By William Stolerman

Relais & Châteaux have welcomed three new Asian members into the fold. The locations include Jaisalmer in India, Shanxi in China and Isan in Thailand.

In Jaisalmer, in the Rajasthan region of India you'll be lucky to stumble across The Serai (below). A hotel and restaurant stuck in the middle of the desert, it provides a genuinely unforgettable stay.

The suites are air-conditioned tents in a 40 hectare oasis. There's a spa to chill out in and a restaurant that serves local cuisine. It looks magical.

Jing's Residence (below) in Shanxi, China, is another masterpiece. The 19 rooms are set in what used to be the courtyard mansion of a silk merchant.

You sleep in a series of authentic pavilions that themselves sit in a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the fortified town of Ping Yao. You cannot help but feel a real sense of mood and history.

The final retreat to have made the grade is Supanniga Home (below), in Isan, Thailand.

There are just three villas surrounded by 12 hectares of immense greenery, and charmingly, every tree and flower has been planted by the owners hands.

That could be the next three holidays sorted…

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