Bangkok hotels with the best views of NYE fireworks displays is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

Best Bangkok NYE fireworks views

All the photos on this page were taken on New Years Eve last year from the Lebua at State Tower Hotel, which was featured in The Hangover 2. I also used one of these photos for my December 2011 desktop calendar wallpaper.

While the views from the balconies of the Lebua Club rooms in the 63 story hotel are spectacular, Lebua isn’t the only Bangkok hotel which offers fantastic views of the NYE fireworks display over the Chao Phraya River.

Bangkok has plenty of riverside hotels (a full list of Bangkok riverside hotels can be found here), however not all of them are in an optimal position to view the fireworks display.

While the Lebua is not literally on the waterfront, but a block or two back, the height and the large open air balconies offer truly spectacular views of the whole river as well as the revelers in the surrounding areas. This hotel would be one of my top recommendations for New Years Eve.

Other popular hotels right on the river include The Shangri-La, The Penninsula Bangkok, and the Mandarin Oriental.

A little further up the river is the Millennium Hilton Bangkok Hotel. If you are going to stay here on New Years Eve I would recommend reserving one of the Executive Plus Suites, as these are located at the front of the hotel overlooking the river. While regular rooms on the downriver side of the hotel will also have great views of the fireworks, if you get a room on the opposite side of the hotel, facing upstream, you won’t be able to see anything.

Another great hotel from which to view the fireworks in Bangkok on New Years Eve is the lesser known Chatrium Suites. The spacious rooms here, like the Lebua at State Tower, feature large open balconies from which you can view the fireworks. In fact, I think the balconies here are better as the balcony guard rail is lower and made of glass, as opposed to the Lebua, which has tall concrete balustrades, which can make it a little difficult for children, or people in a wheelchair to see down to the river.

You can read my review of Chatrium Suites here.

Have been in Bangkok on New Years Eve? Do you have any recommendations for great spots to catch the Bangkok NYE fireworks show? Let us know by sharing below.

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22 Five star Bangkok hotels for less than USD100 in December 2011. is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

22 Five star Bangkok hotels from December 27th, 2011 for under USD100.

As the first installment in a series of posts that will run every Monday through till the end of November, today I am highlighting 22 Five Star Hotels in Bangkok that can be had for less than USD100 in the middle of the peak season, for five nights from December 27th.

I chose to focus on this date as it is one of the busiest for arrivals in Thailand during the Christmas/New Year vacation period. Many people like to spend Christmas with their families before embarking on their vacation, thus the period between Christmas and New Year can end up being one of the most expensive times to stay in Thailand.

Many of the hotels listed below offer free wifi to guests, and these properties are indicated by the mark.

• Grand Centre Point Ratchdamri Hotel From USD99 per night.
• President Solitaire Hotel From USD72 per night.
• Fraser Suites Sukhumvit Serviced Apartment From USD 97 per night.
• Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel From USD97 per night.
• Swissotel Nai Lert Park From USD82 per night.
• The Landmark Hotel Bangkok From USD97 per night.
• Radisson Suites Bangkok From USD78 per night.
• AETAS Resdidences From USD66 per night.
• Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Hotel From USD84 per night.
• Amari Watergate Hotel From USD88 per night.
• Swissotel Le Concorde From USD74 per night
• In Residence Bangkok Sukhumvit From USD82 per night
• Antara Bangkok Sathorn Hotel From USD89 per night.
• AETAS Lumpini From USD73 per night.
• Siri Sathorn Hotel From USD99 per night.
• Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok Hotel From USD77 per night
• VIE Hotel From USD94 per night.
• Pullman Bangkok King Power From USD92 per night.
• Marriott Executive Apartments Sukhumvit Park From USD91 per night.
• Mayfair Bangkok Marriott Executive Apartments From USD96 per night.
• Marriott Executive Apartments Sathorn Vista From USD94 per night.
• Grand Mecure Bangkok Asoke Residence From USD 95 per night.

Bangkok is famous for it’s luxurious five star hotels at very affordable rates. This New Year vacation, treat yourself to a luxurious stay for a fraction of the price you would normally pay for a comparable hotel in other countries.

Take advantage of these great low rates now to enjoy a five star vacation this Christmas/New Year Season.

