Monday, December 30, 2013

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Club Street: Singapore's hottest new dining enclave

Posted: 29 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

This Chinatown neighborhood has shaken off its lethargy and is now the place to be

On the fringe of Chinatown, Singapore's once sleepy Club Street -- home to upscale Chinese clubs and associations in the 1800s and 1900s -- is enjoying a revival.

Restaurant operators are jostling for prime real estate in converted shop houses to anchor their presence in this historic area, now one of the hottest dining enclaves in the city. 

"The old world charm of these rows of old Chinese shop houses adds a sense of history and identity to Club Street," says Toni Rossetti, chef-patron of Noti Restaurant and Bar, who occupies two units of shop house space at Club Street.

"This unique atmosphere cannot be replicated in a modern building."

In April 2013, the authorities moved to pedestrianize Club Street and the adjoining Ann Siang Road on weekend nights, cementing the neighborhood's status as the site-du-jour for foodies and revelers.

"Since the commencement of road closure, Club Street has been enjoying a lively and dynamic vibe," says Rossetti. "We have noticed a 15% increase in weekend business due to an increase in walk-in guests."

Club Street's dining options are aplenty. To help make things simple we've rounded up the area's top 10 restaurants.

1. Wolf

1. WolfWho knew a plate of beef heart could look so appetizing?
Inspired by St. John's, London's nose to tail stalwart by Fergus Henderson, Wolf brings a never-before-seen vibrancy to Club Street via its menu of bizarre animal parts like beef lips, beef heart and pig's head.

Squeamish diners can fall back on Kurobuta pork chop and ribeye steak.

Wolf, 18 Gemmill Lane; +65 6557 2224

More on CNN: Devouring Singapore's original fusion cuisine

2. Luke's Chop House

Chef-patron Travis Masiero has attracted a following of expense-account clientèle since this all-American chop house opened in a quiet corner of Gemmil Lane in mid 2011.

Other than pricey prime steaks, credit card-denting Boston-imported seafood – think lobsters, oysters and clams -- also features heavily on the menu.

Luke's Chop House, 20 Gemmill Lane; +65 6221 4468

3. O'Batignolles

3. O'BatignollesAfter a few glasses of French wine you'll think you're in Paris.
One of Singapore's most authentic bar à vin, O'Batignolles is the perfect place to watch the world go by as you sip a carafe of French wine and dine on French cheeses, cold cuts and light meals.

As befits the Parisian experience, expect to inhale lots of second-hand smoke. 

O'Batignolles, 2 Gemmil Lane; +65 6438 3913

More on CNN: Singapore's best new restaurants

4. Izy

4. IzyIzy is Singapore's hottest izakaya.
Chef Kazumasa Yazawa, who earned his pedigree at Tetsuya's and Waku Ghin, infuses European sensibilities into the Japanese small plates at this ultra-hip izakaya.

For the perfect meal, we recommend the 8-course omakase (Kyoto toufu with ikura perals and Hokkaido uni in dashi broth).

A nightcap at the Cache Bar is the perfect way to end the evening.

Izy, 27 Club Street; +65 6220 3327

More on CNN: Singapore's best cocktail bars 

5. Club Street Social

5. Club Street SocialClub Street Social's lobster panini is a menu star.
A café and sandwich bar by day and drinking hole by night, this New York-inspired joint doles out tasty salads, paninis and crostinis alongside inspiring cocktails that draw a permanently heavy after-hours crowd.

The swarm of patrons – with drinks in tow -- usually spill out onto the narrow five-foot way by dusk.

Club Street Social, 5 Gemmill Lane; +65 6225 5043

6. Noti Restaurant & Bar

6. Noti Restaurant & BarNoti's hearty homemade gnocchi with tiger prawns and pesto Salentino.
After a whirlwind 24-year hotel F&B career, Tony Rossetti retires to the confines of this handsomely decorated trattoria space that he co-owns with his Singapore wife.

His southern Italian fare is unapologetically simple and rustic. Judging by the packed room, Rossetti seems to have struck a chord with the local Italian food aficionados.

Noti Restaurant & Bar, 54 & 56 Club Street; +65 6220 0089

7. Lolla

7. LollaLolla is one of the hottest restaurants to open in Singapore this year.
Barely six months after opening, this Mediterranean-inspired small plates eatery made Zagat's 2013 hottest new restaurants list.

