If money is no object...
 

where would you want to stay in the following cities/places (for memorable atmosphere, service and country/region character): Bangkok, Koh Samui, Chiang Rai and Hong Kong.

I am asking b/c I am planning a honeymoon trip (2 and a half weeks, first time) at the beginning of August to these places and would love to have your input. My travel agent has suggested the following: Bangkok: the Oriental; Koh Samui: the Meridien (I saw that the Sixth Sense chain --Sila Evason-- was opening a hotel and it looked like it was on a better beach, but may not be as private, any thoughts would be helpful); Chiang Rai: the Dusit Island Resort (I noted that many of you recommend the Anantara -- which may be further out, how does it compare); and Hong Kong: the Peninsula. Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Good choices all around. I would personally choose the Peninsula in Bangkok over the Oriental, it is a somewhat hotly debated topic here. I think the rooms are better, have all the latest bells and whistles, and the river terrace area is nicer. You also get great views from the rooms on the upper floors. Their suites are really terrific. I am sure you would not be disappointed with the Oriental if you end up there.

At the Penn in Hong Kong it should go without saying but get a harbour view room. If you can afford it (and it is your honeymoon), get one of their 1-bedroom corner suites which have endless views and come with their own telescopes.

I love Six Senses and would be curious to hear about the one being built on Samui. I am also a big fan of the Meridien however. I don't know that there is a privacy issue with the beaches, you will find some hawkers, but Six Senses may be able to keep this to a minimum.

If money were really no object, I would skip Koh Samui and Chiang Rai and head to the Amankila in Bali with maybe a night or two at the Amandari in Ubud, or hop over to Lombok and "camp out" at the Amanwana. Take a look at http://www.amanresorts.com. Great weather in August in Bali, virtually no rain. Most other places you are going to are good weatherwise in August too, but beware of very hot and humid Hong Kong, where you will very likely have rain and possibly a typhoon or at least heavy rain associated with typhoons off the coast. Bangkok and Chiang Rai would be a bit on the rainy side as well.

There was very recently a post on which hotel to choose...the Oriental or the Penninsula. Well, I personally wouldn't pick the Oriental. I listed my reasons why on the above-mentioned post. I don't know how you can retrieve the old post. This website isn't structured very well. I'm personally a Four Seasons fan...Bangkok. There is a brand new hotel, in Bangkok, called the Metropolitan that's supposedly THE talk of Bangkok.The staff is even attired in Yoji Yamamoto uniforms.It's supposedly a jumping place and just opened a few months ago, I believe. Last night I called and made a reservation to stay there for 4 nights. The hotel has the largest rooms in Bangkok...over 50 square meters big...unbelievable... The website is metropolitan.como.bz Happy Travels!

Thanks for the info. I will definitely take a look at the Peninsula and the Metropolitan. On the rain scale, do you think Hong Kong is doable at the beginning of August? We could always visit at a better time or substitute Singapore (although frankly I'm more interested in seeing Hong Kong).

On skipping Koh Samui/Chiang Rai and heading for Bali, our original plans were to fly into Singapore or Bangkok and then go on to Bali, but our travel agent advised us against it (due to "uncertainty" and possible "turmoil"). Also, my fiance was concerned that Bali was very over developed (not Lombok (the Oberoi (sp?) looked interesting and Moyo Isand looked awesome). Maybe we should reconsider. Is Koh Sumai too over developed to be enjoyable in your opinion (we like quiet beaches with little development on them and are not into going out at night (at the beach). I also read your posts on Rawa Island and that sounded very nice too, but I was trying to avoid moving around so much since we only have two and half weeks. Sorry for the stream of consciousness, but your advice is very much appreciated.

Although I really enjoyed my stay at the Met and have not personally stayed at the Pen BKK but I doubt they are in the same league. I have stayed at the Pen HKG and the Met ain't that. met is more modern and very nice but not your if-money's-no-object level of hotel.

