A Spanish Winter in Vietnam: Celebrate the Season at Villa Le Corail
By LIFESTYLE+TRAVEL
The island of Phu Quoc may be topping travel charts, but Vietnam’s famously long coastline offers many other extraordinary destinations for winter escapes. The latest addition is Villa Le Corail, a Gran Meliá Hotel – the first resort in Asia from the luxury Spanish brand. With December bringing a significant drop in rainfall compared to November, the weather is ideal for both beachside relaxation and tropical exploration.
The enchanting all-suite, all-villa resort is the epitome of Mediterranean chic. Choose a suite to bask in sunshine on a private terrace or opt for a villa with its own pool for the ultimate indulgence, complete with premium toiletries from Carner Barcelona, butler service, a curated bath ritual, bedtime tea, ironing and complimentary non-alcoholic minibar replenishment. The largest villas, with four bedrooms and two swimming pools, are perfect for extended family stays, and offer such delightful add-ons as floating breakfast, private BBQ and romantic poolside dinners.
As in Spain, dining is at the heart of the experience, overseen by Marcos Morán, Gastronomic Director and fifth-generation chef. Holder of one Michelin Star and three Repsol Soles, Morán has received Spain’s National Gastronomy Award and was named “Chef de l’Avenir” by the International Gastronomy Academy. Under his guidance, the resort’s culinary options include a sun-drenched Spanish restaurant, elegant Japanese dining, international all-day fare, and two poolside venues serving everything from cocktails to afternoon tea.
Children enjoy their own adventures at the Wanderlust Kids’ Club with daily activities, while adults can unwind at Song Spa, the serene onsen or the resort’s tranquil swimming pool. With three calm beaches and activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, bodyboarding, snorkelling and beach volleyball, there’s never a dull moment. Nearby, there are ancient Champa ruins to explore, natural hot springs to unwind in and Na Trang’s excellent shopping.
Book the special Christmas & New Year offer, available from 1 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 on melia.com, and enjoy early check-in, late check-out, room upgrades, plus 15% off dining and 20% off spa treatments.
For bookings, visit Villa Le Corail Gran Meliá Hotel, paradise in Vietnam | Melia.com.
By LIFESTYLE+TRAVEL
La Dolce Vita Sundays Return to Carpe Diem: Mediterranean Soul Meets Phuket’s Social Spirit
Carpe Diem Beach Club brings back one of Phuket’s most beloved seaside rituals with the return of La Dolce Vita Sundays, relaunching on Sunday, 5 October 2025, at the island’s iconic Bangtao Beach. Marking the start of the high season, La Dolce Vita Sundays celebrates the Mediterranean art of living — a seamless blend of sun, sea, music, and exceptional cuisine. The signature brunch-to-sunset experience captures the essence of effortless luxury, where guests can indulge, unwind, and embrace Phuket’s lively social spirit. From 12 PM to 3 PM, guests are invited to a beachfront buffet brunch featuring live cooking stations with fresh seafood, imported cheeses, sushi, Mediterranean favorites, BBQ carvings, and decadent desserts. The ambience is elevated with live music and panoramic sea views — the perfect prelude to an afternoon of coastal celebration. As the day unfolds, the scene transforms into a vibrant pool party from 3 PM till late, complete with full-service poolside lounges, chilled towels, signature cocktails, wines, champagnes, and bottle service. Resident DJs set the mood with laid-back daytime tunes that flow into sunset beats and deep-night rhythms, while captivating beach performances and a spectacular fire show finale keep the energy alive. The relaunch party featured a special guest appearance by Chef Álvaro Ramos Palancarejo (Chef Palanca), who performed a live culinary showcase featuring his signature dishes — including scallops on salmorejo, lobster paella, and arroz negro. Benny De Bellis, Co-Founder of Carpe Diem Beach Club, shared: “La Dolce Vita Sundays is our way of bringing Mediterranean soul to Phuket. It’s about great food, music, and moments that feel spontaneous yet unforgettable. We want guests to feel at home, to linger with friends, and to leave knowing they’ve been part of something special — because Carpe Diem has always been more than a beach club; it’s a way of life.” La Dolce Vita Sundays will be held every Sunday from October 5 onwards, with the following packages available: • Beach Lounge Chair – THB 2,000 per guest • Pool Deck or Beach Bed – THB 2,500 per guest • La Dolce Vita Sunday Brunch – THB 2,900 per guest + VAT • La Dolce Vita Experience (12 PM–8 PM+) – THB 5,000 per guest Supported by Sole Mio Boutique Hotel, five-star adults-only retreat just minutes from Bangtao Beach, this relaunch promises the ultimate celebration of Mediterranean lifestyle in Phuket. Walk-ins are welcome subject to availability, but advance reservations are highly recommended. Website: Carpe Diem Beach Club Phuket
By LIFESTYLE+TRAVEL
Whatever the Arrival Time
