https://www.scmp.com/rss/13286/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com What is it? With its opulent interior and its artists-in-residence programme, Hotel Vagabond is a first in Singapore, a city that is rather conservative and skittish when it comes to hotel concept and design. There are plenty of large luxury hotels in the Lion City's gleaming steel and glass central business district, but the five-star, 42-room Vagabond is located in a still colourful area that has an authentic local feel. The hotel is housed in a restored art-deco shophouse with a seedy... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel-leisure/article/1932236/mingle-artists-singapores-eclectic-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel-leisure/article/1932236/mingle-artists-singapores-eclectic-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Apr 2016 00:00:00 +0000 The Washington, DC area has more than 200 museums, many grand, famous and praised. There are 16 Smithsonian museums alone and, when you've had enough of Rembrandt and Renoir, had your fill of the Hope Diamond at the Natural History Museum and seen the handwritten Constitution of the United States, in The National Archives, there are a host of more offbeat establishments to consider. The International Spy Museum celebrates the world of snooping and spooks, and offers a crash course on the history... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1877873/ace-dc-washingtons-raft-museums-has-something-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1877873/ace-dc-washingtons-raft-museums-has-something-everyone?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Nov 2015 14:34:34 +0000 "This," says Gino Santangelo, pausing dramatically, in a small dining room at The Forge, "is where Frank Sinatra and his pals partied." Santangelo has been a sommelier for 40 years at the legacy Miami Beach restaurant, which has a throwback atmosphere not unlike that of Hong Kong's Goldfinch, in Causeway Bay. Tales of Sinatra are plentiful in my nostalgic hunt for traces of old Miami Beach, the sun-drenched strip of sand that this year celebrates a century of being a magnet for American dreamers... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1823391/100-years-miami-beach-capone-sinatra-versace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1823391/100-years-miami-beach-capone-sinatra-versace?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jun 2015 14:41:25 +0000 What is it? A sister property to the dignified Raleigh and the hipper-than-thou SLS South Beach - all in the hot heart of South Beach, Miami, in the United States - the three-storey, 69-room Redbury offers a three-in-one deal; stay here and enjoy the amenities of its siblings, too. Design driven or just really cute? The Redbury is jaunty and quirky but not an envelope pusher in a town that worships the ultra-edgy. Like most other hip South Beach hotels, it's set in a revamped art deco building,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1810164/redbury-south-beach-celebrity-studded-taste-mid-century?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1810164/redbury-south-beach-celebrity-studded-taste-mid-century?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2015 14:39:26 +0000 Despite more hurricanes than usual last season and a run of home foreclosures, Miami, in Florida, continues to live up to its nickname: the Magic City. This effervescent holiday destination in the southern United States seems resilient to climate change and economic woes, and a vibrant new arts scene - as well as all the restaurants, clubs and events that go with it - is bolstering that reputation. An off-shoot of Art Basel, the international art fair, was adopted by Miami in 2006. ... https://www.scmp.com/article/672460/now-you-see-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/672460/now-you-see-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000 Where is it? This faux European village, in shades of muted ochre, burned orange and pale blue, is in Whitehouse, on the unspoiled southwest coast of Jamaica. The high-end luxury lodgings, which are surrounded by 16 hectares of lush poinciana and flamboyant trees, overlook the longest stretch of beach on the south coast. Luxurious or basic? This is the most luxurious of the larger all-inclusive resorts on the island. Choose one of the elegant suites on the beach and with it comes a... https://www.scmp.com/article/648514/sandals-whitehouse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/648514/sandals-whitehouse?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:00:00 +0000 With battle lines drawn and the US election on the horizon, it's no wonder Washington politicos are running for weekend shelter on chic and serene Chesapeake Bay. Towns such as Cambridge, Easton and St Michaels have long been favourites of the US capital's power elite. The area has also become popular for side trips for visitors to DC. The 6.5km Chesapeake Bay Bridge stretches over the bay and leads out of the city to the wetlands, beaches, forest and quaint towns of Maryland's Eastern... https://www.scmp.com/article/645452/detours-chesapeake-bay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/645452/detours-chesapeake-bay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 +0000 The Byzantine world of US presidential elections is upon us and even for those outside the US, there is a temptation to follow the meandering trail of America's clunky electoral system through remote states and territories. That's why a visitor to Washington might want to jump at the chance to take the brand new Bi-Partisan Tour. Visitors can expect, if not to fully understand the peculiar primary system, at least to get a feel for Washington DC where election passions run high. This is no... https://www.scmp.com/article/640238/detours-political-tour-de-force?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/640238/detours-political-tour-de-force?