Game, Set, Match at the Pacific Club
So much more than a gym, Gateway Apartments’ residents have access to a private members club with all the luxuries
| Text : Christina Kautzky |
Gyms in Hong Kong can feel like a dime a dozen. Not so at the Pacific Club. From rooftop tennis courts to a 25-metre swimming pool, a spacious gym to on-site restaurants, the Pacific Club has it all, and does it in style with a 180-degree view of Victoria Harbour.
If this sounds like the makings of an elite private club, that’s because it is. But for residents at Gateway Apartments, it is also part of what makes living at the property a truly luxurious experience. The Pacific Club occupies an entire pier that extends out from Harbour City, containing luxurious facilities over four floors of recreation, dining and enjoyment.
The gym is a sprawling room featuring state-of-the-art equipment that overlooks the harbour, dedicated personal trainers, and a host of scheduled classes from martial arts to yoga. Changing rooms feature large lockers, comfortable sitting areas, plush towels and all of the amenities, including separate male and female spa areas for saunas, facials, massages and more. All of this before leaving the first floor!
With its own tennis pro shop, five tennis courts and 3 squash courts, there is no shortage of space for guests to play their hearts out. And for those interested in improving their game, coaches are available as well.
If swimming is the sport of choice, Pacific Club’s 25-metre pool at the end of the pier gives residents and members ample space for laps or an afternoon dip to stay cool. After a refreshing swim, lounging outside in the sun or enjoying a barbeque along the balcony make the experience complete.
The recreational facilities are only part of what the Pacific Club has to offer. The club bar is a place to kick back or rack up a game of pool. The Island View focuses on light bites and healthy meals overlooking the sea, while upscale dining at Pier 6 is always a journey into fine European cuisine. Bauhinia Restaurant features the talents of local chefs preparing exceptional Cantonese dishes, while poolside snacks are available at the Café.
Special activities like Casino Night, wine tastings, guest chefs and a box at the Shatin racecourse are all a regular part of life for members of the Pacific Club, as is use of restaurants or special venues for business events or social gatherings.
And with the adults busy as can be at the Pacific Club, what about the little ones? There is something for every child, including sporting classes, a video library, educational activities and art courses.
The Pacific Club truly sets itself apart as part of the lifestyle available to residents at Gateway Apartments. Much more than a gym, it has established itself as a destination for those who want sports, relaxation, a special meal for two, or a family day at the pool – all in one, luxurious, full-service location.
“W” for where? Bali
W takes its brand of flirty, contemporary luxe to Bali
| Text : Elizabeth Kerr |
Seminyak, referred to as the pearl of Bali, is home to the most exclusive of Balinese beaches and is where Bali’s ultra-hip residents and vacationers shop, wine and dine. It is also the location for the W’s first venture in Indonesia — a 158-room hotel, complemented by 79 villas available for purchase. The villas will come replete with W’s signature trendy urban vibe, and the aim is to transplant that vibe to Seminyak.
When it launched in 1998 in New York, “The objective of W was to create a lifestyle space … design driven, happenings led, activity engaging. A space for the social set; a place, not a hotel,” says Matthew Jung, Asia-Pacific director of marketing for W. Expect much the same flirty, insider-y, escapist attitude in Bali.
Starwood, W’s parent, is the only hotel operator in Asia-Pacific with a dedicated residential development section and W is the fastest growing luxury hotel chain in the world. It’s no surprise that the chain is again dipping its toes into the lucrative tropical resort scene (W operates residences in crowded Koh Samui), an arena that has already welcomed Four Seasons, Novotel and St Regis (also a Starwood property) among other internationally branded chains.
The residences are currently on sale, and viewings can be arranged by appointment at any in the series of launch events around Asia, and are slated to be ready when the hotel opens in November of this year. Like most hotel residences, W Seminyak’s villas will comprise part of the hotel’s stock, and owners will be entitled to stay any four weeks each year with no blackout restrictions. As well as being W’s first Indonesian property, Seminyak is a bit of an oddity given the hotel’s decidedly urban image (evidenced by yet other existing residences in Austin, Santiago and South Beach among others). But urbanites need to relax somewhere, and as Alexandra Yao, Director of Residential Development, Asia-Pacific for Starwood Hotels and Resorts sees it, “We see [the villas] as a second or vacation home for investors.”
W Seminyak’s villas break down into 65 one-bedroom units ranging from 2,400 to 3,000 square feet; 10 two-bedroom villas measuring just under 3,800; and 4 three-bedroom villas that range up to a whopping 7,670. All have private pools to complement access to Away Spa, W’s restaurants (where owners can take advantage of exclusive discounts on regular fees), bars, fitness centre and all the hotel’s other amenities, and owners are also offered preferred room rates on extra nights and complimentary airport transfers.
Finished with modern design by Hong Kong’s AB Concept, the villas are outfitted with state of the art appliances and equipment and blend seamlessly with W’s narrative, transportive design philosophy. As Manish Antal, corporate sales & marketing manager for DCA — W Seminyak’s development partner — puts it, “We wanted to create an escape within an escape.”
www.wresidences.com/bali
www.seminyakresidences.com
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