family vacation in Thailand
 

Hi,
Planning a 17 days vacation in thailand with my family. we are 2 adults and 2 kids (4,8).
planned on going to chiang mai , take a private tour, then 6 nights in phuket, and finish with 4 nights in bkk.

The problem i am having is with seleting good hotels that offer family rooms. we do not want to take 2 seperate rooms.
in chiang mai - we're looking into the Young Come Village. the family room is already taken in October :( so a delux room with extra bed.
in phuket - well this is the most difficult one: we want something with a beach and a family room / villa within a price range of 150$ a night. was looking at the crowne plaza... any other suggestions ?

for bkk, i was looking into the center point silom. i know that area (previously stayed in the shangri-la). is this a good place, or better off in another area of the city ?

Many thanks for any suggestions.

At YCV the Junior suite room could accommodate two extra beds if you needed I think. We had one extra bed in there and there was still loads of space left. The sofa might also be possible to sleep on. You might ask about that.

If you are looking for accommodation on Phuket that is actualy 'on the beach' then the choice reduces dramaticaly, however for your price range I personaly think you couldn't do better than getting a Junior Suite at the Kata Thani, that gives rollaway bed or sofa options and well within your price range, also it is anyway a superb resort. It's about USD 114 including taxes etc and you have to pay for breakfast ( about USD 6 per child ), there might be an extra bed charge, but anyway sould be well within your range, but it still in my opinion is a great way to stay in a great room ( suite ) at a very good resort that is also good for the kids.

http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...athani/details

They wiull give you a firmed price without you having to give any credit card info, so it doesn't cost a cent to get the option, with a family Kata is a good beach location as not too busy but close enough for restaurants etc, also near Dino Park which kids will enjoy.

Others have stayed at the Kata Thani and I think others would perhaps agree for the price and what you need a good option.

There are others of course but you will find in Thailand that when traveling as a family 'suites' are very often the best way to do it, not only for space but hey, you get a 'suite' and are also the hotel/resort's premium guests, so it's win win all the way.

Do note October is not brilliant weatherwise and seas can be rough, but at the same time alternatives such as Samui could be wet also.
If you are doing Chiang Mai important to note there is just the one daily non-stop from Chiang Mai to Phuket ( Thai Airways ), takes 2 hrs.

For Chiang Mai I would go aloong with suggestions for opting for a suite as they are very often better deals than anything else with a family.

When I first started reading your thread, the Kata Thani (Phuket) popped into my head. Then I see that JamesA has already suggested it. DO check it out. I've stayed there in a jr suite. It is an excellent beach resort on a quieter beach on the southwest "corner" of Phuket. It's about a 45 minutes drive from the airport. Great place to relax. They have a kids' program.

I've got photos of the Kata Thani on my web site at cjscollection. Just click on the photo gallery link on the left side of the page, and then click on the Asia album. Not sure where the photos are in that album, but maybe not too far in.

Carol

thank you !
1. As for Chiang Mai - i the YCV has big rooms. it's just i wanted the family one, and it's taken. with a payment for extra bed, it becomes a rather expensive place, but from what i've heard it is supposed to be superb.
to save up, on the day of arriving in CM,we booked the central duag tawan. i know there are mixed reviews, but we arrive late (around 7pm) and it is just on top of the night market.
we want a 2 night private tour. we have a couple of guides in mind. can someone tell me the approx costs for 2 nights-3 days all inclusive tour ? the guide that i've contacted (Tony) wants 26000 baht for 2 adults + 2 kids in a triple room (the price includes the accomodation, car, guide, entrance fees,lunches, dinners etc)

About the direct flight to Phuket - i am aware of it, and it's already booked :) i took the "discover thailand 2006" pass from Thai airways ! a 169$ for 3 legs (+taxes) but the best thing is that kids get 50% off which makes this deal just like taking the other low fare companies !

2. for phuket - what a suprise. my travel agent in thailand, also suggested the Kata Thani . i was just concerned of it being out of town. we really like markets etc. can someone comment on this issue ?
I was thinking maybe the CrownePlaza at Karon. although 2 minutes walk to the beach, i can get for 150$ per night a plunge pool vila ! what do you think ?

3 . any other recommendations for family places to be other than the centrer point silom ?

Many thanks for all the great replies !

family rooms are a problem in thailand and especially in bkk...the marriott mayfair is also an alternative...any of the serviced apartments are good...

For Bangkok, check out the 1 bedroom Execuplus suite of Pathumwan Princess. Children below 12 stay free in the room. Spacious bedroom and living room with a small kitchenette equipped with microwave, ref and toaster. Connected to the MBK for shopping if thats what you're after. We stayed there and were very happy with the hotel. We will definitely go back.

I can't say that I've ever looked into family rooms when I've done hotel reviews (I may begin to now), however, I do have one suggestion. The Chaophya Park Hotel(www.chaophyapark.com)on Rachadapisek Rd has executive suites where kids under 12 can stay free with their parents. Its not in the central business district but it is very close to the subway which quickly links to the center of town. The property is reasonably priced for the accomodations (The website is showing it to be right around your price range).

