Travel Guide Thailand.com

The search for spectacular paradise starts with the supremely striking elegant five-star Chedi (www.ghmhotels.com) located on the banks of idyllic Mae Ping River in central Chiang Mai. The muted and elegant entrance to the hotel works to pique your interest but it’s the interior’s perfect mix of luxury and contemporary design that differentiates The Chedi from other typical hotel. As a member of the GHM group, you are guaranteed impeccable services that will captivate guests with fine taste and penchant for life in understated luxury.

As we leave the past and ushering in 21st century lifestyle is the cleanly crisp D2 Boutique Hotel (www.d2hotels.com), an affiliate of the five-star Dusit Thani Hotel group and one of the newest small luxury hotels to be added to Conde Nast Traveler’s (US edition) 2006 Hot List. Contemporary patterns complement the minimalist simplicity of the D2 thereby bringing every space to life. The visually beautiful interior rivals even the trendiest hotels of New York but with the added advantage of unmistakable Thai touch and hospitality.

Together with the recent growth and prosperous economy of Chiang Mai, many new fantastic resorts are opening up to woo tourists with flush pockets. Among them is Tea Vana (www.tea-vana.com) that opens its doors just recently and is beautifully designed blending the essence of traditional northern style to Chinese contemporary. With 30 well-appointed rooms and suites the style of Tea Vana, consists of four room types: Fruit Tea, Tea Flower and High Tea rooms ranging between 26 to 32 square meters, and a lavish 105 square meter White Tea Suite.

Located at the heart of city and on the hippest road of Chiang Mai, At-Niman Conceptual Home (www.aaitaam.com) is perfect for active individuals who like to observe the crowd and chaos of urbanites. Simplicity and minimalism of this hotel are meant to create a sense of emptiness that’s absolutely contradicted to flashy and perplex images of the city’s hubbub.

But modernity and futuristic design aren’t the concept of Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel (www.puripunn.com). At Puripunn, tradition and heritage must be preserved to extol impeccable craftsmanship and industriousness of past architects. At this 3D-room complex, antiques and darkwood furniture are the highlights, which are perfectly synchronized with its historic neighborhood’s trademark of antique wooden houses.

Mixing antiques from different regions of Asia to create stylish hotel is perhaps the best trait of Rachamankha (www.rachamankha.com). Staying at this unique hideaway is an unforgettable experience. The combination of Lanna interior design with a tint of Chinese art, and the templestyled architecture has created a haven of peace - the kind that touches your heart and enlightens your spirit.                              

This is an ideal hotel for people in need of rest and relaxation. BannTazala Chiang Mai Boutique Hotel (www.banntazala.com) is another newest luxurious and friendliest hotel in Chiang MaL This exclusive residence draws its inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of the ancient Lanna Kingdom as well as other traditional Asian influences. Offering some of the most spacious and exclusive accommodation available in the north of Thailand.

For a more rustic style that truly reflects the art of Lanna culture, visitors will be spellbound by the charm of a small boutique hotel situated right at the heart of the town, Tamarind Village Resort (www.tamarindvillage.com). Simply relax on a bench that sat next to the peaceful, open courtyard, it’s more than enough to recharge your weary soul and body.

To escape the hustle bustle of Chiang Mai and enjoy a scent of lush green forest instead of a black toxic smoke, one need to travel further to Mae Rim.At the altitude of 1,150 meters above sea level, one can choose to stay in one of the nine villas offered at Proud Phu Fah (www.proudphufah.com). Inspired by the magnificence of nature, designer of this resort embellished all spaces with handwriting graphic applied on washbasin and delicate ceramic objects that all together portray the splendors of our mother nature’s gifts. Guests will definitely be mesmerized by fantastic displays of colorful fauna and flora that awaits only one step from the villa’s spacious terrace.

Bangkok, Thailand’s city of angels and, to our pleasure, the center metropolitan calm and decadence. If you question how we can say that Bangkok is peaceful, then you haven’t lived on the banks of the Chao Phraya River or River of Kings. Hidden at the end of Soi Pratoo Nokyoong (Peacock Door Street) just behind the famous “Wat Pho” is a tiny hotel called Arun Residence (www.arunresidence.com) Opened at the end of December last year, Arun Residence is a small threestory hotel with five cozy rooms on the riverfront of the Chao Phraya River. It is an ideal choice for guests who prefer a quiet environment in close proximity the hectic Bangkok.

