What Dreams Are Made Of

Nobu Hotel at City of Dreams Manila raises the bar in Southeast Asia with a fabulous array of experiences, calculated to please even the most eclectic of tastes.

- Terry Lim

The idea of a fantasy escape chiefly revolves around spectacular accommodation, glorious food and drinks and all-round entertainment. City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreamsmanila.com), imagined and conceived on a 6.2-hectare site just minutes from Manila Bay, delivers on all counts, integrating luxury and lifestyle brands from Nuwa to DreamWorks. This integrated resort boasts over 20 restaurants including The Tasting Room which recalls the fine French dining of its Michelin-laden brethren around the world.

Once you check in at the resort’s Nobu Hotel (www.nobuhotelmanila.com), you access a Zen-like oasis, spirited away from the outside bustle. As one might expect, the hotel’s 321 rooms are touched by contemporary Japanese aesthetics: live orchids in pots, Japanese motif-wallpaper and a carpet adorned with origami patterns. The Rockwell Group, which designed the rooms, referenced the look of Nobu’s global restaurants by infusing a palette of rich browns, black and white into the spaces. The Nobu Suite, at 68 sq m, features a separate living area and powder room with sakura art on wall panels and a black marbled bathtub.

There’s a real sense of