InterContinental Danang designer Bill Bensley evokes ‘poetry of place’ in work

SINGAPORE – Bangkok-based American landscape architect and interior designer Bill Bensley believes a resort should feel like an unfolding story, with surprises around every corner.

A creative force behind more than 200 hotels, resorts and private residences across 30 countries, the 66-year-old is also known as the “resort king” for crafting hospitality experiences as theatrical as they are thoughtful.

During a three-day stay at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Vietnam in December 2024, I was struck by a dramatic black-and-white palette seen in latticework, floors and ceilings paired with sudden pops of accent colours such as lemon yellow and tangerine orange.

Built on the steep slopes of the Son Tra Nature Reserve in Danang, the sprawling resort of rooms and villas is a modern showcase of sustainable hospitality design.

Notably, it preserves the reserve’s rare coastal rainforest by constructing buildings to follow the land’s contours for minimal disruption to native flora and fauna.

There are rainwater collection and natural filtration systems that are not hidden from view; their visibility shows guests the value of water conservation. The resort was also designed using locally sourced materials, such as stone and timber, to reduce the carbon footprint of the property.

Mr Bensley started out working in Hong Kong and Singapore in the 1980s, having graduated in 1984 in landscape architecture and urban design from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design in the US.

In 1989, he founded his Bangkok atelier, named Bensley, to focus on the design of luxury resorts. He set up a branch in Bali the following year, which helped burnish his status as South-east Asia’s “resort king”.

Deeply committed to sustainability, he champions environmental causes through conservation, ethical tourism and community-focused design.

His efforts have been lauded by online news sites such as Hotel Journal, Asia Sustainable Travel and CNN, which said Mr Bensley’s low-impact, high-yield hospitality designs in Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia were ahead of anyone else’s.

Some of his biggest projects include the Shinta Mani Wild eco-conscious luxury resort stretching across 350ha in the Cambodian rainforest; and the luxe Four Seasons Resort in Koh Samui, Thailand, which was formerly a 42ha coconut plantation.

Shinta Mani Wild features 15 lavishly decorated glamping tents accessible via zip line, and is a sanctuary for Cambodia’s wild elephants.

Mr Bensley bought the land in 2012 with long-time Cambodian friend and business partner Sokoun Chanpreda to protect it from poaching, logging and harmful redevelopment.

It became the flagship of his Bensley Collection of ultra-luxe properties, such as Shinta Mani Mustang in Nepal and Capella Ubud in Bali, Indonesia, which he creates and curates himself.

Unlike typical commissions where Mr Bensley works with clients, the Bensley Collection is developed, co-owned and managed in close partnership with trusted collaborators. This allows him full creative freedom over every detail from master planning to crafting the brand ethos.

One project that is most emblematic of his design ethos is the 39ha InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, under the portfolio of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The size of 100 American football fields, the resort articulates poetic symmetry through concrete, steel, wood and glass.

“Guests may not consciously notice every detail in the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, but they feel it. From the rhythm of history under their fingertips to the poetry of place in every corridor to the quiet sense that they are somewhere both timeless yet distinctly Vietnamese,” Mr Bensley tells The Straits Times in an e-mail interview from Bangkok.

He wanted to design a haven that was not at odds with the landscape, but played along with it. For that, he imagined a grand opera in four acts: the arrival, the ascent, the discovery and the surrender.

This was interpreted as stretching across four levels – Heaven, Sky, Earth and Sea – allowing guests to experience the journey from mountaintop vistas down to the shoreline.

In “Heaven”, he wanted guests to see sweeping views of the bay and the South China Sea, with a sense of ceremony. Through “Sky”, they experience the shade of the tree canopy and, at the “Earth” level, they are grounded in gardens and wellness.

Finally, at the “Sea”, guests savour the simple joys of sand, water and sun.

“Each tier moves to its own rhythm, yet together, they form one symphony shaped entirely by the land itself. I borrowed from temple architecture, honoured the slope of the site and simply let nature lead the way forward,” Mr Bensley says.

“My journey through more than 50 temples and pagodas across Vietnam from 2006, when I started on the project, to 2012 when it was completed, has left a deep imprint on the design.

“The subtle dance of yin and yang, the rhythm of light and shadow, and the harmony of the five elements of fire, water, earth, wood and metal became guiding principles.”

One highlight is the Nam Tram funicular system, shaped like a boat, which is not just a means of transportation but also a journey.

A funicular is a railway that goes vertically up the side of a mountain, pulled by a moving cable and which involves complex, counter-balanced movements of the cars.

The experience is designed for guests to “glide” from “Heaven” to the “Sea”, moving through the resort as if stepping into a story with terraces, hidden corners and playful architectural surprises along the way.

It transforms a simple ride into a moment of delight and discovery.