If you're lucky enough to snag a seat, we recommend ordering the squid ink pudding crowned with a tongue of sea urchin and the Spanish tortilla with smoked eel -- both of which pair nicely with flute of grower Champagne.

Lolla, 22 Ann Siang Road; +65 6423 1228

More on CNN: Singapore dining: Best of the old and new


8. Oxwell & Co.

8. Oxwell & Co.Mark Sargeant, Gordon Ramsay's former right hand man, shows Singapore how British fare should be done.
Gordon Ramsay's former right hand man, Mark Sargeant, beat the foul-mouthed celebrity chef to staking a claim on the city's culinary turf at this rustic triple-storey space that serves up British-inspired fare like Yorkshire pudding and prawn cocktail.

Even if you're not up for a meal here, the groovy ground-floor bar scene is worth checking out.

Oxwell & Co., 5 Ann Siang Road; +65 6438 3984

9. Ding Dong

9. Ding DongDing Dong, proving Singapore's tapas craze is far from dead.
Ryan Clift of Tippling Club fame takes a break from his haute gastronomy roots at his third outpost, a South East Asian-inspired tapas bar that takes up three levels of shop house space.

Guests can sip fantastic cocktails (we love the Fujiyama) and dine on exotic small plates like the Vietnamese Scotch eggs, scallop ceviche wrapped in Chinese cabbage and the one-of-a-kind Malacca chendol.

Ding Dong, 23 Ann Siang Road; +65 6557 0189

10. Truffle Gourmet

10. Truffle GourmetTruffles on tartare? Tastes as sublime as it looks.
Italian eateries are a dime and a dozen in this city state but not many boast a lineage like Truffle Gourmet, a franchisee of Piedmont-based San Maurizio Relais Chateau hotel.

The property produces an eponymous range of truffle-accented gourmet products that enable fans of the prized-fungi to feast on truffled Italian creations year round.

When Alba white truffles are off-season, the truffle caviar that crowns a mound of veal tartare is equally dazzling.

Truffle Gourmet, 49 Club Street; +65 6222 5996

More: Keong Saik Road: The coolest new block in Singapore

Sunday, December 22, 2013

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World's most luxurious 'dragon' hunt

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST

How many glacier-cold, toothpaste-white, tightly wrapped moist towels does it take to make a luxury cruise?

And pastel-shaded, ice-clinking mocktails?

I don't know, and I've a feeling Annalisa Gorelli, cruise director aboard the Alila Purnama, doesn't either, because both come frequently, before every meal, after every activity, during every quiet moment.

I'm handed a dozen of each over three days cruising the Flores Sea around Indonesia.

The ship was built by a wealthy couple from Jakarta in the form of a traditional Indonesian phinisi.

It's 46 meters of sun-warmed teak and rattan, meant, originally, for a two-year world voyage for the owners.

That didn't happen, so they've turned it over to the public.

It has huge, flapping, decorative sails, meals explained table-side by the chef and a master cabin designed purely to induce envy in those relegated to the four standard cabins below decks. Sorry, kids.

There's scuba and snorkeling equipment on board, a small library/video room, even an "IT guy" to fix the Wi-Fi if it goes down while you're floating miles from civilization.

In other words, in everything but outward appearance, this is anything but a traditional Indonesian phinisi.

"This isn't just a boat," says Gorelli. "We provide memorable experiences, five-star service. We're the most luxurious cruise available around here."

As I step aboard, welcomed with my first icy cold flannel and a glass of lime juice and ginger, I'm told there's only one rule: no shoes.

Going barefoot is central to the Purnama experience.

The worst thing about the whole trip in fact is having to squeeze back into my Nikes again at the end.

Somehow they feel not to fit anymore.

Dragon hunting

komodo dragonThey can run at up to 12 miles per hour. They mostly choose not to.Cruises can be tailored, from four nights to any number of nights with any combination of island stops.

I'm turning dragon hunter on mine, headed for Komodo.

This island within Komodo National Park is home to the world's biggest lizard, the "Komodo dragon." It grows up to 10 feet and 70 kilos and comes wrapped in tales that have not yet inspired a Hollywood B-movie called "Komodo: one bite and you're done" -- but very well could.

