LUX Resorts & Retreats Awards 2024

26 | LUXlife Magazine Best Luxury Island Beach Hotel Resort 2024 – Thailand & LUXlife Hospitality Excellence Award 2024 Luxury eco resort and wellness retreat Irene Pool Villa Resort, Koh Lipe (Irene Resort) offers its patrons a meticulous blend of luxury, comfort, and eco-friendliness all rolled into one. From its perfect location on the island of Ko Lipe, which is nestled just west of Thailand’s southernmost border with Malaysia in the Andaman Sea, this island beach hotel resort is famed for its private and tranquil pool villas just as much as it is its holistic spa treatments, adding up to paradise and wellness personified. Comprised of 16 pool villas, a spa, fitness centre, and an authentic Med-Asian restaurant and bar, Irene Resort encompasses everything that a person needs for the ultimate escape to paradise. Its villas are named after three of the elements that define a holiday in this tropical location: Sand, Sun, and Tree. Each of these secluded spaces is situated in the heart of lush tropical surroundings, blurring the line between the indoors and nature but ultimately redefinin g what it means to experience true luxury. Appealing to the luxury travel seeker and the eco-friendly traveller alike, Irene Resort unites those from every corner of the map seeking the ultimate wellness retreat and the gold standard in sustainable tourism. Striving to create a totally personal experience for everyone who steps through its doors, the hotel provides everything that it takes to make a stay as unique and as memorable as the guest themselves. This manifests itself in a number of ways, from bespoke wellness experiences to customised dining and recreational activities. The Irene Resort experience is underpinned by the unrivalled attention to detail that can be seen across a visit. This is reflected further in the resort’s core values, which are conveniently encapsulated in the acronym I.R.E.N.E., standing for International, Recreation, Environment, Neat, and Ethics. CGM Manop Wongchaikam elaborates, “we emphasise international standards of excellence, provide recreational opportunities, prioritise environmental sustainability, maintain neatness in all aspects, and uphold strong ethical principles.” Ensuring that its team embody these values is of the utmost importance for the resort, and to see that they are able to do this flawlessly, ongoing training is provided, a supportive working environment fostered, and the importance of these is values continuously reinforced. These same methods then empower the team to strive for greatness in luxury wellness, a task which sees them provide top-of-the-line amenities and services, but in a way that minimises the hotel’s carbon footprint. This is what truly sets Irene Resort apart in this space. With a dedication like this permeating every level of its operation, it is no surprise that staff at the hotel must be passionate about attaining this harmonious blend of luxury and eco-consciousness. Whilst Irene Resort’s recruitment process is not particularly unique, it is incredibly robust, and sees a culture formed that is collaborative, inclusive, and determined to go that extra mile. As Manop tells us, “we encourage creativity and innovation whilst maintaining high standards of professionalism and ethics.” Since both sustainable tourism and wellness travel are two of the most defining trends in the travel industry at present, Irene Resort is well suited to appeal to the market thanks to its eco-friendly accommodation and holistic spa treatments. However, this shift does mean that competition is fierce, making it vital for Irene Resort to remain ahead of the curve. In order to adapt, the practices and offerings here remain in a state of enhanced flux, integrating all of the latest preferences for the benefit of patrons from all over the world. The story is much the same when it comes to the future of Irene Resort, which is planning on spending the rest of this year, as well as the foreseeable future, doubling down on its sustainable initiatives and bringing exciting new wellness programmes into the fold. This is not all, as there are a number of innovative spa treatments and unique recreational activities also set for release. Finally, the team are excited to announce that a new phase of the resort is currently underway and scheduled to be unveiled to the public in 2026. “Our goal is to continuously elevate our offerings while maintaining our commitment to luxury and sustainability”, Manop explains in closing. Having gone above and beyond in these two areas consistently, it is our pleasure to recognise Irene Pool Villa Resort, Koh Lipe as the Best Luxury Island Beach Hotel Resort 2024 – Thailand, as well as celebrate it with a much-deserved LUXlife Hospitality Excellence Award. Contact: Manop Wongchaikam Company: Irene Pool Villa Resort, Koh Lipe Web Address: https://ireneresort.com

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