Due to the fact there are so many place to choose from in Thailand I opted to get help from the army travel agent. My picks are 5 night phuket at amari 3 star, 5 night koh samui also amri 3 star and 5 nightes chang mai 5 star in the moutains. sound good?

the only 5* in CM that i can think of is the regent...if so it is beautiful and very expensive, but it is not near anything...miles from CM...a real R&R place however.....quite formal..

the westin is an alternative and just on the edge of town...

I agree with Bob. The Regent in CM and the Lana Thai Villas at the Regent are in the $400+ a night range, If I were you, and I wanted something that expensive, I'd do it elsewhere. Frankly, Chaing Mai is consistently voted the most disappointing destination in Thailand. You opted for two beach locations, so you might enjoy your other nights in Bangkok. There are lots of 5* places to choose from. Another option, if you want the mountains, is to go to the Chaing Rai area. There are several nice resorts there which are less than half the price of the Regent.

I would really be curious to know who it is that "consistently votes CM the most disappointing destination in Thailand."
I have been there 3 times (stayed at the Regent every time) and I find it to be one of the most interesting and diverse places in Thailand. Where else can you ride elephants into the jungle to hilltribe villges, visit Doi Sutheip, which is equal to any of the temples in BK, shop and eat until you drop, etc etc. As the former ancient capital of Thailand, it has the most to offer in the way of Thai Lanna culture. Far more than Koh Samui or Phuket, which have great beaches, but zero in the way of cultural or historical interest.
BTW, the Regent is only a 15 minute drive from the center of CM and the ethereal beauty of the rice paddies in the center of the resort surrounded by mountains, provides a relaxing respite after a hectic day of sightseeing. It's also NOT formal. The fact that there is no grand lobby and the villas are spread out over beautifully landscaped grounds, promotes quite an informal atmosphere. You could certainly dress up if you wanted to in the evenings, but there is no need. Depending on the season, most guests are in casual sundresses or slacks. If it's in your budget, the Regent is totally worth it. (Their spa just got voted in the top 10 spas in the world by one of the big travel mags.)

First thanks for the imput My reasoning for Chang mai is it looks romantic the kind of place I could perpose to my girlfrind would you agree? or do you think the price is not worth the goods.

Lindsey, CM is voted the most disappointing destination in Thailand on the Lonely Planet site, ThornTree.

I'm sure the Regent is lovely and that the spa is fabulous. Nonetheless, I found CM to be less interesting than most other places I've been in SE Asia. I agree that it has much more culture than beach resorts. But it is not "unspoiled" as the travel agents would have it. It's the second largest city in Thailand.

Lindsey, I am going to CM in December and staying at the Regent. My family and I would also like to visit Phuket, Krabi or Ko Samui. Any suggestions on where to stay. Somewhere in the same price range as the Regent...

The Regent is the only 5* in CM. There is nothing else that even approaches it (in price or in atmosphere).

Kathie.....IF you didn't find CM interesting, you probably never left your hotel room.. I lived there for two months two winters ago and absolutely loved it. And I'm not alone on that opinion. Just where on the Lonely Planet 's Thorn Tree does the voting take place for disappointing destinations?

i hate to interject this, but i agree that CM is a disappointment.....i went there once and found it not too interesting, except for the shopping---bkk is better in my opinion....
we went back there specifically to see if we could discover what it is that others continue to rave about....i'm sorry to say that we didn't find it on the second trip...i intend to spend 6 hours there next spring, but the primary purpose of that stop on the way to chiang rai is to purchase celedon, the quality and quantity of which in not available in bangkok...my wife loves the elephant mugs and other occasional pieces....

to our army friend: the regent would be a fabulous place to propose...that afgan air must be getting to you???

for less money you could have a great suite at the peninsula in bangkok and really make it special, however.....
have a fabulous dinner served to you in the suite or go down to jesters for a lovely candle lit dinner and return upstairs and present the ring and tons of flowers that you had arranged to be placed in the rooms after you went down to dinner....the hotel would work with you to make it special.....

another idea would be to take the manora song boat up river overnite and give the ring while on board there....you contact the marriott resort and spa for the boat in bkk...

have a blast...

