Bill Bensley painting in one of the locations in the upcoming Bensley Art Trail
Bill Bensley
Anyone who has stayed in an exuberantly designed hotel in Asia has most likely experienced the designs of Bill Bensley: the Bangkok-based designer is the creative force behind The Siam Hotel Bangkok; Rosewood Luang Prabang, Shinta Mani Angkor and Capella Hanoi among others. Apart from his hotel designs, though, Bensley is also an artist and philanthropist and those three interests combine in the first Bensley Art Trail, a 12 day tour for those interested in art, design, luxury and conservation from November 28th-December 10th. Bensley will lead it, taking 12 guests behind the scenes of several of those hotels as well as his home, with itinerary details constructed by the Bangkok based luxury, bespoke travel company Smiling Albino. Proceeds will go to the Shinta Mani Foundation which is based in Cambodia to fund 32 scholarships for students of the Shinta Mani Foundation Hospitality School, Class of 2024.
Wat Xieng Thong temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, one of the stops in the Bensley Art Trail
getty
“I have been designing hotels all my life, but when I first picked up a paint brush just 4 years ago I absolutely fell in love with art,” Bensley explains. “In creating the Bensley Art Trail I want to share my enthusiasm with you and inspire you to release your inner child, while having a ton of fun along the way as we travel, draw and paint in some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful places.” Throughout the tour, Bensley will impart his thoughts about hotel and interior design, landscape architecture, and spotlight individual artists, describing what is unique about their work.
InterContinental Khao Yai Resort designed by Bill Bensley, two and a half hours outside of Bangkok
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
The trip kicks off at the recently opened InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, a railway themed resort two and a half hours from Bangkok near Khao Yai National Park known for its wildlife including elephants, waterfalls and hiking trails. For this design, Bensley used reclaimed train carriages, some rescued from the jungle, and created a fantasy design around them. While here, guests will participate in immersive art workshops with the designer and join him and park rangers for conservation-themed forest walks.
Bill Bensley’s design for Rosewood Luang Prabang
Laurie Werner
The next stops include Rosewood Luang Prabang, a hilltop resort in which every room has a different, colorful, storytelling design, with more art classes and observation of ancient traditions and sites in this historically spiritual city. The tour then moves on to Cambodia and a stay at Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas in Siem Reap, the setting for the iconic temples of Angkor Wat; a Jeep tour will explore the more remote temples. There is also a free art exploration day/ chance to visit the Foundation headquarters followed by a transfer into the Cardamom Mountains and National Park for a stay at Shinta Mani Wild-A Bensley Collection. This tented camp was created for the purpose of conservation: to prevent the land from being logged for a mine; adventures there include ziplining, picnicking above a waterfall and joining an anti-poaching patrol.
The setting of Shinta Mani Wild-A Bensley Collection in Cambodia
Shinta Mani Wild-A Bensley Collection
The tour concludes back in Bangkok at The Siam Hotel Bangkok, a riverfront property that Bensley designed almost as a living museum with interesting artifacts filling every available space. Guests are also invited into Baan Botanica, the elaborate garden embellished private residence of Bensley, his partner Jirachai and their five Jack Russells for a grand finale dinner. If guests take inspiration from Bensley’s gardens here to recreate at home, they’re destined to be the talk of the town when they get home.
The dinner table in the garden of Baan Botanica, Bill Bensley’s Bangkok home.
Bill Bensley
The cost of the trip: $25,000 per person, double occupancy, of which $10,000 is a contribution to the Shinta Mani Foundation.