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:00:00 +0000 There is no shortage of brand-name glam shopping in Miami but since Hong Kong is high-end retail heaven, seek out Miami's more alternative stores in the neighbourhoods that attract fewer visitors. Historic Little Havana, once a strictly Cuban enclave, now includes other arrivals from Latin America but one thing hasn't changed - the area's passion for cigars. The latest cigar-aficionado haunt is the sleek Art District Cigars (1638 SW 8th Street, tel: 1 305 644 0444), which also has a... https://www.scmp.com/article/639862/miami?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/639862/miami?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 May 2008 16:00:00 +0000 Where is it? In the US city of Cambridge's hip Harvard Square, overlooking the Charles River and just a stone's throw from Boston. This recently renovated, independent hotel is surrounded by interesting restaurants, boutiques and bookshops. Luxurious or basic? Though modern in architecture and amenities, the interior of The Charles exudes the warmth of old-fashioned New England. The lobby and public spaces are decorated with antique quilts and just inside the entrance is a... https://www.scmp.com/article/635356/charles-hotel-massachusetts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/635356/charles-hotel-massachusetts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:00:00 +0000 The edgy, intense capital of Jamaica is a great destination for those who are less interested in beaches than in music, art, food and Bob Marley. 1. Legend There are several essential stops in Jamaica for the Bob Marley pilgrim, including the Bob Marley Museum (bottom), in Kingston. Although perhaps a less-compelling destination than the reggae singer's birthplace and childhood home in the mountains, a visit to the 19th-century mansion where Marley once lived is still interesting and feels... https://www.scmp.com/article/631752/kingston?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/631752/kingston?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:00:00 +0000 What is it? The Libert, once an historic jail, has just opened as a swank, US$150 million inn with stellar views of the Boston skyline. The hotel is within walking distance of Beacon Hill, a fascinating enclave of 19th-century Federalist and Victorian buildings, antique shops and small restaurants. A five-minute jog away is the Charles River. Stylish Newbury Street is just a short walk across historic Boston Common. Luxurious or basic? Lock us in and throw away the key. The elegantly... https://www.scmp.com/article/625294/liberty-hotel-boston?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/625294/liberty-hotel-boston?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:00:00 +0000 Cambridge, just across the Charles River from Boston, is sometimes called 'Boston's Left Bank'. The small city, reputed to be the brainiest 18 sqkm in the world, prides itself on its unusual and international dining scene. Craigie Street Bistrot, 5 Craigie Circle (craigiestreetbistrot.com) This French bistro is in the basement of an apartment building. Step inside and you're in a Parisian neighbourhood restaurant. 'We want you to feel like you're stepping into our home,' chef Tony Maws... https://www.scmp.com/article/624838/entree-cambridge-massachusetts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/624838/entree-cambridge-massachusetts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:00:00 +0000 The tiny unspoiled Dutch island, just over 100km from Venezuela, is a place where the cliches of the Caribbean come alive. 1. Dive mania Bonaire is almost entirely devoted to snorkelling and diving. Even the island's licence plates proclaim it a 'Diver's Paradise' and, with 300 species of fish in the surrounding waters, it is not an overstatement. Hotels such as Buddy Dive (tel: 599 717 5080; www.buddydive.com) leave tanks and dive lights out on the docks so Cousteau wannabes can watch... https://www.scmp.com/article/622735/bonaire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/622735/bonaire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:00:00 +0000 The town most closely associated with the American revolution is on the map these days for the outstanding new restaurants joining some old favourites. Union Oyster House 41 Union Street The Georgian brick building that houses this institution has been standing for more than 250 years, and the restaurant has been serving oysters, chowder and cornbread for 180 years. It's the oldest restaurant in the US and the interior and much of the menu haven't changed since the 18th century, when ... https://www.scmp.com/article/622239/entree-boston?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/622239/entree-boston?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:00:00 +0000 The Bahamian capital had faded like an ageing dowager. But with high-end hotel developments and a revival of its rich culture, the grand old lady is blossoming again. 1. Music Though the muzak of Nassau's package-deal hotel lobbies runs from Harry Belafonte to cover versions of Bob Marley, there is a lively and authentic local music scene. Musicians such as Ira Storr and the Spank Band keep the traditional sound of 'rake and scrape' music alive on Friday nights at TopShotters... https://www.scmp.com/article/612381/nassau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/612381/nassau?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Where is it? This meticulously restored 19th-century Caribbean colonial-style villa (right), in shades of muted ochre, burned orange and pale lime, can be found in Nassau, capital of the Bahamas. It was once the private holiday home of reggae legend Bob Marley. The 16-suite luxury lodging is surrounded by lush poinciana and banana trees and overlooks a cerulean Caribbean Sea, as well as the 6km-long white-sand Cable Beach. Fifteen minutes from the resort's gates is Nassau Harbour, surrounded... https://www.scmp.com/article/610580/marley-resort-and-spa-nassau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/610580/marley-resort-and-spa-nassau?