Bill Bensley opens private Thai estate Hacienda Botanica to guests

Bill Bensley, the Bangkok-based American designer, and his husband Jirachai Rengthong have opened their private weekend retreat Hacienda Botanica in Mae Rim, north of Chiang Mai, to exclusive buyout guests through luxury travel company Smiling Albino. The 16-hectare estate, built over two decades, blends Northern Thai landscape with Mexican aesthetic: terracotta walls, shaded courtyards, casitas, and a suspension bridge over the Mae Rim River. It features 11 bedrooms, a Hispanic art collection, and gardens tended by head gardener Ouant, formerly of Four Seasons Chiang Mai. Bensley describes the project as what happens without a client brief or budget committee. The estate operates as a full buyout with bespoke catering. Bensley's ideal day starts with a walk across the bridge into the mountains before noon. The monsoon season offers 22-degree mornings. The property's orientation faces west toward mountains, river, and sunset. Daven Wu of Wallpaper* reviewed the estate.