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Luxury Hotels in Thailand
Riverside Luxury at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Some of Thailand's finest luxury is found along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, where the Mandarin Oriental (http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/) occupies a prime spot and for years has been known as the Grand Dame of all the Bangkok hotels. Serving esteemed guests for over a century, the Mandarin Oriental is still considered the benchmark to go by when it comes to luxury hotels.
The Opulent Jim Thompson Suite
Visitors can opt for suites like the fabled Jim Thompson, where Thai silks, colorful carpets, and antique art pieces dazzle the guest just as much as the stunning river views.
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Enjoying the Chao Phraya River at the Mandarin Oriental
Part of the appeal of the Mandarin Oriental is its location on the banks of the Chao Phraya, offering guests the chance to unwind and see Bangkok as it used to be, known as the Venice of the East. The resort's shuttle boat makes leisurely crossings to the various restaurants, spas, and bar areas that are part of the Mandarin world and straddle both sides of the languidly flowing river.
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Earth Room at the Sofitel So Bangkok
For something completely different, try the cutting edge Sofitel So Bangkok, where creative urban architecture offers guests rooms themed on different elements. Try the earth rooms, which have mysterious blue themes and give one the feeling of a hideaway cave..
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Metal Room at the Sofitel So Bangkok
The "metal" rooms here feature lots of whites and glass and are a symbol of modernity. All of the themed rooms here were the visions of several noted Thai designers who used inspiration from the surroundings: leafy Lumpini Park on one side and urban Sathorn Road on the other, to create an oasis in the middle of the metropolis.
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City Panorama from Hi So Bar
The Park Society restaurant and adjoining Hi So Bar here give the best Lumpini Park views in town, and the open deck is a great place to take in Bangkok sunsets and the night cityscape.
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Room for a King, St. Regis Bangkok
St. Regis is known worldwide as a regal brand, but the St. Regis Bangkok is in a class of its own. Not only do the rooms and suites come with grand bay windows and ultra plush furnishings, they also come with personal butlers to take care of your every whim!
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The Royal Bangkok Sports Club from the St. Regis
The most unique feature of this downtown property is its location. The hotel sits adjacent to the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, and looks out over the horse racing grounds. On weekends, the Regis Bar offers guests the opportunity to watch the races for free while sipping the local signature Siam Mary, a Bloody Mary made with Thai spices!
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Horse Races in Bed, Luxury at the St. Regis
Or for those too lazy to make it to the bar, well, the views out the windows of one's room to the race track are just about as good.
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Welcome Horse Carriage at the Dhara Dhevi
Luxury in Thailand is not only confined to Bangkok. In Chiang Mai, the Dhara Dhevi is one of the most unique and exotic stays in the world. A horse and carriage greets visitors at the gate of a a setting that looks far more like a historical Lanna palace complex than a hotel.
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Rice Paddies and Plenty of Space at the Dhara Dhevi
Set on 60 private acres of tropical greenery, villas here are made from converted rice barns, and look out on working rice paddies and gardens, giving the feel of rural Thai life, yet in complete opulence.
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Swimming Pool of Dreams at the Dhara Dhevi
With a mix of colonial, Lanna, and Burmese temple architecture, not to mention huge swimming pools, the Dhara Dhevi is one of those spots that keeps boutique property lovers nodding their heads in amazement.
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The Mysterious World of the Barai
Hua Hin is the preferred weekend beach getaway for Bangkokians. The Barai, the elaborate spa located in the Hyatt Regency, gives real meaning to the word pamper. Somewhat of a cross between Angkor Wat, a Moroccan riad, and a scene from Star Wars, this unbelievable spa has a series of maze-like passageways which lead visitors into the Tranquility Court, where integrated columns and pools create an other worldly feeling.
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Spa Treatments Deluxe at the Barai
The amazing resort was created by noted Thai designer guru Lek Bunnag, and the suites, along with the spa treatments, are sublime. Non guests can do treatments here as well, but staying inside the Barai is about as close to a total luxury escape as you can get.
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Private Pool Suite at the Barai
The opulent guest quarters come with private plunge pools along with personal butlers, and after a few treatments, you may find yourself floating far far away.
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Aerial View of the Soneva Kiri Koh Kood
While many of the Thai islands have become overcrowded and overdeveloped, leaving visitors wondering how to find real escapism, sleepy Koh Kood still retains plenty of charm, and its best kept secret, the Soneva Kiri has large villas tucked into the jungle above a pristine beach.
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Tree Pod Dining at the Soneva Kiri
The resort panders to those with Robinson Crusoe fantasies, even providing a "tree pod" to dine in, where guests get hoisted above the rainforest canopy in a bamboo pod, and waiters on ziplines arrive serving gourmet treats!
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A Royal Welcome at the Phulay Bay
The Phulay Bay is a Ritz Carlton luxury reserve set off the Andaman Coast south of Krabi. While the resort was made popular by the Hollywood film Hangover II, which used the resort as a setting, the film never showed the entryway into the sanctuary, where visitors practically walk across water into a golden pavilion, while a gong chimes to welcome guests like royalty.
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Floating on Candles at the Phulay Bay
The pavilion is lit up with hundreds of candles at night, all part of the visionary design by famed Thai resort architect Lek Bunnag (who also created the aforementioned Barai Spa).
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Suite for a Celebrity at the Phulay Bay
The royal villas, with private plunge pools and huge baths, are suited for superstars, and indeed, the cast of the Hangover and other luminaries have called these opulent suites home. If Mike Tyson was knocked out by the surroundings, you may be too!
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A Pool at Your Door at the Siam Kempinski
In Thailand, you can even combine an island getaway with never even leaving the city. At the regal Siam Kempinski in central Bangkok, many of the rooms and suites open directly into the large winding swimming pool that flows throughout the hotel courtyard. Midnight dips from your balcony are de rigueur!
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A Seaside Retreat in the Heart of Bangkok
Even though the hotel sits at the back of Asia's top designer shopping mall, the Siam Paragon, set smack in the heart of downtown, it feels worlds away from this, and feels far more like a dreamy island getaway, with plenty of leisure facilities and an abundance of gardens, fountains, and pools to make guests forget that they are anywhere near a metropolis.
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Molecular Gastronomy at Sra Bua
While visiting the Siam Kempinski, make sure to treat yourself to a luxury meal that won't be easily forgotten. The award winning Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin Thai restaurant specializes in molecular style gastronomy, serving up Thai creations in a way that will turn your head. Danish chef Henrik Yde-Andersen is also the man behind Kiin Kiin in Copenhagen, the only Michelin starred Thai restaurant in the world, and his culinary magic is something that all luxury food lovers should experience.
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About Dave Stamboulis
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in Berkeley, California, Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 40,000-kilometer bicycle trip; he moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos have appeared in publications around the world. He is the author of Odysseus’ Last Stand, which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year in 2006 from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to working for Fodor’s Guidebook to Thailand, his travel stories appear in publications throughout SE Asia. Dave is also Trip Advisor's Oyster.com's photographer for Thailand.
Read more about Dave Stamboulis here.
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