Pimpisa "Pear" Chirathivat Phornprapha, Centara Hotels & Resorts Thailand

In this episode of Where2From Here, host Renae Leith-Manos sits down with Pimpisa "Pear" Chirathivat Phornprapha, architect, designer, and one of the next-generation leaders shaping the future of Thai luxury hospitality through the Centara Hotels & Resorts empire. Born into one of Thailand’s most influential hospitality families, Pimpisa shares how growing up surrounded by hotels shaped her understanding of service, design, and leadership from an early age. With a background in architecture and a deep passion for aesthetics, travel, and storytelling, she offers a fascinating perspective on how luxury hotels are evolving for a more experience-driven and emotionally connected traveler. The conversation explores what truly defines luxury design today, from the importance of lighting, materials, and atmosphere, to the growing shift toward understated elegance and meaningful guest experiences. Pimpisa also discusses why storytelling has become one of the most important elements in modern hospitality, and how hotels can create moments that genuinely move people rather than simply impress them. Renae and Pimpisa dive into the changing role of hotel lobbies, restaurant concepts, wellness-led travel, and the challenges of designing spaces that cater to vastly different global audiences. They also discuss the future of Centara, sustainable growth, the importance of supporting local communities, and why the next era of luxury hospitality will be defined by authenticity, cultural nuance, and emotional connection. This is a thoughtful and insightful conversation about design, legacy, creativity, and what luxury travelers are truly searching for in 2026. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:01 Early influences 03:05 Family dynamics shape her working ethics 04:55 The importance of material 05:46 Fave hotel design 06:26 Thai's culture of extraordinary service 08:15 Understated luxury 10:06 That one traditional hotel element to redesign... 13:22 The first project: Centara Reserve Koh Samui 14:36 Restaurant concept in luxury hotels 15:12 Work with local restaurants 17:03 The activewear brand 17:52 Where2FromHere, Pimpisa? -- Subscribe above to this YouTube Channel, Where2FromHere for the best and latest regular luxury travel updates. For collaborations, contact us at: [email protected] Host: Renae Leith-Manos Editor: Angga Kuntara Content Writer: Tiasani Sundari Graphic & Design: Mardi Downing For more luxury travel go to: www.renaesworld.com.au For more on Centara Hotels & Resorts go to: https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/ For more on Pimpisa go to:   / pearpimpisa_c   Check out our luxury travel instagram: @renaesworldofficial For Luxury Hotel Consulting: www.luxuryhotelconsulting.com Watch every episode with spectacular visuals from some of the world’s best and most luxurious hotels over on Renae’s YouTube channel, “Renae’s World, Where2FromHere”.