PONANT launches exclusive Inuit immersion voyages in Greenland

PONANT EXPLORATIONS is expanding its high-end polar offering with two new Greenland departures in spring 2027, developed in partnership with polar consultancy SEDNA.

The voyages follow the success of the companies’ first Greenland immersion experiences in 2025 and will focus on connecting guests with Inuit communities through a series of locally-led cultural and wilderness experiences.

Guests will take part in activities including dog sledding, kayaking, ice fishing, ski touring with a pulka and overnight stays in traditional Inuit homes or bivouacs on pack ice. According to the release, the experiences have been designed and led by Greenlanders themselves.

The partnership between PONANT EXPLORATIONS and SEDNA is built around shared values including respect for local communities, environmental responsibility and low-impact exploration.

SEDNA co-founder and polar explorer Nicolas Dubreuil said the experiences were shaped directly by Inuit communities.

“These meetings and activities are the initiative of the Greenlanders, who are fully involved in sharing their way of life,” he said.

“And I’m delighted to see guests so deeply affected. They challenged themselves and discovered the true spirit of this wonderful people, masters of adaptation. Qujanaq! Thank you!”

Among the exclusive experiences planned for the 2027 departures are overnight stays in traditional Inuit tents at the sacred site of Nunanutaat following dog sled journeys across the polar wilderness.

Guests will also have the opportunity to stay in expedition tents at scientific camps on the pack ice alongside researchers studying marine biology, glaciology and climatology.

Both voyages will take place aboard Le Commandant Charcot, described as the world’s only luxury icebreaker capable of reaching Greenland’s High Arctic during spring conditions when conventional ships cannot access the region.

The first itinerary, Encounter with the Last Guardians of the North Pole, will operate from April 4 to April 16, 2027, while Beyond the Inhabited World will depart from April 16 to April 28, 2027.

Kuala Lumpur will welcome a significant new luxury address this month when Waldorf Astoria opens its first hotel in Malaysia.

Scheduled to receive its first guests on 30 October, Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur is an all-suite hotel occupying a reimagined address in the capital’s Golden Triangle district.

Its position at 73 Jalan Raja Chulan places it close to Bukit Bintang, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and the Petronas Twin Towers. For international visitors, that means many of the city’s principal shopping, dining and business destinations will be within easy reach.

The property will contain 268 suites, with even its entry accommodation conceived on a scale more readily associated with serviced residences.

One-bedroom suites begin at approximately 80sqm, providing separate living and sleeping areas suitable for both short visits and extended stays. At the top of the collection is the 745sqm Waldorf Astoria Suite, which will rank among Kuala Lumpur’s largest hotel accommodations.

Floor-to-ceiling windows will bring the city into the rooms, while the interiors combine generous living spaces, subdued textures and a contemporary interpretation of Malaysian design.

The all-suite model is an important distinction. Luxury city hotels increasingly compete not only on service and location but on the amount of private space they give guests. For travellers accustomed to villas, residences and apartment-style accommodation, a conventional hotel room can feel restrictive regardless of how beautifully it is finished.

Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur is responding with rooms intended to function as private urban retreats rather than simply places to sleep.

The hotel’s approach to service will be shaped around what it calls Layan Tetamu, a reinterpretation of the Malaysian tradition of welcoming and caring for guests. Hilton describes the philosophy as sincere, intuitive and highly personalised.

Food and beverage will be central to the hotel’s ambitions to become a destination for Kuala Lumpur residents as well as international guests.

The dining program includes collaborations with Garima Arora and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Arora became the first Indian woman to receive a Michelin star and is known for using modern techniques to explore ingredients and culinary traditions from across Asia. Vongerichten oversees an international collection of restaurants and is recognised for combining French technique with influences drawn from Asia and other parts of the world.

One of the hotel’s principal venues will be JG KL by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The wider collection will encompass formal destination restaurants and more intimate social spaces, each intended to have its own identity rather than operate as a generic hotel outlet.

Wellness will be anchored by the Waldorf Astoria Spa and a separate wellness centre. The announced program includes personalised rituals, advanced treatments and facilities dedicated to exercise and recovery.

An outdoor swimming pool provides another retreat from the surrounding city, while the hotel will include event spaces designed for weddings, celebrations and major social occasions.

The result is intended to be more than a base for tourists. By combining large suites, restaurants led by internationally recognised chefs, wellness facilities and event venues, Waldorf Astoria is positioning the hotel as part of Kuala Lumpur’s social and dining landscape.

The opening also highlights the growing depth of luxury hospitality in the Malaysian capital.

Kuala Lumpur has traditionally provided compelling value compared with cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Room sizes are often more generous, while dining, spa treatments and private transport can remain comparatively accessible to Australian travellers.

The arrival of Waldorf Astoria adds another top-tier international brand to that equation. It also brings the brand’s residential style of hospitality to a city well positioned for stopovers, business trips and longer Southeast Asian itineraries.

Reservations are already open. The introductory Waldorf Astoria Indulgence Escape includes breakfast and 15,000 Hilton Honors points for members booking a minimum stay of two nights.

As with any newly opened hotel, early guests should confirm which restaurants, treatments and facilities will be operating during their stay. Major luxury properties often open in stages, with parts of the dining or wellness program introduced over the months that follow.

If the experience matches the scale of its suites and the strength of its culinary partnerships, Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur could establish itself quickly as one of the city’s most important luxury hotels.

Hotel summary

Hotel: Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur

Opening: 30 October 2026

Address: 73 Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

Accommodation: 268 suites

Suite sizes: From approximately 80sqm

Largest accommodation: The 745sqm Waldorf Astoria Suite

Dining collaborators: Garima Arora and Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Facilities: Waldorf Astoria Spa, wellness centre, outdoor pool, restaurants and event spaces

Opening offer: Breakfast and 15,000 Hilton Honors points for qualifying two-night stays

PONANT launches exclusive Inuit immersion voyages in Greenland

Luxury expedition line PONANT EXPLORATIONS and polar consultancy SEDNA will launch two immersive Arctic voyages in Greenland in 2027.

Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur is scheduled to open on 30 October, introducing the Hilton luxury brand to Malaysia with an all-suite hotel in the city’s Golden Triangle.

Hotel summary