Uncovering Hidden Indochina by Private Jet

Overlooking the Chao Phraya river, the iconic Peninsula’s commanding views of the city’s skyline make it one of the most elegant choices in Bangkok. Designed with a blend of modern and traditional Thai decor, the hotel provides all of the comforts of home with an exotic flair, all with the level of quality service and amenities that define the Peninsula. The hotel boasts three restaurants: Mei Jiang for Cantonese cuisine; Thiptara for Thai home-style cooking on an open-air pavilion; and the River Cafe and Bar, located on the banks of the river. The excellent spa, ESPA, offers state-of-the-art treatments, and an extensive fitness center includes a pool set in a garden complex. The Peninsula is located approximately 45 minutes by car from Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK).

The Siam Hotel is set on 3 acres of verdant lawn along the city side of Bangkok’s main river, the Chao Praya. The Siam is a private 39-room luxury retreat with its own unique historical background located in Bangkok’s royal Dusit district. Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Bill Bensley, the property is Art Deco inspired with infusions of Thai antiques and traditional architecture. Guests have an array of amenities at their fingertips: restaurants, a cooking school, bar, café, spa, gym, yoga terrace, Muay Thai boxing ring, beauty salon, library/cinema, infinity pool, gift/antiques gallery, conservatory and traditional Thai houses. The Siam’s 39 suites and pool villas are noticeably spacious and well equipped with modern conveniences. All rooms are outfitted with plush furnishings, super-sized king beds and lofty ceilings. Each suite is individually designed with original turn-of-the-century Oriental artwork and antiquities and is catered for by a personal butler. Complimentary WiFi is available property-wide. Onsite dining options include a Thai restaurant, international cuisine bistro, bar and coffee and cakes shop. The Siam Hotel is approximately 50 minutes from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK).

Nestled on the banks of Bangkok’s bustling Chao Phraya River, the Four Seasons Bangkok is designed around water-centric serenity and fluidity, inspired by the riverfront location. Situated in a vibrant part of the city, guests can view the abundance of activity on the river and enjoy nearby restaurants and cafes, art galleries and temples, with easy access to the various shopping and cultural activities for which “The City of Angels” is renowned. Guests seeking a holistic experience can avail themselves of the hotel's two infinity pools, spa and wellness center, a well-equipped fitness center and a 98-foot lap pool.

Drawing on its reputation for elegance and personalization, the Capella Bangkok is nestled along the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, providing panoramic views from all 101 rooms, suites, and villas. The hotel has also thrown a couple of hats into the capital city’s ring of culinary offerings with two gourmet restaurants and a waterfront patio area that’s perfect for al-fresco dining. Three-Michelin-starred Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco is the mastermind behind much of Capella’s cuisine, and there is a specialty bar offering desserts and artisan cocktails. Among other amenities, there is an oriental tea lounge, open-air spa, outdoor pool, and even an in-house Capella Library. Finally, in trademark Capella fashion, personal assistants are made available to guests to ensure a luxury stay in Bangkok.

The Park Hyatt is a new addition to Cambodia’s select five-star hotel crowd. The hotel was previously Hotel De La Paix, one of the country’s top properties, and has been rebranded after a complete renovation. This new and exciting hotel is situated in one of Asia’s major emerging cultural destinations, providing ultimate indulgence and impeccable service. Designed by award-winning Bangkok-based interior designer Bill Bensley, Park Hyatt won Cambodia’s No. 1 hotel spot in Travel + Leisure and ranked No. 29 in its World’s Best Hotels 2010 list. Park Hyatt Siem Reap features 104 guestrooms, a choice of restaurants, a bar, fresh bakery, two swimming pools, a spa and fitness center.

Located on the island of Don Daeng not far from Champasak and Wat Phou, La Folie is a French-run lodge situated on the banks of the Mekong. Guests arrive by boat onto a sandy beach. The lodge consists of 24 rooms housed in 12 charming wooden bungalows, all with balconies offering magnificent river views and equipped with air conditioning, TV, WiFi and en-suite bathrooms. The poolside restaurant, open-aired but sheltered by a graceful wooden roof, offers continental cuisine and Asian specialties, from early morning breakfast to late-night snacks, and there is also an excellent wine list.

