Hotel

Centara comes to Trat

When most people think of Trat they think of Koh Chang, but Trat has so much more to offer than just Thailand’s second largest island. For a start there are 51 other islands many of which are at least comparable in paradisiacal qualities as Koh Chang and then there are Trat’s beautiful mountain ranges and huge green tropical expanses that blanket the province almost everywhere you look.
Trat is also gifted with hundreds of kilometres of coast line, one hundred or so kilometres of it straddled by a magnificent mountain range that meanders down to Thailand’s mostly easterly point where Siam meets Kampuchea. This stretch of almost undiscovered beaches are some of Trat’s finest and although over the last few years some developers have started to recognise the potential of such incredible landscapes the road to Had Lek is still mostly awash with green and the beaches are sweeping expanses of undeveloped fine powdery white sand. The problem used to be though that beaches like Ratchakarun, Ban Chuen and Mai Root only got local weekend visitors like us, the reason being that accommodation was scarce and often substandard and also travellers didn’t have a point of arrival.
Just recently though decent hotels have started to pop up and none more so than Centara Chaan Talay Resort and Villas, a luxurious resort brought to you by the Central group.
Centara Chaan Talay is situated on Tub Tim Beach an example of the incredible beaches that this corner of Trat has kept secret so long. The resort is truly fabulous but manages to do so with minimum intrusion on the green surrounds or coast line, masterfully using this enviable location to enchant guests with 1st class facilities like a large beachside infinity pool, complimentary non-motorised water sports, idyllic spa, library, and range of captivating suites and villas. Each room occupies a spacious 62 square metres which includes terrace, bedroom, separate lounge and bathroom, 2 double beds or over sized king, flat screen TV with in-house movies, satellite TV, a DVD player, and all the other luxuries one might need. The Spa Villas also boast a Jacuzzi on the sun terrace and if you take the beachside then you can wallow in bubbles while staring out passed the white sands and across to Koh Chang. The interiors are very much designed with earth style in mind with raw polished concrete floors, earthy paint and fabric tones, finished off with wooden fittings and lots of windows for natural light. The swimming pool is magnificent and having visited this coastline so many times it felt rather strange to be on Trat’s mainland and feel so indulged, normally instead of infinity pool while being served cocktails and bar snacks, it’s fried rice and Chang beer from a grotty shack followed by a 10 Baht salt water shower in a pitch dark even more grotty shack. Sunset as Centara is great from poolside or the nearby beach bar where guests can sink there toes into the powder sand while enjoying a range of beverages or cuisine from the Azure restaurant that they describe as Mediter-Asian. Wellness fans will also love Centara as the Spa Cenvaree is situated in the most remarkable surroundings with meditation facilities, steam room, massage and Jacuzzi’s.
Trat deserves this kind of attention and we’re very happy to welcome Centara to our coastline.
For more information call 039 521 561-70 or 02 101 1234
www.centarahotelsresorts.com