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Shangri-La Bangkok: A quick look is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

Bangkok alone draws more tourists than any other country across Southeast Asian continent, thanks to its irresistible combination of spectacular natural beauty, prominent hospitality, inspiring temples, hearty cuisine, and ruins of remarkable ancient kingdoms.  If you enjoy a plush tour, then a stay at Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok might be right up your alley. Read further to know more about it.

Shangri-La, one of the most popular 5-star hotels in Bangkok, is located in the Silom district. The interiors of the hotel graciously welcome the guests with warmth. The richness of Thai culture is experienced throughout the hotel. Shangri-La Hotel boosts the traditional teak dining area to the modernized room features.

The hotel is located quite close to the Sathorn Pier and Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station, which makes traveling to the popular tourists attractions in Bangkok very easy. During your stay at the hotel, take some time out to explore the riverside areas, where various classic attractions in Bangkok are found.

The hotel has 799 rooms, which includes 52 suites managed in two wings, Krungthep and Shangri-La. This five-star opulent riverside hotel features well-equipped rooms, each decked out in a Thai theme. Each room features soft furnishings from silk and boosts splendid views of the adjacent Chao Phraya River. Few facilities available in the rooms are air-conditioning, bath tub with shower, baby cot, satellite TV, coffee and tea, carpet floor, hair dryer, direct ironing, dial lines, mini bar and fridge, security keycard, safe deposit box, vcd / dvd player, etc.

With flourishing gardens, a signature spa, and amazing river views, Shangri-La Hotel offers its guests the warmness of the Thai capital along with the stillness of a tropical retreat. The hotel offers catering and banquet services in more than 20 different types of rooms. The services are available for groups that range from 10 to 1,600 guests. The rooms include the Garden Rooms, multipurpose event suites that features modern technology and a comfortable yet stylish sophistication. In addition to this, the Hotel offers fully serviced residences for guests who wish to have a longer stay. Other services offered at the hotel are babysitting, airport transfers, beauty salon, satellite TV, business center, car rental, concierge, coffee shop, conference facilities, fitness center, doctor on site, foreign exchange, Jacuzzi, high speed internet access, laundry, security cameras, safety box, steam/sauna, indoor games, swimming pool, etc. The award-winning spa at the hotel offers few of the biggest private spa suites in the capital, with varied treatments drawn from ancient Chinese and Himalayan healing traditions. In addition, the fitness center boosts huge lavish sports and fitness complex that is designed to fulfill various exercise needs. It features more than 40 different fitness and sports options and offers modern facilities, aerobics, and personal training classes. The well-appointed business center at Shangri-La Hotel is extremely popular with executives. It is the perfect haven for those who need a base while exploring Bangkok. The various dining options provide excellent mouth-watering cuisine, where you can treat yourself to the local as well as international dishes.

The Shangri-La is just one of many beautiful Bangkok riverside hotels lining the majestic Chao Phraya river

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Sivatel Bangkok review is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

Sivatel Bangkok opened in late March and has just completed a three month soft opening. I had an opportunity to stay here in late March, two days after its soft opening. At that time, there were a total of two guests in the hotel, including me. While everybody was fresh faced and eager to please, there were a couple of newbie mistakes, but that is the whole point of a soft opening, to iron out these kinds of kinks, so I’m not holding it against them.

Location

Situated on Wireless Road on the northern side of Sukhumvit and facing the British embassy, Sivatel Bangkok is less than 5 minutes walk to the BTS Skytrain Chidlom station. It is a short walk to Central Chidlom mall and not much further to the Erawan Shrine, Central World, and then Siam Paragon, Siam Square and plenty of other shopping and dining options.

Rooms

If I have to pick a word to describe the guestrooms at Sivatel Bangkok it would be “space.” I stayed in the “Grand Noble” room, and even at 48 square meters, it is laid out so well that it felt very spacious. Other, larger rooms feel positively huge- you could throw a party in these rooms.

Sivatel Bangkok offers 75 guestrooms including one and two bedroom suites. The smallest rooms are the Noble rooms at 32 square meters and increase in size up to the 136 square meter Grand Royal Suite Duplex. The types of rooms and their respective sizes are as follows:

• Noble Room- 32 sqm
• Grand Noble- 48 sqm
• Regal Suite- 64 sqm
• Grand Regal Suite- 80 sqm
• Regent Suite- 96 sqm
• Grand Regent Suite- 144 sqm
• Royal Suite Duplex- 104 sqm
• Grand Royal Suite Duplex- 136 sqm

The bed was comfortable, with overhead reading lights and four soft pillows, there was a two person sofa, coffee table, workdesk and ergonomic chair, flat screen TV with AppleTV and even a small dining table with two chairs. There was also plenty of room to put your stuff with not only lot’s of closet space but plenty of open bench-top spaces.

