In the outskirts of the Thai city of Chiang Mai, where stretches of jungle are dotted with organic farms and small Buddhist temples, the last thing one might expect to find is a wildly colourful home inspired by Mexico’s grand haciendas. But for those who know its owners – the Bangkok-based American landscape architect and designer Bill Bensley and his horticulturist husband Jirachai Rengthong – this cluster of buildings, each raised like a hacienda, comes as less of a surprise. Bensley has created some of south-east Asia’s most extravagant resorts, from the Rosewood in Luang Prabang to The Siam, an elegant five-star hotel in Bangkok with lush riverside gardens. The fact that he designed all three properties featured in the third season of The White Lotus is testament to his skill.
The garden of Bill Bensley and Jirachai Rengthong’s home in Chiang Mai © Natthawut Taeja
Four years ago, Bensley and Rengthong decided to build their own retreat in the Mae Rim Valley. Estancia Botanica, an estate of nine buildings across 20 acres of land, was completed in 2024. The architecture was designed around salvaged elements – columns, fountains, doors – they picked up in Mexico and India. “This place is all about happiness,” says Bensley. One building, a giant greenhouse-like structure, is given over completely to plants and flowers. The master bathroom is an indoor jungle with a massive marble bathtub at its centre. All the spaces display an eclectic mix of antiques, from Italian chandeliers found in Paris flea markets to a stone-topped ebony wood desk from Burma. The couple spend three months a year travelling and have visited more than 100 countries – a passion that Bensley decided to prioritise when he turned 50 (a little over 15 years ago). While the house and its interiors were a joint effort, Bensley worked with his office to implement everything, which explains the relative efficiency of the construction; landscaping remains the domain of Rengthong. “When it comes to the gardens, I am the boss,” says Rengthong, whose scheme is centred on the view of the surrounding hills.
