Thailand

The Hansar Bangkok Adds 94 Suites to The Land of Smile

The all-suite Hansar Bangkok promotes itself as "a return to bespoke luxury," and if there's anything that might get us to believe them it's that the above is a picture of the bathroom in the Vertigo Suite. Also, the Hansar is not new to how luxury should be done in Thailand: it opened the Hansar Samui just last June, in Bophut Bay.

Gallery: Hansar Bangkok Opens

Tags: bangkok, hansar, hansar bangkok, hansar hotels, hansar samui, thailand

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Kate Moss Splashes Out $150,000 on NYE Spree

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Kate Moss splashed out $150,000 on a last-minute New Year's Eve blowout in Thailand with her rock star boyfriend Jamie Hince. Moss has booked in for a week at the luxe Amanpuri resort in Phuket where she has rented a private villa with a full staff as well as a luxury yacht to cruise round the Andaman sea, the UK's Daily Star reports. For New Year's Eve the stunning supermodel spent about $45,000 on a lavish banquet. Moss has spent the last three New Year's Eves at the glamorous resort, situated in a coconut grove on a private beach. The paper reports that she wanted to make other plans this year but left it too late and found everything booked. "She's in a huff because she was desperate for somewhere new, but was turned down by top resorts around the globe who had no room left," a source tells the paper. "Kate's been moaning that's she's not happy going back to the same resort, but to make it exciting she'll do it in style and raise the roof." That's the spirit.

Gallery: Amanpuri Resort, Thailand

Tags: Amanpuri, beach, Kate Moss, New Years Eve, Phuket, resort, supermodel, Thailand, yacht

Floating Hotel Opens in Thailand

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Hilton Pattaya in Thailand is a floating hotel.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts has opened a floating hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. Called Hilton Pattaya, the sleek and modern property offers a fresh, luxe beachfront experience to the heart of the international beach resort of Pattaya, which overlooks the Gulf of Thailand and is about 90 minutes southeast of Bangkok. Pattaya is a once-sleepy fishing village that first captivated Americans as a R&R destination during the Vietnam War era.

The cosmopolitan, full-service hotel rises above the new "Central Festival at Pattaya Beach" complex that is Southeast Asia's largest beachfront shopping and entertainment facility with more than 200 shops and restaurants, a 10-screen cinema and a 16-lane bowling alley. Guests will have direct access through an exclusive ground floor entrance, but the hotel's main lobby is on the 16th level.

Hilton Pattaya enhances its prime location on Pattaya Beach with 302 stylish, Zen-inspired guest rooms and suites located between levels 19 and 33 that offer panoramic ocean views from private balconies. Rooms are light and relaxing with elegant, modern furnishings done in whites, beiges and light woods, while spacious bathrooms come with separate a rain shower and deep soaking tub. Each room is also equipped with a Serenity Bed Experience, LCD TVs and high-speed internet service. Suites offer floor-to-ceiling windows and separate living and dining areas, while many feature outdoor bathtubs on private balconies. The hotel's infinity-edge pool, which is set amid lush, landscaped gardens, offers sweeping sea views from the 16th floor.

Gallery: Hilton Pattaya in Thailand

Tags: awards-main, floating hotel, Hilton, infinity pool, luxist-awards, Pattaya, restaurant, Serenity Bed, spa, Thailand

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Amanpuri in Phuket: The Destination for Peace

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Opened in 1988, Amanpuri was the very first Aman resort, named for the Sanskrit word for 'peace'. Located in Phuket, Thailand, this tranquil retreat, which is the flagship property in the Aman family, is a nominee for a Luxist Award for Best Beachside Hotel.

Located in a secluded coconut grove overlooking a sheltered bay, the resort radiates from the private crescent-shaped beach lapped by the Andaman Sea. Private villas grace the peninsula affording guests spectacular views, while other facilities include a Beach Club and lap pool, a hillside gym and spa and a number of restaurants, situated in picturesque locations around the resort. Amanpuri captures the warmth and generosity of spirit so unique to Thai culture.

