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A HIDDEN LUXURY DESIGN HEAVEN AT RIAD MENA, MARRAKECH

Anson Low 1 Comments

Marrakech is a busy city surrounded by narrow and bustling streets (and slightly dangerous too with their impatient motorcyclists), but you will never guess what’s behind the door of each building. It seemed ordinary when I arrived at the door front of Riad Mena, but after walking through it and passing the corridors, it took me to the interior design heaven in Marrakech, Morocco.

The giant trees and plants made it the best courtyard I have ever been to. The moment I walked into the Grant Suite, I was shocked by the size of the entire space. It was huge but I certainly did not feel emptiness in the room with the strategically organized furniture and decorations. One of my favourite pieces were the giant olive green bedside table lamps that give a nice touch to the predominantly white room.

I love the Menzeh in this Grand Suite overlooking the gorgeous courtyard. I took a nap there after having a glass of the Moroccan mint tea (with sugar!). It was rather relaxing afternoon for me – after a long day of photoshoot.

One of the coolest design feature in this Grand Suite at Riad Mena is the shelving units on the wall. The robust and raw aesthetic go well with any decorative accessories and books. And there are plenty of sitting area for you to read a book (or two) too!

What’s better than having a relaxing bath to compose yourself after a long day of travelling? And top it up by opening the doors that lead you to your private terrace – all by yourself!

Riad Mena also has a pool for you to have your morning swim or to cool down in the day surrounded by beautiful plants!

My first visit in Marrakech, Morocco has been amazing especially to start my journey in this gorgeous Riad Mena with the excellency in hospitality. The founder of Riad Mena, Philomena Schurer Merckoll has managed to transform this traditional Moroccan house into a modern boutique hotel that consists of 7 very stylish rooms. I would be visiting again in the future without a doubt!

Please visit Riad Mena for more information on the hotel and book it for your Marrakech trip! For those who love interior design and a bit of luxury, this is your choice! P/S: I love the aubergine and Lamb Tagine served by Riad Mena – make sure you request that to try!

Instagram: @Riadmena_beyond

THE MONOCHROMATIC CHARM AT HOTEL MONO, SINGAPORE

Anson Low No Comments

Who else here would hang up their clothes in a hotel wardrobe? I hope that I ain’t the only one! It makes me feel good and cozy to organize my belongings in a hotel always as it feels like I’ve already settled in – especially in such a neat design room. This minimal monochromatic design wardrobe belongs to Hotel Mono in Singapore.

The moment I walked into Hotel Mono, Singapore – a modern boutique hotel that is located closely to Chinatown. Who would have thought this chic and modern hotel is hidden in the historical building? The entrance was simple and yet made an impressive first impression on me when the transparent automated door was opened.

Going through the lounging areas in between floors were like a minimalist playground. The interior design is basic but filled with stylish and modern furniture. And of course, everything is monochrome.

As featured in Cereal’s city guide in Singapore, Hotel Mono definitely stood out from the crowd. This stairway to minimalist heaven in their Loft Room took my breath away – the main reason I wanted to stay there too! This generous Loft room offers great space with 2 beds – one on the ground and another on an elevated floor level within the room. Isn’t that cool?! It’s great for families or group of friends of 4 in my opinion. But being the selfish me, I wanted it all for myself!

The choice of furniture or any structural/building design accessories in Hotel Mono is simple, monochromatic and strong. The design principal is compositional and also symmetrical in a way. Each design piece is carefully curated from the wall lamp, flooring to the shower gel container. Did you notice the Rococo-era windows in this building? They are so characteristic and seem unreal to exist in such a modern city.

Having a monochromatic bedroom in my own house myself, I am actually inspired by Hotel Mono where I would definitely adopt some of the design aspect in my next house – when I can design and build my own house. This black metal stairway is definitely something that I would love to have at my home. There’s a new vision in every angle of the room through the stairway, just like my life perspective. It gives you inspiration each time when you observe, and opens up your imagination and creativity.

Please visit Hotel Mono for more information on the hotel and book it for next visit in Singapore. There’s also a bakery shop that sells very good egg tart too! It’s called Tong Heng – make sure you try their egg tart!

Facebook: HotelMonoSG

Instagram: @Hotelmonosg

TAKE IT SLOW AT THE SLOW, BALI

Anson Low No Comments

Rattan chair, plunge pool and tropical plants – Are these the complete package for a cool summer vacation in The Slow, Canggu, Bali? If you haven’t been to Canggu in Bali, you should start planning your next summer trip here! I have been to Seminyak, Bali in the past, but Canggu beat that in my opinion. The crowd in Canggu is young and free – probably due to the surfers in the town. There are many hidden minimalistic cafes (check out Quince Cafe!) and boutiques with artsy interior design too. It’s like a little minimalist heaven in Bali.

The Slow impressed me by their appreciation of art and interior design. Each piece of furniture is carefully selected – at least that’s how I felt it. Each piece of the furniture in the hotel or room has great details and beautifully crafted, either a stool by the bar in the restaurant, the bench in the hallway or the in-house DJ booth. The aesthetic of furniture are all complementary of each other in terms of vibe.

The moment I arrived in the Pool Suite, there were cool jams already playing in the room’s built in speaker. There’s no television in the room/hotel, one of the great concept for visitors like me who need to take things slow and stay away from the distraction on holiday. Who needs a television in this type of environment anyway?

Always start your day with high protein breakfast (Charred fish and noodles – as seen in the image above) and a swim to kick off the holiday.

‘Rainforest’ shower to cool you down in the tropical heat hey! The bench in the shower is so zen!

My favourite part of the day in the Pool Suite is to read a book on the day bed. One of my resolution in 2018 is to take things slower definitely as I had very hectic lifestyle from 2016 since the start of new business. So having the chance of to chill and read is a treat for me in this holiday! And it’s blissful to be surrounded by so much greeneries!

You can also spend a bit of time walking around the hotel to enjoy their arts on walls. Plenty of great photography work from different artists. Definitely something not to miss! They all tell great stories.

There are many sofas and benches in the hotel where you can just sit and chill – have a coffee and share your memories with your friends – or do some people watching perhaps like I did! It’s pretty inspiring. I love the details of the furniture in The Slow as they are all unique and I love the handcrafted quality of it from cushion to woodwork.

The Slow Restaurant is also as chic as the hotel itself. As I mentioned before, the attention to details of design is amazing in The Slow. The ceramic plates and wooden utensils or bowls are all handcrafted too. I enjoyed the drinks in The Slow as they have great selection of mixed fruit/vegetable juices – all served in The Slow labelled bottles!

If you want to catch a bit of sun on the roof top in The Slow, make sure you bring a bottle of beer or their fruit juice to cool you down! It’s a cute place to hang around with your mates!

Please visit The Slow for more information on the hotel and book it for your next summer trip! If you want to take it slow, this is the place. P/S: The internet reception in the room is poor – definitely stop you from spending time on phone too!

Facebook: TheSlowBali

Instagram: @The.Slow

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