Its bite is either venomous or full of bacteria (science hasn't yet decided) and TV shows have promoted the beasts as bloodthirsty killers of both humans and cattle.

It's true that in 1974 a Swedish tourist went missing and four years ago a local boy vanished, both blamed on the dragons.

But the reality for tourists is less sensational.

"We probably don't see dragon," says our ranger, Isaac, as he points at a faded trail map at the start of the adventure. "This morning, no dragon. But maybe we lucky."

We weren't.

That's not to say a one-hour hike across Komodo isn't worthwhile.

Isaac points out indigenous plants used as antiseptics, several deer ("Dragon food!"), a tree that flowers after 35 years then immediately dies, and another tree whose fruit can be eaten after several weeks worth of inordinately laborious preparations so it will taste like cassava. (Why not just eat cassava?)

It does seem a little desperate when he highlights snails, fungi and several-days-old komodo poop, but look at the view, who are we to complain?

And we do eventually see the famous dragons, four of them snoozing under the huts back at the start of the trail.

Did it matter that they'd probably been there all day? That we could have walked 50 yards rather than two kilometers to see them?

Did it matter that the rangers were feeding them tidbits so we could see them move, and were probably feeding them other times so they would stay put, as a payoff for otherwise disappointed tourists?

I don't know.

The rangers have a living to make, and since UNESCO's inscription of the park onto their World Heritage List in 1991, up to 1,500 tourists make the treks each day, when a cruise ship arrives. The average is 150, says Isaac.

Send them home disappointed and that livelihood may disintegrate.

For a while we did at least feel like pioneers, just like thousands before us.

Back on board

Alila PurnamaMocktails and cold towels -- three of each before meals and after activity. Just as the cruise director ordered. One icy facecloth, hot shower and mango-orange mocktail later, I'm back on the deck of decadence.

Dinner, usually served on board, will tonight be a surprise, we're told.

We end up on a small motorboat headed for a nearby beach, where the crew has spent several hours fashioning a "restaurant" out of sand, seashells and driftwood.

Sandy steps lead to a sandy platform, on which a table for eight sits. Candles flicker inside small cubbyholes in an upturned tree root.

It's a meal in a million, the food brought over from the ship, course by course.

Later that night, I sit on the top deck of the Purnama watching the stars in silence, save the creaking and groaning of ropes.

Luxury cruising up

Some 21 million passengers are expected to go on a cruise worldwide in 2013, worth $36 billion to the industry, according to Cruise Market Watch. That's an increase in spend of 4.5% compared to 2012.

Not huge gains, but perfectly respectable, and luxury operations like the Alila Purnama are primed to take advantage in Asia, so far the world's second-smallest cruise market representing 3.6% of the total market (behind South America, at 3.4%).

The Singapore-based company managing the Purnama -- Alila Hotels & Resorts -- is traditionally a hotel management company. The Purnama is their first foray into something different.

"We project huge cruise growth in Asia, especially considering international exposure of Raja Ampat and Komodo National Park," says Guy Heywood, COO of Alila Hotels & Resorts. "These destinations are set to become top diving destinations likely to attract travelers, especially domestic."

Packages available

Alila Villas UluwatuAlila Villas Uluwatu -- available as part of a tour on the Alila Purnama.Trips on the Purnama can include stays at their Bali properties, including Alila Villas Uluwatu, the kind of place that would make Croc Dundee balk and Paris Hilton plead for another TV show.

His and hers six-piece toiletry sets sit beside sink-and-mirror combinations you only ever see in design magazines.

Palm trees grope at ocean views that serve as a backdrop to breakfast menus, which change daily.

Swimming pools and other watery channels remind me at every turn I should feel soothed.

The villas are enormous.

"It's too big. I keep getting lost," complains one of my co-guests halfheartedly.

And of course there are the cold towels, brought out to drive off even a few second's worth of sun when I have to walk to my suite rather than ride the resort golf cart.

Further east along the Baliese coast, Alila Villas Soori sits on a black-sand beach that's also home to a cave of several thousand bats that emerge to feed at 6 p.m. every evening in a long, coiling ribbon.

Among the usual five-star facilities, you can also rent Segways and go on trips to see how they make the region's "kopi luwak" (coffee "processed" by the intestines of civets).