Gallery: Amanpuri Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Amanpuri's spectacular beach is lined with sun loungers and umbrellas. Guests can enjoy complimentary windsurfing, snorkeling, sea kayaking and body boarding, as well as Hobie cat and Laser sailing, with attendants providing qualified instruction as needed. Searay Bowriders helmed by trained crew are available for waterskiing at a nominal fee. A nearby reef is flush with fish, and complimentary fins, snorkels and masks are provided. Snorkelers can hand feed or swim among the fish. All activities are available between December and April, weather and tide permitting.

Tags: Aman Resorts, Amanpuri, awards-main, Best Beach Hotel, best beaches, best beachside hotel, luxist-awards, Phuket, Thailand

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Hansar Samui Boutique Resort Opens in Koh Samui, Thailand

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

There are 74 rooms with private balconies, all of them with uncluttered oceanfront views, now accepting reservations at the Hansar Samui resort in trendy Bophut Bay, on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand. The open-plan accommodations are furnished with local-flavor teak floors, stone bathroom fittings and local textiles, walk-in rain showers and free-standing tubs, and also come equipped with flat-screen televisions.

Culinary options come in the form of canapés and wine and champagne at Chill, the lounge, or Thai specialties at H Bistro served alongside French Mediterranean fare, Maine lobster, and oysters from Canada, Japan, and France. If you're a light eater we're sure that snacks and cocktails taken on a chaise between the ocean and the 30-meter, infinity-edge saltwater pool will be quite enough.

And if you must know, then yes, the Luxsa spa and its complete range of treatments will attend to any other need you might have. More traditional sweats can be worked up in the fitness center, more traditional relaxation can be had in the 24-hour lobby library and its free Internet access. The resort team will also be happy to arrange golf, yachting, diving, and sightseeing excursions if you're still trying to figure out how to relax by the beach. Rooms start at $197, which includes transfers to and from the airport. Bliss will be no extra charge...

Gallery: Hansar Samui

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Tags: bophut bay, hansar samui, koh samui, thailand

Westin Opens First Thailand Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

The first Westin resort in Thailand, the Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Phuket recently opened for guests. A Buddhist and Muslim ceremony took place to bless the resort, with both guests and the hotel team taking part. The resort is on Siray Island on the east coast of Phuket and overlooks Siray Bay with beach and ocean views. A bridge connects Siray Island to Phuket Island and the resort is a 45 minute drive from Phuket International Airport and a short boat ride from other nearby islands. There are 261 rooms, suites and villas and all the usual Westin comforts like the Heavenly Bed, flat screen televisions, iPod docking stations and rain showers. Some guestrooms, suites and villas have their own private plunge pools and rooftop relaxation areas overlooking Siray Bay.

Tags: phuket, siray bay, thailand, westin hotel

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Dubai Ruler's Fortune Plummets $7.5 Billion, Named Forbes' Biggest Royal Loser

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Shed a tear for Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, who has been named Forbes' biggest royal loser after his fortune plummeted by $7.5 billion this year – a drop of over 60% in net worth and even worse than the $6 billion he lost last year in the wake of the emirate's financial implosion. Al-Maktoum now has only $4.5 billion in the bank, down from $18 billion two years ago – a loss of $13.5 billion in total. Others on the magazine's list of the world's richest royals fared better – top of the heap is King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand whose $30 billion fortune remains unchanged, followed by the Sultan of Brunei at $20 billion (also unchanged), and King Abdullah bin Abul Aziz of Saudi Arabia whose net worth rose to $18 billion thanks to shrewd financial planning. In case you're wondering about the Queen of England, she's way down on the list with a paltry $450 million. Collectively the group's fortune is down 9%, or $10 billion this year, to $99 billion – a whopping $32 billion below their 2008 total. Time to tax those subjects.

