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.

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.

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...

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.

Team-based elephant polo doesn't just sound like a weird sport, it is a real weird sport. First I heard about it was today when learning that luxury watch maker Audemars Piguet is one of the sponsors. Like the equestrian based polo we all know (and some love), elephant based polo utilizes the same concept - just longer mallets, more jockeys, and bigger animals.

The specific event I am talking about is known as the 2009 King's Cup Elephant Polo game, held annually in the Golden Triangle region of Thailand at the Anantara Resort. We are talking about a lifestyle and world where the term "trumpet" is still used as a noun, and the sport, is still a local high-society favorite. Elephant polo is like a big pachyderm free for all - 12 teams compete for the coveted King's Cup (video after the jump). One of the 12 teams will of course be the Audemars Piguet team, complete with elephant and two riders. One for the controls (elephant) and one with the mallet (mostly bamboo). In addition to having a team, Audemars Piguet is a co-sponsor of the event. So, 'hear ye, hear ye, at the end of March, Audermars Piguet and Anantara Resorts trumpet the 2009 King's Cup Elephant Polo challenge in Thailand.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

The latest volume in teNeues' tantalizing Luxury series is entitled Luxury Houses: Top of the World. As we've noted before, the luxe publisher's Top of the World titles reflect the very best the globe has to offer. This book is not simply a showcase of the world's most extravagant estates, however; rather, it showcases the dwellings of those who have the luxury to build exactly what and where they want. All of the residences pictured feature "stunning settings, sumptuous materials, and sophisticated architectural detailing and interiors," and each "offers a unique perspective on what's possible if both money and taste abound." The cover, above, features the Samsara villa in Phuket, Thailand, designed around an infinity pool with incredible ocean views.

Ritz-Carlton is betting on the luxury hotel business to continue to be strong with the launch of the new brand extension, The Reserve. Next March the new brand will open Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi, Southern Thailand. The 54-villa and pavilion boutique hotel is set on the shores of the Andaman Sea and surrounded by a national forest with rugged rock formations and hidden waterfalls. Rooms offer tropical garden or cean views, private plunge pools and sheltered outdoor baths and showers and verandahs with out-door lounge beds. the resort has an infinity swimming pool featuring comfortable oversized day beds, cabanas and pool chairs, a gym, spa with ten treatment rooms, retail shop, personal butlers and the Living Room, a club house with a library with a wide range of international books in numerous genres and audio and video materials, board games and entertainment programs tailor-made as the guests' requests. The resort was designed by Thai architect Lek Bunnag to combine modern styling and architecture with accents of Thai culture and design.

More bad news for the Queen of England - she has fallen to 12th place on Forbes' list of the world's richest royals. Earlier this month we reported that the value of her London residence, Buckingham Palace, had fallen by a whopping $100 million thanks to declining property values.

Now Elizabeth II is suffering the added indignity of languishing on the rich list, as her measly $650 million fortune puts her well behind the UAE's oil-rich rulers. In the No. 1 spot for the first time is King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, with a net worth of $35 billion, who apparently shot up the list as a result of admitting he was richer than previously thought.

At No. 2 is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE and hereditary ruler of Abu Dhabi, with a net worth of $23 billion. No. 3 is King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, worth $21 billion. And Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, ruler of Dubai, clocks in at No. 5 with $18 billion. See the complete list here.

High in the mountains of Thailand a new luxury resort has been born. The sister to Veranda Resort Hua Hin, the new Veranda Chiang Mai is a getaway in paradise affording serenity, peace, color, culture and relaxation for its guests. Featuring terraced gardens, a hillside infinity pool, feng shui landscaping and a zen-like essence throughout, it is also near the northern capital, Chiang Mai, where culture and nightlife abound. Each of the sixty-nine rooms creates an atmosphere where you can rest, restore and experience the best of Thailand...don't forget your elephant trek through the jungle while you're visiting.

[via Travmedia]

We've seen polo in the snow before but perhaps the most unique type of polo match in the world is elephant polo. The 2008 King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament is currently going on in Thailand. The event is sponsored by Audemars Piguet watchmakers and takes place on the grounds of the Anantara Resort Golden Triangle. This year seven teams from 15 countries are competing for the King's Cup trophy with a total of 28 elephants.

The opening match begun with a blessing ceremony and the animals were given a buffet of fruits and vegetables. The festive event raises money for the National Elephant Institute, which provides medical care and sustenance to Thailand's elephant population. It is estimated that Thailand has around 2,500 domesticated elephants and 1,500 wild elephants.

Another luxury project that bears the unique stamp of Philippe Starck is Cape Yamu on Phuket's East Coast in Thailand. The project includes both villa residences and a five-star boutique hotel, the Yamu. The project has some serious design clout, both Adrian Zecha of GHM Hotels and Aman Resorts and architect Jean-Michel Gathy are also involved. The Yamu will have 63 hotel rooms as well as a large swimming pool, spa and restaurants. There are also twelve villa estates and 15 club villas for sale. Just two estate lots are left for purchase. The style is Thai-modern, clean, spare and yet tropical. Starck adds his own touch of whimsy but seems to have gone for elegant over wacky in this particular design using a more muted color scheme. The Yuma complex includes a restaurant and five other "glass cubes" around the hotel grounds that are host to a wine room with a wine cave, a cigar lounge, a private kitchen, a chocolate room and a private boutique. There is also a play area with chess, a lounge and a bar. The Yamu is set to open in 2008.

The Ocean One Tower planned for Pattaya, Thailand will not just be the tallest building in Thailand, it will also be eco-friendly. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a piece on environmentally-friendly architecture in Asia and highlighted this project, a 91-story beachfront condo development. The 611-unit building will be designed to conserve water and energy through a variety of different methods. Tap water will be fed back into toilets and then treated and used for the grounds and the gardens. The power of the highspeed elevator will also light the observation deck and solar panels on a nearby commercial building will power the shops and restaurants. The $245 million project is expected to be completed in 2010.

The Mango Wood Turned Stool can serve many purposes, working equally well as a table, stool, or simply as an artistic element. Hand-turned on a lathe by artisans in Thailand, the unique beauty and character of the mango wood is left to show naturally by leaving the wood untreated, which means no two pieces are alike. I love it and think it's beautiful, although due its mix of natural energy and modern appeal working it into a room's decor would take a skilled vision I think. Its hand-crafted nature means measurements may vary slightly, but are generally 13"W x 18"H and it weighs about 25lbs. $368 from Gaiam.


Via CribCandy

One of the ways that Hyatt is keeping up with the boutique hotels is to create little oases inside their larger hotels. The Barai is a new spa concept that is part of the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin in Thailand. The spa offers just eight residential spa suites and 18 private treatment suites. The bottom floor residential suites have plunge pools while the upper suites have balconies with view of the Gulf of Thailand. The spa offers yoga, meditation and a variety of treatments and will open in March.

Serenity Terraces, a new beach-front real estate project in Phuket has a new tactic to seduce condo hunters. Every buyer in the project will also get fractional ownership rights on the 89 foot yacht, the Lady Anita.. The Lady Anita will be owned collectively by the unit owners and during the construction phase of the project buyers may start utilizing their yearly rights to use the Lady Anita.

Serenity Terraces faces Chalong Bay and is located near the Six Senses Evason Hotel and the site of the future Four Seasons Hotel. There are 63 units ranging from one bedroom apartments to beach-front duplexes and lofts with their own private swimming pools. Prices start around $205,000. Other amenities will include a beach-front infinity pool, restaurant and sports gym and the units can be part of a managed holiday rental program.