The newly opened, 72-key Banyan Tree Krabi becomes the first luxury resort to open in Krabi in 11 years
Banyan Tree Krabi, a 72-key luxury resort nestled on a verdant hillside and commanding spectacular vistas of a dozen limestone cliffs rising from the sea, opened its doors in late October this year at the little-known Tubkaek Beach, a 45-minute drive from Krabi International Airport, Thailand. This five-star property is the latest hotel launched by the Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts group, one of Asia’s leading luxury and wellness brands, which is owned by Thailand-based Asset World Corporation or AWC. The new resort backs onto a lush national park and the roller-coastering Naga Crest Hill, granting all 13 beach villas and 59 suites—each of which has its own private pool—a westward-facing view of sunsets over the Andaman Sea. A natural spring flows from one of those naga crests and winds its way downhill into the resort where it is transformed into flower-fringed canal ferrying springwater to the sea. Facilities at Banyan Tree Krabi include: two restaurants and a beach bar: a kids’ club; fitness centre; meeting centre; and — in keeping with Banyan Tree’s wellness branding — a rainforest-themed spa. The centrepiece of the resort, and one of the first things guests will see as they walk through the Buddhist temple-like entrance, is a circular water feature in the lobby cascading downstairs into a cavernous meeting room area. With a backdrop of emerald sea and karsts, the awe-inspiring spectacle is shaping up as one of the resort’s signature images. "Water and nature are the predominant themes here at Banyan Tree Krabi," said the resort’s new General Manager Robert Sexton. "You are never more than a few steps from a canal with quaint wooden bridges or within earshot of fountains and cascading waterfalls among the gardens." Banyan Tree Krabi becomes the Group’s fourth hotel in Thailand, following in the footsteps of Banyan Tree Bangkok, Banyan Tree Phuket and Banyan Tree Samui.