Bathroom

The bathrooms in all the rooms at Sivatel Bangkok are very large, in fact, some of the largest I have seen in Bangkok. All rooms feature a very large round bathtub big enough for 2 people. Depending on the room type you get, the bath may be set into a window bay offering views of the Bangkok skyline.

The shower in my room was also huge, big enough to fit three or four people inside! Waffle robes and Molten Brown toiletries were a nice touch.

Amenities

Thoughtful touches in the room include a safe with plug inside so you can charge your laptop while storing it.

Guests can choose from a pillow menu of eight different pillow types, which I am seeing more and more lately in hotels throughout Thailand.

A not so guest friendly surprise was the cost of WIFI access, which, at THB700 per day (yes, that’s USD23!!) is two dollars per day more expensive than even the JW Marriott Bangkok! In a city like Bangkok with so many hotel choices, and many hotels now coming to accept the fact that guests consider wifi a basic necessity (like hot water) and not an added extra, this is definitely a misstep for a new hotel trying to stand out in the crowd, especially when other heavyweight new hotels in Bangkok like the Hansar Bangkok and Siam Kempinski offer free wifi in all rooms and public spaces.

The pool was lovely and at 22 meters by 10 meters and 120 centimeters deep, excellent for doing laps.

Dining

Sivatel Bangkok is particularly proud of their dining choices, with a number of establishments on the premises. There is a sports bar, Big-a-Byte, a cafe, Cafe Jardin, and an Asian eatery call East Indy serving food from a variety of regions in Asia, and The Porch, on the pool level where breakfast is served as well as all day dining.

The bottom line

Sivatel is a solid choice  for people looking for spacious, well equipped rooms in a central location in Bangkok very close to the Skytrain.

Have you stayed at this hotel? How was your experience? I welcome you to share any experiences or questions you may have by leaving a comment below.

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Private pool villas in Bangkok is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

I get a lot of traffic from people looking for private pool villas in Bangkok. While there are plenty of private pool villas in Thailand, they are hard to find in Bangkok. In fact, I would venture to say that until this year, there were none. That changes this year with the opening of a new luxury property on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

The Siam Hotel

Scheduled to open September 1st 2011, The Siam Hotel (website) will be the first hotel in Bangkok (to my knowledge) to offer private pool villas. Located at the base of Krung Thon Bridge in historic Dusit district, between Khao San and Chatuchak, The Siam is the project of the famous Sukosol family.

A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, you can expect old world charm in the antique filled  39 room art deco luxury riverside residence.

Six room types will be on offer including three suites ranging in size from 77 sqm to 100 sqm, two pool villas measuring 126 sqm and Connie’s Cottage, a 163 sqm Thai residence which was actually transported down the Chao Phraya river by boat from the ancient Thai capital of Ayutthaya.

Opening rates for the pool villas are USD1000 per night for the regular pool villas and USD1200 per night for the riverside pool villa.

Watch this space closer to the opening for more information.

For those who cannot wait until the opening of The Siam later this year, there are a couple of  alternatives in Bangkok. Although not exactly private pool villas, these are the closest you can get to it in Bangkok.

Pool access rooms at the Siam Kempinski

Siam Kempinski, which opened last year behind the most luxurious shopping mall in all of Thailand, Siam Paragon, features a huge labyrinth of a pool that meanders around the grassy, palm shaded grounds of the 5 star hotel.

As you can see from the photo above, all of the rooms on the ground floor have doors that open out onto a small terrace with a table and two recliners. From the terrace guests have direct access to the pool.

The photos above of the Siam Kempinski come from Jordy Chen’s excellent Flickr set. See all 280 photos here.

Baan Davis at the Davis Hotel

Baan Davis is a private section of the Davis Hotel, comprising of ten villas ranging in size from 164 sqm to 250 sqm. Seven of the villas have 2 bedrooms and the remaining are 3 bedroom villas. There is a private swimming pool for guests staying in the villas, offering a quieter, more private experience than guests at the regular hotel pool.

