Chic Travels 2025 – Rediscovering Destinations Old & New
The last few months have been busy for me and Marie-Hélène, with almost constant travel.
And working remotely at the same time—at least in Marie-Hélène’s case.
Oman, Qatar, St Lucia, Barbados, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Maldives have all been visited—sometimes even together.
Up-to-date product knowledge is vital to Chic. An occasional visit just doesn’t cut it.
We have great rapport with our hotel and local partners, but nothing beats seeing things firsthand.
It’s also a chance to review what’s working, where things can be improved, and to make sure our mutual objectives are still aligned.
Oman impressed—as it usually does.
A beautiful combination of mountains and city resorts. The Mandarin Oriental, Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Star Gate Desert Camp, and Anantara Jabal Akhdar Mountain Resort have all been added to our portfolio. Oman is developing at its pace, and everything reflects a traditional style. Totally delightful.
I always feel like the skyline in Doha, Qatar, changes faster than anywhere else. Skip a few months, and when you return, whole areas have transformed.
There’s so much design innovation and architectural boldness. It reminds me of Dubai, but with a slightly more traditional tone, especially in the many old souks.
Royal Mountain Villa Master Bedroom - Anantara Al Jabal Akhdar Mountain Resort
The Caribbean trip was mostly to visit family in St. Lucia and Barbados, both islands we know well.
I spent a couple of nights at The Sandpiper Hotel in Holetown, Barbados, so I’m up to date with developments in that area. I also visited Bathsheba on the wild Atlantic coast for a relaxed lunch—it’s good to explore alternatives to the more developed South and West coasts.
On the Caribbean front, we’ve added Six Senses Grenada to our selection. Marie-Hélène and I visited in February and were really impressed—not just with the resort but with the island itself.
And while we’re talking about the Caribbean, it’s interesting how often the word “Chic” is now being used in hotel names—Barbados and St. Lucia especially. Nothing to do with us. If we were involved, they’d be smaller, more locally influenced, and far less “Miami” in style.
Thailand is a regular stop for me.
This time I covered Phuket (developing fast—not just hotels but massive condo projects), Khao Lak, Krabi, Koh Lanta (which barely changes year to year—something I love), Koh Samui, and Koh Pha-ngan.
Koh Pha-ngan is mostly known for its chaotic full moon parties, which is a bit unfair—it’s actually one of the most beautiful islands in southern Thailand. Just 35 minutes from Samui by speedboat, and with every minute you feel like you’re stepping back in time. I say that with complete honesty.
After that, I flew to Chiang Mai for a four-day tourism conference and then down to Bangkok to meet with Marie-Hélène and Dom, who had just arrived from the Maldives.
Before the Maldives, Dom had spent nearly six weeks travelling around Thailand and Vietnam—mostly in the north—as a pillion rider on a motorbike tour.
The scenery near the Chinese border looked spectacular, although I think both Marie-Hélène and I would struggle with the hostel-style accommodation.
I caught up with Dom in Phuket. It was great to see a destination through young eyes—things that were fresh or that I had forgotten.
Dom is really into Muay Thai boxing and took me to several training camps. I was surprised how popular and well-organised they were, especially among Europeans and North Americans.
Some places I now find bland were suddenly “Wow!” to a new visitor—or at least worth a selfie. Always good to learn.
And funny to discover restaurants where Dom was more recognised than me!
We’ve added several hotels in Thailand to the Chic selection:
- Khanom Beach Resort, on the Gulf of Siam. West coast, 70 minutes from Bangkok
- Villa Deva resort in Bangkok. Delightful boutique-style near Lumpini Park
- Avani+ Resort in Khao Lak. Very family-focused with a fantastic, tree-shaded beach
- The charming Sarann in South Chaweng, Samui
- Also Anantara Koh Yao Yai, a luxurious retreat easily accessible by speedboat from Phuket
Couple On Beach - Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort
Then we took the short 50-minute flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia.
We’ve been several times before, but not in the last four years. A lot has changed—starting with a new airport, 45 minutes from town.
We skipped the temples this time and focused on the city and rural countryside.
It really is an area worth exploring. We browsed the local markets, took an ox-cart ride, and had a private session with a Buddhist monk in a temple.
After that, we flew to Sihanoukville in the south of Cambodia—just 45 minutes.
The city itself is all high-rise with little charm for Europeans, but it’s the gateway to some wonderful offshore islands. We visited Six Senses Krabey Island (15 minutes by speedboat) and stayed at Royal Sands Koh Rong (40 minutes by speedboat)—both now featured by Chic.
Then it was back to the mainland and a two-hour drive to Shinta Mani Wild, deep in the Cardamom National Park.
First time for both of us—and honestly, it was an incredible experience. The lodge is set next to a waterfall, and at this time of year, the river is at its most powerful and impressive. It’s something very unique, but you need to be comfortable being immersed in nature.
Outdoor Living - Shinta Mani Angkor Resort
From there, we took a 90-minute road transfer to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital.
I’d been before; it was Marie-Hélène’s first time. We stayed at La Rose Suites, a well-located boutique hotel that’s now also in our collection.
The city continues to expand outward and upward but still has many atmospheric spots, especially with a French colonial feel.
It might not be a first-timer’s choice for Southeast Asia, but it has a lot to discover—including museums documenting the Khmer Rouge genocide. With that knowledge, I found the resilience of the Cambodian people truly remarkable.
After that, we flew back to Bangkok—just a one-hour flight.
A new airport in Phnom Penh is due to open in September. I only had a few hours of overnight transit, while Marie-Hélène had more time to rediscover one of her favourite cities—anywhere in the world.
And the Maldives?
Marie-Hélène is writing a separate review. There’s just too much to cover—so many resorts, some new, others joyfully revisited. She travelled with Dom again, which offered a fresh perspective, and they both shared a real enthusiasm for discovering the Maldives’ incredible underwater world.
"There's no such thing as the best hotel, just the right one..."
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All price guides are Per Person Sharing Double Room (Entry level), based on travel between May and/or June when prices are generally at their lowest and include promotional offers. Supplements will probably apply at other times, particularly mid-summer in the Med, and for rooms and/or transfers arranged for single travellers.
For example, the Caribbean and Indian Ocean prices for winter can be approximately double the May - June level and about 50% more in Asia. For the Mediterranean & Canary Islands, Caribbean, Arabia and the Indian Ocean (except Sri Lanka) price guides generally include airfare and transfers.
*For Sri Lanka and Far East we show a per-person, per-night hotel guide, excluding air fare, as arrangements tend to be individually tailored multi-centre itineraries.
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