the Enchanted Valley R Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
shangri-la hotel, singapore
THERE S NO GREATER ACT OF HOSPITALITY THAN TO EMBRACE A STR ANGER AS ONE S OWN.
it was a balmy november night and a cool evening breeze rolled down Orchard Road, brushing past the masses of pedestrians and cars all moving in unison. The road, for as far as the eye could see, was an explosion of colours, where every gleaming shopping mall, lined up one after the other, was illuminated with a thousand glittering lights, as if the stars had fallen from the sky. Shoppers and lush green foliage that hung majestically over the road was swaying with the city s sprightly spirit. With our arms loaded with shopping bags, brimming with designer this, that and the other, we decided to walk back to the hotel, relishing the warmth of the tropical air. And as we meandered along the gorgeous tree-lined street leading back to the hotel, we could feel its peaceful allure becoming more and more irresistible with each passing step. 1
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the hotel garden was like a magical wonderland of tumbling waterfalls and Japanese koi. We strolled leisurely through its lush expanse, inhaling deeply, as if the garden s sweet sultry air was some sort of elixir of life. At the end of an immaculately landscaped driveway, we could see the soft golden glow of the Valley Wing Lobby, where two porters stood cordially by the doors awaiting our arrival. The moment we stepped into the lobby, we fell under its captivating spell. Extravagant crystal chandeliers hung like oversized earrings from an incredibly high ceiling, and at our feet, white and bronze Italian marble glistened with such gusto it might have been expecting some royal visitors. An enormous four-storey-high Chinese painting, depicting the dramatic yet tranquil terrain of Tibet, also mesmerised us with its beauty, and together with the enchanting quietude in the air, we were awash with a pure and complete contentment. 6
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our taste buds journeyed all over the Mediterranean, from the south of Spain to the coast of Lebanon, at the exquisitely fresh and innovative Waterfall Café. Inside the restaurant, the air was cool and crisp and tingled with the exotic aromas of Mediterranean herbs, salts and spices. After contemplating for some time, we dish called The Socca a light and crispy chickpea pancake topped with a spicy tomato coulis and a delightfully piquant herb salad. The charming Shang Place, with its golden walls like dining in a blossoming Chinese garden. There, we savoured the very best of Cantonese cuisine, made even more memorable when our waitress brought us the selection of tea presented as a set of traditional fortune-telling sticks. Excitedly, I shook the canister and let one of the sticks fall out, and just minutes later, I was sipping a cup of Eight Treasures Tea, extraordinarily light and fresh, as if 15
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venturing through the hotel grounds to CHI, The Spa, we found ourselves in an oasis within an oasis, a jungle within a jungle, with the city just a few minutes away feeling more like a few worlds away. Nestled in the lush verdant surrounds of the spa, we surrendered completely to Mother Nature as our therapists wrapped our bodies in a soothing concoction of Italian green clay mixed with a mystical combination of argan oil, rose hydrolat and Himalayan salts. We lay there for some time feeling the cool mud completely envelop our bodies, drawing out the toxins and replacing them with only goodness and vitality. Something deep inside us must have shifted whilst we were asleep on the beds, as when we awoke we rejuvenated and renewed, into the majestic gardens and beyond. 25
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Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 22 Orange Grove Road, 258350, Singapore Tel: (65) 6737 3644 Fax: (65) 6737 3257 sls@shangri-la.com 2013 Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Printed and published in Hong Kong 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. www.shangri-la.com SLS0713
There, to his joy and surprise, he found a friendly and prosperous population who made haste to display what I have always regarded as our oldest tradition that of hospitality to strangers. Lost Horizon, James Hilton It was through this 1933 classic that we found our name. And it was this novel that inspired our heartfelt hospitality. Every hotel around the world has its own story to tell and, in keeping with how it began, each captures its account in a little book. Collect as many books as you can from over 80 hotels and resorts around the world.