Mother's Day with Airbnb

Mothers are special.

She is the one who got us to school on time. The one who changed our diapers. The one who debated with us over all manner of life decisions… and mischief.

She experienced your entire life journey with you, and Mother’s Day is our chance to show our appreciation in a meaningful way. This year, create new memories together by whisking her off on a weekend getaway with an itinerary personalised to her passions?

All over the world, Mother’s Day weekend is proving to be a popular weekend for travel. Airbnb is seeing a sharp increase in the number of guest bookings in the region. Bangkok and Bali are travel hotspots within Southeast Asia, with the most number of inbound guest bookings over the weekend of May 15th.

Airbnb has curated a list of some of this region’s best Airbnb homes and Experiences catered to every type of mother – whether she needs retail therapy, an adrenaline rush, culinary comfort, or just some well-deserved rest & recreation – all located within a stone’s throw.

FOR THE SHOPAHOLIC

1.      Comfy Retreat – Bangkok Thailand
Situated along the beating pulse of Bangkok, a stroll from this tastefully-furnished apartment takes a mere 5 minutes to reach MBK, and 10 minutes to get to the world-renowned Siam shopping district, home to Siam Square and Paragon – a shopper’s paradise.

2.      Luxury Condotel with Sky Pool – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Located in Kuala Lumpur’s bustling city center, this luxury apartment is just a 5-minute walk from Sunway Putra Mall, an old favorite amongst locals and tourists alike. Relax after a long day of mall-hopping by taking a dip in the rooftop pool, and soak in the spectacular skyline views.

3.      Designer Loft – Bangkok, Thailand
Stay in a charming rustic-inspired designer loft conveniently located near the Skytrain station, which takes you to the shopping district in no time. Retail therapy aside, Bangkok is famed for its world-class cuisine. The loft is located behind Kuppa, a trendy all-day dining restaurant and spa, so you can wind down after a shopping frenzy with dinner and a pampering session.

FOR THE ADRENALINE JUNKIE

4.      Bungalow @ Villa Nangka – Lombok, Indonesia
Take the road less traveled and visit this picturesque island. Villa Nangka is sheltered within the rainforests of Gili Air, a popular diving spot and part of a trio of islands renowned for their diverse marine life. Haan’s Reef, in particular, is a “muck-diving” hotspot bustling with a dazzling population of fishes, rays, eels, and the occasional whale shark. One thing to note, the island is totally traffic free – transportation largely comprises of bicycles!

5.      Biking Bangkok Oasis – Bangkok, Thailand
One of Airbnb’s most highly-rated Experiences, take a biking tour through Bang Krachao Island, a.k.a Bangkok’s “Green Lungs”. Leisurely glide past exotic fruit plantations, catch glimpses of equatorial wildlife, explore Buddhist temples, and sample seasonal street food – a wonderful way to create new memories with your mother.

6.      Muay Thai! – Bangkok, Thailand
If she’s looking for a pulse-racing, heart-thumping round of cardio, how about rousing bout of Muay Thai action? This traditional martial arts experience comes with a training session, meet-and-greet with real Muay Thai fighters, and an opportunity to catch some ringside action at the live fights. Bonus: one of the hosts is well-known Thai celebrity Matthew Deane!

FOR THE FOODIE

7.      Artisanal Dumplings – Singapore, Singapore

Try your hands at stuffing soon kueh, a traditional Teochew steamed dumpling packed with turnip, bamboo shoots, and dried shrimp. This culinary masterclass takes place in a real hawker stall and allows guests to learn the history behind creating one of Singapore’s favorite snacks, as well as understand the island-nation’s deep-rooted hawker culture.

8.      Thai Delight – Bangkok, Thailand
Expand your culinary repertoire together by learning how to prepare an authentic 5-course Thai meal from a friendly local. Gather herbs from the host’s organic garden and learn more about the ingredients used, before cooking up a group dinner. For those guilty of shirking kitchen chores, make it up to your mother by learning how to replicate this meal for the next Mother’s Day.

FOR THE ARTISTICALLY INCLINED

9.      Sketch Down Memory Lane – Singapore, Singapore

Weave through the winding streets of Emerald Hill and let your creative juices and ink pens flow. Open to all skill levels, this street-sketching session takes place in one of Singapore’s last bastions of Peranakan architecture – the Chinese Baroque shophouses that dot the hill are a fusion of turn-of-the-20thcentury Chinese and Western influences.

10.   Thai Fruit Carving – Bangkok, Thailand
For the dinner-party doyenne, sign her up for an authentic Thai fruit and vegetable carving experience. Spent an afternoon sculpting tropical produce into works of art – acquire a new skill to impress guests with at the next soiree!

FOR A WELL-DESERVED BREAK

11.   2-Bedroom Suite in Loft – Bali, Indonesia
Nestled within the famous Ubudian rice terraces, this stunning glass-paneled loft suite is home to breathtaking views of the lush paddy fields. This ultramodern listing is only 5km away from the famous Monkey Forest Sanctuary and comes with a pool and private balcony – the perfect idyllic getaway for the most hardworking woman in your life.

