Name it the White Lotus impact: Since HBO’s present introduced Thailand as the situation for its third season, there’s been a growth in curiosity in journey to this Southeast Asian nation. Sure, the sequence’ movie units—together with the 4 Seasons Resort Koh Samui and Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental—are a few of Thailand’s absolute best locations to remain. However Thailand is house to many different wonderful retreats that set a excessive customary for hospitality within the area.
Since making Bangkok my house in 2013, I’ve checked into tons of of lodges in each nook of the nation. For Afar’s newest installment of Inns We Love, I’ve chosen 11 of its high lodging, from dreamy island resorts to sensible city refuges, to e-book in your subsequent go to to the Land of Smiles.
Amanpuri
- Location: Phuket
- Why we find it irresistible: The unique Aman resort, with one in all Thailand’s greatest spas
- From $1,662
- Ebook now
For hospitality nerds, visiting the all-villa Amanpuri draped over a coconut grove on Phuket’s hilly western shores is a ceremony of passage: Opened in 1988 as the primary Aman resort, it laid the muse for one of many world’s most illustrious lodge manufacturers. Despite the fact that a long time have handed, Amanpuri’s Thai-inspired design—all pointy roofs, recent orchids, and polished teak—stays timeless, and its semi-private seashore remains to be one of many prettiest you’ll discover on the island. With its IV drips, high-tech hydrotherapy suites, and a small military of medical doctors on workers, the sprawling spa is one in all Thailand’s greatest.
Capella Bangkok
- Location: Bangkok
- Why we find it irresistible: A riverside lodge with pool villas and standout eating
- From $850
- Loyalty program: Leaders Membership (Main Inns of the World)
- Ebook now
Capella Bangkok isn’t merely one other luxurious lodge. It’s a brand new benchmark for Thai hospitality (with eye-watering nightly charges to match). The straight-lined and marble-heavy rooms and villas include such ultra-indulgent perks as plunge swimming pools or personal tropical gardens that sit proper on the Chao Phraya River’s edge, whereas top-notch butler service and a spa with all of the bells and whistles give little purpose to go away the property in any respect. So does its assortment of bars and eating places, together with the Michelin-starred Côte by Argentine movie star chef Mauro Colagreco, and the ritzy Stella bar, the place sensible mixologists shake up drinks impressed by Bangkok’s metropolis districts.
Devasom Khao Lak
- Location: Khao Lak
- Why we find it irresistible: A seashore retreat with sea-facing villas and loads of on-site actions
- From $178
- Ebook now
With its plum place between a palm-fringed lagoon and a honey-gold seashore, Devasom Khao Lak delivers vacation bliss in spades. Its rooms vary from sprawling suites to villas with personal swimming pools proper on the sand, however the true showstoppers are the Andaman Sea–dealing with Sky Villas—every with a rooftop infinity pool and a glass-walled eating room. The actions program is equally engaging: Each week, visitor DJs remodel the library lounge right into a vinyl listening room, whereas ceramic workshops, yoga periods, and guided biking excursions preserve you busy between seashore strolls and pool dips.
4 Seasons Resort Koh Samui
- Location: Koh Samui
- Why we find it irresistible: The location of HBO’s The White Lotus stays one in all Thailand’s greatest seashore getaways
- From $1,400
- Ebook now
Fanning out on a palm-covered hillside overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, the 4 Seasons Resort Koh Samui has been a coveted getaway because it opened virtually 20 years in the past. This 12 months, it’s catapulted to world fame as a result of HBO’s hit sequence The White Lotus filmed its third season right here. The 60 villas, every with a non-public infinity pool and plenty of outside house, tumble all the way down to a powdery seashore, whereas rum-fueled sundowners on the CoCoRum bar and all-natural remedies on the jungle-cloaked spa make it simple to slide into Samui’s simple island rhythm.
InterContinental Khao Yai
- Location: Khao Yai
- Why we find it irresistible: A Invoice Bensley–designed resort at nature’s doorstep with reclaimed railway carriage suites
- From $355
- Loyalty program: IHG One Rewards
- Ebook now
Wedged between a constellation of lakes and the steamy jungles of central Thailand’s Khao Yai Nationwide Park, the InterContinental Khao Yai is pure storybook whimsy—which isn’t any shock, provided that it’s the brainchild of eccentric architect Invoice Bensley. The buildings that almost all rooms are housed in take their design cues from a Rama V–period railway station close by, however it’s the stand-alone villas that steal the present: Every is a reclaimed railway carriage fitted with Thai textiles, leather-based sofas, and a copper bathtub on their terrace. Days stream from breakfasts surrounded by jungle to afternoon tea in a classic eating carriage and sultry evenings within the Papillon Bar.