Tags: billionaire, Dubai, Forbes, Queen of England, royal family, royalty, Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Sultan of Brunei, Thailand, UAE, wealth

TripAdvisor's Top Ten Hotel Pools

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If your thoughts are already vacation-centered let me help you on your way. Travel site TripAdvisor has created a list of the top ten most amazing hotel pools from around the world as ranked by TripAdvisor editors and travelers. What makes a pool a top ranker? The view is a major factor, an infinity edge is a help, basically the pool has to transport the lucky swimmer into another world.

The top spot went to the Hotel Caruso Ravello in Ravello, Italy shown above. The hotel is situated on top of the mountains on the Amalfi coast. The 11th century palace has a heated infinity pool that offers timeless views.

Tags: atlantis, bahamas, bali, banyan tree, best hotel pools, Blue Lagoon, golden nugget, hotel pools, Iceland, las vegas, oman, santorini, seychelles, six senses, thailand, the library, turkey

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Thai Villa, Estate of the Day

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I wish there was a way to type the sound of a low whistle of admiration because this beachfront property in Phuket, Thailand, deserves it. It's just not often that we get to see a 65,000-square-foot single-family home with a 5,400-square-foot master suite. It's listed in the high-$20 million range under one of those deals where if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it. But where is it written that we can't drool? Right now, I'm the family dog eying a steak sandwich left unattended on the kitchen counter.

Shall we start with the toys first? Four acres of pristine private beachfront plus an oceanfront infinity pool, a 4,000-square foot full fitness center with 80 different machines, a home theater, a karaoke room, a sauna and health spa that can accommodate a dozen guests, tennis courts, a two-lane bowling alley and a pitch and putt golf course. The master bedroom has its own swimming pool.

The home, known as "Beyond Villa," has every modern convenience and comes with $2 million in luxury furnishings from around the world. The estate, which incorporates the use of glass, steel, granite and marble, was designed by Hong Kong architect Branko Pahor. Three guest suites are detailed with an Asian theme, including a 3,800-square-foot Japanese style bedroom with its own enclosed Zen garden.

The property is located on the famed Natal Beach in Phang Nga Province, just 20 minutes from the Phuket International Airport in an area often referred to as "Thailand's Hamptons." There are views of the Andaman Sea from virtually every room, and high-end shopping is about an hour's drive away. But why would you ever want to leave?

Peter Rabitz of WETAG Consulting's International Division has the listing.

Gallery: Thai Villa

Tags: estate of the day, phuket, thailand

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Celebrate Songkran in Southeast Asia

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If your New Years Eve party this past year somehow fell short -- and you got distracted by Valentine's Day and President's Day and missed Chinese New Year too -- here's another chance to usher in a new year: Songkran, a festival celebrating the new year that takes place throughout Southeast Asia, with the epicenter in Thailand. It goes from April 13th to April 15th in 2010.

It's basically one giant water fight. The belief here is that water washes away bad luck, and so it's actually a benevolent act when someone throws an ice-cold bucket of water on your head -- whether a passerby on the street or a person armed with buckets from a flat-bed truck. It's also similarly an act of kindness when you're attacked by water pistols. Plus -- and I would imagine, somewhat separately from dousing zones -- there are beauty contests. I'm going to be in Thailand over this festival, and so I'm going to be sure to pack plenty of plastic baggies for my phone and camera, etc. Heck, I'm ready to have any potential bad luck washed away, and it all sounds much less messy than the Indian holiday Holi, where celebrants throw paint.

Tags: festival, songkran, southeast asia, thailand, world fetivals

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Supermodels On Vacation In Phuket

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Celebrity Shopping

Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss have been bringing sexy back to Phuket. The supermodels have been spotted around the Thai resort island. Campbell visited the Phuket International Boat Show climbing aboard a Pershing 80 and being given a guided tour by Lee Marine Managing Director Joshua Lee.