When all you want is to make the most of your hotel stay—now you can. Courtyard by Marriott Hotels in Bangkok are offering a flexible 24-hour stay, no matter what time you check in. Travellers staying at any of the three Courtyard hotels in Bangkok can now check in at any time—day or night—and enjoy a full 24-hour stay, perfectly tailored to match every schedule. From now until October 31, 2025, guests at Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok, and Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport can book the Courtyard Flexi 24 Hrs promotion to enjoy this convenient benefit. Whether arriving early in the morning or landing on a red-eye flight, your room is yours for a full day. As a bonus, guests will also receive 20% off food and drinks throughout their stay. With thoughtfully designed rooms, productive workspaces, delicious dining options, and warm hospitality, each Courtyard hotel is committed to helping you make the most of your time in the city. The “Courtyard Flexi 24 Hrs” promotion by August 31, 2025, for stays through October 31, 2025. ━━━━━━━━━━━━👇━━━━━━━━━━━━ Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 Stay stylish in the heart of Bangkok’s vibrant Sukhumvit district. Just steps from Asok intersection, this hotel is surrounded by offices, shopping, dining, and nightlife—making it ideal for business and leisure travelers. Modern guestrooms feature ergonomic workspaces, and guests can enjoy healthy meals at Reap Factory, relax in the rooftop pool, or unwind at the chic Twenty & One lounge. For more information and for reservations: Tel: +66 (0) 2127 5900 Email: cy.bkkct.ays@courtyard.com www.courtyardbangkoksukhumvit.com ━━━━━━━━━━━━👇━━━━━━━━━━━━ Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Perfectly located near Ratchadamri and Chidlom BTS stations, this hotel puts guests in the center of Bangkok’s shopping and business scene. Recently renovated, its modern rooms with calming natural elements provide a tranquil retreat. Enjoy the outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, and soothing treatments at Tarnvana Spa. For more information and for reservations: Tel: +66 (0) 2127 5900 Email: cy.bkkct.ays@courtyard.com www.courtyardbangkok.com ━━━━━━━━━━━━👇━━━━━━━━━━━━ Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Just minutes from Thailand’s main international airport, this resort-style hotel is ideal for transit or longer stays. Guests enjoy spacious rooms and suites with blackout curtains and views of the city, canal, or pool. Facilities include a large outdoor pool, 24-hour gym, relaxing spa, and a specialty burger bar, along with a complimentary airport shuttle for stress-free travel. For more information and for reservations: Tel: +66 (0) 2127 5900 Email: cy.bkkct.ays@courtyard.com www.courtyardbangkoksuvarnavbhumiairport.com
By LIFESTYLE+TRAVEL
Into the Wild: Explore Krabi’s Jurassic World
Explore the natural wonders of Krabi and experience the vibe of a cinematic adventure of Jurassic World. The spectacular limestone cliffs and lush landscape of Krabi have returned to the silver screen as the primary film location of the blockbuster movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, which debuted worldwide in July 2025. To celebrate the release of the hit film, Banyan Tree Krabi has introduced a new family-friendly package, offering guests the opportunity to trace the dinosaur-sized footsteps involved in the making of the movie and the spectacular film locations where scenes were filmed. After considering the Dominican Republic, Mauritius, Panama and Costa Rica, Hollywood producers opted instead for Krabi as the setting for the fourth in the franchise of Jurassic World movies. Krabi was selected as the location for a prehistoric backdrop. The pristine environment, and in particular the magnificent limestone cliffs that jut precipitously from the sea, are no less than 90 million years ago, formed at a time when the sea level was much higher. The collision of the continents then uplifted the limestone, contributing to the dramatic karst towers and cliffs we see today. Named the “Jurassic Explorer”, the new promotion for guests includes: a Jurassic World Rebirth-themed welcome drink and snack; a half-day marine excursion to Hong Island and neighboring islands by local longtail boat; a 3-hour tour to discover the natural wonder of Klong Root (Clear Water Canal); a guidebook to explore the picturesque locations where Jurassic World Rebirth was filmed; a 60-minute massage treatment at Banyan Tree Spa Krabi; and special price on tickets for two persons to the Jurassic World Experience at Asiatique The Riverfront, Bangkok. The resort’s developer, AWC, is a partner in sponsoring the Jurassic World Experience, an exhibition in central Bangkok, which features life-size dinosaurs and interactive fun. The excursion to Klong Root takes in one of Krabi’s hidden gems — the rivers and waterways seen in the penultimate scenes of Jurassic World Rebirth, where the surviving protagonists of the film attempt to evade dinosaurs by paddling downriver through the dense jungle. Guests who prefer to scout the sites independently will find that the Banyan Tree Krabi guidebook lays out a map of the spectacular sites and tropical terrain where Jurassic World Rebirth was filmed, including: Klong Root (Clear Water Canal), located 30 minutes by car from the resort; Phra Nang Cave Beach, adjacent to Railay Bay some 40 minutes by boat from the hotel; and Huay To Waterfall, which lies within Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, a 60-minute drive from the resort. In Jurassic World Rebirth, Scarlett Johansson stars as Zora Bennett, the leader of an expedition aiming to secure DNA from dinosaurs which could have life-saving benefits to mankind. Indeed, Johansson herself is a devotee of all things Thailand, stating in a recent interview that her favorite dish is laab gai, a ground chicken meat salad that perfectly balances spicy, sour, and herbal flavours. As a gesture to the film star’s spice-proof palate, Banyan Tree Krabi has now introduced its own version, dubbed “Jurassic Laab–A Star’s Wild Bite”, offering