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
- Location: Bangkok
- Why we find it irresistible: The town’s grande dame stays one of many high locations to remain
- From $750
- Ebook now
The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has hosted everybody from Joseph Conrad to the Prince of Wales since opening in 1876, however regardless of its age, this Bangkok landmark feels something however dated (partly resulting from a recent, floral-heavy refurbishment in 2019). Right here, days kick off with breakfasts on the riverfront terrace, afternoons play out within the intensive spa, and evenings belong to the mirror-ceilinged Bamboo Bar, the place sultry jazz, award-winning cocktails, and the occasional movie star sighting set the scene.
Raya Heritage
- Location: Chiang Mai
- Why we find it irresistible: A crafts-centric retreat in artisan-filled Chiang Mai
- From $562
- Ebook now
The northern metropolis of Chiang Mai is Thailand’s capital of artisanship, and few lodges make that extra clear than Raya Heritage, a retreat on the banks of the Ping River centered on Thai craft traditions. Its 38 breezy suites come furnished with domestically made ceramics, wickerwork, and window screens from mulberry paper, whereas the Khu Khao restaurant takes a equally native strategy with recipes sourced from northern Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. Impressed? Pop into the on-site boutique, Him Gong, to choose up handcrafted objects by native artisans, corresponding to silver jewellery, indigo-dyed kaftans, and hand-carved teakwood ornamental objects.
The Siam
- Location: Bangkok
- Why we find it irresistible: An artwork deco retreat stuffed with Thai cultural references
- From $665
- Ebook now
Getting into this artwork deco gem in Bangkok’s quiet Dusit district seems like getting into the key vault of an eccentric antiques collector. Classic airline posters share house with historic Buddhist wooden carvings in marble-lined hallways, whereas suites mix timeworn Chesterfields with tropical taxidermy and retro toys. The health club has a Muay Thai boxing ring, riverfront villas open to personal swimming pools, and a standard Sak Yant tattoo parlor hides within the basement. However none of it feels misplaced—in any case, the lodge’s proprietor, Krissada Sukosol Clapp, is one in all Thailand’s most beloved pop music icons.
Six Senses Yao Noi
- Location: Koh Yao Noi
- Why we find it irresistible: A quiet various to Phuket with an eco-conscious philosophy
- From $830
- Ebook now
Only a 30-minute speedboat trip from Phuket, the hush-hush island of Koh Yao Noi feels worlds away from the hustle of one in all Thailand’s busiest islands. Six Senses Yao Noi channels the castaway vibe with breezy villas from driftwood and thatch, a secluded seashore, and an admirable eco-conscious ethos to maintain its environment wholesome. The village-like spa offers in all-natural treatments, whereas sundown cocktails on the Den and wine evenings on the glass-floored Nithan restaurant add a welcome contact of indulgence. However set your alarm: The dawn over the karst-studded horizon is nothing in need of spectacular.
The Commonplace Hua Hin
- Location: Hua Hin
- Why we find it irresistible: A contemporary-feeling seashore retreat in conventional Hua Hin
- From $110
- Ebook now
Resorts in Hua Hin, Thailand’s oldest resort city and the summer season house of the Thai royal household, have all the time been just a little run-of-the-mill. However the fun-loving Commonplace lodge group shook issues up with the opening of its Hua Hin outpost on the finish of 2021. This sensible seafront resort attracts on the model’s Miami roots with midcentury- fashionable furnishings, candy-striped umbrellas, and disco balls lighting the loos. You’ll wish to e-book one of many villas for simple seashore entry and a non-public pool, and don’t miss the larb-flavored tuna tartare at “Thai izakaya” restaurant Praça.
Villa Mahabhirom
- Location: Chiang Mai
- Why we find it irresistible: Restored teakwood properties provide atmospheric interiors
- From $378
- Ebook now
Hidden in a backyard stuffed with frangipani and bougainvillaea in Chiang Mai, Villa Mahabhirom consists of 23 restored teakwood properties sourced from villages throughout central Thailand. Fitted with Italian marble loos, crystal chandeliers, and gem-colored silks, they’re as snug as they’re fairly. You’ll wish to carve out loads of time to loll across the lantern-lined pool and revel in a bowl of steaming pho noodles within the resort’s Vietnamese restaurant. Within the evenings, the candlelit courtyards and smooth rustle of palm bushes set the right temper for a nightcap.