Their simple warm orange and green color theme-which continues throughout the building - reflects past SinoPortuguese influence over the area, while each of their room, named after Thai flowers, is well equipped with modern amenities. The suite’s highlight is the open area on the rooftop where you can enjoy the magnificent panoramic view of Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).

Want to live retro? Open yourself up to PhranakornNornlen (www.phranakorn-nornlen.com), a small no fuss artsy boutique hotel in the heartof Bangkok’s old city. The Phranakorn area is home to the key tourist spots such as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho, and the famously fun Khao San Road. PhranakornNornlen employs eclectic mix of goodies beginning with handmade mailbox, antique door knob, swing-in wooden doors, light switches, and glass windows that create the hotel’s unique old school aura.

If you consider yourself to be an artist or someone who prefers to take the left fork, the pinkexterior Reflections Hotel (www.reflections-Thai.com) is the one for you. The free spirit of the 60’s is alive and well in the hotel, especially in the rooms where none are one and the same. Each room was designed by different people and therefore ‘reflects’ their particular personalities. With frivolous names to boot, where else can you tell people that you stayed ‘In the Name of Rose’ room with two shower heads, the Pavel with its contemporary and muted colors, or pink gone wild ‘Princess Kitsch’ filled with heart shape pillows. We can go on and on about this normal be damned hotel and visitors to Reflections will surely have the same problem when they go home.

In the new city or more precisely the business and entertainment district of Silom you can find several juicy hotels that cater to a wide array of visitors including the ‘in’ crowd. First off is the ‘is it a hotel or an architectural firm?’ conundrum. That’s the question we asked when we first encountered Luxx Hotel (www.staywithluxx.com). one of the smallest luxury hotel in Bangkok in the edges of Silom District. Previously a personal home, it has since been refurbished into a destination for the young and always contemporary traveler. It is amazing to study how the designer’s creative use of space and color resulted in a very fresh look that contrasts immensely with its surrounds and immediately catches your eye.

Bigger in the size scale and just a short distance from Luxx is the Triple Two Silom (www.tripletwosilom.com). For guests who want to stay close to the actions in Silom, there’s another enticing choice of hotel where you can enjoy the festive night scenes as well as comfortable living space. Without stressful formality of a five-star hotel, 222 Hotel provides amicable atmosphere where guests can feel like they’re staying at their friend’s home. Simple and fashionable interior design allows guests to feel at ease and relax after long hours of meeting and being stuck in horrid traffic. Silom just won’t be fun if we didn’t have a five-star ultra exclusive hotel around the corner. Never to disappoint, nearby on Sathon Road is the renowned Metropolitan Hotel (www.metropolitan.como.bz/bangkok) part
of the Como Hotels and Resort Group. If you’ve visited any other exclusive Como hotels in the region then you already know the high standards of service and accommodations to expect from their 5-star retreats. This all in-one hotel provides a world class spa and cuisine enveloped in an east meets west razor sharp eye for modernity. Their suites are intricately designed and tastefully decorated. Most importantly, talk to any trendy Bangkokian and they’ll say that although they haven’t stayed at the Metropolitan, they are sure to have partied in the Met Bar, one of the classiest clubs in the city and ‘THE’ place to be on Friday night.

Overcrowding of the city can stifle many visitors, but at Siam@Siam Design Hotel and Spa, guests will have plenty of space to move around and shops to splurge their money. Featuring innovative design, this hotel sets itself apart with myriad of decorative ideas in all 203 rooms. Located at the heart of young fashion area, Siam Square, each room at this hotel flaunts a unique style that artistically mixes and matches the colors and materials to create avantgarde looks-just the same way that Siam Square has been dictating teen’s fashion for more than a decade. Fancy a fantasy? The recently opened Dream Hotel Bangkok (www.dreambkk.com), on Sukhumwit road or the Beverly Hills of Bangkok, is a journey into the surreal. A sister to the Dream New York, Dream Bangkok is a very edgy concept hotel that puts the funk funkylicious. Indigo corridors, 300thread count Egyptian cotton linen and ethereal ‘in your dream’ design ensure you are elegant and trendy even while you sleep. Of course night owls will find a cool companion or at least a cold Veuve in the Flava Lounge and its accompanying glass mosaicstupa.With a com be like that life is like a dream.