Chiang Mai as a place to propose?--No, it is a big, not terribly attractive city--neither romantic nor "unspoiled". But...the shopping in the handicraft villages on the outskirts is some of the best in Thailand. Also, I was able to ride "bare back" on an elephant on an elephant at the "camp" to the north of Chaing Mai--one of those classic photos to show our non-traveling friends back home. Wat Doi Sutheip is awesome and the best example of northern Thai architecture with great views of the city and its surroundings. Restaurants are excellent, accessible and cheap, with great atmosphere, especially those on the river. That being said, you can "do" Chiang Mai in two full days so I can understand some of the above comments about it being disappointing. We have no plans to return on our next trip. By the way, we stayed at the Westin, which was fine. We also spent two days in Chiang Rai, which is a better gateway to the hill tribe villages and other sites in the far north. I would do Koh Samui or Phuket, but not both. Propose when you feel the moment is right--Thailand is one of the most romantic places on earth and there will be many of them.

Kathygo, Actually, I did a lot in Chaing Mai, including visiting the orchid growers, the elephant camps, temples, shopping, etc. I'm glad if other people liked it, but it just didn't appeal to me the way many other places do. By the way, I return to SE Asia almost yearly, so I've been to SE Asia more than a dozen times.

I agree with Bob, I'd suggest a fabulous luxury hotel in Bangkok for the proposal. And the conceirge will be glad to help.

Great advice all Im looking for is beautiful surroundings, luxury, and romance. And I'll need it Afganistan is a very, very poor country

Wherever you decide to go, have a wonderful time!

Chiang Mai and its environs are an interesting place - the city itself is not that great looking. Have you ever seen a picture of downtown CM anywhere? The descriptions of CM I have read in many places paint a more rosy picture vs. what you will actually find there. I enjoyed CM because I was there during the Loy Krathong festival time. I also visited Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son and points in between. On its own it may be a bit disappointing given some of the over-the-top descriptions it receives. But do go. I would vist it again myself.

Prescott,
Regading 5 star hotels in Phuket, Koh Samui or Krabi.....
I have stayed in a villa at the Banyan Tree in Phuket and was somewhat disappointed. The villa itself was very comfortable, but the resort is so spread out and at certain times of the year the weather can be so hot, that you have to call for an electirc cart to get anywhere....beach, restaurant, etc. Had lunch at the Aman resort there and found it quite beautiful. Very quiet and serene, but not at all suited for children, just in case you have any. There is a new Marriott near the airport in Phuket, but I try to avoid really large chains like that. The hotel I liked best in Phuket was the Royal Meridien Yacht Club, all the way at Nai Harn beach, at the southern tip of the island where you go watch the sun set. (NOT the huge Meridien on Karon Beach.) It has the most private beach in Phuket, great views, and nobody is selling a thing on the beach. It is a bit secluded though, so it you want night action, you would have to take a taxi into Patong (15 min.)
Regarding Krabi....have not tried it myself, but friends have absolutely raved about Rayavadee. It is part of the Leading Hotels of the World group. Very first class.
Koh Samui....have not been there yet either, I recall when looking at it a while back that there are lots of good websites for hotels there. Just do a few searches.
Good luck!

Like Lindsay, I've stayed at the Royal Meridien Yacht Club, and loved that it was quiet and secluded. It depends on what you want. You could never leave the resort there and have a wonderful time. The cove is sheltered enough for swimming even when some other beaches are too rough.

The hotel is built into the side of the hill, so all the rooms have a lovely view. Each room has a large balcony/patio with lounge chairs to relax and enjoy the view.

Not trying to harp on a single issue, but since it came up in this thread, I thought I would throw this out there, for whoever might be interested.

Readers of Andrew Harper?s Hideaway Report just voted The Regent Chiang Mai as the No. 1 Asian property in the Top 20 International Resort Hotels category.
Harper's newsletter is published in the US and caters to very sophisticated travelers, who travel frequently outside the US.
So I guess if you don't fancy CM in general, the Regent might be considered a destination of its own.

I have stayed at the Regent Chiang Mai and traveled all over Thailand. I found this to be a very special place--it is built on a working rice field and there are albino water buffalos roaming around the property. The hotel organized all sorts of fascinating trips on elephant, buses to the night bazaar, etc. I have stayed at many fine properties in the world and I have to agree with Andrew Harper here. Go--you won't be disappointed!