best beach resort to relax for 4 days
Jan 25th, 2003, 01:40 PM
#1
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best beach resort to relax for 4 days
After Bangkok and Chiang Mai, we want to be pampered for 4 days in paradise, in a small but luxurious resort on a beach in Thailand. Thai style would be prefered. We enjoyed sports on the beach, good food and beautiful things to see e.g short day trip to visit. Where should we go? Phuket, Krabi, Ko Samui, ... ? Which resort?
Jan 25th, 2003, 03:38 PM
#2
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Try Tha Anantara Resort in Hua Hin, simply gorgeous. Also cheap to get to, take a limo or taxi from Bangkok.<BR><BR>www.huahin-hotels.8m.com
Jan 25th, 2003, 07:21 PM
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i would second hua hin, but i would go to the marriott resort....we looked at anatara (owned by the same group as marriott), but we found marriott to be more intimate, to have both a better beach and pool --i suspect the food is similar at both...you might look at the hyatt at hua hin too and at the sofitel, which is more old world...<BR>the islands are great but if you have limited time try hua hin---2-3 hours south of bkk via private car service, cost about $65.<BR>jw marriott at phuket looks great too, but very isolated
Jan 26th, 2003, 02:12 AM
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Have been at both Anantara and The Marriott in Hua Hin and The Anantara is much, much nicer than The Marriott. Actually I did not like The Marriott very much, the pool was nothing much at all. The Anantara has a huge lovely free form pool set in splendid tropical gardens, nice restaurants and lobby lounge and the service level at The Anantara is superior compared to The Marriott.
Jan 26th, 2003, 05:39 AM
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If you want a tropical syle beach then I would go to Phuket. The flight lasts about an hour. There are real tropical beaches and plenty of good resorts. The beach at Hua Hin is rather murky and it is not clear water at all. No hope to snorkel or any normal tropical sports, for that you must go to Phuket or Koh Samui.
Jan 26th, 2003, 12:06 PM
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You have not said when you are going. However, if the time is right to go to Koh Samui, check out Laem Set Inn (www.laemsetinn.com), a little out of the way, but small and luxurious. We stayed in the Lipa Noi (honeymoon) Suite. The restaurant there is excellent, and there is plenty to do within a short day trip. Alternatively, Hua Hin is easy to get to. On our next trip we planning to stay at the Evason (also, a little out of the way) in a room with a private plunge pool.
Jan 27th, 2003, 12:55 AM
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For historical temp and rainfall information for all the places you are considering, go to worldclimate.com. This may help you with your decision<BR><BR>If you are going between April and November, then I will suggest a whole new place: the east coast of Malaysia, specifically the Tanjang Jara Resort. This is a gorgeous 5-star resort, built of teak in Malaysia long-house style. They are part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which gives you some idea the quality. They have a spectacular infinity pool. The beach is beautiful. The diving and snorkelling is the world-class, you can hire boats for the day to go out into the South China Sea. The beaches in the area are one of the few remaining places where you can see giant sea turtle laying their eggs. The season is generally June-July. They are as big as a Volkswagen, and struggle up several hundred yards of sand in the middle of the night to lay their eggs. Incredible! There are small Malay villages in the area and you can drive down the coast past beautiful beaches or go inland to forests. This area of Malaysia is not very developed and not over-touristy like Hua Hin and Phuket. To get to the resort, you would fly from Bangkok to Kuala Terengganu Malaysia (about 4 hours unless you can find a direct flight, most go through KL), and then take a taxi or hotel car to the hotel (about an hour); it might also be possible to rent a car at the airport in Kuala Terengganu and drive yourself. I could not find a website for the hotel, but they are in the website for Small Luxury Hotels of the World at: slh.com<BR><BR>I would agree that I think the beaches are prettier in Koh Samui and Phuket than in Hua Hin. The water is a bit clearer in Phuket than Hua Hin, but for good snorkelling you would need to take a boat out to the smaller surrounding islands. There is not much snorkelling from the beach in Phuket or Hua Hin, there is a bit more in Koh Samui.<BR><BR>For Phuket, if you want luxury, pampering and Thai style, you really are talking about the Amanpuri, go to their website http://www.amanhotels.com/puri_m.html. This is a world-famous, world-class hotel. Definitely worth it. The Chedi, which is next store and shares the same beach, is a nice hotel, not in the same class as the AmanPuri, but then again not as expensive. Another hotel to consider for luxury and pampering would be the Banyan Tree. It would be closer in luxury and style to the Amanpuri.<BR><BR>In Hua Hin, I would recommend the Chiva Som Resort. This is a world-class spa, which generally makes the list of top 10 spas in the world. A 5-star hotel on the beach with incredible food - you won't even know you are eating health food. You can take water aerobics or other fitness classes, work out in the gym or try one of dozens of face and body treatments. Truly Thai pampering!<BR><BR>For Koh Samui also consider staying at the Le Meridien Baan Taling Ngam. The best hotel on the island in my opinion. Their website is at http://www.meridien-samui.com. <BR><BR>
Jan 29th, 2003, 04:04 AM
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Elise, this year the 'rainy season' on the Gulf side has been non-existant, but in fact some good rain is needed. Lush vegetation and freshness is better than sand and dust, really! Never be put off by these 'rainy/dry' too much. If it does rain enjoy it, as I say, south of Bangkok I would swop some decent rain for dry dust at the moment!<BR>I would head for Phuket, Kata or Karon or Nai Harn beaches are nice.
Jan 29th, 2003, 06:06 AM
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I would go to Aleenta. Get away from all these chain hotels with cookie cutter rooms. Aleenta is small, but with all amenities of 5 stars hotel. It's got 10 rooms, all individually designed. All rooms are directly or just steps away from the beach. Most rooms come with private plunge pool. It's spa is also very very nice. Having just opened for a month, it's already featured in Honeymoon & Travel Magazine, Metro, Travel Asia for a new up and coming Designed Hotel of Thailand. We spent a blissful week there. www.aleenta.com
Jan 29th, 2003, 06:58 AM
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Just checked out the website for Aleenta. Looks like a great deal. Is the restaurant reasonable? We have reservations for a pool villa the Evason and are considering changing. Are the plunge pools there very private? We know the Thais are very modest and would not want to offend anyone by "skinny dipping".
Jan 30th, 2003, 08:36 AM
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Craig, the plunge pool is private because you are directly facing the sea on one side, the other sides you are surrounded by small bushes. If you skinny dip at night, I don't think anybody will see ya, but there is no walls around the villas at Aleenta (I think they have walls around your rooms at Evason??) It's a different feel, you know, at the Pool Villa at Evason, you could have been anywhere like a nice, luxury house in..say Bangkok, because you are in a walled villa, with a pool. But at Aleenta, your villa IS on the sea, with your plunge pool on your private balcony on the sea...
Jan 30th, 2003, 08:39 AM
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Oh..the resto. It's devine. They have both Thai or Franco Thai fusion cuisine. Considering a 25 seats resto in a tiny resort like Aleenta, they have 2 chefs working, 1 Thai, 1 Western. You will eat well there.