In Bangkok, I would always stay on the river. So while the Four Seasons is nice, it's not on the river. The Pen or the Oriental are your best options. I would always recommend the Anantara over the Dusit. I would also recommend that you choose just three places to vsit for a honeymoon. You'll enjoy your trip more if you aren't always packing up and moving. So In addition to Bangkok and the Golden Triangle, I'd suggest chooing a beach area in Thailand or Malaysia. You could do Bali, but it's a much longer flight.

I also agree that no more than 3 places would be best in a two and a half week period. Personally, when I'm in Bangkok,for a week's time, I like to stay at two different hotels in two different parts of town. This coming August trip I'll be in 3 different hotels...I like to try out new places along with hanging on to the old places. I don't mind changing hotels...I just throw the carry-on bag into the taxi and go to the next hotel. As for Singapore, I absolutely LOVE the place.Have been there several times.I'll also go back there on the August trip. If you go there, stay at the Ritz Carlton. Skip the Raffles. As for Bali, my best friend who goes there often, swears by the Kamandalu near Ubud. I stayed in Ubud,too. She said she's met guests at the Kamandalu who have been to Bali as many as a dozen times and have stayed all over Bali and prefer the Kamandalu...and even over the Amandari. I recommended it to some travel-store-owner friends of mine who were trying to pick a honeymoon place and they went and stayed there. They found the place listed in only one honeymoon travel book...which is now out of print...and they have an entire store of travel books. On Bali, you can get rooms with your own private plunge pools. If I were picking three places, I'd pick Bangkok, Singapore, and Bali. I've been to Kuala Lumpur and the outskirts and the Ritz Carlton was wonderful, and KL was very interesting, but for a honeymoon and a first time trip I'd pick the above three. I'd start in Singapore and get some rest,plus it's so easy to get around in Singapore...plus it's very western and easy to get used to...it being your first trip and all... then I'd go down to Bali, and then when over the jetlag and well rested and used to the heat... I would go to Bangkok...the high energy city. I'd do 5 days in Singapore, 6 on Bali, and the rest in Bangkok. Absolutely order Nancy Chandler's map of Bangkok....at NancyChandler.net. I hope this has been helpful. Feel free to keep the questions coming. Happy travels!

Thank you all so much for your good advice. However, with all these good ideas, I have become awfully confused. If you don't mind, I will continue to trouble you with additional questions. I gather from the last comments no one really thinks it's a great idea to go to Hong Kong on this trip. Is it because of the season or the length of time of the trip? We were really interested in seeing Thailand on this trip, along with Hong Kong. However, again based on your helpful comments, I am now toying with the following two itineraries sans Hong Kong (my travel agent is going to kill me). Please let me know what you think.

Itinerary one (not sure what order):

Chiang Rai (Anantara 3 -4 nights; not up to speed yet on the excursions that you recommend; we're not trekers so I was not sure how much there is to see, I apologize for the ignorance); Bangkok (Pen or the Oriental 6 - 7 nights( including taking the Manhora Song River Cruise at least overnight, heard it was great, if you've heard differently please let me know); and Koh Samui (Splitting between the Sila Evason (if it's open) and the Meridien, 5-6 nights) or instead of Koh Samui, another beach resort in Malaysia, what would you suggest (I have read the good things you have written on Rawa Island, but was not sure how complicated it was to get there and if due to travel time, we would then need to spend less days in Bangkok and Chiang Rai). I would appreciate hearing yours thoughts on the pros/cons of Ko Samui vs. the eastern beaches of Malaysia (and if you have other recommendations), especially for first timers like us (who are real beach lovers).

Itinerary two:

Singapore (Raffles/RC 3 nights)
Bali (the Ubud hotel recommended looks great, but I am also still leaning towards the Aman Ubud hotel and the Moyo Island resort, they just look like a once in a life time places (at a once in a life time expense) -- 7 - 8 nights)
Bangkok (Pen or Oriental 5-6 nights)

Considering both of these possible itineraries (and your experience in this region), which one strikes you as the one you would choose and why? We are interested in having both a culturally interesting and relaxing vacation. Again, I appreciate your help and I hope I am not being to much of a pain:-). I can't wait to hear from you.