The Mirror has snaps of Moss and Campbell and their boyfriends (Moss is with musician Jamie Hince, Campbell cozies up with billionaire Vladislav Doronin) lounging on sun chairs by the shore. It looks like the holiday is over though, the latest from the Daily Mail has Moss and Hince at the airport enduring the indignity that is a security screening. Ah, all good things, even vacations, must come to an end.

Tags: KateMoss, naomi cambell, NaomiCambell, phuket, thailand

Ritz-Carlton Reserve - New Concept Unveiled in Thailand

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Ritz-Carlton has something new up its sleeve: a collection of smaller, unique, boutique-style hotels in stunning natural locations. The first Ritz-Carlton Reserve will be opening December 22, 2009 on Phulay Bay in Krabi, Thailand.

"Ritz-Carlton Reserve will feature signature, one-of-a-kind boutique resorts positioned in unique settings, each with a distinctive personality and sense of place reflecting its history and culture," says Simon F. Cooper, president. "Phulay Bay in Thailand is a natural choice for the first Reserve."

Why? Because it's awesome. Phulay Bay, on the Andaman Sea, is surrounded by rocky forest hikes with hidden waterfalls and sandy beaches. From the resort, you'll be able to fly around the coast via sea plane, take a meditation class with local monks, ride elephants and visit ESPA, the swanky new spa. Can you think of anything else you'd like to do on your luxury vacation? Just let them know; they'll figure it out.

"We want guests to enjoy and discover the extraordinary diversity and beauty in this part of the country in a setting of relaxation and rejuvenation," says Estelita Sebeto, the resort's General Manager. "We have worked with nature to maintain a setting that evokes the very best of the natural environment of the hotel and sourced local and sustainable materials in its construction and styling. We see the resort as an ambassador for the local environment and for the tradition of the land here in Phulay Bay."

The fabulous boutique hotel and 54 adjoining villas comes with extra-special service, so the price is extra-special as well. The rooms start at approximately $582.18 per night, and the villas at $809.99.

Visit the website for more information or to book.

Tags: hotel, ritz-carlton, thailand

Finalists Announced for Hugo Boss Prize in Contemporary Art

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

guggenheim new york We're a step closer to finding out who will win the biannual Hugo Boss Prize, which is bestowed for achievement in contemporary art. Vying for the $100,000 award this year are the finalists just announced by the Guggenheim: Cao Fei from China, Hans-Peter Feldmann from Germany, Natascha Sadr Haghighian from Iran, Roman Ondak from the nation formerly known as Czechoslovakia, Walid Raad from Lebanon and Apichatpong Weerasethakul from Thailand.

In addition to the cash – and possibly more valuable in the long run – the Hugo Boss Prize winner will also get a 2011 exhibition at the Guggenheim in New York. The winners are selected by a panel of art professionals that includes Ysmil Raymond, curator of the Dia Art Foundation; Udo Kittelmann, director of Berlin's Nationalgalerie and Tirad Zolghadr, an independent writer and curator.

Last year, the honor went to Emily Jacir. Previous winners include Matthew Barney, Douglas Gordon, Pierre Huyghe, Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tacita Dean.

Unlike most art prizes, this one stipulates has no age, geographic or medium-specific qualifications. It is as open as open can be.

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Tags: apichatpong weerasethakul, ApichatpongWeerasethakul, art, artist, artwork, awards, berlin, china, czech republic, czechoslovakia, CzechRepublic, douglas gordon, DouglasGordon, germany, guggenheim, hugo boss, HugoBoss, iran, lebanon, legal, matthew barney, MatthewBarney, new york, NewYork, prize, prizes, thailand

lebua Hotel Introduces The Even Suite-r Life to New Zealand and Bangkok

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Sometimes it's better to start at the bottom and work your way up. But what if, at the same time, you could start at the bottom and be at the top? lebua Hotel offers just that at its Lake Okareka Lodge, set on a private estate in New Zealand. And when we say private, we mean private -- the extent of the accommodations is three luxury suites that can house, all together, nine people. Total. Maximum. When you book, even if there is just your lonesome, you get the whole thing to yourself -- "yourself" being you, your private chef, and the attendants waiting to fulfill your wishes.

