SLH gives me a rate of $240 which does not include breakfast but would give me an upgrade if available. If I book direct with the hotel I get a rate of $255 including breakfast for two. Is breakfast a fortune there? If it's $25 each I'll go with the $255 rate. I'll be there the end of Feb, 2008 -- what kind of chance do you think I'll have at getting an upgrade? Do better rates show up later?

Sorry-- this is the anantara golden triangle

Breakfast is expensive there, so I think the rate with breakfast is better.

Sorry, no idea if the rates will be better later. I'd go ahead and book. You can always rebook if you find better rates.

This is a tough one. Agree with Kathie that breakfast is probably a fortune. However the suites are much nicer than the regular rooms, so it might be worth the risk to try for an upgrade.

Why don't you email the hotel to find out how much breakfast is.

We paid $480 for a suite during Xmas week, including breakfast for four. I believe that a regular room was $325 during the holiday period.

Breakfast is $16.00 per person according to the reservations page on www.anantara.com. $255.00 for deluxe room with breakfast seems to be the normal rate for all but low season...we have booked a suite for 5 nights in August for $1595.00...rate includes 3 day mahout training for 2 people (as an add on it's $250.00 per person), daily breakfast, afternoon cocktail hour, roundtrip airport transfer, 6 pieces of laundry foc per day, afternoon tea with local favorites and some other small benefits.

The Anantara's reservations staff told me that if I booked a deluxe room (with them or with SLH) and were upgraded, the upgrade was on a room only basis without the additional benefits you get when you pay for a suite and was not guaranteed but on a space available basis. For us, the upgrade cost us $460.00, which we figured would almost pay for itself with transfer ($100), laundry and a couple of drinks per evening along with hors d'oerves and the afternoon tea, and maybe end up costing an additonal $30 - $50 per night in the end.

Kim, Sounds like an amazing deal compared to prices when we were there. (One of the many disadvantages to traveling Xmas week. Makes me want to go back this summer.)

Love the laundry benefit - you'll need it!

And who/what are the local "favorites" with afternoon tea?

Yes, I thought the deal was very good. Even though it's just the two of us, we also thought a suite would be nicer based on reports of the rooms being fine but suites being great. The extra benefits are very nice. I'm happy about not directly paying the huge price for airport transfers...I know, we still pay, but at least it's not itemized for me to see the too high price...and now I don't have to look hard for an alternative.

You will be very happy with the Anantara transportation - cold towels, music, etc. We checked into booking our own, but wanted to make sure we could trust someone to watch our luggage while we went to the CR night market.

Also with tea and cocktails, you might not need dinner! The snacks at happy hour were quite tasty and plentiful.

Crosscheck, your kids were OK to go to happy hour right? Or is it adults only?

We're driving there so don't need the transfer. If we did I'd definitely book a suite. But some of the other things make me think I should at least consider it-- will check out the rate.

Looks like a suite is $405, Could you tell me more about the suite itself? Is it a separate living room? What makes it so special?

A deluxe room is 32 square meters. A suite is 64 square meters, actually 2 rooms. The living room area has sofa etc in one half. The bedroom is the other half. The two rooms are divided by the TV etc, and the console turns so you can face it to either room. At one time, using google I found a great site that had a lot of pictures from the Anantara, including the suite and how it was divided. Of course, now I can't find the site. Besides the space, it's my understanding that the decor is a bit nicer, and the benefits, for us, are good.

Found the pictures. http://www.dragontravel.co.uk/thaihotels.html#gold click on the Anantara Golden Triangle's picture link and a new window will open with a slide show. The suite is shown in number 8 I think.

You should also check www.thaihotelslinks.com because it looks like they have slightly better rates. I used them for the Anantara for our February visit with no problems.

As Kim said, the suite is twice as large. Does not feel like two rooms - but there are two living spaces, with the swiveling t.v. console in between.

Our boys stayed in the living area, one on a large daybed and one on a rollaway. Still felt spacious.

Furnishings are quintessential Thai design with Jim Thompson-type fabrics - understated zen elegance. Wish I could have brought home some of the silk throw pillows.

After being in the suite for several days, I visited another guest in a standard room and it seemed much more ordinary.

If you can, get a room on an upper floor in the same building as the spa. This is the best location for proximity to the lobby and pool, with the sunniest rooms and the best views.
I posted our room number in my trip report.

Happy hour is absolutely open to kids. Mine played chess and backgammon in the bar almost every night.

I'm leaning towards the suite.