Coming Home To Bangkok

Timeless promise of luxury

- Sheetal Rastogi

We didn’t expect that the COO of the brand that renovated a former Northern headquarters of the East Borneo Trading Company once played golf with Bob Hope––almost breaking his nose––and prefers riding elephants to horses during polo matches. This gives you a window into the exclusive and inspiring world of 137 Pillars Hotel & Resorts and COO Christopher E. Stafford.

When we caught up with Christopher in Bangkok, he shared a few stories about growing up with luxury travel in Africa. An extravagant childhood exposed him to embassy dinners, exotic travel and great events when his family lived in Addis Ababa. He particularly enjoyed the great historic hotels he visited around the world especially in Europe, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

With the father stationed in Kuala Lumpur when the Shangri-Las and other hotel greats broke ground in Asia, he developed a passion for detail and a wonderful feeling of true luxury. But he learned the business from the ground up with his first job as a bellboy at the Park Avenue Hotel in Gothenburg Sweden, his hometown, when he was only sixteen.

“I was fascinated by the comings and goings of famous people and knew I wanted to be part of this amazing world of hospitality.”

Thailand captivated Christopher on his first visit. He confided that the country welcomed him at a difficult point in his life and saved and inspired him at the same time because of the excellent hospitality he experienced. He began to feel attached to a place in a way he never had before.

“I have now been here seventeen years. It is my home. My wife is Thai. I love this country, its customs, and its people––they have all been very good to me. I have learned more patience, more about love and life in this country than anywhere. Thank you, Thailand.”