Alila Purnama is promoting its six-night Raja Ampat expedition, stopping at various dive sites and islands along the way. Full-ship chartering starts at $54,000 all-inclusive for six nights; individual cabins start at $10,500 for a standard suite, $12,000 for the master suite; +65 6735 8300; purnama@alilahotels.com

Friday, December 20, 2013

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Balaton basics: 5-minute guide to Hungary’s Lake Balaton

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:00 PM PST

Where to stay and how to play in Hungary's most popular outdoor destination
Lake Balaton

So, you're in Budapest, Hungary's cosmopolitan cultural capital, a place with more cathedrals, palaces, Gothic gargoyles and goulash-stained tablecloths than you ever thought you'd see in one place.

Now it's time for a break from city drama.

When the mood strikes for a long weekend in the gorgeous countryside, every Hungarian knows where to go: Lake Balaton.

Central Europe's largest lake is two hours by car from Budapest, but the dramatic change in scenery occurs almost as soon as you get on highway M7.

Farewell, St. Stephen's Basilica. Hello, trees, fields, lakes, birds and deer.  

Lake Balaton is huge -- it's colloquially known in landlocked Hungary as the "Hungarian Sea" -- and surrounded with vacation houses, hotels and apartments. All have paths or roads heading toward the lake's lovely beaches and promenades.

Popular activities include wine tasting, thermal spas, music festivals, water sports and other action-oriented activities. Want to jump out of a helicopter? Read on.

This is the place "where East and West met throughout history," according to Ádám Kiss, journalist at We Love Balaton (www.welovabalaton.hu/en). "Now, it's a place where all Hungarians are gathering to enjoy."

Here's a quick guide to the Balaton basics.

 

Hotels

Anna Grand Hotel

Anna Grand HotelAnna Grand Hotel: Balaton eleganceThis historic hotel hosts the annual Anna Ball, the only beauty pageant held during communist rule.

In addition to some of the nicest rooms in the Lake Balaton area, it has a superb restaurant, spa and bowling alley, and organizes horseback riding, sailing and wine tasting.

Anna Grand Hotel, 8230 Balatonfüred, Gyógy tér 1; +36 (1) 87 581 200; expensive

Chateau Visz

Courtesy Szigetváry Zsolt Chateau Visz: Country charm.With only 12 rooms, the Chateau Visz is a place to cozy up and enjoy exclusive services, such as an award-winning prix fixe menu, prepared differently every day.

Chateau Visz, 8681 Visz, Berencsepuszta; +36 85 710 003; expensive

Káli Art Inn

Artful living in the countryside? This is it.

In a wooded countryside location, Káli Art Inn's facilities are all modern yet specializes in rustic, Old World appeal 

A former casino, the inn arranges horseback riding and rents bicycles, and has art supplies for those inspired by the surroundings to create masterpieces for the living room wall -- or basement corner.

Káli Art Inn, 8274 Köveskál, Fő utca 8;  +36 30 922 8715; moderate

Óbester Pension

Apartments and pensions dot the Lake Balaton area.

Surrounded by vineyards and walnut trees and set back off the lake, Óbester Pension is typical -- and good.

The family-run B&B in a 200-year-old building has rooms for singles and more spacious apartments for families.

Óbester Pension, 8261 Badacsonytomaj, Római út 203; +36 30 213 0225; moderate

Kertem Camping Site

Kertem Camping Site brings the colorful spirit of Budapest's ruin pubs to Lake Balaton.

It's a short walk to beaches and sites for music festivals; the campground has the casual vibe you'd expect though in crowded summer it can feel more urban than rural.

Kertem Camping Site, 8621 Zamárdi, Panoráma utca 12; +36 20 248 4417; budget

Balatontourist Camping

Balatontourist Camping offers sites in different locations, with varying levels of services -- holiday bungalows, sports facilities, grocery stores, a clubhouse.

Balatontourist Camping, 8636 Balatonszemes, Lellei utca 1-2; +36 84 360 114; budget

 

Dining

Most restaurants around Lake Balaton offer Hungarian specialties at reasonable prices. Some serve pre-arranged, three-course meals. Beware: some restaurants accept only cash -- no credit cards.