Hi May

We too are a family of 2A & 2C (10 & 8) & are all booked and counting down to our month long adventure in Thailand. Here is our itinerary & comments re accommodation which may be of interest:

3 nights Bangkok: Bel Aire Princess deluxe room with 2 x queen beds (kids stay free).

2 nights Ban Thaton (near Chaing Rai): Meaekok River Village Resort. This resort caters well to children and offers day trips/treks with Track of the Tiger Tours. We have arranged a couple of 1/2 day trips thru them. Family room provided.

1 night Ban Rai Lanna: Just because we wanted to... 2 rooms required.

5 nights Chiang Mai: Baan Orapin 2 bedroom Villa. During our stay in CM we will spend a day with "A Lot of Thai" Cooking school. They were more than happy to have the kids "help" out. I have also booked a day trip with Sargeant Kai (many good posts on this forum) to the Doi Inthanon National Park where we will do a small jungle trek to a Hill Tribe. Plus the usual sightseeing / market shopping etc.

4 nights Railay Beach, Krabi: Sunrise Tropical Resort (Large villa with double + rollaway + couch). Have stayed here before and absolutely loved it.

12 nights Phuket: Le Meridien Beach Resort. Here we will "tolerate" each other in one room with a super king + rollaway (not the best, but we will cope). We stayed here two years ago and thought it was a brilliant hotel which has a lot to offer the kids - they spent all their free time in the Kids Club which was the best we have experienced.

Anyway, I hope you have a great holiday!

nzers

to nzers: i see that you returned from your thailand trip ! hope u had the best time.

could you write on your experiance in the bangkok hotel you chose, and also on the le meridien in phuket ?

of course i am asking for a family point of view ...

I have to suggest the Marriot Resort and Spa as a place to stay in Bangkok. (I'm surprised rhkkmk didn't mention it.) Our family of 2A and 2C (ages 6&8)stayed there July 2005. We booked through www.huahin.20m.com and got a corner 1 bed suite for about $130/night. It was part of a promotion upgrade they were offering. The suite was huge-separate bedroom, living room, long entry hallway and eating area, wrap around balcony, overlooking the river and pool. Also included buffet breakfast. Our kids LOVED it and we will stay there again next year.

the price for a one bedroom suite, is not even near 130$ per night in this october :(

On sawadee.com the Marriott Resort and Spa junior suite double is $163 tax and service and breakfast included. Precisionreservations.com has a junior suite in October for $127.00 with breakfast plus $24.00 tax and service. Same. It is much more on marriott.com. July/August is very low season though, and even now, on marriott.com a junior suite in August is $10.00 - $25.00 cheaper than in October. I don't think $160.00 is a bad price for a junior suite at a riverside hotel.

Hi May

Yes, we have returned to the cold winter here in NZ - and we had the absolute BEST holiday! I will write a full report when I get a moment's peace - hopefully this weekend.

In the meantime - to answer your question... We stayed at the Bel Aire Princess (Sukhumvit Soi 5) in Bangkok. We had stayed here BC in 1993 and were very surprised to see that the room was exactly the same 13 years later! Not that that is a bad thing - just a surprise (like being in a time warp).

Anyway, the hotel was within our budge & it served its purpose for us. We chose it based on location being handy to the skytrain (it was about a 5-10 minute walk), having two queen size beds & the kids being free (the rooms were roomy & the beds clean & comfy). Breakfast was also included in the rate. We found the staff to be very friendly and helpful when we asked them for directions and advice on opening times etc. On the down side, the hallways were very 'tired' & needed to be redecorated & the bathroom very small. We would probably stay there again if we go to Bangkok with the kids.

Le Meridien Phuket is my most favourite hotel in the world. It is perfect in every way, shape and form. What more can I say? The kids cried when we left because they had such a fantastic time in the kids club! A lot of people wouldn't be prepared to share their bed with their 8 year old for 2 weeks, but that is a small sacrifice for us to stay here. The location is great as it is a 5 minute tuk tuk ride into Patong where we ate & shopped nearly everyday. We didn't eat much in the resort as the prices are the same as at home & I couldn't see the sense. We did have a couple of pizza's which were reasonable and tasty.

I don't know if this has helped, if you want to know more feel to ask.

nzers

something did change at the bkk hotel!!! there was no skytrain nearby in '93!!

You are so right rhkkmk - it is a very convenient way to get around. I didn't like being on Sukhumvit Road underneath it tho' - it was like being a a carparking building. Wierd.

nzers

For a family, I would recommend a villa over a hotel.

Phuket has become more and more expensive but great bargains can be had elsewhere. Have a look at Gecko Villa (www.geckovilla.com) where you can get the whole property and a private pool among the rice paddies, including all meals! Very family friendly - and no need to cook!

And if travelling by air in Thailand, avoid Bangkok Airways (expensive) and Thai (fine but relatively expensive) and use the budget carriers such as Nok Air and Airt Asia.