If art is your passion, another hotel in Sukhumwit area will likely to be your next haven. Featuring contemporary art gallery and splendid design, Bangkok Boutique Hotel (www.bangkokboutiquehotel.com) lives up to its reputation as the first boutique hotel in town. Modern and artistic, the hotel isn’t only special in its architectural ingenuity but also its effort to install the highest quality amenities in all 51 rooms from wireless internet service to LCD television. Here, guests can hold a conference with colleagues who live thousands of miles away and make multi-billion baht decision in their pajamas while relaxing on a comfortable bed. Five-star hotels can sometimes be too rigid-with rules and restricted dresscode for some tourists. That’s why a lot of travelers are now turning to serviced
apartments for more relaxing atmosphere. PSB1 Apartment (Soi Wat Rakang, Arunarmarin Road, Siriraj; Open Mon-Sat 08:30-18:00; Tel. +66 (0) 2412 9318, +66 (0) 2412 7823) is a good example. Tenants can enjoy the view of Chao Phraya River and Wat Arun from the window while sipping a cup of coffee without having to call for expensive room service. Close to public transportation and free from arduous registration process, this serviced apartment will make one feels right at home. Often designed to provide maximum comfort rather than flamboyant interior design, service apartment like P202 Boutique Apartment (Located at
Sukhumvit 31 (Sawasdee); E-mail: Velvadi@putahracsa. com; Tel. +66 (08) 1826 2112, +66 (0) 2662 3116) is fully equipped with basic amenities like Internet service, air conditioning, microwave, daily room and parking space. Visitors who plan to stay in the country for quite a while can pick and choose service apartments that are convenient and have good access to public transportation like the Sky Train.

The Met (www.met-bangkok.com). Fraser Place (www.frasershospitality.com) , and The Alcove (www.nexus.co.th) are situated at the prime locations in Bangkok.Clean, safe and fussfree, serviced apartments are perhaps not glamorous and luxurious as same as big hotels, but they are alternatives for those who don’t want to complicate their livesanymore than they have to. As the old saying goes, if you haven’t been to Bangkok then you haven’t been to Thailand is definitely true. But let us add by saying that if you haven’t visited the beach hamlet of Hua Hin, then you haven’t seen how Bangkok society rest. About 2.5 hour car ride outside of Bangkok, Hua Hin is considered to be the Hamptons for Bangkok’s elite. It is a place for summer homes, condos, homey but delightful seafood and
European cuisine and the all important golf! Different from Thailand’s other beach destinations, you won’t find loud bars or ubiquitous tourist traps here because Hua Hin is also the location of His Royal Majesty King Bhumibhol’s seaside residence. Sure there are large resort chains to serve tour groups and conferences, but recently Hua Hin is gradually being transformed into new popular spot for trendy world travelers. Boutique concept resorts are becoming more bountiful and in the residential center of Hua Hin is the gleaming brand new Putahracsa Hua Hin (www.putahracsa.com). Putahracsa’s light color decor coupled with muted contemporary design convey a restful and residential experience. Each of their minimalist style villa and suites are peaceful to the eyes and conceptually designed to blend rather than compete with Hua Hin’s sea, sky, sand and windy charms. If spoiled is what you want, then we recommend a rest in one of their exclusive Ocean bed villas with either plunge pool, outdoor Jacuzzi or beachfront pool.