Nature retreat in Chanthaburi

Butterflies the size of sparrows, trees festooned with bougainvillea and orchids and an avenue of flame trees are some of the delightful experiences at Faasai Resort and Spa, in Chanthaburi. The resort, which styles itself as a nature retreat, is tucked into a forest covered hillside, a ten minute walk from Kung Wiman Beach. The small Kung Wiman bay, which means curving water in heaven, has the atmosphere of a quiet fishing village. With only a handful of small hotels or resorts and no nightlife except for drinking with the local fishermen, it has a very different character to nearby Chao Lao Beach. Whereas Chao Lao has a long beach of white sand and is packed with accommodation and eating places, Kung Wiman is small and quiet, with distinctive red-gold sand. The colour comes from the large red rocks that frame the bay which also provide a haven for marine life including many species of fish, giant prawns, crabs and the odd visiting turtle. Kung Kraben bay, which lies in between Kung Wiman and Chao Lao, is a marine sanctuary under the patronage of His Majesty the King. The edges are fringed with mangroves and it is sometimes visited by dugongs, a rare sea mammal which is known as the sea cow, but which is more closely related to the elephant. Dugong have a trunk-like snout, weigh up to 300 kilogrammes and are vegetarians, eating the sea grasses in the bay. Visitors to Kung Kraben can take a boardwalk through the mangroves, go kayaking amongst the mangrove trees or in the bay (between October and March) and visit an aquarium which has a diversity of marine life including seahorses, stingrays, sharks, clown and puffer fish. The rocky peninsular that guards the entrance to the bay is Hua Laem and it is home to a fishing village, the original settlement in the area. The earliest inhabitants were sea gypsies from the South who were later joined by Chinese traders. The Chinese influence has helped give character to the area including an old Chinese temple at Wat Tha Klaeng. The name “Kung Wiman” came from Chinese survivors of a shipwreck, when their boat ran aground on the reefs, they swum ashore to a place they called “heaven.”As for food, it is hard to beat the beachside eateries at Kung Wiman, which serves the fresh catch of the day along with squid grilled on the spot at roadside stalls. For those who like to catch fish themselves, the fishing from the rocks is reputed to be the best in Thailand and adventurous types can join the squid boats on their nightly fishing expeditions or go out in the bay with the local fishermen. Other nature-based activities in the area include visits to waterfalls, monkey caves and swimming with the dolphins at Laem Singh. Given this rich variety of experiences in the area, the owners of Faasai Resort and Spa, Surin Laopha and his New Zealand born wife Bronwen Evans, both keen environmentalists, have decided to make nature the focus of their resort. Apart from the gardens which are filled with trees, flowers and birdsong, the resort features “forest cuisine” in the café, with dishes made from local herbs and plants such as the leaves of the chamuang tree, ki lek and sadao. The spa uses freshly picked herbs such as lemongrass, tamarind, kaffir limes, plai and turmeric in treatments such as luk prakob and herbal steam saunas. The owners are also busy developing a nature sanctuary with lakes, springs, a stream and wetlands. The aim is to provide permanent habitat for wildlife including birds, fish, frogs and other small mammals and amphibians. The sanctuary is about half a kilometre from the resort and although it is still under development, it is already home to thousands of fresh water fish and hundreds of birds and is attracting resort visitors for boating and bird watching. Surin and Bronwen are also planting organic fruit orchards and gardens next to the lake so that visitors can enjoy picking their own fruit and vegetables. As part of their commitment to conservation they have also made the resort energy efficient, with solar power heating the water, energy efficient lights and rooms that are well insulated to cut down on energy usage and keep the guests cool. Faasai Resort and Spa is one of two Thai finalists in the resort category of Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Awards. The other is the luxury Six Senses Hideaway at Phang Nga. The judging criteria is based on protection of the environment, conservation of water and electricity, efficient waste disposal, support for the local community, treatment of staff and education for visitors. With an average room rate of Baht 1500 per night, Faasai Resort and Spa is exceptional value for those wanting the ultimate luxury of all – quiet relaxation and experience of nature.

Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa

When visiting Pattaya the accommodation options are overwhelming and if you’re like us you could end up driving around the best part of a day before you decide on a place to lay your head. What essentially most people are looking for is somewhere you’ll be looked after, be able to relax and somewhere where you can ditch the car and give your legs the chance to reacquaint themselves with strolling.
So, on our last visit to Pattaya we were told we couldn’t go wrong with the Pattaya Marriott, a hotel bang in town within a lush tropical garden featuring numerous fine dining and entertainment outlets.
The hotel is straddled between Beach Road and Second Road so access to much of Pattaya’s attractions are never far away with the adjacent Royal Garden Plaza offering some of Pattaya’s best shopping and eating opportunities. Then just a few minutes walk away is the new hi-so complex The Avenue by the Sea where you can bowl, eat, drink, browse, be seen, get a new skin or hair do and just about anything else you need to relax yourself. Going to The Avenue though does entail crossing the road so if you’re absolutely set on doing everything at the hotel you’ll be incredibly well taken care of by the meticulously trained staff who are very professional and friendly, which was apparent from the moment we arrived.
From reception the hotel has an air of decadence and once you arrive to your room you’ll be greeted by luxuriant décor that includes lots of teak and fine furnishings that give you that psychological feeling of being pampered. Every other amenity is on hand for a comfortable stay with extra plump soft bed linen, satellite and on demand TV and movies, wifi, Tea making facilities, daily newspaper and so on.
Rooms each have a balcony with either sea, or pool garden view, and other little touches that make you feel special like housekeeping knocking on your door and presenting you with delicious complimentary chocolates. Once you have absorbed the lavish sleeping quarters head back downstairs where you can enjoy the rest of the facilities like the fitness centre and huge swimming pool that is surrounded by beautiful gardens and salas, and features a water slide that keeps the kids (and a few adults) amused for eternity. The other grown ups seemed to prefer wallowing at the bar in the pool, where as we took advantage of an empty Jacuzzi. Empty of people that is, it was definitely full of water.
There is also a poolside massage sala but if you want the full spa treatment then you must head to the Marriott’s noted Royal Garden Spa where you’ll be treated to a wide range of holistic treatments.
Day or night the hotel offers several outstanding outlets for eating and entertainment, one of which, Moooore Bar & Grill, is an outlet we featured when it opened. It’s a trendy sports bar that like the name suggests offers much more than just sports. The service is superb, excellent food including fine steaks, a wide range of delicious cocktails and other beverages, live bands, with prices the only thing that is not five star. Other outlets include Benihana the famous fun filled Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant, Sala Rim Nam for exquisite Thai treats, Elephant Bar and the Garden Café which we feature this month in our Eat East section on page 48. So next time you visit Pattaya put some quality in your life and book into the Marriott Resort & Spa, it’s a fantastic treat that will have you coming back for more and moooore.

Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa
Tel: 038 412 120
www.marriott.com

Thai Garden Resort

On our quest to discover the best places to stay in Pattaya and beyond we visited European managed Thai Garden Resort this month a low rise resort covering many acres on Pattaya Nua Road.
The resort has just undergone a multi-million dollar face lift which incorporated upgrading the facilities and moving the resort forward into these environmental conscious times. Solar panels are now in place although not visible to the guests and the heat generated by the mass fridges and cold rooms is also used to heat water for the resort. A welcome gesture for the planet and also a long term benefit to the resort’s energy bills. The rooms are spacious with 90 hotel rooms and 100 apartments rooms that are up to 130 sq metres, the room we stayed was a superior room with a spacious enough 35 sq metres with comfortable modern Thai furnishings and a very roomy and pleasant bathroom. Obviously there is hot water and air conditioning and then there are all the mod cons you need including a hair fryer, TV with over 50 channels, fridge, balcony overlooking the pool and gardens, and free wireless internet which is available anywhere around the hotel. All rooms are non smoking although guests can smoke on the balcony or terrace outside each room. Another ground breaking feature of the resort is that all the facilities are wheelchair friendly and even two rooms have been specifically designed with wheelchair guests in mind. The real centerpiece of the hotel is the swimming pool which is an incredible 63 metres long with Jacuzzi beds and chairs, children’s pool and many other nooks and crannies. And best of all it is a salt water pool so none of that sticky chlorine sensation when you get out. It’s absolutely stunning day and night, and as it is surrounded by gardens and sun beds many guests never venture very far away during daylight hours. Considering you are just minutes away from Pattaya’s busy city centre it’s quite safe to say that this is a true oasis in the city of fun. Also a nice touch is that breakfast is served until 11am which means even those who hit the town for one too many beers of an evening can still have a lie in and not miss the morning spread. As most guests are European the breakfast is aimed primarily at this group with a fantastic bread selection, many cheese and cold meats plus all the other breakfast items you’d expect which does include an Asian section. The staff are multi lingual and offer very patient and friendly service, which is a credit as from my experience some tourists can be very demanding while on their vacation. Other facilities on offer at Thai Garden Resort include a tailor shop, Thai massage, business services, an international library and the ever popular Moon River Pub.
Whether it’s for a night or a few months Thai Garden Resort has something to offer every guest, some of the guests have quite literally been here for years without checking out.
Rates start at 3500 Baht per night but it’s worth going to the website and checking availability as this is the rack rate and good discounts can be obtained depending on the time of year and length of stay.