Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition July - August 2018

ROOFTOP RUNWAY HOPPING in to a flying car à la 1960s cartoon The Jetsons could be a reality in a decade, according to property developer Dan Kodsi, who designed the new 60-storey Paramount Miami Worldcenter with a 5,000sq ft (465 sqm) Skyport for flying automobiles. “The future of transportation will be here within the next 10 to 15 years, and urban aviation is closer to reality than you might expect,” says Kodsi. The design features a glass elevator to the luxury tower’s private rooftop, where residents could be picked up and dropped off by airborne vehicles. paramountmiami.com DRESSED TO IMPRESS HAINAN AIRLINES has finally rolled out its new hautecouture cabin crew uniform. Created by Lawrence Xu, the uniforms debuted at Paris Couture Week Fall/Winter 2017 and wowed crowds with the stylish, East-meets-West aesthetic. Women’s…

REWARDS programme Asia Miles underwent a major overhaul last month, with rates for earning and redeeming miles changing significantly. Redeeming tickets for premium long-haul routes is set to get more expensive. For example, a return business class reward ticket to New York JFK used to require 145,000 Asia Miles to redeem, but now it costs 170,000. However, accrual will also become easier - with the number of miles members earn increasing on roughly 80 per cent of the flights operated by Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon. For full table, head to asiamiles.com…

1 Tiananmen Square It would be unthinkable to visit the Chinese capital without setting foot in this gargantuan square – the world’s largest, which is flanked by major historical landmarks including Chairman Mao Zedong’s mausoleum. First-timers should take a gander at the entranceway to the Forbidden City, heading underneath the giant portrait of Mao and into the cobbled ante-courtyards. For time-pressed visitors it gives a feel for the size and scale of the world’s largest palace, which has almost a thousand different rooms. The square itself is generally thronged with overawed provincial tourists; the keener ones arrive in time to see the dawn flag-raising ceremony, or linger to witness the five-star Chinese flag make its way down the pole at dusk. The buildings on the fringes are magnificent examples of stern Stalinist architecture: the…

Gone are the days when hotel bars were a dark, depressing afterthought populated by a smattering of solitary businessmen; these days they’re often an attraction in their own right. From the best new openings to those with extraordinary offerings, we round up a selection of great hotel bars to whet your appetite. NEW ARRIVALS Asia-Pacific is no stranger to new hotel openings so whittling down our selection was tough. The first bar to make the grade can be found at the new Rosewood Phnom Penh, which opened in February this year. The stunning Sora (which translates as “sky” in Japanese) is the highest bar in Phnom Penh and is quickly becoming the hottest spot in town. Set on a cantilevered terrace on level 37, the rooftop deck offers unobstructed views over the…

Rooms are designed by Kerry Hill to create a sense of serenity and a home away from home BACKGROUND In the centre of Perth (Western Australia), at the point from which all distances in Perth are measured, the Como Hotel is part of a multimillion-dollar refurbishment of the 19th-century State Buildings by Perth property developer Adrian Fini of FJM Property. The buildings formerly served as a post office, land titles office and treasury. After lying empty for 20 years, the restoration has created the hotel behind the grand Victorian-era façade as well as several restaurants, bars and high-end shops set around an arcade. Como Hotels is a small group of luxury five-star properties, including The Metropolitan hotels in London, Miami and Bangkok. WHERE IS IT? On the corner of St Georges Terrace…

This is the first restaurant from furniture designer Timothy Oulton and, naturally, all the décor has been designed and created by the man himself. The spectacular frontage of Gough’s on Gough alerts you to the fact that a meal here is going to be a special experience. Where else are you greeted by a dummy of a deep sea diver in full diving suit and bell helmet, submerged in a massive tank of water and surrounded by live fish? A gleaming golden spiral staircase takes you up to the main dining and lounge area where you can either enjoy cocktails at the bar or sip an aperitif on a plush, vintage leather sofa before being shown to your table. The décor, lighting and atmosphere all lend themselves to a high-class night…