If you love art and exploring, are a fan of the fabulous architect, artist, and interior designer, Bill Bensley, and have $25,000 to spare, then you might want to sign up for his inaugural Bensley Art Trail. 

From November 28 to December 10, 2023, the inaugural Bensley Art Trail will take art enthusiasts and conservation advocates on an exploration of BENSLEY-designed hotels across Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.

The adventure fosters artistic curiosity, where guests will immerse themselves in the imaginative world of Bill Bensley while supporting a worthy cause, the Shinta Mani Foundation. All proceeds will be used to provide 32 full scholarships for students of the Shinta Mani Foundation Hospitality School, Class of 2024.

Bensley Art Trail

“I have been designing hotels all my life, but when I first picked up a paint brush just four years ago I absolutely fell in love with art,” Bensley said. “In creating the Bensley Art Trail I want to share my enthusiasm with you and inspire you to release your inner child, while having a ton of fun along the way as we travel, draw and paint in some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful places.”

He added proceeds from the trip will provide 32 full scholarships for students for next year’s Hospitality School in Siem Reap, which is run by our Shinta Mani Foundation.

What does it involve?

The Bensley Art Trail kicks off at the recently opened InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, a railway-themed resort just two and a half hours from Bangkok. For this resort, Bill used upcycled train carriages, some of which were literally rescued from the jungle and created a captivating story around the design, a concept for which he is famous. Guests will participate in immersive art workshops run by Bill and join him in a forest conservation walk.

This is followed by two nights at the stunning Rosewood Luang Prabang in Laos, where ancient traditions and Bensley art classes converge. The adventure continues with two stops in Cambodia; the luxurious Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas in Siem Reap, and then into the heart of Cambodia’s Cardamom
Mountains and National Park, at Shinta Mani Wild – A Bensley Collection, the award-wining all-inclusive luxury tented camp, created to prevent the land from being logged for a mine. The property is a living case study of Bill’s white paper, Sensible Sustainable Solutions.

Bensley Art Trail

The inaugural Asian Art Tour culminates at The Siam Hotel Bangkok , with a grand finale art dinner at Baan Botanica, the private Bangkok residence of Bill and Jirachai Bensley and their five Jack Russells.

On this tour, guests will have a unique opportunity to learn first-hand from Bill about hospitality and hotel design vernacular architecture, interior design and landscape architecture, through his eyes. Throughout the tour he will organise a different muse of the day and introduce a new personal favourite artist and speak to what is unique about their work.

The Bensley Art Trail is co-designed and managed by luxury travel company, Smiling Albino. Smiling Albino co-founder and CEO Daniel Fraser added, “We are thrilled and honoured to work with Bill Bensley on the first-ever Bensley Art Trail, proving that luxury travel and the love of art can join together to be a force for good here in Southeast Asia”.

Rate and Reservations

The Bensley Art Trail is priced at $25,000 net per person, based on double occupancy, with a single supplement an additional $4,500. All regional flights, transfers, accommodation, meals and activities are included, as is a $10,000 per person contribution towards the Shinta Mani Foundation. A total of 12 rooms are available for art and travel adventurers on this fun-filled expedition.

For more information and bookings, contact Smiling Albino: [email protected] or visit Smiling Albino.