5 HOTELS THAT HAVE SHUNNED FOUR WALLS

If you ever wanted to feel like part of the neighbourhood when you’re on vacation, book into the Capella Shanghai Jian Ye Li set in the Xuhui heritage district of Shanghai. The designers have taken a former shikumen (residential compound) and turned it into a glamorous hotel. Each guest will be able to book into one of the two-storey villas that come with their own gated courtyard and rooftop terrace. And within maze of alleyways you’ll find a Pierre Gagnaire restaurant, spa and boutiques.

When is a village not a village? When it’s a hotel. The designer of Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita has taken Matera’s famous cliffside grotto dwellings and turned them into a sprawling hotel. The ancient stone caves of this UNESCO city that were once homes, palaces and churches in medieval times are now suites, a restaurant and spa for a luxury hotel. Caves they may be, but prehistoric they are not - expect underfloor heating, Philippe Stark bathtubs and gourmet food.

Finding it hard to choose between the new Six Senses Duxton and Six Senses Maxwell? Well, you don’t have to for these two venues are treated as one hotel. If you want to leave your luggage at the heritage chic hideaway that is Six Senses Maxwell, then dine in the TCM-inspired Yellow Pot restaurant at Six Senses Duxton, you can for you will only receive one bill. It’s just a few minutes’ walk between each shophouse setting or an even faster tokyobike ride.

When is a farm not a farm? When it’s a sprawling designer hotel. You can book a suite at the original 19th-century homestead at Annandale or choose one of the cottages that can be found in private bays along the coast. Choose from Scrubby Bay cottage with its own private pool to Seascape cottage with its outdoor lounge and fireplace that overlooks the ocean. Guests staying at the cottages can choose to relax and dine in privacy in their cottage or dine in the farm-to-table restaurant at the main house.

This unhotel that is scattered throughout the Himalayan villages of India is designed to introduce its guests to the location as much as their suite. Adventurous travellers can choose to take a five or eight-day walk through the countryside spending the night at different heritage cottages along the way before finishing their tour at Shakti 360 Leti, a group of four cabins that give you panoramic views of the valley. Or if you are short on time, you can just take the hour long trek to the designer hideaway that is Shakti 360 Leti.