just back from thailand - thanks to all who helped!
 

we just returned form a 2 week trip to thailand with our 2 teens. so many of you helped plan our trip I wanted to say thanks! here are some of my thoughts re places we stayed and things we did.

1. chedi hotel, phuket
this was a fabulous place to come and stay. the beach is gorgeous, and is shared only with one other resort at the far end. essentially most of the beach is for chedi guests(though public, no one else comes) there is a small local place to eat at one end of the beach, great for a lunch, and they happily send mangos, pineapples etc to your beach chairs. for dinner, nearbye surin beach (the chedi is on pansea beach) has plenty of beachfront dining choices. do not go to surin beach during the day- crowded and unpleasant.

the breakfast at the chedi was the best we has in the country

any complaints we read about the chedi depended on where your room was. the less expensive hill rooms are very far from the beach and up loads of stairs. it is worth the extra money to get a beach view room. far more convenient and breathtaking views.

2. chiang mai
we stayed at yaang come village. great choice for a family. lovely room that could hold 4 guests, good quiet location, nice gardens.

3. sgt Kai
we had one of his people "Mr. James" for the trip to doi inthanon. the walk through the park, over rickety bridges and by waterfalls was amazing

sgt kai himself picked us up at elephant training camp (see below) and we went to doi suthep. then it was off on a 2 day journey ending up in chiang rai. we overnighted in doi mae salong, ( a lovely chinese village way in the mointains) and we arrived there for the 1st day of the tea festival. what a treat! we did the usual long boat and elephant ride and hill tribe visits, and loved every minute.

sargeant kai did everything possible to help us enjoy our experience. we had large and comfortable car, great food etc. His English is excellent, he was very knowledgeable, and we would recommend him highly. we felt the cost very reasonable indeed for all we got

4. Thai elephant training camp in Lampang. this was special. we did the 2 day mahout camp (for us this was enough. the accommodation was very basic, and i think that the 3 day would have been repetitive. the 2 day gave us a real taste for the animals- they are obviously well treated here. the best part was the morning of the second day- you wake up very early, and take a long walk in the forest to get your elephant. you feed him snacks and then ride him back to camp as the mist lifts up from the forest. Fabulous.

5. Tongs team.
Tong was busy, so for one of our Bangkok days we used Nui. we had an incredible day, combining two 1/2 day trips- the floating market and the fishing village. it was smart to do it this way- only needed a car and driver for one day, and only needed to take the drive in and out of the city once. this is a must-do day and I think one of our highlights. Nui is an excellent guide, superb english.

we took another 1/2 day tour of bangkok's highlights, and this day was do-so. our guide was tao, but though she tried her best her english was poor. it was new years day, and it was unbearingly crowded at the grand palace and reclining buddha. it was swarms of people pushing- could hardly see a thing- we actually left this tour early. Tao says she has never seen it like that- feels that with the economy, many thais did not go away over new years, but stayed to do local things. who knows.

6. marriott resort and spa great retreat especially with kids. Luckily they did not have a compulsary new years dinner. It was quite the extravaganza at 10,000 baht PER PERSON- well beyond our budget (they offered us 25% reduction in cost -still making it a $1000 evening for the family- didn't happen!)

7. novotel at the airport
we stayed hee our 1st and last nights in thailand, and for sure this was the right choice. our 1st day we had a late afternoon arrival and very early am flight to phuket- we were exhausted, and just collapsed by the lovely pool, not having to face the drive in and out of town, where all we would have had time for was a short rest and dinner before bed. the buffet at the restaurant was excellent, but I would say the thai restaurant was expensive and mediocre. the hotel is fairly glamorous and relaxing, surprising for an airport hotel. the shuttle was quite convenient, but give yourself a bit of time getting to the airport at busy times, as the shuttles can bunch up and you may have a delay

Glad you had a great time. Happy Travels!

Another Thailand convert. Glad Sgt. Kai and Nui worked out well. The fishing village really is a wonderful spot. Prompt report, no penalty whatsoever.

Sounds like you had a really great time!

glad it all worked out for you and that the marriott was to your liking...families just love it....so do seniors and everyone in between...

Great description and sounds like a great trip.

Since I will be traveling in June with my wife and two kids (aged 14 and 10), and since you went with two teenagers, wanted to ask you about room accomodations.