Each of the suites gets lake views, private balconies, Bvlgari amenities, and the services of the estate's private chef. Should you commandeer the executive suite, you'll step up to your own lounge, spa bath, private office and walk-in wardrobe. As for things to do, the suites are set in the countryside, next to a lake, on the North Island of what is arguably one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. Should you tire of the fishing, sailing, kayaking, jet skiing, hiking, or simply being, the lodge maintains a piano room, a fantastically stocked wine cellar, and a 24-hour concierge for those urgent, 3 a.m. requests.

lebua Hotel Bangkok has quarters for more guests, but the numbers don't spoil the treatment. Each room in the all-suite hotel in the State Tower, Silom district has views of the Chao Phraya River. Naturally, all-suite does not mean all the suites have been created equal: ranging from 66 to 266 square meters, opt for the premium digs and you'll sup on multi-course meals prepared by your own chef for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and that liquid meal known as "cocktails."

If you must go out, the bar and five restaurants under The Dome will reward you for the slipper-shod trek: Sirocco, 63 stories up, is the world's highest open air restaurant; the tables at Breeze sit on jutting balconies, where you can dine on modern Asian fare while descrying views of modern Asia; the Mezzaluna specializes in Italian and amore -- every proposal made there has been accepted; Café Mozu mashes up a DJ, a pool, and Italian, Lebanese, and Indian courses; and Distil is where you go to wash it all down... in moderation, of course.

What could be better than 5-star suites and food? Why, a party to celebrate their opening. lebua will be hosting a gala launch of the New Zealand property and the Tower Club addition to its Bangkok location in, of all places, Sydney, Australia. The soiree goes down in November, on a private yacht that will be moored in front of the Opera House, where lebua chefs will be on hand to tempt you to make the trip to those other points distant.

If one were tempted to wonder about flying to Australia to have a party for resorts in lands at least five hours away by plane, we must remember that ours is not to question why. Ours is only to ask, "Why not?" And then make reservations...

Gallery: lebua Hotel at Lake Okareka NZ and Bangkok

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Tags: australia, bangkok, hotel, journey, journeys, lebua, lebua hotel, LebuaHotel, new zealand, NewZealand, resort, spa, sydney, thailand

Golf in a Kingdom: Exploring the Game in Thailand

by Paul Rogers (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

We all know Tiger Woods is part-Thai. But what's the golf scene like in Thailand, the lush and beguiling land where his mother, Kultida, was born? To promote the country's finest courses, a group of premier golf properties and hotels has partnered with a tour operator and the Tourist Authority of Thailand. The consortium, called Golf in a Kingdom: The Thai Golf Experience, can help you map out an itinerary stretching from Chiang Mai, in the cool, mountainous region of the north, to the seascapes of Phuket and Koh Samui in the south. And by "experience," they mean not just golf but also cultural immersions like visits to Buddhist temples, ethnic villages and the teeming city of Bangkok.

Long a popular destination for Asian golfers, Thailand has more than 250 courses. Some of them, alas, are "American-style" layouts that could be in Florida or humdrum spots in the Caribbean. But others, such as Santiburi Samui Country Club (above), set into coconut groves at the foot of a mountain, offer a distinctly Thai adventure. The many charms of Thai golf will be on full display when Bill Clinton arrives this week--with clubs in tow, it's expected--to accompany Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting on the island of Phuket. For a deeper sense of golf in Thailand, check out this story (which I played a hand in) from Travel + Leisure Golf.

Gallery: The Thai Golf Experience

Tags: Chiang Mai, ChiangMai, golf, Koh Samui, KohSamui, Phuket, Thailand

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