HOTLY ANTICIPATED OPENING OF BENSLEY COLLECTION  - SHINTA MANI WILD, CAMBODIA CONFIRMED FOR 1 NOVEMBER 2018

380-metre zipline across rivers and waterfalls leads to a private sanctuary of 15 exquisitely customised luxury tents, hidden on a pristine wildlife corridor in Cambodia's South Cardamom National Park

Following the success of the first Bensley Collection property, Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Angkor, an enclave of 10 luxurious Khmer-inspired pool villas which opened in Siem Reap in January 2018, the eagerly awaited Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild will open on 1 November 2018.

Nestled deep within the wilderness of Cambodia's South Cardamom National Park, in a pristine wildlife corridor three hours' drive south of Phnom Penh, Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild will offer a radical new concept for a luxury tented camp experience.  Guests will arrive at the gate lounge by road or helicopter, from where they can enjoy a unique adrenalin-filled entry to the resort via a 380 metre zip line over river and waterfalls. Arriving 'Indiana Jones style' in the Landing Zone Bar, they will be met with a warm welcome and cooling refreshments by charismatic General Manager Sangjay Choegyal and the renowned Bensley Butlers.  For those preferring a more sedate arrival, Jeep transfers are available.

Bill Bensley, who was inducted into Hospitality Design's Platinum Circle hall of fame in New York in 2017, has set out to create his most ambitious and extravagant luxury tented camp project to date.  15 customised luxury tents, perched over 1.5km of river and waterfalls, will provide a view and experience unlike any other in Asia.

The 14 one-bedroom tents (100sqm) and one two-bedroom tent (140sqm) have been meticulously designed to evoke Bensley's vision of what it would have been like to be on a luxury safari in the jungles of Cambodia with Jacky O', who travelled throughout the Kingdom with King Sihanouk in 1967.

Unique Dining Incorporating Locally Foraged Foods from the Forest

Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild will offer a unique dining experience.  With no official menu, culinary offerings under the direction of the camp's talented Chef Kien Wagner will include wild edible plants sustainably foraged each day from the forest to accompany the best quality meat and seafood available.  Guests are welcome to join Chef on his foraging expeditions and learn from his extensive experience, including five years in Cambodia.  Fresh, flavourful condiments will be made in-house rather than pre-purchased, and the camp will have a permaculture farm and will support local farmers and fishermen.  The area has a rich source of large succulent mud crabs, which are a local delicacy.  All ingredients will be fresh, organic and sustainably sourced from the surrounding forests wherever possible, and only imported where necessary.

Adventure

Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild will offer a range of creative luxury adventures. To the south east of this private sanctuary, guests will be able to spend a day exploring the untrammelled waterways of South East Asia's last wild estuarine ecosystem aboard a custom built, Bensley-designed expedition boat - fully equipped complete with kayaks.  Around the camp there are ample opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, wild swimming and bouldering to name but a few. To the north, guests will have the chance to accompany anti-poaching rangers and researchers as they check camera points and study the wild forests and their inhabitants; a unique opportunity to explore these untamed lands with the people that know them best, taking only photographs and leaving only footprints. 

An important part of the camp's ethos is having a team of Wildlife Alliance rangers conducting anti-poaching patrols in order to generate a safe haven for birds and animals.  A team of full time naturalists has been living at the camp during construction for the past year studying the flora and fauna. They have also developed a range of hikes for guests to explore the area.

While not adventuring and exploring this incredibly diverse landscape, guests can relax and enjoy their luxurious tents and camp facilities including the Waterfall Restaurant, Landing Zone Bar and Boulder Spa featuring chemical-free products by Bensley's Khmer Tonics.  

Sustainability and Environment

The South Cardamom National Park is Cambodia's newest and largest National Park, covering a massive 866,930 hectares (2,142,231 acres) and is one of the last great wilderness areas of South East Asia. A wild coast of pristine estuaries gives way to a majestic mountain range covered in tropical rainforest.  Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild is nestled in a 350 hectares (860 acres) valley between the Phnom Bokor and Kirirom National Parks.

Shinta Mani Foundation will be spearheading the camp's conservation and community outreach programmes, including the provision of long-term employment opportunity to the local inhabitants where there is minimal infrastructure and fewer work opportunities. Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild, in conjunction with the Foundation, will nurture its natural environment through partnerships with respected conservation organizations including Wildlife Alliance, The Royal University of Phnom Penh and The Cambodian Government.  This extreme exercise in ingenuity will enable guests to explore this pristine wilderness, while making the lowest possible impact on the land, offering a luxury adventure with intimate access to one of Asia's most stunning forest ecosystems.