Do you know of any other private pool villas, private pools or pool access rooms in Bangkok? If I have missed any please let me know by leaving a comment below.

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Lebua at State Tower hotel review is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

After being featured in the Hollywood summer blockbuster The Hangover 2 which was released a couple of weeks ago, The Lebua at State Tower Hotel, and it’s rooftop restaurant and bar have been receiving a lot of attention from around the world. This blog alone has seen a 300% increase in visitors looking for info on the hotels appearing in the movie.

The panoramic views of Bangkok were one of the reasons that the property was chosen by location scouts to appear in the movie. The breathtaking views however are not restricted to the open-air rooftop venues, but also captivate guests from the private balconies of the 357 lavish suites which go all the way up to the 59th floor of Bangkok’s second tallest building.

We recently had the opportunity to stay in one of the Tower Club Suites, which are located on floors 51 to 59 of the Lebua complex. This review and the photos within are of the Tower Club Suites.

Tower Club Suites

Tower club suites are long and spacious, as you can see from the photo below and at the top of this post. Upon entering there is a living room/area with a two person sofa, a lounge chair, two coffee tables as well as another armchair with a side table.

Proceeding further into the room there is a small kitchenette, with two hotplates, a microwave oven, a coffee maker, a hot water pot, various teas and coffees, cups, glasses and a sink. There is also a refrigerator stocked with four cans each of Coca Cola, Sprite and jasmine tea.

Past the kitchenette, you enter into the bedroom area with big glass sliding doors that open out onto large open air balconies- once you sign the waiver agreeing not to throw anything over the edge, and indemnify the hotel from any losses or damages, that is. If you don’t sign the agreement, the balcony doors will remain tightly locked. You really should agree, as the views are truly spectacular.

Beside the bed is a divan couch, from where you can watch the flat screen TV if you don’t want to mess up the bed before you sink into it to sleep at night. There is also a DVD player under the TV, and work desk with office chair beside it.

Bathroom

One of the biggest surprises in the Tower Club Suite was waiting in the bathroom, namely bathroom amenities from Italian luxury brand Bvlgari. Soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion, all scented with the unisex Bvlgari perfume, Au the Rouge.

Pool

There is quite a large pool which is certainly long enough to do laps, and there is also a large, shallow circular pool which is good for children to play in. Unfortunately, most of the sun-catching deck chairs are placed around and quite close to this shallow pool, so if there are kids splashing about in it, you will have a front row seat to all the action. On the other hand, if you are a parent with young children, this would be a convenient area to base yourselves.

Lebua at State Tower is part of Lebua Hotels and Resorts, a local Thai company, and the pride that the staff take in this fact is apparent from the moment you are greeted at the door.

Dining

Lebua is probably more famous in Bangkok for its exquisite selection of restaurants and bars at The Dome, perched on top of the second tallest skyscraper in Thailand. This is where you come if you want to feel like you are living the high-life while you are in Bangkok.

Sirocco is the world’s highest open air Al Fresco restauarant, located on the rooftop on the 63rd floor. Skybar is also on the 63rd floor and both the restauarnt and bar offer unparalelled views of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River. Expect prices to match the altitude here, especially during special events like New Years Eve, where tickets are about USD800 per person.

Check rates for Lebua at State Tower on Agoda

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Bangkok hotel deals- June 8, 2011 is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

Bangkok hotel deals

Biggest deal this week is 50% off the 4 star Bandara Suites Siom hotel, bringing the rate down to 54 dollars a night.

Also don’t forget about the 10 Five Star hotels on Ko Samui for less than USD150 per night through July, or the more than 50% off deals on Phuket and Samui resorts I published last week.

As always, for all the deals on this page, click through to check your dates.

Some discount offers at some hotels have a minimum stay requirement, which I have listed next to the price. For such hotels, the promotional rate will be displayed once you have selected dates that cover the minimum number of nights required.

