Globally celebrated residential and hospitality design brand YOO have signed an agreement with leading Thai developer – World Corporation, to bring both their hospitality brands, the luxury By YOO Residences and upper upscale YOO2 Hotel, to Phuket, Thailand, in partnership with hotel management company, La Vie Hotels & Resorts, who will operate both hotels.
The Forest by YOO will be a design-led lifestyle hotel and residences located amongst tropical forest at the southern end of Patong Beach. Set to open in 2026, designed by London based YOO Design Studio, the development will be a showcase of YOO Studios award-winning design and will be designed to limit impact on the existing forest and seek to enhance with the addition of tropical gardens. Spread over two separate zones, both properties will deliver on the YOO ethos of enriching lives through exceptional lifestyle experiences and extraordinary living spaces.
The 131 By YOO villa residences will be luxurious, fully serviced private escapes designed to allow guests and owners to make the most of spending time with family and friends. The YOO Clubhouse with restaurant, bar, pool deck, gym and wellness facilities will also draw guests in and designed with fun and relaxation in mind.
The YOO2 hotel is set to be a vibrant destination with expansive amenities and facilities including a spa and wellness centre, offering both beauty, relaxation and longevity treatments, a state-of-the-art gym and kids club designed to allow all guests to re-connect and leave re-energised and invigorated. A daily fitness and wellness program with guided beach or mountain runs and sunrise yoga will be available to provide the balance the modern-day traveler seeks. At YOO2 hotels, food and drink take centre stage, with multiple must visit innovative dining and drinking concepts created for not only hotel guests but all visitors to Phuket, providing guests with international classics, local specialties and experience-led options.
Delivering on the YOO ethos of connecting travellers with each other and with the local soul of a destination, a series of curated “explore, taste and experience” masterclasses, in local cooking, cocktails and craft, will feature alongside food and arts tours to allow guests to connect with the people and culture of the destination. As with all YOO Hotels, YOO Design Studio will work with local designers, artisans and artists during the design process to draw inspiration and create an end product that is sophisticated and luxurious yet bold, eclectic and relaxed.
John Hitchcox, YOO Group Chairman –
“We are delighted to continue the growth of our hospitality brands in the world leading travel destination of Phuket. Our design led- lifestyle hotels become destinations in their own right as they are the perfect canvas to allow us to create extraordinary spaces and deliver exceptional lifestyle experiences through our design and operational curation”. He added, “It is a pleasure to partner with Dr Chirasak Chiyachantana and World Corporation to develop The Forest By YOO, and to have found a partner who truly appreciates the strength of design”.
Dr. Chirasak Chiyachantana, Chief Executive Officer of World Corporation, owner of The Forest By YOO, said “We are excited to be working with YOO to bring their globally renowned design and lifestyle hospitality brands to this world-class development in Phuket and we are looking forward to working with the team at YOO to ensure the design and style creates a new benchmark for lifestyle hospitality venues in Phuket”.
Craig Bond, Managing Director of La Vie Hotels & Resorts –
“Our partnership with YOO and Dr Chirasak Chiyachantana is an important step in our group’s expansion and we are confident The Forest by YOO will resonate with guests seeking a totally unique and inspiring holiday experience in Phuket. With exceptional leisure facilities, world-class service, and a strong cultural connection to the local area, we are confident that these in hotels will be a huge success.”
The Forest By YOO will be the second project YOO and La Vie have partnered on in the APAC region. The signing of The Forest By YOO adds two properties to the expanding YOO hospitality portfolio, alongside the recent signing of Nu By YOO, Melbourne, Australia, a luxury hotel located in the heart of south Melbourne, the existing award winning estate, The Lakes By YOO, Cotswolds, UK and the flagship YOO2 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.