The resort’s passive solar design, rooftop native gardens, and rainwater harvesting ensure that this is minimal-impact luxury.

From an intimate tented camp in the green foothills of Bali to a converted 19^th-century Jesuit retreat in Tamil Nadu, our editors and reviewers have roamed the Asia-Pacific region to bring together DestinAsian’s annual collection of the year’s top hotel openings. Read on to discover which new properties stood out from the rest in terms of service, setting, amenities, and a singular sense of style.

Rosewood’s debut property in Thailand has 71 villas that tumble down to a 600-meter swath of golden sand at Emerald Bay, a short drive from the hedonism of Patong City. Rooms are elegant in beige and purple, with silk dividers separating living and sleeping quarters and expansive terraces with big day beds and plunge pools.

Equally impressive, the resort’s passive solar design, rooftop native gardens, and rainwater harvesting ensure that this is minimal-impact luxury. There are two fantastic restaurants: Red Sauce, with its trio of Italian chefs, offers naturally leavened breads and dishes like freshly caught clams in broth; while at the far end of the beach is Ta Khai, a rustic Thai spot serving fantastic southern specialties like fried river grass with ocean shrimp, and crab curry with betel leaves.

The resort is also home to Asaya, Rosewood’s newly unveiled wellness concept. Eschewing the “spa” label, Asaya uses unorthodox therapies like “tapping” and sound to tackle mind over matter in multi-day courses. It is as perplexing as it is pricey. If in doubt, just go for a massage.

66-76/356-888; rosewoodhotels.com; doubles from US$665.

This article originally appeared in the October/November 2018 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“The Luxe List 2018: Rosewood Phuket”).