Bill Bensley travel tips

Not long ago, visiting exotic animals in their habitats was the stuff of intrepid explorers who ventured weeks into remote wilds. Today, sleek new nature lodges bring adventurous luxury to fragile but closely cared-for ecosystems.

Good hotels are in the business of cherishing their guests. Hotels - at the highest end - are all about curation, which makes the products they sell in their shops particularly desirable, whether fashion, furnishings or art. Here are some presents that every mother will love.

We didn't do it on purpose. It was actually quite late in the process of assembling this issue that we realized it contained two stories which, though very different in many ways, were about parents taking their children on important trips. One is Ashlea Halpern's luminous meditation on the week she spent in Oman with her toddler son amid an epic three-week adventure following her father's death. The other is my own piece about watching my kids reenact the summer rituals of my childhood on Washington State's San Juan Islands. Both ultimately come to a conclusion we talk about a lot here: that travel is a gift to be shared and that passing it along enriches the lives of both the recipient and the giver.

Siem Reap’s hotel scene has moved on from the backpacker hostels of decades past, with plenty of oasis-like options to retreat to after a day’s exploring in the Cambodian heat. 

An island that lures with its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Bali is a destination that should be visited at least once in a lifetime. Known for its rice terraces, lush jungle, sandy beaches and Hindu temples, it offers a plethora of experiences and appeals to a range of travelers — from surfers and yogis to honeymooners, families and spiritual seekers.

In episode six of the Skift Ideas Podcast, Colin Nagy is joined by Bill Bensley, Founder of Bensley, a globally renowned designer celebrated for his award-winning contributions to the fields of architecture, landscape, and interior design.

In the evolving story of global conservation, Cambodia, with its verdant forests and deep cultural history, is at at an important inflection point: The country needs to find a modern approach to conservation while balancing the need for economic growth and bringing people out of poverty.

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.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, December 20, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Bill Bensley strives to press all the right buttons when designing hotels and resorts. The New York-based architect, landscape architect, and interior designer is well known for being a “maximalist” — or “more is more” — aesthetic. The “Bensley look” for hotels sits in the sweet spot of what many guests say they crave today.

Located the picturesque highlands of Sapa, Vietnam, Hotel de la Coupole is a luxurious retreat that offers guests a taste of the bucolic Vietnamese countryside. Designed by renowned architect Bill Bensley, the hotel seamlessly blends French colonial elegance with the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous hill tribes.