Chateau Visz Gourmet Restaurant

Run by Michelin-starred chef Erik Schröter, this fine-dining restaurant has a list of medals and awards, including Restaurant of the Year for 2010 from a local dining guide and a Top 20 Restaurants in Central Europe 2012 nod from "Food & Wine" magazine.

It serves traditional Hungarian dishes with a sophisticated overhaul.

Chateau Visz, 8681 Visz, Berencsepuszta; +36 85 710 003; expensive

Karolina Kávéház és Koktélbár

Karolina Kávéház és KoktélbárKarolina Kávéház és Koktélbár -- no one goes away unimpressed.Located next to the port and a park, Karolina is a coffee and cocktails place known for ciabattas, cakes and breakfast menus.

It's so popular the owners opened a shop that sells the exact ingredients they use in their food.

Karolina Kávéház és Koktélbár, 8230 Balatonfüred, Zákonyi Ferenc utca 4; +36 87 583 098; moderate

Kistücsök Restaurant

While its menu describes the food as "traditional," Kistücsök serves Hungarian dishes with a modern twist, playing with sauces, garnishes and presentation.

The service is impeccable; waiters are always on the watch in case your glass ever gets half-empty, whether water or wine.

Kistücsök Restaurant,8636 Balatonszemes, Bajcsy Zsilinszky út 25; +36 84 360 133; expensive

Old Bell Tavern and Restaurant

The family-run tavern offers interesting Hungarian game dishes that include water buffalo, Guinea fowl, rabbit and … donkey.

It uses ingredients from local farmers and hosts outdoor barbecues every Thursday and Friday night in spring and summer. The barbecues move indoors in winter.

Old Bell Tavern and Restaurant, 8380 Hévíz, 2830 hrsz; +36 30 927 9011; moderate

Teázó az erdő mélyén

The name literally means, "Teahouse deep in the forest."

Although it's tough to locate, and is open only on weekends, it's worth the time and effort to seek out.

The owner is mesmerized by tea, and has traveled around the world for interesting selections. Her son is a pastry chef and together they make an impressive tea and cake combo.

The café also serves light, tasty meals.

Teázó az erdő mélyén8237 Tihany-Sajkod, Sajkodi aszfalt út vége; + 36 30 247 2260; moderate

 

Sightseeing and activities

Hungary is famous for spas and saunas and Lake Balaton offers a number of good ones. Most hotels offer some sort of spa, sauna and massage program. Other popular Lake Balaton activities include water sports and wine tasting.

Hévíz Lake Spa

This lake spa promotes wellness by promoting the healthy waters of Lake Balaton, which guests spend plenty of time in.

"The steady and constant water flow has a beneficial effect on the body as it keeps bathers lightly massaged during the whole time they spend in the lake," say the spa's website.

Since the lake is warm throughout the year, it's possible to bathe in its waters even in winter.

The spa is a joint venture with Saint Andrew Rheumatology Hospital and offers medicinal treatments.

Hévíz Lake Spa, 8380 Hévíz, Dr. Schulhof Vilmos sétány 1; +36 83 501 700

Tihany Abbey

Tihany AbbeyTihany Abbey. Humble outside, inside on the other hand ...Founded in 1055 under the reign of King Andrew I of Hungary, the abbey houses the only preserved tomb of a medieval Hungarian king.

The exterior is modest, with white walls and red brick towers; the interior is overwhelming and opulent.

The abbey houses an an impressive underground museum and art gallery.

Tihany Abbey, 8237 Tihany, I. András tér 1; +36 87 538 200 

Füred Wakeboard Centrum

While biking, hiking and traveling by car around the Lake Balaton are the norms, there are other ways to take in the scenery: sailing and windsurfing.

Füred Wakeboard Centrum offers surf schools, sailing, windsurfing and kite surfing programs on the lake.

Füred Wakeboard Centrum, 8230 Balatonfüred Széchenyi u. 24; +36 70 6161 742; daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., March-September

IKON Winery

IKON WineryIKON Winery: Always in the red zone.The IKON Winery is located in Radpuszta, where for centuries the vineyards belonged to the Tihany Abbey.

It's run by a restless winemaker, János Konyári, and his son, who worked in vineyards in South Africa and California.

IKONs 39 hectares produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir.

