Bill Bensley’s private Chiang Mai estate, Hacienda Botanica, now available for bookings

Bill Bensley, the designer behind over 200 hotels and resorts globally, has opened his private Chiang Mai estate, Hacienda Botanica, for exclusive stays. The property, managed by luxury travel company Smiling Albino, offers a unique experience for travelers seeking an escape.

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Hacienda Botanica is our home, not a client brief and, therefore, it is allowed to be a little unreasonable. If private houses cannot misbehave, what hope is there for mankind?

Hacienda Botanica is described as a "Mexican fever dream" spread across 16 hectares along the Mae Rim River, less than an hour north of Chiang Mai. Bensley, who has lived in Bangkok for 40 years, intentionally chose Mae Rim to avoid the feeling of "another city pretending to be a retreat." The estate is a country counterpart to his Bangkok residence, Baan Botanica.

The development of Hacienda Botanica was a long-term project. Bensley and horticulturist Jirachai Rengthong spent years sourcing antique materials like columns, doors, and architectural fragments before finding the ideal site. They selected the 16-hectare plot about 10 years ago, drawn to its existing forest, historical Buddhist temple sites, and the presence of the Mae Rim River.

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That is often how the best decisions happen, before common sense has had time to put on its shoes.

Bensley characterized the property as having "just enough mystery to make the sensible part of one’s brain surrender immediately," likening the quick decision to buy it to how "the best decisions happen, before common sense has had time to put on its shoes." The estate features bold colors and climate-smart design, blending Mexican hacienda aesthetics with the tropical Chiang Mai setting, surrounded by lush gardens and pavilions.

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It feels wonderfully removed, without being theatrically remote.