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.