Umbrellas are a memorable feature at ANANTARA CHIANG MEI, the lovely hotel by the side of the Pong River that started life as a Chedi (as Girlahead has already pointed out, the hotel is obviously of the same ilk as THE CHEDI MUSCAT, except that the Omani sibling does not have colourful public umbrellas).
Oh would that all hotel decision-makers would go for bright umbrellas. Who remembers a plain dark umbrella tucked at the back of a bedroom closet next to iron and board? Good marks go to THE REGENT HONG KONG for umbrella linings that are blue floral. But when it comes to simple plain exteriors only two stand out.
One the urban front, THE CONSERVATORIUM AMSTERDAM, a Set Collection hotel, has glorious bright orange umbies. When it comes to resorts, nothing beats the dayglo-sunflower of the umbrellas twirled by the white-clad welcoming party as planes arrive at LE CHEVAL BLANC RANDHELI ISLAND in The Maldives.
Umbrellas protect, from the rain or sun. A diminishing number of luxury travellers need them for status symbol, though possibly hotels in Wall Street or Canary Wharf still feel obliged to have the black-furled type for customers. When Italians in the early 17th century: adapted the word ombrella, a diminutive of ombra ‘shade’ from Latin umbra, little did they know that four centuries on hotels and resorts could distinguish themselve by their umbies.
