Love them or hate them, we can all admit that the Kardashians certainly know how to vacation.
The family have been known to take regular time out in some of the world’s most beautiful locations, including Bora Bora (the site of KUWTK’s famous ‘Kim, there’s people that are dying’ scene, of course), Costa Rica, St. Bart’s, Cannes and Dubai, amongst many others. Given the luxury that the Kardashians are accustomed to, it’s no surprise that the accommodation they select for each trip is nothing short of incredible.
Iniala Beach House, Thailand, is one such Kardashian-approved location. Situated along the shore of Phuket, this group of several luxury private villas offers visitors the opportunity to unwind in the most incredible of settings, with their every need catered for along the way.
Iniala was built on a site that once included entrepreneur Mark Weingard’s own vacation home. Having spent years taking in the incredible surroundings around the area, Weingard realised that he was situated at the centre of one of Thailand’s most visually stunning areas – and this was a beauty that he wanted to share.
From there, Weingard founded Iniala and commissioned the construction of the luxury properties, which have since provided a space for peace, tranquility and rest to thousands of wealthy visitors, the Kardashians included.
Being able to kick back and ‘zen out’ is key to Iniala Beach House and the way that the homes are served by their attentive on-site teams. Perhaps this is down to Weingard’s own personal life including so many difficult and tragic moments in the past – it’s easy to see how the site where Iniala now sits was the perfect location to take stock and reflect on all that was.
Prior to founding Iniala, Weingard had worked in New York, based in offices which sat next to the World Trade Center. Running late for work one September morning, he called his office to advise that he’d be arriving shortly – only to be told that a plane had crashed into the tower directly next to the office. This narrow escape from the atrocities of 9/11 was the first in a series of events that would affect Weingard in the following few years.
Around a year later, Weingard would split from his fiancée of seven years, Annika Linden. Following the break-up, Annika took a trip to Bali with friends, only for Weingard to later discover that she was one of 202 people who had been tragically killed in a bombing in the tourist district of Kuta.
Weingard settled in Phuket shortly afterwards, still reflecting on his difficult experiences, only to have them followed by yet another near-miss in which Weingard could very well have been killed.
Phuket was just one part of Thailand hit by a huge tsunami in 2004 in a natural disaster that would claim over 4,000 lives – Weingard and friends were able to take refuge on the roof of his property, where they were shielded by a reef in front of his home.
Following these events, Weingard decided to switch gears. Having made his name previously as an entrepreneur, he decided to use his skills in business for something good, shifting into a new career as a philanthropist and setting up the Annika Linden Foundation in memory of his late partner. He later renamed the charity as Inspirasia following the opening of the Annika Linden Centre on the Bali bombing’s 10th anniversary.
Since it was founded, Inspirasia has been a vehicle through which Mark and his team have been able to raise money for a wide range of important educational projects, as well as supporting those who are disabled in Thailand, Indonesia and India. Due to Weingard’s passion for raising money for these causes, much of the profit from Iniala Beach House goes directly to Inspirasia.
These funds are incredibly important, especially given that Iniala Beach House’s core client base is made up of some very high-profile, wealthy individuals. Since opening, Iniala Beach House has generated well over $200,000 for the charity.
It’s easy to see how this is possible – a night in an Iniala villa ranges from $3000 to $7500, while exclusive use of the resort begins at $25,000 a night in peak season.
Facilities at the site include a state-of-the-art spa (each villa with its own spa and therapist, too), a high-end gymnasium and several luxury eateries – the 450-square meter penthouse suite comes complete with its own private pool.
One of the resort’s most impressive aspects is the incredible outlook from each villa, with stunning views of the Andaman Sea. It’s clear that Iniala Beach House places its guests within a world of absolute luxury.
Could this be where you choose to spend your next Thai getaway?
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