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Rumi 5198 Hutchison, Montreal (restaurantrumi.com) There is a fun vibe in this atmospheric family restaurant, in which central Asian dishes are lovingly prepared by three brothers more than eager to pop out of the kitchen to talk about the cuisine - and the Sufi poet after whom the restaurant is named. The decor includes Persian miniatures, Uzbek tapestries and filigree brass lamps. Check out the hodja, a smoky eggplant puree with a hint of mint, and the delicate Iranian saffron rice. Most... https://www.scmp.com/article/609265/entree-montreal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/609265/entree-montreal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:00:00 +0000 It's easy to beat the drum for the second largest French-speaking city in the world, which is renowned for its parties and its bagels. 1. The Mountain Mount Royal (as close to Montreal's core as The Peak is to central Hong Kong) dominates the city's landscape and provides a refuge for locals fed up with urban clatter. (See the view from 'the mountain', as locals refer to it, top left, below.) The pine-forested slopes, which rise more than 200 metres, were first climbed in the 16th... https://www.scmp.com/article/598856/montreal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/598856/montreal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Where is it? Ottley's Plantation Inn (right), once a 17th-century Caribbean sugar-cane plantation and now a luxurious retreat, is 8km from St Kitts' capital, Basseterre. Set on the slope of an extinct volcano, the hideaway is bordered by rainforest on one side and luxuriant sugar-cane fields on the other. What's so different about it? While most Caribbean properties flaunt their beachside profiles, Ottley's enjoys the tranquillity of the mountains and stunning views of the ocean. One... https://www.scmp.com/article/597131/ottleys-plantation-inn-st-kitts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/597131/ottleys-plantation-inn-st-kitts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:00:00 +0000 If not totally off the beaten track for tourists, Montreal's stylish, eight-block-long Laurier Avenue West is certainly under the radar. In the middle of elegant patisseries and chic bistros are one-of-a-kind boutiques selling everything from children's designer clothes to swanky homeware. But a shopping trip to Laurier should not be a mad dash for something to wear that night. Shopping a la Laurier is leisurely, and that means several pauses for white wine on an outdoor terrace or a fresh,... https://www.scmp.com/article/595345/laurier-avenue-west-montreal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/595345/laurier-avenue-west-montreal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:00:00 +0000 With more monkeys than people, uncrowded and unspoiled are words that perfectly describe the Caribbean island of St Kitts. 1. Sugar train For centuries, the tiny island of St Kitts was entirely devoted to growing sugar cane. Much of the industry is gone but the little train that once chugged its way around the island carrying its sweet harvest still runs. The 100-year-old track no longer transports cane but it does carry sightseeing tourists. And what a ride! For two hours the open,... https://www.scmp.com/article/593548/st-kitts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/593548/st-kitts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 May 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Blue Duck Tavern 1201 24th Street, NW (www.blueducktavern.com) Washington is an upmarket meat and potatoes town. Steakhouses in which to make deals and smoke cigars abound, but there's a growing number of more ethnic and challenging cuisines out there, as well as new spins on traditional American cuisine. Traditional cooking methods, seasonal produce from nearby Amish farms and a slow roasting wood-burning oven are attracting DC politicians and patricians in droves for the roasted... https://www.scmp.com/article/586726/washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/586726/washington?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:00:00 +0000 One in five people in Sarasota, Florida, a small city on the state's unhurried west coast, is said to be a millionaire. With the city's perfect beaches, glorious year-round weather and outstanding restaurants, it's no wonder the ultra-leisure class wants to winter here. The shops most frequented by the upper crust are found on storied St Armand's Circle, built in 1926 by Sarasota's most famous resident of the time, John Ringling (of Ringling Brothers' Circus fame). It has since become a fancy... https://www.scmp.com/article/583649/sarasota-florida?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/583649/sarasota-florida?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Mar 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Where is it? The new Hotel Palomar is located in the historic and fashionably hip Dupont Circle area of the US capital. Surrounded by 19th-century mansions and row houses in a variety of styles, from Renaissance to beaux arts, the hotel is a perfect spot at which to begin a self-guided architectural tour of old Washington. Art galleries, bookshops and cafes abound and one of the world's finest small museums, the Phillips Collection, is just a few minutes' walk from the hotel. Dupont Circle is... https://www.scmp.com/article/580686/palomar-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/580686/palomar-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:00:00 +0000 The U Street area of Washington - called the 'U Street Corridor' - is one of the city's historic districts and now one of its hippest. Once called 'Black Broadway' for its clubs and theatres catering to the city's African-American population, the neighbourhood today is shabby and chic and beloved of the hip-hop and hipper-than-thou sets. Little shops in Victorian-era buildings are popping up all along U from about 9th to 17th streets and on nearby blocks, although the intersection of 14th and... https://www.scmp.com/article/579902/u-street-district-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/579902/u-street-district-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:00:00 +0000 1 Capitol views Although most visitors line up outside the Washington Monument for a view from the top of the 169-metre-high marble obelisk near the Capitol building, locals recommend two dizzying sights of Washington that don't involve crowds. One is the view from the 96-metre clock tower of the Old Post Office (1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; www.oldpostofficedc.com). The Romanesque revival-style Post Office, opened in 1899, was once the tallest building in Washington. A glass lift... https://www.scmp.com/article/578006/washington-dc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/578006/washington-dc?