Banyan Tree Operator of spas and resorts. Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts is a Singaporean brand that has achieved international recognition. The company was founded in 1994 by Ho Kwon Ping and his wife Claire Chiang, and caters to high- end tourists looking for a sense of romance, adventure and intimacy. With the help of Ho’s brother, an architect, Banyan Tree developed an abandoned tin mine in Phuket, Thailand, into a 94- villa boutique resort. Each villa has its own private pool and tropical spa; an innovation at the time, these design elements have since been copied by other resort operators. The name Banyan Tree stems from the founders’ memories of their days spent in their home on Lamma Island in Hong Kong— they lived at Yung Shue Wan, or, Banyan Tree Bay.

Banyan Tree established boutique resorts in other exotic destinations— including several World Heritage sites in Maldives, Seychelles, Indonesia and China— with plans for more in Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Dubai, Greece, Morocco, Barbados and Mexico. It also operates the Angsana chain of resorts and spas, which offers more affordable choices for young families and professionals. Banyan Tree also operates a chain of 50 spas and 53 retail galleries in 19 countries. In 2006, Banyan Tree listed on the Singapore Exchange.

The Banyan Tree resorts are built using indigenous materials and employ landscape and architectural designs that blend in with the existing environment. Banyan Tree has set up a Green Imperative Fund to help the conservation of wildlife and habitats in areas such as Thailand, Maldives and Seychelles.

Photo credit: The Banyan Tree