A year ago, Richard Hume of the Tourism Authority of Thailand described the country’s emerging resorts as a “godsend”, saying they kept “even the most well-travelled of travellers coming back”.
Today, his words are even more valid as it is the newer resorts that are pulling in the punters while old favourites such as Phuket work to get back on their feet in the wake of the tsunami.
But resorts are not all that’s new in Thailand. Trendy bars and restaurants are rapidly transforming Bangkok into one of the hippest cities in the Far East. Here, five operators list their favourite new resorts, hotels and venues for 2006.
David Kevan, head of product and partner, Tropical Locations
Favourite new hotel:
either the Layana on Ko Lanta or the Sarojin in Khao Lak. Both have a similar contemporary style – high quality, low rise, with subtle authentic touches and a very personal management style. They are particularly recommended for couples or those with older children.
Favourite new destination:
I still like Phuket, maybe for a few nights in one of the new off-beach boutique resorts such as Pavilions. I would then move on to one of the quieter resorts such as Ko Lanta or Ko Racha, both easily accessible by speedboat.
How’s it selling?
From September onwards we started to notice a gradual return in interest and this is building up week on week. I am confident the region will have a reasonably good winter, maybe not up to the levels of two years ago, but it’s certainly not doom and gloom either. We do have a number of value offers in place to stimulate demand, tied into set booking dates.
Favourite venue:
Bangkok now has one of the best restaurant scenes in the region. I like Mahanaga, just off Sukhumvidt and Naj. For views, Vertigo at the top of the Banyan Tree is hard to beat and for wines the roof-top bar at Sofitel Silom is highly recommended.
Sample package:
five nights at the Sarojin Khao Lak and two nights at the Metropolitan in Bangkok start at £880 from mid January to June, including flights and transfers.
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Adrian Croft, Far East product manager, Kuoni
Favourite new hotel:
the Layana resort and spa on Ko Lanta. It is right in the centre of an excellent beach with Phi Phi in the distance and has gorgeous views. It’s a small, luxury hotel with clean, delicately designed rooms.
Favourite new destination:
Elephant Hills in Khao Sok national park is a three-day tour that can be added to holidays in Phuket or Krabi. Accommodation is in luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms. Guests experience a working Elephant Camp and conservation project, kayak down the Sok river, explore Ratchaphraba lake and spot wildlife on jungle treks.
How’s it selling?
Great. The tour is particularly good for repeat clients because they can both see something new and return to the beach they go to year after year. It also offers an experience often seen in the north of the country but it’s easier and cheaper to get to.
Favourite venue:
Bed Supperclub is a very cool place to hang out with the hip crowd of Bangkok, but for a romantic meal it would have to be Vertigo on the roof of the Banyan Tree in Bangkok. It has excellent food and outstanding views – ensure you arrive just before the sun sets over the city.
Sample package:
10 nights in a Garden Pavilion at the Layana resort and spa in Ko Lanta start at £933 including flights, transfers and accommodation with breakfast.
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David Carlaw, product manager, Premier Holidays
Favourite new hotel:
new to our 2006 brochure is the stunning five-star deluxe Chandara resort and spa on Phuket’s undeveloped northeast coast. The resort is nestled among lush tropical gardens with a mixture of hot-tub and pool villas.
Favourite new destination:
Ko Chang was added to the brochure this year with the introduction of the Amari Emerald Cove. A perfect holiday hideaway, it was once a haven for backpackers, and just a short drive and one-hour ferry ride from Trat Airport.
How’s it selling?
It’s early days, however it has got off to a good start. Things usually kick off in the second year of featuring a new destination.
Favourite venue: Bed Supperclub in Bangkok is a fantastic venue – its sister hotel in New York was featured in Sex And The City. Angelini’s Italian restaurant in the Shangri-La is one of the most talked about in the town.
Sample package:
seven nights in a studio junior suite at the Chandara resort and spa from May 1 to July 15 start at £899 including flights.
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Victoria Sertic, Far East product manager, Thomas Cook Signature
Favourite new hotel:
the Sila Evason Hideaway in Ko Samui, which opened earlier this year, is very much an exclusive resort, with just 66 villas. Perched on a cliff top on the northern-most tip of Ko Samui, it is a natural blend of organic but funky design. Open bathrooms have views out over the cliffs, while most villas offer infinity-edge pools and sun decks.
Favourite new destination:
Trang, which is close to Krabi, but yet a million miles away as far as ambience is concerned. It’s a 90-minute flight from Bangkok in a remote location with lush vegetation, national parkland, it is great for diving and virgin coral reefs.
How’s it selling?
One of our Thai Hideaways, Trang is aimed at the luxury end of the market and the more discerning traveller wishing to escape the popular beach resorts. It’s still in its infancy but word is starting to get out and, although we would love to up capacity, as the area is still developing we have to take it slowly.
Favourite new venue:
the Chi, a new spa at the Shangri-la, Bangkok, offers a very cultural experience. For entertainment, I’d recommend the funky, cosmopolitan Met Bar, which attracts a chic and happening crowd.
Sample product:
four nights at the four-star Amari Trang Beach Resort start at £335, including flights from Bangkok.
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Paul Tilling, product director long haul, Jetlife Asiaworld
Favourite new hotel:
the Evason Hua Hin and specifically the wonderful pool villas. It has a tranquil beachside setting in rural isolation. Having a private pool plus an excellent spa to take away the strains and stresses of brochure production is bliss. And there’s superb Thai and Asian cuisine to help sustain the waistline I have invested too much in developing.
Favourite new destination:
Pranburi, south of Hua Hin, is my favourite because, unlike some other new places, it’s not isolated. You can have peace and tranquility but it takes only 25 minutes to get to Hua Hin for a shot of culture or even a round of golf. Also, because it’s only a drive away from Bangkok, it’s cheaper than other places that you have to fly to.
How’s it selling?
The Evason is selling very well. It offers something different, something for the top end of the market, but at very reasonable prices.
Favourite new venue:
the Met Bar in The Metropolitan Hotel in Bangkok, which is similar to its sister hotel in London, is the place to be seen. But my own favourite is Vertigo for its awesome views, which you can never get used to. It also has a great Thai Western fusion menu.
Sample package:
seven nights at the Evason Hua Hin, staying in a pool villa, start at £900 including flights.
