When you design an entire hotel around the wai,
the Thai hand-gesture of greeting, you set a pretty
high standard for the welcome to be expected within.

As expressed in this month’s cover Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, “when you design an entire hotel around the wai, the Thai hand-gesture of greeting, you set a pretty high standard for the welcome to be expected within.  Rosewood Bangkok is now receiving guests in the heart of the capital and [as soon as you step inside] you sense that your personal convenience, comfort and style have always been top of mind.”

I was fortunate enough to have a sneak preview of the newest five-star Bangkok property when I photographed Travel + Leisure’s March 2019 cover fashion feature a few weeks ago.  My first impression when I walked through the hotel doors was that of a private manor: the Rosewood Bangkok feels sophisticated, exclusive and intimate.  As T+L explains, “the residential feel that pervades the 159-room tower is best exemplified by the 23 suites and villas on high, four with private pools, all of which we’d happily move into.” There is a beautiful attention to detail throughout the property, which you first notice from the outside when you lay eyes on the striking shape of the 30-story building which has been inspired by the warm and traditional Thai greeting of bringing one’s palms together while saying hello to the  “waterfall that runs for 11 floors through the hotel’s interior and winds up at the saltwater lap pool pays tribute to the riverine and canal culture of Bangkok.”

Personally, my favourite location in the hotel is Moon Gate at the entrance to the modern and electric Chinese restaurant, Nan Bei.  The design of this entire floor is inspired by the Chinese legend of  The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.  The Weaver Girl, who resided in heaven, came down to earth and fell in love with the Cowherd.  Their love, however, was forbidden and they were only allowed to meet once every year by crossing the sky over a bridge of magpies.  Inspired by this fable, Moon Gate is a circular wooden portal that looks into a glass-enclosed atrium filled with over 1,600 glowing lights and more than 600 suspended golden magpies.  As soon as I saw this inspiring space, I knew we had to make one of our photographs here.

Something I love about fashion shoots is that they bring together so many different creative partners — art director, model, fashion stylist, hair and make-up artist, photographer and assistants — most of whom have never met or worked together before.  And, within a short period of time, we are all friends and collaborating to make something special together.  In such cases, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.  And this flexibility and cooperative spirit is a wonderful byproduct of my job and one of the things that I love most about making photographs.  I feel like the results from the latest T+L speak for themselves.

Experience the Rosewood Bangkok in this month’s Travel + Leisure cover story below.  And click here to browse the entire luxury destination fashion shoot.