KOH LANTA, THAILAND: Pimalai Resort & Spa, the five-star sanctuary on the southern Thai island of Koh Lanta, has appointed Mr. Brice Borin as its new General Manager. A well-known and highly respected hotelier, Brice has been a familiar figure in the Asian hospitality industry for almost 30 years and now embarks on the latest chapter of his impressive international career.
He first arrived in Thailand in 1993, when, as Executive Chef at Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square, he introduced his native French culinary flair to the Thai capital and got a taste for life, work and culture in the “Land of Smiles”. Over the next three decades, Brice gained comprehensive experience at leading hotels and resorts in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, French Polynesia and the Maldives. Swapping his chef’s whites for a suit and tie, he moved into progressively more senior executive roles, from Food & Beverage Manager to Director of F&B, Resident Manager, Hotel Manager and General Manager.
Brice returned to Thailand many times during his career, including spells in Hua Hin, Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok, and served as Chairman of the Samui Culinary Circle, Chancelier Chaine des Rôtisseurs Phuket, and Vice President of Skål International Phuket.
Most recently, he was the Complex General Manager of the 500-key Mövenpick Cam Ranh Resort, Vietnam, which he helped to successfully launch in 2019 and kept open throughout the global pandemic, converting its residences into a quarantine facility. Now, he brings his lifetime of professional expertise and insight to Pimalai, which was recently named as the best hotel in Thailand in the 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best Awards”.
When he is not working, Brice loves to keep fit and take part in exhilarating activities on land and at sea, including tennis, volleyball, skydiving, golf, stand-up paddleboarding and diving. He has also completed several marathons and triathlons.
“I am delighted to join Pimalai, one of Asia’s most legendary resorts, which has gained such an impressive reputation over the last two decades. This is a hugely exciting time to return to Thailand, as the kingdom recovers rapidly from the challenges of the last few years. With its focus on natural and sustainable luxury, Pimalai is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of today’s eco-conscious, lifestyle-seeking travellers. I look forward to welcoming guests back to paradise and helping them to create lifelong memories at Pimalai,” said Brice Borin, General Manager of Pimalai Resort & Spa.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Brice to Pimalai. This feels like the perfect match, as one of Asia’s most respected hoteliers joins one of the region’s leading five-star resorts. His vast experience, extensive local knowledge and passion for delivering world-class hospitality will elevate our property to new heights. As a talented chef and F&B expert, he will also help to position Pimalai as a haven of gastronomy – one of our key strategic pillars. I am confident that, with Brice at the helm, Pimalai will exceed guests’ expectations.” commented Charintip Tiyaphorn, Pimalai’s Owner Representative.
With just 121 stylish rooms, spacious suites and spectacular pool villas spread across 100 acres of unspoiled jungle, cascading gently down to a 900-metre-long stretch of sand at Kantiang Bay, Pimalai is a haven of tranquillity. Guests can unwind and enjoy a wide range of activities such as kayaking, cycling, jungle trekking, Thai cooking classes, muay Thai boxing, yoga, offshore excursions and more. The award-winning Pimalai Spa offers deeply soothing therapies in the midst of the lush jungle, elegant infinity pools appear suspended in the forest canopy, and two outstanding seafront restaurants – Rak Talay and Seven Seas – embrace local and seasonal produce, including organic herbs and sustainably sourced seafood.
Pimalai forms part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s (SLH) Considerate Collection, an exclusive community of socially responsible and eco-conscious five-star hotels.
For more information about Pimalai Resort & Spa, please email reservation@pimalai.com, call +66 (0) 2 320 5500 or visit pimalai.com.
