This Popular Hotel Group Is Opening 19 New Properties This Year in Iconic Destinations Like Japan, Cambodia, and Mexico

From Banyan Tree Mayakoba to Banyan Tree Bangkok, the Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts have been a clear choice for Travel + Leisure readers, even ranking as one of favorite hotel brands of 2023 as part of the World’s Best Awards. Now the brand is expanding its global reach, rebranding itself as Banyan Group and opening 19 properties in 2024. 

“This brand evolution reflects our portfolio transformation from a single luxury brand to the diverse offering we have today,” Eddy See, president and CEO of Banyan Group, said in a release shared with T+L. With more than 70 hotels and resorts, 60 spas and galleries, and 14 residences around the globe in 22 countries, the company encompasses brands like Angsana, Cassia, Folio, Homm, Garrya, Dhawa, Laguna, Banyan Tree Escape, Banyan Tree Veya, and, of course, the flagship Banyan Tree.

The new 2024 properties include 10 in China; two each in Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea; as well the first hotel from the group in Cambodia; the first Banyan Tree property in Japan; and first Banyan Tree Veya in Mexico. 

The Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe, which is scheduled to open this spring, is especially a highlight for Banyan Group’s senior vice president of brand and commercial, Ho Ren Yung. She has a special connection with Mexico, having started her journey with the brand at Banyan Tree Mayakoba. The 16-acre property will have 30 villas, each with its own private plunge pool, as well as five dining options, a Veya Spa, botanical garden, and an on-site winery with its own collection of wines. 

“Not only do I believe that the destination is posed to rival Napa Valley with its diverse Mexican wineries and impressive culinary scene, but Banyan Tree Veya's arrival in this region, first in the Americas and second in the world, marks a pivotal moment for the brand and it couldn’t come at a more exciting time,” she told T+L exclusively. She added that new property carves out a “tranquil sanctuary” where guests from well-being seekers to foodies and solo travelers to families, will be able to “feel the powerful beauty of the natural surroundings.” 

Another highlight for Yung is the Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, which will add the flagship brand to the other properties Banyan Group already has in Japan, including Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto and Dhawa Yura Kyoto, both which opened in 2022, and the Folio Sakura Shinsaibashi Osaka, which opened last year.

“This is a natural step for us,” she said, explaining that the history, culture, and beauty of the city made it a perfect fit for the Banyan Tree brand. The 52-room resort, set to open in the third quarter of 2024, will sit on a hill above the city, near an ancient bamboo grove and become the city's first and only hotel with a Noh stage, creating a new take on the ryokan experience. 

Also of note is the Angsana Siem Reap, on track for a late 2024 opening, with 158 rooms, suites, and villas, all within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor in Cambodia. “With its impressive monuments and varied ancient urban plans, the resort stands as a distinctive testament to the extraordinary civilization of the ancient Khmer Empire,” she added. 

Other highlights for the year include the two Vietnam properties — Angsana Quan Lan in Halong Bay, and Garrya Mu Chang Chai in Yen Bai – as well as a pair of Sokcho properties in South Korea, the Cassia and Homm.

In addition to its expansion, the Banyan Group is also doubling down on its sustainability. While many of the actions are behind the scenes, like water water, waste, and energy use to cut back on carbon emissions, Yung said, the company is also “cultivating advocacy” through its Brand for Good Programme, which it launched last year, encompassing 40 standards that cover design, operation, collaboration, and advocacy.

“Given our emphasis on nature-integrated design, we’ve had many guests enjoy the biodiversity of our rewilding initiative, which aims to grow 100 pocket forests across our portfolio over the next few years,” she added. “The first pilot is in Phuket, where we planted 7,500 saplings across over 70 native species, identified from ancient primary forest on the island.”

Banyan Group is also revving up its digitalization through a well-being companion called Beyond, that will be woven into various parts of guests journeys, both during their stays and at home.

The company is also creating a new loyalty program called withBanyan, which will “recognize our guests in a more meaningful and experiential manner,” Yung said. Instead of more traditional and transaction perks, she said there will be invites to exclusive offerings. “This is just the beginning, and we are looking forward to co-creating this with our community as we strongly believe our audience is looking more for engagement rather than just pure transactional rewards relating to their spend,” she said of the program.

Overall, the growth of the brand is set to be greater than ever in the coming year, as they operate under the belief of the “transformative power of travel for positive change,” Yung said. “With this in mind, our hope is that when people visit one of our properties in 2024, they come with that same stewardship and pioneering spirit, with the desire to make an impact and leave the destination better than when they arrived.”