IKON Winery, 8681 Látrány, 087/1/A Hrsz; +36 454 94 31

Siófok-Kiliti Airport

Siófok-Kiliti AirportYep, you're getting on that thing, then getting right off.Sky-diving … from a helicopter

For a dramatic look at Lake Balaton, you can jump out of a plane. Or a helicopter.

The Siófok-Kiliti Airport's M-8 Boogie program includes jumping from a helicopter from more than 4,000 meters or (snooze) simply bailing out of a plane.

As you float earthward over hills, vineyards and the lake, you'll understand why this is a popular activity during peak season (meaning reservations are a must).

Siófok-Kiliti Airport, 8611 Siófok-Kiliti, Szekszárdi út 1; +36 84 522 011

Macau's coolest hotel gimmicks

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST

Macau hotels are outdoing themselves to prove they're not just convenient places for gamblers to crash after a binge.

Below are some Macau hotel gimmicks quirky enough to soften the crush of big losses at the tables. 

Michael Jackson-themed chamber escape game

The Ponte 16 casino-resort not only has a gallery dedicated to more than 40 pieces of Michael Jackson memorabilia, it recently launched a chamber escape game with a horror theme reminiscent of the King of Pop's "Thriller" video.

The game features two chambers, dubbed Death Valley and Murder of Dance, in which you'll have to unlock the doors to return to freedom by solving the various riddles in elaborately decked out rooms.

Afterward, you can commemorate a mission accomplished with a photo session, stepping into a pair of shoes that'll help you achieve MJ's signature 45-degree lean. 

MJ Gallery at Ponte 16, 2/F, Ponte 16 Resort Macau; +853 8861 6560

More on CNN: 10 must-try Macau foods

Bedside spa pools

Because the need for relaxation could arise at any hour, the Banyan Tree Macau has put the spa in your room -- right next to your bed, to be exact.

These suites are sweet on serious spa addicts, with personal relaxation pools located between the comfy beds and expansive windows framing views of Cotai.

In addition to the suites, Banyan Tree Macau has 10 villas with individual private outdoor pools for swimming.  

Banyan Tree Macau, Galaxy Macau, Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, Cotai; +853 8883 8833; from MOP2,588 ($317) per night

Fake beach 

"Why go to the beach, when we can bring the beach to you?" 

This was likely Galaxy Macau's motivation for building a 52,000-square-meter beach right in the middle of the gaming capital's concrete jungle.

Covered in fine white sand, the space is complete with Ibiza-worthy lounge chairs and service, with waves as high as 1.5 meters lapping at its artificial shoreline.

Come for the Baccarat, stay for the sunbathing. 

Galaxy Macau, Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, Cotai; +853 2888 0888

More on CNN: Macau's best casinos: Where to gamble, where to let loose

Kung Fu Panda rooms

The Sheraton Macao Hotel proves a vacation in the gambling city doesn't have to be off-limits for kids.

The DreamWorks Experience Package turns the hotel into a theme park for little ones.

Special family suites are decorated with images from DreamWorks movies, including "Shrek," "Kung Fu Panda," and "Madagascar."

A "Shrekfast" ensures kids start the day off right with a hearty meal and their favorite characters, such as Shrek and Puss in Boots, Alex the lion and his penguin friends. 

Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central, Estrada do Istmo, Macau; +853 2880 2000

More on CNN: Macau's kung fu coffee master

Renaissance art

The MGM goes high-brow with a newly launched 8,000-square-feet "Art Space."

The event space primarily hosts art exhibitions; its inaugural show opening in December 2013 featured a beautiful piece of Renaissance art: Botticelli's "Venus" (circa 1482).

The depiction of the goddess of love and fertility was a precursor to the master's most famous work, "The Birth of Venus," and has come all the way from Turin's Galleria Sabauda. 

MGM Macau, Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen, NAPE, Macau; +853 8802 8888

More on CNN: 10 things to know before visiting Macau

Tea ceremony spherical room

The Okura's Yamazato restaurant has a stunning sphere-shaped tea ceremony room made entirely from washi paper.

The globe, which has a diameter of three meters, creates a calming white space within which two guests can enjoy a traditional tea ceremony led by a competent staff.

Accompanied by adjacent Zen gardens, the whole place is great for contemplating the sound of one hand clapping. 

Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, Okura Hotel, Cotai, Macau; +853 8883 3636

More on CNN: House of Dancing Water: Secrets behind the world's biggest water show

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