INSIDE THE SPECTACULAR WORLD OF BILL BENSLEY

Last year, my dear friend and GM, Salome Villaflor, of Little Oasis Hotel in Hoi An, Vietnam, casually asked me, "How many Bill Bensley hotels have you visited?

- CHRISTINE DAYRIT

I looked at her, doe-eyed, and replied, with all due respect, “Who is Bill Bensley?”

That question marked a turning point for me, as if I had been awakened — a renaissance of my preferences and perceptions of the beauty of hotels. My late father, Vincent Dayrit, made me appreciate beauty, creativity, atmosphere, and, of course, the people of the countless places I visit. Never had I imagined that a place could possess such an eclectic vibe, playfulness, and luxury that it would so thoroughly tickle my fancy.

Everything shifted when I finally visited Bill Bensley’s hotels — Bill Bensley, a Harvard-educated architect and hotel designer par excellence, whose creations transform travel into immersive experiences and unique stories. Rather than simply staying in his hotels, one immerses oneself in art. Each property invites curiosity, movement, and emotion. This year, I found myself magnetized to Bill Bensley’s art and narrative — not just for pleasure, but also with the purpose of seizing the moment.

That magnetism first brought me to Vietnam.

Among all the hotels I visited, the InterContinental Danang became one of my top destinations. It was in its lobby that I shot the cover of my recently published book, 60 Dream Holidays Around the World.

The mix of nature’s beauty and the splendor of a five-star hotel makes the resort ideal for lovers of nature. It offered the best of both worlds all at once. I spent my days in pure luxury — long, lazy mornings at the beach, shopping in Danang town, and gourmet food to accompany our hours of bonding.

Yet travel is not only about places — it is also about sharing moments across generations.