Rates

Rates at Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild will start from USD2345 per night, inclusive of all food and beverage; all private guided activities and excursions; unlimited spa treatments; personal Bensley Butler; land transfers from Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville airports and taxes.  Helicopter transfers are additional.  A minimum 3 night stay is required and a minimum age of 13 years. 

Photo Link: www.dropbox.com/BensleyCollectionShintaManiWild

For more information and reservations, please contact Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild on:

Tel:             +855 63 969 123

Fax:            +855 63 761 999

Email:        wild@shintamani.com

Website:  www.shintamani.com/wild.php

 Open Doors, Open Hearts

 – ENDS –

Notes to Editors:

Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild, Cambodia

Set to open on November 1st 2018 Shinta Mani Wild will be the second member of The Bensley Collection.  An exclusive private nature sanctuary like no other previously seen in Asia, located in the remote wilderness of the Kirirom and the Southern Cardamom Mountains, on an important elephant migration trail three hours south of Phnom Penh, Shinta Mani Wild - Bensley Collection is described by Bensley as a “utopia of sustainability”. Offering the most extravagant tented camps imaginable, set along a private 4km stretch of wild river punctuated with mesmerising waterfalls, Shinta Mani Wild will nurture its natural environment through partnerships with respected conservation organisations - an extreme exercise in ingenuity where guests can feast on delicacies grown and foraged from the surrounding land, and encounter extraordinary wildlife, while making the lowest possible impact on the land. This is an experiential luxury adventure giving intimate access to one of Asia's most stunning forest ecosystems.www./shintamani.com/wild

The Shinta Mani Hotels & Resorts portfolio also includes:

Shinta Mani Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Shinta Mani Angkor is an upscale boutique hotel created by acclaimed architect Bill Bensley, showcasing just 39 contemporary designed rooms and public spaces in an Angkorian-inspired design. Previously known as Shinta Mani Club, it enjoys a tranquil and leafy setting within the French Quarter of Siem Reap – just a 15 minute Remork ride from the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat. www.shintamani.com/angkor

Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Marking the debut of new super luxe resort brand The Bensley Collection, Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Angkor opened in January 2018. An exclusive 'resort within a resort', Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Angkor comprises an enclave of spectacular luxury pool villas with Khmer-inspired design benefiting from elevated Bensley Collection services such as personal Bensley Butlers, while guests can also enjoy comprehensive access to facilities at the adjacent Shinta Mani properties. www.shintamani.com/angkor-bensley-collection

Shinta Mani Shack Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Shinta Mani Shack Angkor is a boutique resort centrally located in the leafy French Quarter between The Royal Gardens and the Old Market Area just 15 minutes from Angkor Wat. The courtyard-style resort's 62 rooms enjoy a surprisingly different “Bensley twist” with direct access or first floor balcony views over the stunning swimming pool and flourishing tropical gardens. Four additional suites offer expansive rooms and balconies; two suites overlook the pool while the other two have views over the leafy streetscape.. www.shintamani.com/shack

 Shinta Mani Foundation, Cambodia

An integral part of the Shinta Mani collation is the Shinta Mani Foundation, which seeks to be a leader in responsible tourism. The goal of the Shinta Mani Foundation is to enhance the lives of the individuals in the local communities where the resorts operate – by increasing their human capital and providing them the tools to overcome the constraints of poverty.. http://shintamanifoundation.org

 Bensley Collection

An exclusive collection of super luxe hotels and resorts resulting from acclaimed American designer and architect Bill Bensley.  Recognised for his distinctive, elegant deco inspired design, Bensley is the creative force behind many of Asia's most celebrated and beautiful hotels, resorts and residences.  The first Resort under the Bensley Collection brand, Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Angkor, will be joined in November 2018 by Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild, a private sanctuary like no other, located in the remote jungle terrain of Kirirom.

 For press information or to discuss feature ideas, interview opportunities and press trips contact:

Kerry Skinner (kerry@bacall.net), Nat Frogley (nat@bacall.net) or Flora Gandolfo (flora@bacall.net), Bacall Associates, Tel: +44 (0) 8704 288 401; Web: www.bacallassociates.co.uk