12.   Luxury Seaview Penthouse, Phuket, Thailand
Reserve the royal treatment for your mother by renting this gorgeous luxury penthouse, which offers floor-to-ceiling views of sunset on the Andaman Coast. Spend the day frolicking on Phuket’s famous beaches, and come evening, hop on a tuk tuk and head to any of the swanky restaurants or 24-hour spas that dot the island.

Going 'green' with Airbnb

By SHAREN KAUR 

Published in NST Property - April 6, 2017 

WITH climate change becoming one of the main concerns of today, many holidaymakers are exploring different ways to limit their impact on the environment and an option they are considering is Airbnb.

A study by Cleantech Group found that Airbnb homes consume less energy than traditional accommodation per guest night by 63 per cent, and produce lower greenhouse gas emissions by 61 per cent.

There is also a reduction of up to 39 per cent in water use per guest night; that’s 3,000 Olympic-sized pools!

“Airbnb is a trusted platform for people to discover unique accommodation and experience. By helping people share their homes, Airbnb is encouraging the efficient use of existing resources and sustainability awareness of both hosts and guests,” said Robin Kwok, Airbnb country manager for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

“Airbnb provides a more environmentally sustainable way of travelling.”

Founded in 2008, Airbnb celebrated International Earth Day with a handpicked list of the greenest homes across Southeast Asia, and these include some very unique houses in Malaysia:

1. Stunning All-Bamboo House by River - Bali, Indonesia

This eco-villa with its stunning architecture is made entirely from bamboo, including its luxurious floors, walls, stairs and roof with an innovative structure of bamboo shingles.

Set in the sacred Ayung river valley, it is surrounded by tranquil nature and is located in the unique Green Village, including an organic farm and a school with a curriculum focused on sustainable living, and where they grow their own food and generate most of their own power. There are workshops teaching guests how to construct buildings from bamboo and using coconuts for food, shelter and even soap!

2. Malay farmers’ hut - Langkawi, Malaysia

Located in a scenic working village and surrounded by untouched nature, paddy fields and the Geopark — a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Heritage Site — this is a rustic rural retreat. This beautiful hut is a fully restored 100-year-old traditional farmers’ dwelling with modern luxuries, and offers views of the Mat Cincang mountain and encounters with water buffaloes, open country and coastal birds, and the elusive nocturnal Colugo or Flying Lemur.

3. Eco Beach House - West Bali, Indonesia

This beautifully-handcrafted tree house, in a remote village in Bali, is made from recycled boat wood, bamboo, local limestone and local sustainably-harvested timbers. Nestled up in the trees, it has a big veranda and is surrounded by an organic garden.

4. Nature House - Bangkok, Thailand

A little piece of oasis in bustling Bangkok, this cosy little cottage is in a quiet village just outside of the city centre. With a garden balcony, and surrounded by birdsong and trees, you’ll forget you are in one of the biggest cities in Asia.

5. Clean and Green - Penang, Malaysia

Stay close to the famous Georgetown, Penang, but escape to a tranquil, stylish paradise. Relax in a peaceful apartment after a day walking around the alleyways of Georgetown, and relax with garden balconies and a sea view — what more could you ask for!

Relax at Thermae Bath Spa

By SHAREN KAUR 

Published in NST Property - April 6, 2017

YTL Hotels & Properties, the hospitality arm of YTL Corp Bhd that owns The Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel and Wessex Water in the United Kingdom, has opened a new wellness suite at Thermae Bath Spa in the historic city of Bath, 156km west of London.

The Thermae Bath Spa is Britain’s only natural thermal spa.

YTL Hotels took on the operating contract of the Thermae Bath Spa, which opened more than 10 years ago, from Thermae Development Company in 2014.

Widely regarded as one of the best spas in the world, the facilities are housed in an architectural masterpiece, sited in one of the beautiful and most visited cities in the world.

The new wellness suite replaces four steam rooms at the Thermae Bath Spa that had been in constant use for the last 10 years.

But instead of replacing like with like, YTL introduced completely new facilities — a Roman steam room, Georgian steam room, infra-red sauna, celestial relaxation room and ice chamber.

YTL Corp managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh said in planning the new facilities, inspiration was taken from Bath’s unique history.

The Roman and Georgian steam rooms reflect the two most significant periods in Bath’s history.

The celestial relaxation room celebrates astrologer William Herschel, who discovered the planet Uranus from his home in Bath.

Tim Warren, the Leader of Bath Council, said the Thermae Bath Spa was without doubt one of the best in the world.

Thermae Bath Spa will complement The Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel, which is a key development for YTL Corp and the start of its hotel and spa business expansion in the UK.

The Gainsborough Bath Spa comprises the 13,993 sq ft Spa Village Bath (featuring three pools with thermal water, a salt room, ice grotto, infrared sauna and relaxation terrace).