I'd rent the most expensive biggest penthouse apartment available for rent at the moment then I'd have a lady hired for cooking and also hire a driver.

or maybe pick that room at the orient which goes for over a $1000 a night.

Actually I wouldnt choode the last option but it may be for you.

another good option is too buy the Thailand elite card. it is a lifetime membership cared that gives you access and discounts too the countries most prestigiouse places. it costs. #25.000 it may be a good buy especially if your planing on staying for over too weeks and living it large. with this card your guranteed upgrades in just about everything. there many web sites about the card.

sancho, the reason you're having such a hard time deciding is that they are ALL wonderful places! Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong although quite different from each other are all big cities and all will be hot as blazes in August. You can't go wrong with any one, but from my point of view I'd say Bangkok is the most exotic, Hong Kong the most historic, and Singapore the most organized. My favorite places to stay in each would be Bangkok / The Oriental, Hong Kong / The Intercontinental, Singapore / The Four Seasons. Personally, I'd go for Hong Kong because you could experience urban life (shopping etc) plus Chinese culture. The views from the Intercon are as spectacular as the Peninsula but it's not quite as pricey and it has a much better pool. You can also get a suite with a jacuzzi.

In Bali my favorite places to stay are the Legian on the beach and the Alila in the Ubud area. The reason I prefer the Legian over the deluxe resorts like the Four Seasons or Aman is that you can have the privacy of a villa plus the action of a great beach and choice of nearby trendy restaurants. It's a beautiful resort.

A suite at the Alila Ubud is, to me, one of the most wonderful rooms in the world. (I'm going next week!) When you step out on the wrap around balcony overlooking the river valley the word "over-developed" will not be in your vocabulary.

The Oberoi on Lombok is a lovely hotel but Lombok is a dud. And although the Amanwana IS a once in a lifetime experience, getting there is no mean feat.

The topic of security in Bali has come up again and again on this board. Suffice it to say that terrorism is a worldwide problem and there are no guarantees -- anywhere.

In conclusion: my choice of three stops would be Hong Kong, Northern Thailand and Bali.

As noted, there is a lot to think about, as all the places are interesting, and people have their own opinions as well. A few things to consider

1. If I have counted correctly, you have 16 nights. That is a good bit of time, esp. as I assume you are not including the travel days/nights. You could do 4 places depending upon the intra-Asia flight schedule and how much you want to see, versus sitting-by-the-pool time, both of which are important.

2. If you are a beach person, I am not sure why you are going inland to the Chiang Rai hill tribe areas, esp as you say you don't want to trek. Exploring jungle and river areas is the main activity there.

3. I would not rule out Hong Kong, I was just mentioning the weather so you would be prepared. Hong Kong is a good initial introduction to Asia as it is easy to get around and English is widely spoken, on street signs and on menus. It is also a good break on the journey, and a good transit point to other cites in Asia. One does not really go to Hong Kong for the weather, so it is not a much an issue as it would be in a resort area. Bangkok will be rainy as well.

4. Singapore is also a good place to start, esp if you want to go to Rawa or Bali. I have lived in both Singapore and Hong Kong and have to give the edge to Hong Kong for a tourist destination. (I give the edge to Singapore for actually living in.) Hong Kong is a bit more exciting and vibrant. I usually refer to Singapore as "Philadelphia with palm trees". Some great museums, great restaurants, a good orchestra, etc but quieter than say New York. If you are interested in colonial history, Singapore is probably the best place as it has made an effort to preserve a lot of its colonial architecture.

5. I love Rawa and August is a great month, but it is not anywhere near the class of the other hotels on your list. It is like a 3 star, it used to be literally huts on the beach with electricity and running water only during daylight hours, it has been upgraded a lot, but it ain't no Aman. If you are OK with that, I think you would like it; it certainly is the most beautiful beach I have seen in Asia and possibly anywhere (St John USVI has some fine ones too). It is not hard to get to if you are coming from Singapore. It is about 3 hours by car and then you take a boat for 40 minutes or so. I don't think I would go there if I wasn't planning on also spending a few days in Singapore itself.

