Sala kicks off major expansion plan
Thailand’s Sala Resorts & Spas has commenced a major expansion that will see it double its portfolio of luxury properties over the next 12 months.
Opening on 1 April 2013, the new Sala Lanna Chiang Mai became the first of three new properties expected to launch this year, and only the second member of its Sala Boutique brand. The new luxury hotel is set on the banks of the Ping River in the northern Thai city and features just 16 rooms, including a two-bedroom pool villa. It also features an Italian restaurant and wine bar, both with outdoor riverfront decks.
Also opening this month (scheduled for 15 April 2013) will be Sala’s first Bangkok hotel – the Sala Rattanakosin Bangkok. Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in the old part of the Thai capital, close to the Grand Palace and several famous temples, Sala Rattanakosin will feature 17 rooms, including the Arun riverview suite, which offers views of Bangkok’s Wat Arun, or ‘Temple of Dawn’. The hotel will also include a rooftop bar and terrace with views of the river.
Finally, scheduled to open in late 2013 will be the Sala Ayutthaya. Located further upstream on the banks of the Chao Praya River, in Thailand’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed former capital, the hotel will feature 27 rooms with views of the river and local temples.
“Sala Lanna Chiang Mai is a perfect addition to our beach resorts in Samui and Phuket as well as our amazing hillside retreat Sala Khaoyai. With the pending opening of Sala Rattanakosin Bangkok this month, Sala Ayutthaya late 2013 and Sala Chaweng in 2014, we will be able to provide our SALA signature service to even more visitors to the Kingdom of Thailand,” Michael S. Howard, Sala’s vice president of sales & marketing.
The addition of the three new properties will expand Sala’s portfolio to six properties by the end of 2013. The company already operates hotels in Phuket, Khao Yai and Koh Samui, and in 2014 it plans to expand its resort portfolio further with the opening of the Sala Samui Chaweng.