Bill Bensley designed Thailand's real-life 'White Lotus' hotel and doubts he could have pulled it off in the US
Briefly

Bill Bensley, an architect and designer, has achieved significant success since moving to Asia after graduation in 1984. He has designed over 200 hotels, including several featured in HBO's "The White Lotus." His design philosophy embraces the odd and whimsical, leading to immersive experiences like ziplining over jungles and repurposing train carriages into hotel suites. Bensley's upbringing on a California farm instilled in him a sense of adventure and survival that has influenced his work. He holds advanced degrees in landscape architecture and urban design, despite initially lacking direction in the hospitality industry.
Bensley's design mantra is simple: "The odder, the better." His designs are known for being whimsical, theatrical, and deeply immersive.
"I was lucky to learn how to survive in the wild," he says. "That shaped everything I do."
He built over 200 hotels in 30 countries, including nine projects for Four Seasons hotels.
Read at Business Insider
[
|
]