Stay in a Private Pool Villa Inspired by Thai Silk Legend Jim Thompson
The Two-Bedroom Royal Villa by Jim Thompson at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas is the epitome of privacy and luxury.
Jim Thompson was an American who helped revitalize the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and 1960s, leaving behind a lasting legacy with his company, which has grown into one of Thailand’s flagship luxury brands. Inspired by the late Thai silk legend, last year luxury resort Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas opened the first Jim Thompson Suite on Phuket Island.
The two-bedroom villa draws inspiration from Thompson, featuring a classic-contemporary aesthetic of gabled roofs, hardwood flooring, and paneled walls—finished with vibrant Jim Thompson fabrics and screens. Just steps from Mai Khao Beach, the villa offers expansive living space with both bedrooms opening onto a private pool.
The bronze-toned flooring throughout the villa is natural Thai Makha wood, a rare hardwood which is highly prized and used primarily for luxury musical instruments, outside furnishings, and flooring. Fine Thai artwork and carvings are dotted throughout, paying tribute to Thai heritage.
“We have an ongoing project of enhancing our expansive collection of pool villas,” says Nikolaus Priesnitz, General Manager of Anantara Mai Khao. “The two bedrooms of the Jim Thompson suite offer a secluded retreat with luxury amenities and facilities. It has been a journey of interest working so closely with the teams from Abacus Design and Jim Thompson, and we are thrilled that Anantara Mai Khao has the first suite of this kind in Phuket.”
The interior is outfitted with hardwood flooring, paneled walls, vibrant Jim Thompson fabrics, and screens.
The interior living room is filled with shades of blue and white fabrics and wall coverings that have been inspired by tidal marks on the picturesque beaches of Randall’s Island, New York. Woodwork is painted in a light, white-wash tone which echoes the shades of the pale sandy shores.
The master bedroom features a vibrant and exotic embroidered design that takes inspiration from the ornamental Heliconia flowers that still bloom at Jim Thompson’s former home, which is now a museum. The beauty of the tropical floral design contrasts charmingly with the neutral background, which seamlessly runs through the rest of the room.
An array of additional amenities are gifted to guests to enhance their stay, including fast track immigration at Phuket International Airport, transfers to and from the hotel, two 60-minute signature massage treatments in the spa, an introduction to the legendary Thai sport Muay Thai for two, daily complimentary mini-bar refills, and a 10% discount on food and beverages.
Just steps from the powdery sands of Mai Khao Beach, the villa’s ensuite bedrooms open onto a private pool.
For those visiting Central Bangkok, sister property Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel is home to the Jim Thompson Explorer Suite, which is reminiscent of a Thai summer home. The two-bedroom suite features whitewashed paneled walls, teak floors and furnishings, chandeliers overhead, and original Jim Thompson silks.
Guests enjoy panoramic views of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, along with a host of complimentary experiences, including round-trip airport transfers (maximum two people), selected 60-minute spa treatment for two people per day, and much more.
Sister property Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel also has a two-bedroom Jim Thompson Explorer Suite.
For more information and to book, visit Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas’ website and Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel’s website. Follow Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas on Instagram: @anantara_hotels
[Images courtesy of Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas & Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk