With the Olympics kicking off today in Beijing, the entire world will be focusing on the city, and there is so much to take in. Beijing has been spruced up and now boasts some of the world’s most daring architecture, alongside ancient sites like the Forbidden City. The art scene in Beijing is buzzing as well; check out all the galleries and hip bars in the Dashanzi district. We’ll let everyone else cover the sports while we zero in on the city’s shopping. While Beijing doesn’t have the immediate appeal and buzz of Shanghai, if you dig a little deeper you’ll find the city’s charms, like the myriad of hutongs (the traditional alleys).

Here at iTravel iSh­op, we’re huge fans of the shopping in Mumbai- especially stores like Bungalow 8, Atmosphere and Ravissant. But because it is one of the most chaotic cities in the world, to keep their sanity, visitors need to be able to retreat to a luxurious hotel at the end of the day. While the city has a fabulous Taj hotel, the newest big contender in town is the just-opened Four Seasons Mumbai. It’s located in the Worli area, which is close to the financial district. There’s a fleet of BMWs to whisk guests to and from the airport, as well as around town. The hotel is housed in a 33-storey glass tower and overlooks the Arabian Sea, while the guestrooms are the largest in the city. There’s also a two-storey spa. ­Four Seasons Mumbai, 114 Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai, India 400 018. Phone: 91 (22) 2481-8000.

While beach resorts like Phuket and Koh Samui seem to get all the attention in Thailand, one place getting the headlines lately is Cha-Am. This beach area is just 163 km south of Bangkok, and the shore is framed with mountain ranges and jungles. It neighbours tony Hua Hin (home to the Chiva-Som uber spa), but Cha-Am’s big draw is the new Alila Cha-Am resort, opening later month.  Designed by noted Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag, the hotel is a series of pavilions and pools. The look reminds me of the Sarojin hotel, as its all clean lines, wood and with plenty of glass. Alila Cha-Am will have 70 rooms and villas, for relaxing there’s the beach, a spa, boutique and library. Internet rates start at 5600 Thai baht (£174).

During our big “Around The World in 80 Days” trip, we were lucky enough to stay at the Peninsula Hong Kong, one of the grande dame hotels of the east. Although I loved everything about the hotel- including the funky Felix bar- what really stood out for me was the technology. The Peninsula is one of the few hotel groups that put an enormous amount of thought about how a guest uses a room. Bedside controls can dim the lights, turn them on and off and control the curtains (how many times have you found yourself fumbling with the lights in a new hotel room?). I also loved the innovative (but completely simple) Valet Box, a locked enclosure between the guest room and the hallway where staff can place newspapers and freshly shined shoes without disturbing guests.

If bigger is better, than Bulgari gets top prize. The luxury Italian jewellery has just opened its largest jewellery store in Tokyo's Ginza district. The 10-storey  building has a VIP lounge, and floors showcasing jewels, watches and accessories, as well as a restaurant, bar and bridal salon. Next year, the Ginza tower will also showcase Bulgari's new skin care line and in-store beauty treatments. The two store mark the 20th anniversary of Bulgari's debut in the Japanese market. But Bulgari isn't the only luxury brand moving into the area; earlier this month, Giorgio Armani opened Armani Ginza Tower and Alfred Dunhill will open its Ginza store later this month.

The newest hotel in lovely Kyoto is the Screen Hotel, a member of Design Hotels. Opening on 13 December, the hotel has just 13 guest rooms and each one was designed by a different artist or designer. The looks run the gamut from dreamy to cutting edge. Screen Hotel also has a spa, chapel, open-air sky lounge and a shop, which stocks  traditional Kyoto goods made by local craft artists as well as the Screen's “soundtrack,” a hotel-inspired compilation album. The ground-floor restaurant serves French-Japanese fusion food, and is a mix of  new French cooking and traditional Kyoto cuisines, made with fresh, organic ingredients from local growers. Once a week, guests can relax at “Candle Night” in the lounge, part of Screen's energy-saving eco-luxe concept of respecting the environment without forsaking comfort. Hotel Screen Kyoto, 640-1 Shimogoryomaecho, Nakagyo-ku Kyoto city,  604-0995 Japan

In many ways I found shopping in Chiang Mai to be far more enjoyable than Bangkok. The city's small scale and rich history of craftsmanship- minus the choking pollution and crowds- all chalk up to one stellar shopping experience. Chiang Mai may not have the glossy mega malls with aquariums and Ferrari showrooms that you'll find in Bangkok, but what it does have is plenty of independent boutiques where it feels as if you're shopping in someone's home. We found ourselves buying way more items here than in the capital. Some of the best buys include ceramics, silks,  lacquerware and silver. Read on to find where to shop and what to buy in Chiang Mai.

During our big “Shop Around the World” trip, one of our more glamorous stops was the Peninsula Hong Kong. I loved the plushness of the rooms, the discreet service- and making a grand exit from the hotel in one of the signature Rolls-Royces. The newest Peninsula just opened a few days ago in Tokyo. Located in Marunouchi, the Peninsula is the first free-standing luxury hotel to be built in Tokyo in more than a decade. There are 314 spacious guestrooms, a wedding chapel, The Peninsula Spa by ESPA and three luxury jewellery shops, all making their retail debut in Japan ”“ Graff, de Grisogono and Chantecler Tokyo. And yes, those all important Rolls-Royces are on hand to whisk guests to and from the airport in style. The Peninsula Tokyo, 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, 100-0006, Japan Phone: (81-3) 6270 2888

Shanghai may be one of the buzziest and most glamorous cities in the world, but it's not a place to take a risk when it comes to choosing a hotel. The city is sorely lacking when it comes to chic little boutique hotels so if you want to be guaranteed of a quality hotel stay, you need to go big- and go luxury. When we were in Shanghai to check out the city's best shops, we made The Portman Ritz-Carlton our home base. Located in the Portman Plaza, the hotel is named in honour of its builder. The building used to be a Shangri-La hotel but despite the name and management change, everyone still calls it The Portman (if you're asking your taxi driver to take you back to the hotel, just say “Portman” and everyone knows it).

When it comes to choosing a hotel in Shanghai, we're partial to the Grand Hyatt and the Ritz-Carlton, but those looking for a huge room with a view should book the Andree Putman-designed penthouse suite at 41 Hengshan Road, an apartment-hotel managed by Kempinski. This tower is located in the French concession, which also has some of the best shops in town, and is surrounded by villas and tree-lined streets.  The penthouse features three bedrooms, an open-plan bathroom, and a large private terrace.