Another brand new small luxury hotel is the delightful Let’s Sea AI Fresco Hua Hin Resort (www.letussea.com). Although the name sounds like an Italian dish, there is absolutely nothing frivolous about this stunning boutique gem. The owner’s vision started with their semi open-air Let’s Sea Beachside Restaurant that is extremely popular for sunset drinks and dinner. Now, a visit to Let’s Sea can include dinner on your own private pier with access to the canal-like swimming pool, or a romantic dinner under the stars in the privacy of your suite’s moon deck. Whether you swing by for dinner or a stay, you definitely will be doing it all in style.Four kilometers from Hua Hin town is the unassumingly fresh The Rock Hua Hin (www.therockhuahin.com). This modern luxury resort provides guest with a choice of suites and Beach Front Villas along with the fresh water pond and infinity swimming pool. What are most enticing is its special treats for golf lovers who are either dating or married to non-golf lovers. The resort’s golf packages offers patrons of the sport a chance to play in one of Thailand’s picturesque golf courses, while the resort’s inhouse amenities do wonder to lessen unwanted resentments from your significant other. Last but never least in our list of trendy Hua Hin resorts is The Veranda Resort and Spa (www.verandaresortandspa.com). This beautiful resort is popular among honeymooners and those looking for a peace and relaxation away from the common crowd. Together with its idyllic location, the resort doubles its charm with lush gardens and fine in-room, or in-loft, chic complete with glass walls, private pool and outdoor bath. Honeymooners would love the beachfront pool villas with all the amenities of a luxury suite and unrivalled view of Hua Hin’s famous sunrise.

If luxury and beach chic is what you want then the Aleenta Resort (www.aleenta.com), a member of the Chic Retreats and Small Luxury Hotel of the World, is the one for you. Located in the amazing and pristine Phang-nga off the northern tip of Phuket, Aleenta is an extremely romantic and trendy base to enjoy the area’s scenic treasures especially those in the Phang-nga Bay National Park. Of course for many, a stay at the Aleenta’s contemporary and private is already a vacation in itself. Every detail of the hotel is impeccable and every service immaculate. Usually we would recommend one or two types of rooms, but at Aleenta every type of accommodation comes with its own allure. Effortless, contemporary, yet soothingly elegant is genuinely the Aleenta way.

Traffic jam and pollution are probably the reasons why many tourists shun Bangkok and chose to spend their vacation somewhere else. One of the most popular destinations is probably provinces in the south that sit on the beach. Images of turquoise sea and frantic parties on the beach of the renowned island, Ko Samui have put this island on the list of a must-visit place on the planet. But there’s also another side of Koh Samui too-romantic, peaceful, and introvert. At Villa Nalinnadda (www.nalinnadda.com), guests will never want to leave the rooms since all of the 9 rooms are designed to foster tranquility and contact with natural surrounding. Glass doors, furnished terrace area, and plain white room with minimum decoration optimize the light and spatial freedom for guests to enjoy extraordinary sights of nature’s flawless art works. The stylish Twinpalms (www.twinpalms-phuket.com) in Surin Beach of Phuket is another fine choice for trendsetters like you. Only a short walk away from the peaceful and pristine Surin beach, the Twinpalms subdued modern decor and tropical water garden are amazingly relaxing to the sight and senses. Each room is brilliantly designed to pleasure lovers of contemporary life and privacy. Besides the exquisite cuisine and extremely popular brunch, lucky guests to the Twinpalms lagoon suites have unobstructed access to the enormous pool that is just outside your balcony.

A little further down the southern part of Thailand is Ko Lanta (Lanta Island). May be 2-hours car ride from the beautiful mainland Krabi, but society-wise it’s up there with the urban trend-setting pack. On most islands, you can only hope to find comfortable and clean lodgings but on Lanta Yai Island is the chic Costa Lanta (www.costalanta.com) a hotel nestled in a preserved site of tropical trees with a breathtaking beach front. The property is an artful blend of modern architecture that blends harmoniously with the luscious landscape. The rooms are open with glass walls that allow the outside environment to accentuate the beauty within. The island has grown in popularity given its location away from tourist crowds, and therefore suitable for those wanting to retreat from the world without having to leave the comforts of home behind.

A little further down the southern part of Thailand is Ko Lanta (Lanta Island). May be 2-hours car ride from the beautiful mainland Krabi, but society-wise it’s up there with the urban trend-setting pack. On most islands, you can only hope to find comfortable and clean lodgings but on Lanta Yai Island is the chic Costa Lanta  (www.costalanta.com) a hotel nestled in a preserved site of tropical trees with a breathtaking beach front. The property is an artful blend of modern architecture that blends harmoniously with the luscious landscape. The rooms are open with glass walls that allow the outside environment to accentuate the beauty within. The island has grown in popularity given its location away from tourist crowds, and therefore suitable for those wanting to retreat from the world without having to leave the comforts of home behind.