The Luxe Lens

  From chorizo-filled brioche buns to Spain’s famed caramelised custard dessert, Meliá Chiang Mai’s new La Vida Dulce Afternoon Tea is a tribute to the sweeter side of life, accompanied by sweeping views of the city and famed Doi Suthep Temple on the mountaintop to the west. Meaning “the sweet life” in Spanish, La Vida Dulce Afternoon Tea for two references Meliá’s Spanish origins and is served daily at the hotel’s signature Mai Restaurant & Bar on the 21st floor until January 31, 2027. Savoury delights include Spanish ham croquettes, chorizo and cheese brioche buns known as Bollos Preñaos, crabmeat and avocado timbales, and Manchego cheese scones with strawberry jam and cream. Sweet treats range from white chocolate cake and Crema Catalana, Spain’s traditional custard dessert, to refreshing lemon ice popsicles. The afternoon tea is accompanied by Meliá Chiang Mai’s popular mocktail Meliá Blossom, a sublime concoction of lychee juice, lime juice, cherry blossom syrup and grenad...

 Portier Hotels today introduces The Arc House, a new collection of design-forward boutique lifestyle hotels for travellers who want to feel closer to the character of a destination. The brand makes its debut with The Arc House Canggu, now open in Bali, and will expand to Hong Kong later this year and Melbourne in early 2027. Portier Hotels' design-forward boutique lifestyle collection, The Arc House, makes its debut with The Arc House Canggu, now open in Bali. Credit: The Arc House   The Arc House is created for travellers who seek a more considered way to stay in the heart of things. Set in city-centre and neighbourhood locations, each hotel brings together bold energy, sophisticated urban living, and local insight that makes discovery feel easy. Every address is shaped by its setting, while a sociable, human-first approach to hospitality connects the collection. Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Hong Kong, Portier Hotels is a hospitality group for those who value conne...

 Leica has introduced the Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition through a licensing partnership with Formula 1, bringing motorsport-inspired materials and detailing to its full-frame compact camera. Announced on 21 October 2026, the special edition is listed at RM40,290 on Leica’s official Malaysian store. It builds on the existing Q3 43 with a coordinated camera-and-accessories set, black Microvelour covering and red controls inspired by racing steering wheels. There is also an exclusive Formula 1 Leica Look, extending the collaboration into the way JPEG photographs are rendered. Carbon fibre where you hold the camera The carbon-fibre details are concentrated around the camera’s handling points. The wireless charging handgrip has a carbon-fibre shell, the thumb rest carries a matching insert, and the soft-release button combines a carbon inlay with a red rim. Leica says these carbon-fibre parts are manufactured and tested in Germany. Their placement gives the motorsport connection a practical s...

 Three automatic watches, three distinct personalities. SEVENFRIDAY’s new R-Series combines a compact cushion-shaped case, vintage-inspired colours and an artistic collaboration with Sunflowerman. SEVENFRIDAY’s new R-Series brings a softer, more compact shape to the Swiss lifestyle brand’s watch line-up. Drawing on the expressive design of the 1960s and 1970s, the collection combines rounded proportions, layered dials and warm metallic details. Announced in Malaysia on 1 November 2026, the collection comprises the R1/01, R1/02 and R2/01. The brand describes it as its smallest watch collection to date, with each model built around a 40mm cushion-shaped case. The shared design gives the range a clear identity, while the colour and strap combinations offer three different ways to wear it. SEVENFRIDAY A more compact expression of SEVENFRIDAY The case is the starting point. Rounded corners soften the silhouette, while a double-domed sapphire crystal adds to the collection’s vintage-insp...

 Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, the Grande Dame of Vietnamese hospitality, has been awarded Two MICHELIN Keys in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide, in a promotion from the hotel’s One MICHELIN Key distinction in the inaugural 2025 selection. In its editor’s review, the MICHELIN Guide notes: “Not every hotel can get away with using the word ‘legend,’ but there’s nothing else quite like the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. There are other luxury hotels that retain their 1901-vintage façades, but few so effectively convey the sense of traveling through time.” The Two-Key honour recognises Metropole Hanoi for delivering “an exceptional stay.” The review further highlights the Metropole’s meticulously restored Heritage Wing, subtly modernised while remaining true to its original inspiration; the harmonious contemporary-classic Opera Wing; and the hotel’s classic Indochine-style accommodation and impeccable comfort, from lavish suites to standard guest rooms. It also celebrates a wealth of dining ...

 Palace Hotel Tokyo is ringing in the 2026 holiday season with ‘A Tokyo Christmas,’ a splendid two-night stay package offering festive treats, in-room Christmas decorations and the option to delight in the city’s most popular winter sights – Tokyo’s nightly illuminations – as well as its lively Christmas markets accompanied by a personal chauffeur. ‘A Tokyo Christmas’ includes: 👉  Two nights in guests’ choice of a Grand Deluxe room, an Executive Suite or a Premier Suite 👉Daily breakfast 👉 A 5.9-foot-tall, (faux) in-room Christmas tree decorated with lights and ornaments 👉  A bottle of Dom Pérignon Champagne 👉 A tin of Christmas cookies 👉A holiday cake made by the team of Sweets & Deli, the hotel’s pastry shop During the holiday season, Palace Hotel Tokyo sets an enchanting scene with festive decorations throughout its public spaces, including a stately, 16-foot-tall Christmas tree taking center stage in the grand lobby.  With majestic lighting displays begi...

See the cooking. Control the heat. Rethink what an air fryer can do. A kitchen upgrade should offer more than a longer list of presets. The Ninja CRISPi Pro AS101 takes a different approach, combining transparent glass cookware, interchangeable containers and adjustable cooking controls in a countertop system designed for preparing, cooking, serving and storing food.  Its strongest selling point? The design considers what happens before and after cooking, not just the moment you press Start. Here are five reasons it deserves your attention. 1. You Can Actually Watch Your Food Cook Forget cooking behind a closed drawer. The Ninja CRISPi Pro’s transparent CleanCrisp glass containers let you see your food as it cooks, making the cooking process visible rather than something hidden until the next basket check. That changes the appeal of the appliance. Watching a topping turn golden is much more useful—and satisfying—than staring at a countdown. The materials are worth noting, too. Ninj...