6. It is an entirely personal thing, but I would choose Bali over Koh Samui by a huge margin. This however has nothing to do with beaches, which are not the purpose of Bali, and if you really want pure white sand and turquoise waters than you should go to Koh Samui, because you will not find that in Bali or Lombok. There are some pretty beaches and some black sand beaches, esp around the Amankila, but nothing compared to Samui, Phuket, Rawa etc. The beauty of Bali to me is the mountains, rice terraces, religion, culture, music, art, and people. It really is a magical place. Yes there are overbuilt parts (which you seem to be avoiding) and Ubud is not the charming little village it was 10 years ago. However, if you stay away from the developed areas you will get a chance to see unspoiled parts. Again, as this is your honeymoon and if you want beaches, Koh Samui may be a better choice. (However, if you really love beaches, consider the Maldives or Fiji/Tahiti. Sorry to throw out more suggestions.)

7. The Amanwana is a little bit of a pain to get to, but worth it. However, I think (and others will chime in if they disagree) that the beach doesn?t really compare to the areas around the Amankila. It might be a good mix to go to Ubud for 3 nights and then the Amankila for 4. I believe you could take a day boat trip to the Amanwana, or even an overnight trip on the Amankila's boat. If you are divers, the Amankila area is a great area for diving. (I would consider getting certified before your trip if you are at all interested in diving, as there are some excellent dive sights in Koh Samui and around Rawa.)

8. As others have said, I would not let security concerns about Bali or elsewhere put you off going there. Thailand has as serious or even more serious a problem, esp in southern parts. I live in Switzerland and even we have security concerns here from time to time, but nobody on the Europe board is letting it stop them. The only places I would not consider going in Asia are the southern islands in the Philippines.

9. If this were my trip, this is how I would allocate the time:

Hong Kong 4 nights
Bangkok - 5 nights, including Manhora Song
Bali - 7 nights (3 nights Ubud, 4 nights Amankila)
Fly to Hong Kong for your international flight

I would do 4 nights in Hong Kong because I am assuming you will arrive in the late morning or afternoon, and after checking in and recovering a bit from the flight, a good bit of your first day will be gone, so with 4 nights you get 3 full days in Hong Kong, which is good. I would take the earliest morning flight out possible to Bangkok.

I would work out the schedule to take a non-stop flight to Bali from Bangkok, as transiting through Singapore or Jakarta will add time. Again, I would try to take the earliest morning flight you can.

With this itinerary, you may have to spend a last night in Hong Kong, as it probably won't be possible to get a flight from Bali arriving in time to connect with an international flight, but do check. Putting Bali in the middle is possible, but for reasons I have never understood, there are very few non-stop flights between Hong Kong and Bali, and so getting to Bali from Hong Kong can take most of a day. If however, you can get a non-stop flight to Bali from Hong Kong, you could do Bali in the middle. That would give you some down time in the middle, and would also make it easier for your return, as you can get a US-bound flight from Bangkok.

oops sorry fo typo. the cost of the elite card is $25,000. US dollers.

Kathie,
I have a few questions regardin the Anantara in the Golden Triangle.
I just received a replay from Anantara, they quoted me $130 USD for one way airport transport in December. Do you think it is a typo?
Is the Deluxe Lagoon ($245/night, 50 square meters) worth the extra $45/night over the Deluxe Seaview ($200/night, 32 square meters)?
I will be there over the New Year, I saw on one of the website that they have a compulsary dinner that is over $100/person for New Year dinner. Do you know anything about that?
Thanks for all posting on this hotel, I loved it.

Pat

Oops! you have gotten the info on the Anantara at Hua Hin rather than the one at Golden Triangle.

Sorry, have to run, I'll post more later.

Thank you so much for all of the information that was posted. I really appreciate it. I am going to do more "homework" this weekend and make a decision. As one of you said, I know that I cannot go wrong going to any of these wonderful places. Again, I wanted to thank everyone for their help and insight. I will let you know what we decide (plus I will post our experiences when we get back). Thanks again!