Amantaka is set south of Phousi Mountain and close to the banks of the Mekong River and the Luang Prabang Night Market. The resort, an old French colonial building, is surrounded by a spacious courtyard, and has 24 suites – eight deluxe suites, four pool suites, eight Khan suites, two Mekong suites and two Amantaka suites, all with spacious interior and exterior living areas. Facilities include a spa, a fitness center, a library and a boutique art gallery. Amantaka is little more than a ten- minute drive from Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ).

This richly historic 364-room French colonial masterpiece built in 1901 is one of Vietnam's finest hotels, with luxuriously appointed rooms, attentive staff and gracious service. It is ideally located in central Hanoi and houses a beautiful interior garden. Excellent French cuisine is served at Le Beaulieu, and Hanoi specialties are offered at Spices Garden. The hotel has a well-equipped fitness center with cardio machines and weights, as well as a swimming pool and spa offering massage treatments. All of the guest rooms have broadband Internet access and are decorated in an opulent, neo-classical style.

Sapa is a verdant, mountainous town located in northern Vietnam known for its rich ecological and cultural diversity stemming from its proximity to the Chinese border. With picturesque rice terraces and forested hills surrounding the town — and the Fansipan, the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia, located nearby — a stay in Sapa will leave visitors feeling like they’ve escaped to an old-world settlement that dates back to the colonial era of French Indochina. The Hotel de la Coupole Sapa, a luxury hotel that fuses design elements of elegant French colonial style with the colorful touches of native hill tribes, stands as the only five-star international hotel in Sapa. The Hotel de la Coupole features 249 accommodations, an on-site shopping mall, and a selection of bars and restaurants. Other amenities include air conditioning and heating (more sought-after than one might think in a mountain climate famed for occasional “four-season days”), numerous meeting and banquet rooms, and a Spa and Fitness Center complete with a sauna and massage parlor. And for those wishing to venture out and explore the surrounding mountains, waterways, and lush slopes, local guides are easily hired, and transportation is conveniently arranged either through the hotel or by local means.

The Anantara is a chic luxury retreat perched atop a high mountain ridge overlooking the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers, and close to Thailand's borders with Laos and Myanmar. It has 58 guest rooms and 19 suites decorated in a style that blends the best of the area's rich fabric and woodcarving traditions with contemporary design. The resort includes a sybaritic spa, an infinity pool that looks over the tree canopy to the Mekong River and up towards the hills of Myanmar and Laos, a fitness center with steam rooms, saunas, squash and tennis courts, a Thai cooking school, and an elephant camp, where you can learn about the importance of the elephant in Thai culture and arrange a ride through the surrounding jungle. The Anantara is also home to three food and beverage establishments: Sala Mae Nam (international buffet breakfast and Northern Thai specialties for dinner), Baan Dahlia (authentic Italian cuisine with a wine selection from vineyards around the globe), and The Elephant Bar and Opium Terrace, the perfect setting for a night cap.

An exotic getaway reached by riverboat, the Four Seasons Tented Camp is set in a bamboo jungle at the meeting point of three countries: Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Fifteen freestanding, luxurious tents are spaced along a half-mile-long hillside trail over the Muak River, each with a large outdoor deck to take in the lush surroundings and the sounds of the forest. The rooms are outfitted with hand-hammered copper bathtubs, and custom-made furnishings that hearken back to the style of 19th-century explorers. The spa offers simple luxury with traditional Thai massages in open-air salas that seem to float in the air amid the trees. The treatments include mountain botanicals and warming spices for a unique and restorative experience. Private yoga classes are also available. A variety of dining experiences are offered and are shared by the small group of guests: breakfast is served at Nong Yao, the camp's restaurant; lunch might be a picnic in the jungle with folding tables, stools and linen napkins; dinner could be a barbecue, a five-course formal meal or a dinner by the campfire. There is a pool and attached whirlpool at the camp that has been integrated into the landscape, surrounded by granite boulders and lush plants. The camp is 90 minutes from Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI).