An Oriental Overture - The Four Seasons Tented Camp with Golden Triangle and Brass Gong!
(A twelve-minute read)

The sun was setting behind the Burmese mountains. A flock of white birds rose from Laos and, silhouetted against the golden hue, glided over the Ruak River below me, just as a long, double-ended fishing canoe slid around the bend in front of me.

Jason chuckled, “Cue the white birds; cue the fishing boat,” and the sun set.

Me with a scotch, he with an iced tea on the rocks, were having sundowners in the Burma Bar at the Four Seasons Tented Camp in Thailand’s Golden Triangle where the borders of Burma (Myanmar), Laos, and Thailand touch. The triangle is golden, the sky is golden; the moment is forever burnished...golden in my mind.

Jason Friedman, Camp Manager, gave up smoking, and now he’s cut out the booze—tough to do when every camper wants to toast the host, and when you live alone with the vast and complicated responsibilities of running the most exciting Four Seasons property in the world.

It reminds me of The Point. I was there alone during the first year. It wasn’t easy. Every morning I’d “walk the fences”—the perimeter of the property—trimming low-hanging branches and picking up cigarette butts. Especially when you are alone, all there is to do is look at every detail and keep making them better. But in the first year, no one had heard of The Point.

So Jason has nothing to do but keep making it better. He walks the trails, feeds the elephants, returns the wais from the mahouts, and then takes the old Land Rover back to his office. On the way, he picks up cigarette butts. But, open less than a year, the Tented Camp has already been featured in the world’s press—everyone expects it to be perfect. It is.

At 34, Jason must be one of the youngest resort general managers in the world; in the Four Seasons group he certainly is. I’m not sure how they met, but affable (and very professional) Jason made a good impression on Bill Heinecke (not easy to do) and was hired to run the camp. It was great good luck on both sides for Jason’s background made him an almost incredible match for the job.

He holds a BS in Forest Ecology from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon and a Masters in Hospitality from Cornell. He also founded his own dive resort in Indonesia, helped manage the Mansfield Hotel in Manhattan, did a stint at Raffles in Singapore, and was the resident manager of Bali’s famed Amandari. On top of all this, he has had four years of zoo experience which groomed him perfectly to look after the Camp’s elephants.

His first job with Four Seasons was as Director of Rooms at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai while waiting to move to the Tented Camp.

Camp Manager for the hottest property of the finest hotel group in the world has to be one of the most challenging positions in the industry. So how’s he meeting it? Brilliantly! Like a loon gliding serenely across an Adirondack Lake...Jason is cheerful, calm, understanding, and funny, but underneath the water, you can be sure the feet are going like hell!

But let me tell you about my experience at the Camp.

The Camp arranged for me to be driven from Chiang Mai. I recommend it. The mountain greenery puts you in a Cole Porter mood and everything takes on a romantic glow. Crossing the plateau near the Chiang Rai airport (a short cut from Bangkok), the mountains of Burma start poking over the horizon, then suddenly the café-au-lait-colored, mighty Mekong River is alongside the road.

Soon you pass the entrance to Bill Heinecke’s Anantara Resort, then the narrowing road falls down into a gulch. A comical, almost hand-scribbled sign points right to “Four Seasons Tented Camp” (someone must be kidding) and my mini bus lurches onto the double-rutted track. Then a clearing, a rock-mosaic pathway, a waiting mahogany boat burbling at a dock...it’s all quite unreal. I add to the scene my hard Louis Vuitton numbered 16 in each corner, and laugh my way to the center seat. The gunwales are trimmed in brass as shiny as the boat boy’s grin, and with a twist of his wrist, we zoom away down the skinny river.

The water is edged with tall, tall grass but I catch glimpses of nearby hills and far off mountains. We twist and turn for maybe ten minutes, then round a wide bend I spy a white tent perched on the side of a jungle-covered escarpment.

I shout, "Is that the camp? Is that it?"

The boat boy nods with glee.

As in any wonderful dream, the details flow in and out of focus but I remember after a few more turns, a dock appeared on the southern bank, then a small pavilion and impossibly steep steps disappearing up into the bush.

Someone handed me a leather-padded, wooden mallet and pointed to...a large brass gong!

“Announce your arrival,” she smiled.

I gonged three times! I had arrived in the Golden Triangle, let the fun begin!

Up the magic staircase; my years dropped away, and I arrived at the top still in breath. Ahead of me, beyond the quiet river, Laos appeared through the rainy season’s haze. On my right, a thatched-roof, open-air pavilion—the Camp’s Nong Yao Restaurant; sitting on the deck, welcome drink in hand, I completed the registration informalities.

After showing me the wine cellar, kitchen (so fabulous!) and pool...

we set out for my tent.

Cut into the side of the near-vertical, ancient bank of the once much wider river, shored up by bamboo dams, was a planked walkway.

Every now and then there was room enough for a proper path. The slopes were teeming with variegated plants, bamboo and other transplantings that would soon become fantastic undergrowths, discreet lights, and bamboo banisters.

We trekked past the first tent; 50 yards on we passed the cantilevered entrance to the second; over my shoulder the meandering river caught the afternoon sun; the mountains beyond, way across the merging of the Ruak and the Mekong, were actually purple.

Again the details elude me but now we were at “Butterfly Tent.” The door hinged vertically in half as the counterweight was released; before me was a copper-clad, claw-footed, double-width, turn-of-the-century, bathtub! Just beyond, twinned basins whose vanity mirrors hung by rawhide from above. They had animal horns for faucets!

To the left, a leather trimmed desk squatted behind the headboard of a king bed that faced the deck, the river, and the Burmese mountains. Fabulous!

On the desk I found a map folded between two strips of bamboo; on the reverse was “Camp Activites for Dr. Carter.” First Day: Arrival and Getting Around. Second Day: The Mahout Training (How to handle an elephant without it handling you!), followed by The Mae Khong River Excursion. The Third Day: Spa Treatment!

Everything in the tent is à la Indiana Jones/African safari/Adirondack camp; details include everything you’d hoped for but never believed would actually be there: big binoculars, full refrigerated bar, down pillows, u-control (my word) climate, outside shower and massage beds, and instant Internet connection. My word!

Cute details include leather trimming on almost everything, is it Stephen Spielberg? No, it is Bill Bensley—the most talented hospitality interior, exterior, and landscape designer in Asia. His only serious gaff here is the silly shampoo, etc. bottles that look like they came right off the set of “Bewitched!”

Now all this doesn’t sound so surprising until you blink again and realize it is all in a very strong, almost rigid, vinyl-like tent, cantilevered off a vertical cliff, hanging over a river, in the wilds of northern Thailand, in a region once notorious for drug smuggling! Fantastic!

I unpacked as the scene changed from late afternoon to evensong. I clicked on Bobby Short in my media player, took an outside shower...

and as I was putting on my evening safari look, the sky went dark and then torrential rain crashed onto the taught tent drowning out Mr. Short! Turning the speakers to max, Bobby shouted “Rap, Tap on Wood” and the rain rap-tapped right back. I loved it!

Soon it passed and I clambered along the 1 km. pathway going west. I crossed the suspension bridge...yes, suspension bridge—you can’t be Indiana Jones without a swaying suspension bridge.

But this one is all stainless steel and concrete, and doesn’t sway at all, but it is a fun addition and gets you across to the second tranch of tents without having to ford the stream way below.

I finally reached the end of the trail. The sun was setting behind the Burmese mountains. A flock of white birds rose from Laos and, silhouetted against the golden hue, glided over the Ruak River below me, just as a long, double-ended fishing canoe slid around the bend in front of me.

I’d been here only three hours but already was a changed man.

How do great resorts happen? Many are carefully contrived, often mundane, and the histories are usually fabricated. I’m told the Tented Camp was conceived in a flash of inspiration. Bill Bensley was in residence detailing Bill Heinecke’s Anantara. One morning, taking his constitutional walk/jog/walk, he came upon the ancient trail along the Ruak River and immediately thought...tents! (Tented camps in Africa had won every travel readers’ award that year.)

The trail was already on Anantara property; the idea was definitely doable. Bensley called Neil Jacobs in Singapore; Neil’s the head of Asia for the Four Seasons. Neil loved the concept, nodded it to Bill Heinecke, and the team made it happen.

Bill Heinecke refined the concept, drafted the mission statement, and drew up the budget. Bill Bensley was hired to design and implement every square inch of it. Jason came on board, toured all the camps in Africa, and analyzed every adult-oriented, experience-related, soft-adventure resort in the world.

As the Camp took shape, Jason had some real challenges. He recruited from local universities and communities and trained 130 staff. Looking after the property is the usual responsibility for a general manager but Jason also had to rent houses for supervisors and build apartments for line staff, establish an office in the nearest town, and a storage facility for stores. An insight into the character and imagination of the man is that he has also helped put the Camp on the map by becoming a winning team member in Elephant polo! (Heinecke’s Anantara Resort, down the river from the Camp, hosted the World International Polo Matches just a few weeks ago.)

Jason

Yes, Jason is definitely a “company man.” I told him I would have gone out and bought 45 amenity bottles to replace the silly-looking, gilded-topped ones that look like they came from the set of the 50’s TV series, “Bewitched.” He didn’t, and explained that every teeny detail was designed by Bensley, and Bensley is a Heinecke man. Enough said.

After the sun had set and the river turned to mauve, Jason strode, I stumbled, along the elephant track back toward the Nong Yao Restaurant. Almost there, we went into the separate thatched wine cellar whose walls are made of charcoal. I chose and tasted a wonderful Alexander Valley favorite and we crossed the clearing to the restaurant.

Again the images rise and fall in my mind...I remember the peaked roof as African in style but with local thatching; a fire glowed in a chimney that reached to the roof; there were rustically elegant, high-backed chairs at wooden tables set with Chiang Mai-made flatware and vibrant cloths. Every night there are new menus—one can choose between a set Thai and a set Western dinner. The food is serious and delicious.

My fellow campers were primarily from New York—the same crowd that goes to The Point: dignified but adventuresome, certainly successful, friendly folk that know the difference between costly and expensive and therefore eagerly waited for a tent to become available to have one of the most extraordinary experiences of their lives.

I loved the elephants…

I loved the river; I luxuriated on my deck for the sensational spa treatment.

As in all Four Seasons properties, the staff knew my name; my toiletries were laid out next to the sink on a pristine white cloth, and everything worked effortlessly.

But the Tented Camp goes much farther than that—being at peace in your tent, in this wilderness, on this river, with Jason and his team, is a never-to-be-forgotten experience. Do it.

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The Four Seasons Management in Asia:
• Vice president for Asia: American, Neil Jacobs who lives in Singapore.
• Regional Vice President for Thailand: Swiss, Patrick Ghielmetti (GM Four Seasons Bangkok).
• General Manager for Northern Thailand: British, Andrew Harrison (GM Four Seasons Chiang Mai).
• General Manager of the Tented Camp: American, Jason Friedman (who happens to be Jewish).

My Email to Neil, Patrick, Andrew, and Jason:

Subject: What a fabulous team effort!

When Andrew Harper left The Point the first time, all he said was, “Not Bad. You’ll read about it.” And, on my watch, The Point became the only place in the world to be named “Hideaway of the Year” four years in succession.

So what about the Camp? A bit better than “Not bad!”

I’ve just returned to BKK from my first visit to the Camp; it seemed strangely familiar: same reservation policy, same camaraderie of guests and staff, and similar magic.

Maybe I’m flattering myself to assume that The Point helped in forming some of your decisions. But I’ll enjoy my delusion by remembering that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and to get flattered by the Four Seasons is a hell of an achievement!

Bottom Line: American ease, Swiss efficiency, British civility, and Jewish hospitality—what a fabulous team effort!

Thanks for the memories!

All the best,

Ted

***

The last word: In all the best senses...it’s a camp!

Four Seasons Tented Camp
Golden Triangle, Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 53 652 191
Fax: +66 (0) 53 652 189
www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle

(All but one of the photographs were supplied by the Four Seasons Group as mine were lost in a hard-drive crash. Jason and/or his gal friend are in most of them.)

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Fast-forward to today, November 18th, 2008. As it is the policy of the Four Seasons to ensure their managers are always fresh and energetic, much of Asia's team has changed through promotions and relocations, and all the properties continue to get better.

Bill Heinecke, who came to Thailand when he was 18 years old and now is the region's most successful entrepreneur, hasn't changed. He remains the best!.

The following hit my desk a few weeks ago; it will bring you up to date:

MINOR INTERNATIONAL PCL
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PRESS RELEASE – 21 OCTOBER 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MINT’s TENTED CAMP RESORT IN CHIANG RAI CHOSEN #1 RESORT IN THE WORLD

Minor International (MINT) is pleased to announce that Conde Nast Traveler has named MINT’s Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle as the #1 resort in Asia and #1 resort in the world in the magazine’s 21st Annual Reader’s Choice Awards.

The 15 room Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle which caters to only 30 guests at a time opened to great reviews in January 2006 in the Golden Triangle Region of Chiang Rai on a remote site along the Mekong River where the borders of Thailand, Lao, and Myanmar intersect. This premier luxury resort, which is accessible only by riverboat in the jungles of northern Thailand, provides guests with an experience unlike any available at other resorts in the world.

With over 32,000 passionate and sophisticated travelers voting for resorts that offer destinations, lodgings and modes of transportation that exceed expectations, Conde Nast’s Readers’ Choice
Survey is the world’s largest independent poll of consumers’ preferences. In addition to winning the top award for the Four Seasons Tented Camp, MINT’s other hotels are received strong recognition from Conde Nast’s readers.

• MINT’s Four Seasons in Chiang Mai was recognized as the #8 resort in Asia.
• MINT’s JW Marriott Bangkok was voted # 14 in Asia
• MINT’s Four Seasons Samui was selected as the #17 resort in Asia.
• MINT’s Anantara Resort and Spa Golden Triangle was #24 in Asia.
• MINT’s Four Seasons hotel in Bangkok was the #41 hotel in Asia.

William E. Heinecke, Chairman and CEO of Minor International, said “our Four Seasons Resort Golden Triangle is one of the many great hotels we own in Asia. In developing hotels, we select unique locations, design luxury facilities, and offer services that exceed customer expectations. We are delighted to have four Four Seasons resorts among the 29 resorts we have worldwide as it makes us one of the leading luxury hotel companies in Asia.”

About Condé Nast Traveler
In 2008, Condé Nast Traveler was named one of the top 10 magazines in the U.S. by both Adweek and Advertising Age - one of only three magazines in the U.S. to be named on both lists. Condé Nast has an audience of 3.1 million and is published by Condé Nast Publications, Inc. Many travel publications accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not, and its correspondents, as far as possible, travel anonymously. They experience travel the way consumers do, both the good and the bad, and report on it fairly and honestly. Results of the Readers’ Choice Awards can be found in the November issue of Conde Nast Traveler.

About Minor International
Minor International (MINT) are hotel owners, operators and investors with a portfolio of 29 hotels under the Anantara, Marriott, Four Seasons, and Minor International brands in Thailand, the Maldives, Vietnam, Africa, the Middle East and Indonesia. It is also one of the largest spa operators in the Asia Pacific region with more than 29 spas in Thailand, China, the Middle East, Turkey and India under the Mandara and Anantara brands. MINT is also Thailand’s largest food service operator with more than 1000 outlets system wide under The Pizza Company, Swensen’s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Thai Express and the Coffee Club brands. In January 2007, MINT was recognized by Asia Money magazine as Thailand’s Best Managed Small Cap Company for financial and business performance, management strategy and vision, and shareholder value creation. For more information, please visit www.minornet.com
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One more thing, next Wednesday, Rainer Stampfer, the current Four Seasons Regional Vice President for Thailand, is addressing the students attending my Seminar on Tourism in Thailand at Bangkok University International College. Isn't that also The Best! :-)

Uncle Ted

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