What are the property's USPs?
I think all of the activities that we offer are our USP. Overall, it's the experience, the location and the friendly people. There's an awful lot of guest contact here. I meet every single guest and I try to greet as many as possible - not just VIPs but every guest.
We also offer a VIP transfer including a long-tail boat and elephant ride, which is normally reserved for agents, journalists, Virtuoso members and SLH members etc. I'll do one or two pick-ups every day because I just like to do them - it doesn't cost us very much and it just blows the guest away.
What's the most popular activity?
Without a doubt, the mahout training with our elephants is the most popular excursion. I'd say that 30% of our guests do that.
All the guests go and see the elephants at the camp though. The hotel started with two elephants on site; the idea was to get them off the streets of Bangkok.Working closely with the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, we now have 30 elephants and rent them from the mahout, who comes up here to live with his family.
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What emerging trends have you seen in luxury travel?
Luxury travellers want an experience. They want to go home and say 'wow, I was at the Golden Triangle and I learned to ride an elephant'. I'm also seeing two key growth areas. The first is direct bookings via the internet and the second is tailor-made travel, especially from the US. I'm sure others will follow.
Location: Anantara Resort Golden Triangle is located in the far north of Thailand at the heart of the country's hill-tribe region where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand converge. It is a 60-km drive north from Chiang Rai International Airport.
Property features: 58 deluxe rooms and 19 suites set within 160 acres of indigenous forest and landscaped gardens.
Leisure activities: Mahout training, cycling, Hatha Yoga, gym, squash facilities and the Lanna Cooking School.
Culture and heritage: Guests can experience long-tail boat trips, market visits and a 'Three Countries in One Day' excursion.
Meetings facilities: A 140-capacity meeting space and an intimate 20-person meeting room.
Relaxation: An infinity pool surrounded by a multi-tiered pool deck plus an Anantara Spa with five double treatment suites.
More information: Visit www.goldentriangle.anantara.com or email goldentriangle@anantara.com.
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