3Cem%3E(from%20September%2016)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMumbai%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20October%2027)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAhmedabad%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20October%2027)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColombo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202%20%3Cem%3E(from%20January%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMuscat%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cem%3E%20%3C%2Fem%3EMarch%201%3Cem%3E%20(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELyon%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBologna%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%201%20%3Cem%3E(from%20December%201)%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Emirates%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
