The Luxe Lens

 Banyan Tree Samui, one of Thailand’s leading luxury resorts and a trailblazer in sustainability and eco-friendliness, marks its 15th anniversary in July. Located at the southeasternmost point of the island of Koh Samui and tiered into a verdant hillside, the 38-acre property is rich in flora and plant life, commands its own private palm-fringed beach, and is flanked by coral reefs. The site for this 5-star hotel was discovered and then developed by Asset World Corporation (AWC), which currently maintains the largest hospitality portfolio in Thailand. The group owns a diverse portfolio of best-in-class and award-winning hotel properties across the country, each reflecting authentic culture blended with luxury and refinement. All hotels in the AWC portfolio embrace socially-responsible ideals and sustainable practices. In its 15 years as a landmark on the tropical island — recently in the spotlight as the film location for the US hit series The White Lotus — Banyan Tree Samui has wo...

 The Hollywood film star Charlie Chaplin famously honeymooned at the Metropole in Hanoi with his wife, actress Paulette Goddard, in 1936. Now, Chaplin is making an encore of sorts. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, the iconic 124-year-old luxury hotel in Vietnam’s capital, has unveiled a new exhibition, “Charlie Chaplin: Echoes of a Legend,” featuring treasured items from the private collection of Australian collector Paddy Macdonald. The display includes a rare selection of film posters, original century-old sheet music and the July 6, 1925 edition of TIME Magazine, which marked the first time the influential U.S. publication featured an actor on its cover. The memorabilia were sourced from nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, the U.S., Ireland, France and Cuba, offering an intimate look into the life and legacy of the legendary actor and filmmaker. An opening event was held on June 24 at Metropole Hanoi, kicking off a month-long showcase in the hotel’s Heritag...

   Alma Resort Cam Ranh is poised to put scenic Cam Ranh on the cultural map with a new extravaganza celebrating Vietnam’s rich heritage, traditions and folklore with contemporary flair. From July 5 this year, Alma’s vast outdoor amphitheatre will host “The Stage – Alma Show”; “a cross-cultural collaboration between Vietnamese and Korean creatives” entailing four daily performances that each cater to up to 400 spectators. The 70-minute “Alma Show” makes for a visual marvel that pays homage to Vietnam’s “five elements of nature” earth, water, fire, wood and metal. The entertainment line-up features magicians, dancers, water puppetry, special effects, a flash mob, Ao Dai fashion show and more for all ages. The spectacle involves audience interaction and opens with dancers bringing the vanquished Champa Kingdom’s “Apsara” dance to life in tribute to the Cham people’s long history with the local area. The stories behind Vietnam’s five elements are told in short yet spectacular seg...

  Seafood on ice, lobster, Mediterranean mains, a ‘build you own’ egg station, Japanese corner, and chocolate fountain are among the broad spectrum of options at INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit’s new Saturday brunch. Situated in The Kites Eatery on the hotel’s 31st floor, the new brunch on the first Saturday of each month this year from 12-3pm features a live band. The brunch menu brims with delicacies, fashioned by executive chef Katisak ‘Note’ Pinkaew and his team at a series of stations, including Korean, Fine de Claire and Normandy oysters, as well as New Zealand mussels, blue mussels and cooked prawns. A half Canadian lobster, served with Spanish sauce, is available per diner. The ‘build your own’ egg station isn’t any mere egg station. Think eggs benedict on sourdough with smoked salmon and salmon roe, scrambled eggs on toast with caviar, salad, avocado, tomato and mushrooms, and butter pancakes with egg and smoked bacon. In addition to three kinds of salmon gravlax, the c...

  As incidents of phone theft continue to rise around the world, Samsung is calling on Galaxy users to activate the latest anti-theft features now available on their devices. These updates reflect Samsung’s commitment to delivering smarter, stronger protection – helping users safeguard their data and stay in control, even in high-risk situations. Samsung recently started rolling out One UI 7 with security updates to existing features, including additional theft protection and anti-robbery features. These will now also be available to even more devices, having started with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series in February, and now expanding across more Galaxy smartphones throughout the year. Samsung is introducing new security updates to better protect users in the event of phone theft. One major update is Theft Protection – a multi-layered suite of features developed to safeguard personal data, even in high-risk situations such as robbery. Theft Protection builds on standard Android ...

One of the country’s most illustrious beachfront resorts, Banyan Tree Krabi, has extended a helping hand to local artisans to promote high-quality handicrafts and products from the Krabi region and across Thailand. On arrival, hotel guests are presented with a handmade pouch made from upcycled waste washed up on local beaches thanks to a partnership with “Souvenirs from the Sea”, a local group founded by Ms Wiyada Kowsanti, who has lived her life beside the Andaman Sea and who presciently saw the value in the fishing nets, floats, sandals and other discarded items that washed ashore. Colourful tote bags, key chains and other products skillfully assembled by the Souvenirs from the Sea team are available at the resort’s Banyan Tree Gallery Krabi, alongside many other locally-sourced sustainable handcrafts underlining Banyan Tree’s longstanding commitment to supporting the communities in which they operate. Initiated by the hotel’s Thailand-based owning company, Asset World Corporation (A...