Pat_Rick, Hi, I'm back with some info on the Anantara. The info you found was on the Anantara at Hua Hin. It is a lovely property, and I personally recommend the Deluxe Lagoon rooms (stunning!). However, you are thinking of going to the Anantara at the Golden Triangle. Re-check their website, as there are sections for both. It is typical that resorts require attendance at a dinner on Xmas or New Years.

I also don't understand the choice of Chiang Rai. But, whatever you choose, please let us know the final plans and wherever you end up, I'm sure you'll have an absolutely WONDERFUL honeymoon. It's not so much about where you stay, but the fact that the two of you will be together having this great experience. Happy travels!

Kathie, I saw the mistake, it was very strange. I click on the Anantara Golden Triangle on their web site, the e-mail went to [email protected], but the answer came from Hua Hin. Thanks for pointing that out. I sent them another message, we'll see what happens.

I would choose HKG over Singapore, personally.
And, yes, if you stay at the Pen in HK, do request a habor view room, and find time (if money is no object) to check out Felix. It's a pretty impressive restaurant.
Another good choice, as someone suggested, is the InterContinental.
Lasly, have a great trip. Let us all know.

Cicerone, Kathie, Anyone,

How would you compare the Chedi (Phuket), Royal Meridien Yacht Club (Phuket), Meridien Koh Samui, and the Pimilai (Koh Lanta)? We're going to Thailand and looking for a resort with lovely accomodations and surroundings, spa, good restaurants at the resort or nearby, on a beautiful private beach, in the price range of these hotels. Cicerone, you had previously recommended the Meridien on Samui, and I'm trying to
decide between that and others. Although the Meridien on Samui seems wonderful, the beach may not be as nice as others. We're going to be in Thailand 3 weeks (also BKK, CM, perhaps Anantara Golden Triangle or Mae Hong Son). Were considering splitting up beach time in the South -- perhaps Chedi or RMYC on Phuket for closer proximity to activity, and then Pimilai for serene beauty. Any way to travel from Phuket to Pimilai? Lots of decisions because, as all of you have said, they're all great places. I'm sure we can't gone wrong, but since it's such a long way for us to travel, and we may not get back there again, we'd like to make this trip a special "second honeymoon."

Here are my views:

Chedi Phuket - other than being on a lovely beach which it shares with the Aman, I am not crazy about this hotel. First I think the rooms are a bit small and surprising dark and have small balconies/terraces; second from what I have seen almost none of the rooms have a bathtub which to me is an important part of relaxing on a vacation, and third, there is a LOT of up and down hill via stairs to get around this resort. The Aman has a bit of the same, but is not quite as hilly so you don't feel it as much.

Meridien - I have not stayed here, but have been to the restaurants at various times. The sea views from the hotel are very good. It is quite large, the main hotel block is a high-rise of about 9 stories (albeit built into a side of a hill so it doesn?t look like a tower). Not necessarily bad, but perhaps not what you were expecting. It may be a little isolated in terms of things to do in the area and access to shopping and restaurants. I don't know how private the beach is at the Meridien, you may get hawkers (you would not at the Chedi). FYI, there are no private beaches in Thailand so hawkers are pretty prevalent. The beach which the Chedi and the Aman share is difficult for hawkers to access because there are rocky points at either end, and they are not allowed to go through the hotels' properties.

Pimilai - sorry I don't know it. I did look it up on the web, and it looks very nice. I would imagine the best way to get there from Phuket is by boat, but there may be a way to drive. However, the boat would certainly be the most interesting and you could make a day trip out of it by stopping at various islands along the way or going out to the Phi Phi area. You can hire a boat for the day with a captain and it should not be too expensive.

Meridien Koh Samui - as you know I like this hotel a lot and recommend it. I don't know why it has gotten a bad rap for its beach, which I think is lovely. The sea views from the rooms are great as they are built up the hill. I see from your other posts that you are going in February. I would choose Phuket over Samui in that month. You are more likely to get rain in Samui in February and the waters will be churned up by the monsoon so the diving and snorkelling will not be as good. Phuket is on the other side of the peninsula and is very dry in the winter months and the water clarity is very good. Others disagree and say that the Gulf of Thailand is fine during the monsoon, but that has not been my experience.

