COMO Hotels and Resorts, the award-winning five-star hotel group based in Singapore, has unveiled its plan to develop and manage a new property on the Yamu peninsula of Phuket in Thailand. Named Point Yamu by COMO, and with interior aesthetic designed by Italian architect Paola Navone, it will be the tenth member of COMO's family of unique destinations.

Opening Summer 2013, Point Yamu will be Navone's first ever hotel project, her powerful vision bringing a fresh aesthetic to Thailand, while reflecting the group's ongoing commitment to the very best in contemporary design.

The beachside development - COMO's first in Thailand outside Bangkok - will comprise a full-scale, 79-room resort with 30 villas, a spa and two restaurants. This is in addition to a clutch of private residences available for purchase; when they open in July 2013, these residences will occupy the same peaceful peninsula on the east side of the island with views out to the limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea.

Point Yamu is just 20 minutes by car from Phuket International Airport and will be an attractive proposition for Asia-based guests looking for a short break to rejuvenate, as well as long-haul guests seeking a comprehensive escape.  Point Yamu will offer a 100m swimming pool, a COMO Shambhala Retreat featuring eight treatment rooms, as well as a yoga studio, an Italian and Thai restaurant, 'glow' featuring COMO Shambhala's healthy cuisine, and a private beach.

"The addition of this Phuket property is aligned with COMO Hotels and Resorts' expansion plans within the region, supporting our growth strategy to include key destinations within the COMO portfolio," says Harry Apostolides, Vice President of Business Development, COMO Hotels and Resorts. "This new COMO resort will be our second Thai property, after the Metropolitan by COMO in Bangkok. These two properties will, in concert, showcase both the vibrancy and serenity of Thailand. Phuket is one of the top tourist destinations in the region, and we have focused on its east coast — an area of outstanding natural beauty and great biodiversity. The location perfectly frames the COMO experience of service and cuisine, complemented by a wellness focus delivered by our award-winning COMO Shambhala Retreat."

To achieve COMO's vision of contemporary serenity, Navone is creating at Point Yamu an environment that encapsulates the easygoing, sophisticated spirit of the company's 'by COMO' island resorts - Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos and Cocoa Island in the Maldives. Point Yamu, inspired directly by the sea, will also be distinct in character by way of its contemporary look blended with elements of Thai culture.

Says Navone: "It's about building a resort where you feel relaxed, soft, and not stressed by anything that surrounds you. In my mind, the best hotels are contemporary places, but at the same time, they root you in a locale, so you know where you are. This balance is vital."

Paola Navone has been at the forefront of world-class interiors for over 30 years, as well as designing products for numerous leading brands, including Abet Laminati and Gervasoni (where Navone is Art Director), Armani Casa, Driade, Gervasoni, Guzzini, Poliform and Emu. In 1983, Paola was honored with the important International Design Award.

In 2000, she was named Designer of the Year by the German magazine Architektur & Wohnen. Most recently her 'Secret Garden' at the Milano Salone del Mobile 2012 received high praise: big blue nests, interwoven with 13,000 hazelnut branches, hiding some of the most beautiful chandeliers of the Murano glassmaking tradition by Barovier&Toso. Based in Milan, she has lived in Hong Kong and worked extensively in South East Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.