We just love it when someone takes hold of an old, heritage building and gives it a new lease of life – especially when it turns into something super luxurious. This boutique retreat literally defines perfection of this craft. Aesthetically, we’re talking lashings of teak, historical structures, shuttered windows, classic furniture and a collection of amazing antiques and photography, set in lush tropical grounds peppered with banyan and flame trees as old as the city. Its pavilions and suites are built at the edges of the property, overlooking this manicured and curated landscape. Four poster beds, outdoor showers, plunge pools and an in-room roll-top bath complete the creature comforts. Built around a 19th-century Thai wooden house, this was once home to
Louis Lenowens, son of Anna, from Anna and the King fame (it seems he got his house not adjoining Royal palace; musical theatre fans will know what we mean). But this property is no stranger to welcoming guests from abroad – it served as one of Chiang Mai’s most exclusive ‘expats clubs’, the place to go in a part of town where foreigners were first allowed to settle, back in the day.
