Luxurious holiday retreats

CAPELLA SANYA

Offering luxury and elegance on the southern coast of Hainan, Capella Sanya - from Singapore's Capella Hotel Group and Chinese developer China Gezhouba Group Real Estate - is set on 13.8ha of exclusive tropical blooms on a sheltered bay offering panoramic views of the South China Sea.

Inspired by the fabled history of China's ancient Maritime Silk Road, the hotel has 190 rooms and villas amid lush gardens.

Guests may sample signature Chinese fine dining at restaurant Lan Ting, which is styled after a traditional Chinese tea house.

Room rates start at 2,088++ yuan (S$422) a night.

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YTL HOTELS

Visitors from London and beyond will be transported to their own private countryside escape steeped in stylish yet laidback luxury at the Malaysian hospitality group's Monkey Island Estate in Bray-on-Thames, Berkshire.

The property boasts both a striking white bricked Pavilion and Temple building surrounded by beautiful English country gardens with picturesque views of the River Thames.

Holiday-makers can relax and be pampered at The Floating Spa, moored nearby.

Nightly rates at Monkey Island Estate start from £275 (S$488) a room a night in a Temple Room.

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ANDBEYOND

The experiential travel company has opened Tengile River Lodge, taking the luxury of South Africa's Sabi Sand Game Reserve to a new level.

It offers a contemporary twist on the safari aesthetic, with nine exclusive guest suites tucked deep into the riverine forest on the banks of the Sand River.

Sustainability elements at the Tengile River Lodge include thermal efficiency, a minimal ecological footprint through careful environmental auditing, as well as state-of-the-art waste water and sewer treatment systems.

Rates begin at 20,500 rand (S$1,934) a person a night for the suite.

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RAFFLES HOTELS & RESORTS

The chain of luxury hotels has opened a 38-villa resort on the Maldivian atoll of Gaafu Alifu.

Raffles Maldives Meradhoo is on two private islands, its Beach Villas, Beach Residences and the Raffles Royal Residence offering great views of the Indian Ocean and featuring a private pool, generous living spaces and lavish marble bathroom with a sunken bathtub and outdoor shower.

A secluded collection of Overwater Villas and Residences scheduled to open in the second half of 2019 lies adjacent to one of the vibrant house reefs which can be reached by a traditional Maldivian Dhoni boat.

Prices start at US$1,895 (S$2,580) for a Beach Villa for two.

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NTUC INCOME

The homegrown insurance company has launched Pinfare, a travel-inspired lifestyle insurance by Digital Income, its in-house Digital Transformation Office (DTO).

It seeks to address the pressure of having to purchase a desired flight itinerary on the spot, or be subjected to unpredictable price fluctuations and pay a higher fare on the same flight itinerary later.

Powered by travel search engine Skyscanner, Pinfare allows travellers to pin up to three sets of preferred real-time flight itineraries at their respective prices on its platform. Once pinned, the flight itineraries are insured by Pinfare for seven days and the traveller is protected should the price of any of the pinned itineraries increases at the point of purchase within the insured period. When this happens, an insurance claim can be made.

Pinfare's premiums, which start as low as $5, will vary according to variables.

For now, it insures economy flights to six countries - Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Hong Kong - and will extend coverage to more countries by the end of 2019.