Will the Bangkok Marriott Resort let us have both kids in our room? Did you share a room, or book two rooms. If I book through a 3rd party website it appears that I can do it, but if I attempt to book through Marriotts website I can't.

I'm interested if I'll be able to do this in Phuket also, but you weren't there.

Thanks much.

we tried-oh we tried- but even though the rooms have 2 queen beds they only allow 3 people per room at the marriott resort and spa. we had to have 2 rooms. oh well. (only place we were able to get 4 pple in a room was the family room at yaang come village.) It sure does add to the cost of the trip. sigh...

Interested in your comments on the Bangkok airport Novotel where we're planning to stay for the reasons you did (afternoon arrival and morning departure). You mention that "the buffet at the restaurant was excellent, but I would say the thai restaurant was expensive and mediocre." Is "The Square" the former and "Sala Thai" the latter? And is it the breakfast buffet you're referring to?

Too bad you couldn't all share a room. I can book through the American Express website, and it will let me book all 4 of us in a room at the Bangkok Marriott resort, wonder what will happen when we get there though.

1. re the novotel, I cannot recall the name of the various restaurants, but no matter. they are all side by side in the lobby, and you don't have to reserve. the buffet is the middle of the 3 restaurants, and I am talking about the dinner buffet (we ate breakfast at the airport, as we were in need of a quick meal before the early am flight) easy and cheap that way. we stayed at the novotel the 1st and last nights of our trip, that is how we ended up eating 2 dinners there.

2.re the marriott and 4 people per room- good luck to you! we called the booking service (I think we used asia rooms but it might have been agoda) directly to see if we could put 4 in a room, as the site did seem to let us, and they said no. also, we called the marriott from canada before we left, and they said no. when we arrived we asked again, and they said 3 pple max in a room (they do take everyones passport on check in and I would not be comfortable to sneak in a fourth.) It is silly, as there is room for 4 (we have "adults" as our kids are 15 and 17- maybe if your kids are younger they will allow it)

but you know, if you can book it, I say go for it! worse comes to worse they make you take another room on arrival, and if they don't you save yourselves a bundle!

i have found that on many websites it "lets" you book for three or four, but then in fine print at the bottom of last page it says "this booking is for double accomodation. any number over that is to be discussed directly with the hotel and may incur additional expenses" (even after seemingly charging more for a triple/quad room.)

just be careful.

They do allow 4 in a room if the children are small, as they let us reserve a room for Feb. KimJapan recently posted on another thread a great price she had gotten direct from the Marriott for a one bed apt to sleep 4 - if you look for a thread that has peninsula in the title, that I started it is on there.

here is the thread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35171983

i asked the front desk manager a year or so ago about family rooms at the marriott...only in a suite will they allow more than 3....period, no discussion...things may have changed....i would e mail the hotel...

the courtyard hotel in town may have double doubles...

btw, i have never seen queen, queen at the marriott...

Thanks, sounds like it's clear that at the Bangkok Marriott it won't fly to have 2 adults and 2 kids in a room. The rooms are so cheap at the moment ($96/night before tax), that I think I'll just go ahead and book two adjoining rooms (anyone know if there are connecting rooms)?

I'm hoping that the situation is slightly better at JW Marriott Phuket, and that they'll let me have the two kids in the room. I've booked through American Express. I called them, they looked and said I could do it. They said that if the hotel gives me a problem upon arrival, that I should call them, and that ultimately they'll be responsible if there is a problem.

We'll see :) I went ahead and did it.

As was said, worse comes to worse, I'll just have to get another room on the spot.

see if you could book one of the timeshare units at phuket....have to contact marriott times share for this...

rooms would not hold 4 at jw...

oops- you are correct- there were 2 double beds, not queens, at the marriott resort and spa

Bella- I wanted to reply regarding the Marriott One Bedroom Suite. I will try to post on your other thread as well.

We stayed in the 1BR suite at the Marriott last July. I had booked a Jr. Suite for our family of 4- kids ages 11 and 8. I booked through a travel agent, Bunnie, for about $225/night including tax. When we arrived at the Marriott we were offered an upgrade to the suite for 3000B/night but with a 1000B credit for food each day. Since we had stayed in the suite before, we accepted the offer.

We have never stayed at the Pen, but really love the Marriott because of the low floors and the suite has a wrap around porch/balcony that the kids like to go out on. Also the suite has 1 and 1/2 bathrooms which is nice, and the kids' 2 rollaway beds fit into the bedroom easily.