A Siamese Crown

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I Spring Suiting

A Siamese

Crown TIME FOR SOME ROYAL RELAXATION IN CHIANG MAI with us, there's a connection iooming ... The lead character in the oft reworked sagaof The King and I, Anna, was lirst playedby lrene Dunne in the 1946 film, then by Gertrude Lawrence on Broadway in r95r. Deborah Kerr then stepped in (1956) and Jodie Foster Bear

had ago in rgg9. KnowthatAnnawas not slmply the folly of a Hollyvood scriptwriter, but the governess to the royal household of Siam from 186z to 1867. Likewise, the number r37 is

notarandomcalculation rather, it's the number of teakpillars onwhich Anna's precocious son, Louis, built his traditional Thai-sty1e manor when he returned to the former seat ofthe royal family in Chiang Mai. And so to today - and a chance to engage a sense of royalty given that same (restored) residence now informs the centrepiece ofthe superb boutique resort, r37 Pillars House. See, we got therel '

The immaculately renovated structure

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now boasts the Palette restaurant, The Dining Room, Drawing Room and Jack Bain's Bar, named in deference to the last owner, whose prominent family preserved the house since the demise of its original owners, The Borneo Tlading Company. The colonial decor ofrich, ornately carwed teak. high ceilings and bright, alry spaces transports zuests back to a time t-hen the rrar s of England were the ways of the rrorld.

After the meticulous restcraion of Lhe colonial La;rna (alcirl: \ -'nlern Kingdom) design b1- Proiesso: -':;iaporn Natapan ich and Hs r;rrl ::::: -:: -.c: m. r37 Pillars House

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suites. The multi-arr-:=.', -::-r-.';rban resort has since co:-r1:-r: ;. -'-:-=onth

refurbishmenr tL-. f :-: :-::--,-.

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has seen ihe ilirc.:-:.-.-: -:: -:-,, s;re category., Darid F-e--:::_: l.I:::l= S:::es.

refreshedlandsca:'-: ;- i -' =: .';3if as renovat ion io '-i-= :-.==:---: :il--:-erer. lofus pond alci i'.'-:.--- j=: '. , . :'.aI

enclose the lavish z5-metre 1ap poo1.

Local artisans painstakingly restored the ornate walls throughout the property, using the ancient 'poon tam' technique

that engages natural ingredients such as white cement, sand, 1ard, paper, rawpalm sugar (]aggery), and seashells.

The three new Bo-square metre David Fleming Macfie Suites fearure exquisile d6cor, customised divans boasting 4oo thread-count bed linen and expansive living areas to suit a family of four or a couple looking for a luxurious haven.

Each also has alfreso conservatory with aparry sized daybed, espresso machine and indoor and outdoor showers.

"Everyone should have legends,

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think. They a1low us to dream,".said Annato the King. And one might say Pillars House was born of such _ RODERICKE]ME

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137 Pillars Chiang Mai, rooms from $655 a nighl', STpillarschi angm ai.com 1

737

dream.