Laura Gibbs's Blog, page 10

#MondayBrunch

  Forget Sunday Brunch! This is the hashtag we should be aiming for in life!�� #MondayBrunch Instead of dreading the start of the work week, or spending half a day of the precious weekend eating, Monday should be brunch day, a large preparatory meal for the creative week ahead. ��Go somewhere beautiful, discuss grand ideas,…

Interview with the COO of The 137 Pillars Brand

��Expanding from a quaint historical property to a countrywide luxury brand….. In a leafy suburb, just over the river from the old walled city of Chiang Mai, stands the 137 Pillars House. The original teak house was built in the late 1800’s and served for many years at the Northern office of the East Borneo…

Mysterious Adverts are Great for Marketing

  A recent advertisement in Bangkok Airways magazine was for��a hotel called ‘The Library‘. As a writer and hotel lover my interest was immediately sparked, but what was even more intriguing was that the advertisement didn’t mention anything about the hotel or its location….what? The photograph wasn’t particularly stunning (or understandable) and the country location…

Old Chiang Mai – What was it like?

I love Chiang Mai and yet in the 6 years I’ve known the city, so much has changed.

Nimmanhaemin Road in 2011 only had a few cafes, shops and the roads were mostly traffic free, with only a few vehicles speeding down Suthep or Huay Kaew Road. In the last 5 years Chiang Mai has experienced rapid growth, as Bangkokians escaped floods and stress for the more peaceful Northern Capital, and investment from China and Singapore poured in. The amount of 5 star hotels has doubled, with more being compl...

The Rise of the Female Traveller

It is well known among industry experts that women tend to be the ones who hold the purchasing power in households. Women are usually the ones to research and book luxury hotels when planning a holiday. However there is a new trend emerging worldwide, and especially across Asia: the rise of the female traveller.  While this trend was unheard of 30 years ago, with increasing equality in the workplace, ease of travel, uplifting stories and safety information on the internet, women are on the mo...

Luxury Villas by the mountain

When researching the second edition of Luxurious Chiang Mai I was invited to experience Chiang Mai’s newest 5 star hotel – Villa Mahabhirom.

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From the outside the white wall skirting the the windy Soi Umong, the entrance gave nothing away to what lay within. But once entering the complex I discovered a secret Thai oasis, steeped in tradition with a swirl of stylish modernity.

Villa Mahabhirom has been carefully cultivated for the last seven years, and the result today is a luxury hotel wit...

7 reasons to Honeymoon in Thailand

When most people imagine their honeymoon they dream of white sandy beaches, crystal blue water and a luxurious hotel, complete with five star luxury, bathtubs and a screen door opening straight onto a beach. A chic city break with culture, fine dining and sunset cocktails overlooking city skylines. Others search for adventure, a trip of a lifetime to remember forever and strengthen the bond with their partner. Sadly people are put off by the expense of such a fantastic honeymoon, especially s...

Hashtag bags

When staying at resort hotels I tend to spend a lot of time going between my room, the book and the restaurant or cafe. If there is a beach near by, then there too. However I tend to travel light, and so while I will bring a bag, I never bring a ‘beach’ bag. without a beach bag (aka an easy to clean, mid sized bag that can fit a book, phone, sun lotion, towel and bottle of water in) I tend to end up carrying a little too much around with me in my hands, and once you add the room key to the eq...

How to become a ‘travelling writer’ – not a travel writer

 

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These days most people want to become travel writers – trust me I am one and get asked weekly how to get paid to travel. Successful travel writers get some great jobs; they often get paid to travel, stay in luxury hotels, explore the far corners of earth and get freebies. While their pictures are exotic and their words evoke wanderlust, travel writing is not always as amazing as it seems. What you don’t see in the stories are the long nights in hotel rooms typing up notes, the hours spent...

Mysterious adverts are great marketing

A recent advertisement in Bangkok Airways magazine was of a hotel called ‘The Library’. As a writer and hotel lover my interest was immediately sparked, but was more intriguing was that the advertisement didn’t mention anything about the hotel or location. The photograph wasn’t particularly stunning (or understandable) and the country location could only be guessed from the .co.th ending of The Library’s website.

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What I first thought was the press departments  failure quickly switched into m...