54 apr il- may 2016 / E XprESSiON april- may 2016 / E XprESSiON 55

HipHIDEAWAYNew

he very idea of staying in a tree house was radical. I could already see myself at a cocktail party firing social ammunition about an experience that most people around me would have never even heard of: “You mean your room was suspended from a tree?” Well, it wasn’t just a

room – it was a tent. This is the bragging right you earn having visited the newly opened Keemala Resort on Phuket.

Enter the resort and the buzzing of the night beetles, the tranquil sound of running water from the myriad streams and waterfalls give you a sense of the destination: you are now in a tropical forest setting. A manicured one no doubt, but still a green escape. Interestingly you can still hear the occasional call to prayer from the nearby mosque. The overall concept of the private villas, 38 in all, which embrace their natural surroundings,

Bernadette Santos stops off at Keemala Resort on Phuket and discovers that it uses its rainforest setting in the hills to the greatest advantage.

centres around the four Phuket clans, underlining the four different room categories. All of them promising a luxurious stay.

The Pa-Ta-Pea (Earth) who were the farmers, fisherman, huntsman and carpenters inspired the Clay Pool Cottages on the ground level; earth elements have been worked into the walls, roof and furniture. These rooms boast a suspended TV on a teak wood wall playing a video clip of a burning fire, giving the impression of a fireplace in the room.

The Kohn-Jorn-Clan were the wanderers, the adventurous, the explorers who spent their time trading goods with other tribes while on expeditions. Because they were always on the move, so they came to personify the glass-fronted Tent Pool Villas. Having stayed in this tent we particularly enjoyed the outdoor terrace area playing Scattegories and cards with our teenage kids and the 20m lap pool. The outdoor shower was an added charm.

The We-Ha Clan (Sky) were those with creative talent and counted among their tribe architects, healers and geologists who built their homes elevated above the ground, hence the Tree Pool Houses are suspended from the trees. The Rung-Nok Clan (Nest) are those that enjoy life’s extravagances and were of an artistic intellect: artists, musicians and poets. Their mantra was exclusivity and so came forth the Bird’s Nest Pool Villas, which they believe would give them inspiration for further creations.

Of the restaurants Cha-La serves international, while the all day dining restaurant Su-Tha, serves Thai and International and functions with an ‘on demand’ menu. The menu focuses on healthy, clean eating using herbs from the resort’s own private garden. Special mention has to be made of the khanom jeen (Fermented noodles) with Southern Crab curry and the somtum presented on traditional weighing scales. Quite appropriate for this environment as the Keemala Resort prides itself in being a holistic sanctuary offering besides their philosophy of wellness, yoga, spa treatments and meditation in the rainforest. Doubles start at Bt 19,000 /night.

10/88 Nakasud Rd, Kamala, Kathu, Kathu District, Phuket; 076 358 777.

Ga Ga over DaDa in Zurich

The Marktgasse hotel and Zurich’s Cabaret Voltaire are

celebrating 100 years of Dadaism, an anti-war avant-garde

art movement made up of creative exiles, writers and

intellectuals opposed to the first world war and twentieth

century values, which began in Zurich’s old town in

February 1916 before spreading throughout Europe and

beyond. To mark the Centenary, the city’s newest boutique

hotel, the Marktgasse Hotel, has launched a special Dada

package in partnership with its neighbour, the infamous

Cabaret Voltaire, where the movement originated a

hundred years ago. The 165 day celebration kicked off in

February and is marked with exhibitions, celebratory

performances, a gathering of artists and musicians who

will honour the art through recitals and concerts.

The Marktgasse Hotel’s Ga Ga for Dada package is valid

until 15 May, 2016 and is priced from CHF 730 for two

people for a two night stay including complimentary

entrance to the Cabaret Voltaire. A heritage building in

itself, the 39-room Marktgasse is one of the oldest inns in

the City of Zurich. The first written reference to the

historically listed building dates back to the year 1291.

The buildings were acquired by Swiss entrepreneur and

philanthropist, Beat Curti, back in 2004 and form part of

a wider heritage conservation effort in the old town of

the city. After an extensive two-year renovation, the

hotel opened its doors in late 2015 and now tastefully

mixes the old and the new where carefully restored

interiors meet timeless eclectic design. The hotel’s bistro

style restaurant Baltho serves up modern spins on

international classics whilst on the ground floor, Delish is

one of the city’s only all-day healthy delicatessen style

eateries (www.marktgassehotel.ch). – By Nina S.

Beyond

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