Take your daydreaming next level at these cinematic Asian destinations.
We love a swoon-inducing Insta image or even a fancy virtual tour but the modern breed of hotel ‘mini movies’ can really sell us on a new destination. Or take us back to a beloved one.
Short in format but big on atmosphere and lush production values, they transport us way past check-in with their romantic scenery, stellar cinematography, and stirring soundtracks. They’re as close as we can get to roaming the globe right now, and we’ll take it!
From Bali to Koh Samui and Vietnam to the Arabian Peninsula, these standout screen beauties will put you in the picture.
ARABIAN PENINSULA
The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, UAE
Sample the full, fabulous experience of this renowned Arabian escape through the lens of a very glamorous guest. From arrival and welcome drinks to a reluctant departure, the vignettes detail the luxurious facets of The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah — a place so special, it has its own museum!
BALI
A Journey Home — Tanah Gajah, A Resort by Hadiprana
Like Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, this lush Ubud estate has evolved by coming back to where it began. Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana opened its doors in early 2020 as the flagship property of new hotel group Hadiprana Hospitality. The film shares the history of this enchanting property, built in the 80s as a holiday home for a legendary Indonesian architect and designer, Hendra Hadiprana, through to its vision for the future. Can’t wait to be there. For real.
VIETNAM
The High Life — Reverie Saigon
Rolls Royce arrivals, European-inspired opulence, and vibrant Saigon street scenes. Snapshots of a very luxe life are beautifully brought together here, like a grand romance set around the wonderfully extravagant Reverie Saigon.
KOH SAMUI
An Eagle-Eyed View —Banyan Tree Samui
“One of my greatest joys is coming out here just before sunset and watching our favorite resident, a white-breasted sea eagle, flying across the bay,” said Banyan Tree Samui’s General Manager Remko Kroesen from his vantage point at The Edge Restaurant. Perhaps that birds-eye view was exactly what the videographer had in mind when he shot this amazing drone footage of Banyan Tree’s luxury villas, powder-white beach, and sapphire sea.
VIETNAM
One Day in Ha Noi — Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
A passenger train rumbles across the Long Bien Bridge in the opening scene of this elegant highlights reel of Vietnam’s capital. Look out for the Temple of Literature, the Hanoi Opera House, Ngoc Son Temple, the Huc Bridge and Phan Dinh Phung Street, before arriving at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, where the camera captures the French sophistication and heritage grace of the city’s most storied hotel.
