New 27-room carbon-conscious hotel in Shanghai. "...Built within a former warehouse from recycled materials (old Shanghai bricks, reclaimed wood), (it) proves that ecology and style can co-exist. As to offset its Jetsons-style free-form furniture and sunken lounges, the hotel offers acupuncture, reflexology, and massage treatments as well as lessons in Chinese cooking, language and calligraphy." [Vogue]  Rates from $225.

Wallpaper praised this venerable hotel's new, cutting-edge Olavesen Spa, "a 450 sq m facility clad in black stone and earthy tones." Located on the hotel's top floor with fantastic views of the cobblestoned Karl Johans gate, "The spa features seven treatment rooms and uses Olavesen's own light therapy treatment.... Different wavelengths of natural light are used to trigger various functions in the body, helping to cleanse, purify and detoxify inside and out."  [Wallpaper]

DailyCandy describes this hotel in South West Wales as a "tiny boutique hotel whose sexy styling belies the middle-of-nowhere feel."   Find other tips for Wales in the attached DailyCandy article.

W Magazine wrote a three-page feature article on this new spa/hotel in southern Japan by cosmetics guru Shu Uemura. It's located oceanside, off the rough waters of Cape Muruto (on Shikoku Island), where deep sea extraction of minerals used in his cosmetics occurs. 17 rooms and an organic restaurant. Very posh. Read more about Utoca and other Japanese spa retreats in the attached FT article.

Departures says the small second floor balcony of Hotel Sube, above the Café de Paris in St. Tropez, is the place to check out the harbour crowd and the boat scene.  "This is the real St Trop. insiders' hangout, unlike the stylish but packed Café Senequier on the port. Get there before the crowds return from the beach -- say, by about 5 pm -- if you want a seat on the balcony." [Departures, May/June 2008, AMEX Platinum Members]

Wallpaper writes, "The new Ritz Carlton Moscow continues to push the luxe factor to a new limit in a city that seems to know no limits." The magazine raved about the hotel's new, cutting-edge bar, O2 Lounge, perched under a glass and steel dome 12 floors up, with breathtaking views of the Kremlin and Red Square. Tatler adds, the "decor is over-the-top opulent," but "the beds must rank as the most comfortable on earth."

The ultimate remote getaway, which DailyCandy calls "gorgeous." New resort on Easter Island, in the middle of the Pacific, 5 hours by plane from Chile. Cool modern design offering 30 rooms, an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi. However, the FT writes, "the point of the stay is anthropological. Guests can enjoy lodge-assisted tours by foot, bike, 4WD to the island's ahus (ceremonial burial platforms) and Moai structures made from compressed volcanic ash."  All-inclusive rates from $1,794 per person, double, for three nights, says Vogue.     Read about Easter Island and this resort in the attached W Magazine article.

The longstanding boutique hotel in St. Tropez, opened in the 1950s. The terrace of the restaurant, overlooking the Bay of St. Tropez was a popular Picasso haunt and is still today, an insider's favorite. 18 individually decorated suites and rooms. [Departures, May/June 2008, AMEX Platinum Members]

One of Jose Ignacio's "hot" restaurants, according to Tatler. Located on a dirt road just outside the village.

Good choice if you want to feel the hip vibe in Moscow. The food is okay but the real attraction is the crowd.  Call ahead for a reservation.  Afterwards, head to bar 30/7.