Spectacular design and architecture are hallmarks of The Chedi, a boutique collection of hotels and resorts that tend to appear in slightly off-the-beaten-track destinations. From The Chedi Muscat and its appropriately named Long Pool (which is a whopping 103 metres in length) to The Chedi Andermatt and its cavernous chalet lobby (imagined by design mastermind Jean-Michel Gathy), each property captures a unique sense of place and style.
The latest addition to a growing list of properties in development is The Chedi Aquarius Koh Chang, an island hideaway built into the hillside that will mark the brand’s long-awaited return to Thailand after parting ways with its property in Chang Mai in 2013.
Management company GHM has partnered with a collection of leading Southeast Asian creative teams to bring the project to life, including Bangkok-based Architects 49, design studio PIA Interiors and landscape design firm Coopers Hill. The latter has worked on award-winning island escapes including Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia and Cape Weligama in Sri Lanka; while PIA Interiors has recently put the finishing touches to Banyan Tree Krabi on Thailand’s western coast. Architects 49 is engaged in several ground-breaking projects in Thailand and beyond, including the futuristic One Bangkok district, the glass shard-shaped Tait 12 residential building and the Palm 360 Dubai hotel and residences in the UAE.
When complete in 2023, The Chedi Aquarius Koh Chang will welcome guests via a cavernous, open-sided lobby that looks out onto the ocean, with 200 suites and villas nestled into the hillside, as well as a cliff-edge restaurant, rooftop bar, infinity pool and a destination spa. Additional Chedi properties currently under development in the Maldives, UAE, India and Taiwan are all set to open this year: good news for fans of this visionary brand.