Depending on how much time you have, I would say a few nights at the Phuket Yacht Club, then boat over to the Pimilai for a few nights.

Geunmai:

I looked at Kalamandu on the web and read your post. I have a question- is there a bug problem in staying in one of these rooms. I keep thionking about that travel commercial where the woman picks out this exotic resort and reads the mosquito netting note then the scene changes to them waking up with a zillion bugs in the room. Really - what is the low down on this place in that regard. Also it indicates an outside shower for the room- what is that all about?

To Bill T- As for bugs, my best friend, who stays there regularly and two other friends, didn't say anything about a bug problem...now you will most likely have to deal with geckos/lizards. My best friend had a gecko living in her room the whole week she was there. Two other friends had the same situation... one with quite a big live-in gecko...but this situation is VERY common in Southeast Asia. Personally, I have a reptile phobia, so I have to select hotels built in a more western style which usually prevents them from coming in. The thought of sleeping with another reptile makes the hair stand up on my arm and I've slept with many! But, most of my friends are ok with the gecko/lizard thing...they freak out over spiders and bugs which don't bother me much... but as I said...they reported NOTHING on bugs. As for showers, yes, my best friend said she had a WONDERFUL outdoor shower which is common in the Southeast Asia part of the world.There's even a hotel, in the middle of Singapore, that has an outdoor shower...which wouldn't be very private for Singapore since there are tall apartment buildings nearby...but at the Kalamandu...it was private. My friends had NO complaints about the outdoor shower. Happy travels!

Cicerone, Thank you so much for your thorough reply. Very helpful. The Meridien on Samui did look so special--too bad Feb isn't a good time of year there, and I would rather not take a chance with the weather at a beach resort! But your idea of MYC on Phuket & then the Pimalai sounds like it might be good. Can anyone who has stayed at the Royal Meridien Yacht Club recently tell me a little more about the rooms. As Cicerone points out it is a hotel block. Does it feel like a hotel block with windowless hallways or does it have an open feeling? How are the rooms? Thai feel with teak floors (which is what looked so appealing at the Meridien on Samui) or more western? The balconies looked spacious. Is that just the magic of the camera on the web? Are bathrooms closed in or open with a view to the sea? Any details would be helpful. Don't mean to sound so picky, but it's these kind of details & the feel of a place that make it special....

I may be in a minority but IMHO if money were no object in Bali I would ALWAYS choose Begawan Giri for a honeymoon esp. www.begawan.com. I absoliutely fell in love with the place...in Phuket the Meridien is very classy but I would not say it has much "local" flavour. Langkawi, Malaysia resorts are fab - check out the datai and Tanjhung Rhu. in Bkk the Pen over the Oriental - there are pages on this on this forum so do a serach. Hk The Pen.

It was many years ago that I stayed at the Phuket Yacht Club (back before it was a Le Meridian). Still, I expect the basic structure has not changed. It is not a "block" but a series of rooms terraced into the hillside. It gives the rooms a more private feel. Each room has a large patio/balcony overlooking the cove with space for lounging and space for eating.

Kathie, Thanks for the info on the Yacht Club. In another post I think you mentioned that you did not like Phuket. What didn't you like about it compared to other islands? We were concerned that it may be too commercial, but thought we could get away from that by staying at the Meridien Yacht Club at Nai Horn beach. We are looking at other islands, but have been advised that February is not a good time to go to Koh Samui because it may be rainy & the water may not be clear then at the end of the monsoon season. The resorts in Hua Hin sound great, but not the beach & we want tropical beauty. We are spending our entire three weeks in Thailand...for a variety of reasons, other places such as Bali are out for this trip.

You are correct. What I didn't like about Phuket is how commemrcial and developed it is. The Yacht Club is away from all that which I though was a real advantage. You are going at the right time of the year for good weather in Phuket. You're a long way from town at the Yacht Club, but I didn't like the Phuket Town anyway. If you stay at the yacht Club, expect you'll spend all (or almost all) of your time at the resort.

You're right, the resorts at Hua Hin are lovely, but the beaches are just ok.