The sprawling resort is set among the slopes of the nature reserve – also called Monkey Mountain – a government-backed sanctuary for the rare red-shanked douc langur, also called “doucs”.

The indigenous species is critically endangered and considered close to extinction in the wild due to relentless hunting and poaching in the last three decades.

But that has changed after the launch of an initiative as part of the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort’s 2012 commitment to preserve the biodiversity of the Son Tra Peninsula, which has more than 1,000 types of plants and about 370 animal species.

Recognising that the area is also home to the largest remaining population of the rare primates – estimated to number around 1,000 out of a global population of 2,500 – the resort’s management took steps to ensure the survival of the gentle, plant-eating doucs.

“The initiative is one of the causes closest to my heart,” says Mr Bensley. “These exquisite primates, with their almost otherworldly colours, inspired us to think about how architecture and nature can coexist.

“We’ve worked hand in hand with conservationists to create habitats and corridors that help protect and nurture the species. The efforts are bearing fruit today, as the population is steadily growing, which is both a triumph of nature and a testament to the thoughtful stewardship we strive for throughout the resort.”

Bamboo and rope “monkey bridges” have been installed throughout the site, allowing the doucs to cross gaps in the forest canopy and access their feeding grounds undisturbed by development or human activity.

The resort also runs wildlife workshops, guided nature tours and community conservation partnerships to raise awareness of and prevent poaching and habitat loss.

For the resort’s overall design, Mr Bensley wanted every corner to whisper, rather than shout, stories of Vietnam.

“I reinterpreted the sweeping rooflines of traditional pagodas, the gentle curves of riverboat-inspired balconies and the intricate latticework of Hue,” he says.

The Vietnamese city of Hue is famed for its imperial palaces and historic decorative wooden grilles and screen patterns. It was recognised in 1993 as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

“Each element of the resort’s design is filtered through a lens of playfulness and luxury – not a pastiche but a conversation between old and new,” says Mr Bensley.

InterContinental Danang has 84 guest rooms, 88 suites, and 17 villas and residences. Room rates, which depend on the time of year and availability, can range from $700 a night for a resort room to $2,803 for a villa.

The resort opened in 2012 and underwent extensive renovations in 2022 to celebrate its first decade. These included new spaces, such as villas added for larger families and groups, two new restaurants, an expanded reception and curated retail outlets.

Mr Bensley says: “Whenever I stroll through InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, my gaze inevitably drifts skywards to Citron, the restaurant perched 100m above the sea.

“It feels as if a dining room has been lifted into the clouds, offering sweeping views that stretch over jungle canopies, rugged mountains and the endless expanse of the South China Sea.”

Citron is the resort’s signature Vietnamese restaurant, known for its panoramic views and traditional cuisine served in private outdoor booths designed to look like the traditional conical hats known locally as “non la”, worn by Vietnamese fishermen for generations.

“I was enchanted by the idea of taking something so ordinary and culturally resonant, and then magnifying it into something almost dream-like,” says Mr Bensley.

“What is usually simple and functional is reimagined as sculpture, architecture and theatre all at once. They’ve become the most Instagrammed spots on the property.”

Other ground-breaking designs

Beyond just hospitality design, Mr Bensley is sought after for pushing the boundaries of a location’s cultural narrative, landscape integration and sustainable hospitality.

InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, Thailand

Mr Bensley transformed vintage train carriages – sourced and restored in collaboration with Thai craftsmen – into luxe guest suites nestled amid gardens and lakes. Nearly every detail, from furniture to tiles to mosaics, was made by local artisans or inspired by Thai railway history.

The project, which was completed in 2022, is a celebration of Thai heritage. It showcases how design shines a spotlight on traditional artistry, giving guests a rich sense of place rooted in authentic craft.

Capella Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Capella Ubud is a whimsical, ultra-luxe tented camp in the Balinese rainforest, evoking the spirit of 19th-century European explorers while honouring local craftsmanship and storytelling.

The design and construction was completed in 2018. Elevated tents, suspension bridges and bespoke artwork create an immersive escape which has earned acclaim for its originality and sensitivity to the natural environment.

Capella Ubud, which is consistently listed among the Top 500 Hotels in the World and recognised by industry publications and travel authorities, recently added another accolade. In October, the property received the prestigious Michelin Key, a distinction awarded for exceptional hospitality and experience.

The Leela Palace Udaipur

This opulent palace hotel, set on the banks of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, Rajasthan, is a surreal mirage in the North Indian desert city. Mr Bensley decorated its 80 luxe rooms with a view to inspiring guests.

He furnished the rooms with artefacts and furniture that represent handicrafts from the local area, while offering a full suite of modern amenities. The project was completed in 2009 in collaboration with Kuala Lumpur-based interior designer Jeffrey Wilkes.