The Regent Resort Chiang Mai, one of the most unusual luxury resort in the Regent International Group, is a celebration of contemporary design and architecture in the tradition of the ancient Lanna culture. Unlike her cousins in Bali or Langkawi, she is an inland not a coastal queen. Instead of contemplating the sun dipping below an ocean horizon, guests here watch it fall behind the mountain ridges.

A cluster of sixty-seven pavilions overlooking a mosaic of rice paddies, the Regent Resort Chiang Mai opened in 1995 on the eve of the 700th Anniversary of the foundation of the Lanna Kingdom by King Mengrai. The birth of the new kingdom is reflected in the name of the ancient capital, 'Chiang' literally meaning 'city' and 'Mai' meaning 'new' the new city of a then new kingdom.

'Lanna' literally means 'the land of a million rice fields' -- represented the height of northern Thai culture. Assimilating customs of nearby Laos, Burma and Yunan, China, its people developed distinctive traditions that have become synonymous with rustic Thai-style charm. From the elevated teak houses to stenciled red lacquerware, they remain the signature of the north today.

Mining this rich cultural heritage without compromising the comfort and amenities of Western-style living presented a challenge. The fundamental strategy was to develop an intimate resort that takes advantage of Chiang Mai's accessibility without the distraction of its accelerating urban development.

Architect Ajarn Chulathat Kitibutr of the Chiang Mai Architects Collaborative, interior designer John Lightbody and landscape architect Bill Bensley delivered a gem of a project that is also the first five-star hotel in Chiang Mai. The fluid and seamless approach to their design disciplines in the realization of this inspired resort is impressive.

The lobby features the traditional "kom kra daat" or paper lanterns. These were originally used in smaller forms in religious ceremonies or temple offerings. Here, they are 80 cm. in diameter and hang down over three meters from the highest point of the roof structure.

From the building structures and layout to the surrounding terraced paddy fields, the resort faithfully mimics the idea of a traditional Lanna village in Northern Thailand.

This design concept is evident from the guests' first viewing of the resort, whether from the lobby entrance or the rice paddy fields stretching out to the Mae Rim Valley. The entrance lobby mirrors the main temple found in a traditional northern Thai village. It is a building of simple design, open to all passers-by, and what would be the main gathering place for the people of the village. From this central point, the resort extends or reaches out to 16 two storey clusters of four Pavilion Suites. This, too, resembles the basic layout or arrangement of traditional Lanna residences, which are comprised of a village of raised houses. The houses are raised to avoid moisture and to provide shelter for the livestock. Chulathat's most innovative contribution was the introduction of a 'sala', or communal gazebo, attached to each room. Literally an 'open-sided shelter,' a 'sala' is normally found in a temple compound, where it is intended for relaxation. The Regent's 'salas' take maximum advantage of the views, and they facilitate the kind of outdoor living that is typically associated with northern Thailand. Another feature of traditional Lanna-style architecture are the rounded columns, with a minimum of four in a group, and the intricately carved ornament, or 'galae' at the tip of the roof. Resembling elaborate wings, 'galae' may have originally possessed a spiritual significance. They evolved over time into status symbols, however, with the complexity of the carving denoting the social rank of each household.