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:00:00 +0000 There is no end to elegant shopping in Florence, the capital of Italy's Tuscany region. Aristocratic Via de' Tornabuoni promises all the high-end delights of cities such as Hong Kong and New York. Stroll the fashionable street and window-shop all the usual suspects - Prada, Bulgari, Ferragamo - but the unique purchases are to be found in the bottegas, the workshops in which Florentine artisans still practise ancient crafts. While it is possible to see some of their wares in small shops attached... https://www.scmp.com/article/573938/florence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/573938/florence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Dec 2006 16:00:00 +0000 1 Inner Harbour Baltimore's Inner Harbour, slightly bigger than Hong Kong's, has a rich history. In the earliest days of colonial America it was the site of battles against the British and an important port for shipping tobacco. Today, the harbour, filled with heritage vessels of all descriptions, is a scenic magnet for tourists. Its centrepiece is the historic tall ship the USS Constellation. Launched in 1854 and used off the coast of Africa to intercept slave traders, the beautifully... https://www.scmp.com/article/573333/baltimore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/573333/baltimore?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:00:00 +0000 InCanto Grand Hotel, Piazza Ognissanti Florentines love their steak. Ask a few where to go for bistecca alla fioretina and you may find yourself in an endless discussion about which restaurant does the beloved T-bone justice. But although eating steak in Florence seems to be almost a patriotic act, the origin of steak in Tuscany is probably the result of English influence in the 19th century. The Florentines, however, have made the dish their own, and one wonderful and atmospheric... https://www.scmp.com/article/566330/florence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/566330/florence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:00:00 +0000 1 David Unless you make a reservation, be prepared to wait up to three hours to see Michelangelo's muscular marble masterpiece at Galleria dell'Accademia (Via Ricasoli). The jaw-dropping 5.2-metre sculpture of the biblical hero is mesmerising. Michelangelo, who was 29 when he created David, had to do a fair bit of scientific calculation to keep a piece of marble that tall from toppling. The upright log behind David's right leg and the stone in his hand both help to balance the... https://www.scmp.com/article/563730/florence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/563730/florence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:00:00 +0000 1 Nine Mile: Bob Marley Shrine Jamaica is well known for reggae, in particular the music of Bob Marley. For Jamaicans, Marley was more than a musician, but the route to his birthplace and gravesite is surprisingly humble. A single-lane road (called a 'one lane-two way' by locals) twists high into the mountains and finally up to the Nine Mile shrine. There, a dreadlocked guide - who punctuates every sentence with 'Yah mon. Rasta love' - shows guests the tiny room where Marley grew up, and... https://www.scmp.com/article/562887/jamaica?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/562887/jamaica?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Sep 2006 16:00:00 +0000 The eight blocks of Newbury Street in chic Back Bay are Boston's Fifth Avenue with a funky twist. Shop the length of the street and you move from swank to stylish grunge. Newbury Street is the playground of Boston's well-heeled and its wannabes, and home to 19th-century brownstones that house shops, cafes and private residences behind bay windows, flower boxes and colourful awnings. It's anchored at one end by the Ritz-Carlton hotel (the first in the US) and at the other end by more offbeat... https://www.scmp.com/article/558422/newbury-street-boston?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/558422/newbury-street-boston?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jul 2006 16:00:00 +0000 Better known for its place in American revolutionary history with the Boston Tea Party of 1773, there's more to this east coast city than meets the eye, especially with a plethora of new eateries on the menu adding to the centuries-old restaurants servings classics such as baked beans at Durgin Park and Locke-Ober for steak and lobster. Brasserie Jo 120 Huntington Avenue (www.brasseriejoboston.com) This late-night Francophile hangout with its airy, mirrored dining room, tiled floors and... https://www.scmp.com/article/555438/boston?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/555438/boston?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:00:00 +0000 1 View from the 'Pru' For a 360-degree view of the city, take a lift to the 50th floor of the building locals call 'the Pru', the Prudential Tower. The skywalk is enclosed by glass walls from which visitors can see Boston's oldest neighbourhoods such as the North End, the city's first immigrant area, and Beacon Hill, known for its beautiful brick houses and famous residents such as the Kennedys. On a clear day the dizzying observatory offers sweeping views of mountains and the sea... https://www.scmp.com/article/551773/boston?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/551773/boston?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:00:00 +0000