Pathumwan Princess Hotel 40 % off.   Location: Siam

From 164 98 USD

Fraser Place Urbana Langsuan 20% off.   Location: Langsuan / Wireless

From 78 62 USD

Marriott Sukhumvit Park 20% off.  Location: Sukhumvit- Min 2 nights

From 144 115 USD

Emporium Suites 15% off.  Loction: Sukhumvit

From 133 113 USD

Shama Sukhumvit USD20 off.  Location: Sukhumvit

From 112 92 USD

Asia Hotel Bangkok 35% off.  Location: Siam

From 84 54 USD

Bliston Suwan Parkview 20% off  Location: Wireless / Chidlom

From 88 70 USD

	Bel-Aire Princess Hotel 20% off  Location: Sukhumvit. Book within 5 days of check-in	From 59 47 USD
	Best Western Bangkok Hiptique 10% off.  Location: Sukhumvit	From 50 45 USD

Monaco Bangkok Hotel   Location: Sukhumvit

From 46 36 USD

Check back here mid-week every week for the latest discounts and deals on Bangkok and Pattaya, Phuket and Samui hotels. For previous week’s specials, you might like to peruse the “Deals on Hotels” category.

If you want to be sure that you won’t miss any deals, it’s a great idea to subscribe to the RSS feed, or you can Subscribe to updates by Email and be the first to know about any new Bangkok hotel deals, as well as all the other cool stuff that I post to this blog. Email subscriptions are handled by Google Feedburner and you will only receive an email when a new post is made to this blog. You can unsubscribe with one click at any time.

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Thai Hotels featured in The Hangover 2 is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

Lebua at State Tower Bangkok and Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton Reserve feature in  Hollywood blockbuster The Hangover 2

Lebua at State Tower Bangkok

Lebua at State Tower plays a prominent role in The Hangover Part II -showcasing the open air bar on the roof of a skyscraper hotel as seen from a helicopter. Sirocco, touted as the world’s highest open-air rooftop restaurant on the 63rd floor offers breathtakingly panoramic views of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya river, which are especially impressive at sunset. Sirrocco and Sky Bar are part of the spectacular Lebua hotel complex, located in the Sathorn district, close to the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The nearest BTS Skytrain station is Saphan Taksin, from where you can also catch many different shuttle ferries and teak dinner cruise boats.

Rooms at Lebua currently start at USD187* for the Tower Club Cityview Suite, and USD 893* for the Tower Club 3 bedroom “Hangover Suite”. There is also a Hangover 2 package deal for 2 nights, details listed below. Of course rates on Agoda are always discounted way below the official rates offered on the official hotel website. *Rates quoted are for stay over the end of June 2011.

HANGOVER II PACKAGE

• Roundtrip airport limousine transfers.
• Accommodations in a two-bedroom suite in Lebua’s Tower Club. Located on the 54th- 59th floor, 1800-square-foot suites include sweeping views of Bangkok, complimentary wifi, free movies on demand, complimentary minibar items and BVLGARI amenities.
• Complimentary Hangovertini cocktail, served in-suite or at Skybar, the world’s tallest al fresco bar. (Created for the film, the first Hangovertini was served to director Todd Phillips!)
• Three-course chef’s menu at Mezzaluna, Lebua’s newly relaunched fine dining restaurant.
• Access to the luxury Tower Club Lounge with complimentary cocktails, canapés and a high tea service.

Rates start at $2,200 for two nights, based on double occupancy. Package is valid throughout 2011

Phulay Bay, A Ritz Carlton Reserve

The wedding scenes at the beginning of The Hangover 2 were filmed at Phulay Bay, A Ritz Carlton Reserve, the flagship property of the new Reserve brand of the Ritz Carlton, focusing on smaller, boutique properties in remote of rural areas. It is truly a stunning property.

The resort is located on the coast of the Andaman Sea 40 minutes from Krabi International Airport and 2 hours from Phuket International Airport.

Among the facilities included are an infinity pool, destination spa, fitness center, shopping, cooking classes and Thai Batik painting. The luxurious villas feature rainforest showers, indoor and outdoor baths, spacious walk-in wardrobes and verandas with lounge beds. Each room is assigned a personal butler, whose services are at guests’ disposal 24 hours a day.

Rates start at just under USD700* for the Resort Pavilion on the Ritz Carlton website, while they can be had for USD495* on Agoda. *Rates quoted are for the end of June 2011.

Have you seen The Hangover 2? If you have, did it make you want to visit Thailand? Or did the scenes of debauchery confirm suspicions you had and put you off visiting Thailand in the future?

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Siam Kempinski Review is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

The Kempinski chain is famous for its award-winning service and its rich sense of luxury, with hotels in 62 countries around the world. With the opening of the five-star Siam Kempinski, their first property in Thailand, luxury in Bangkok has been kicked up another notch.

It is a stunning hotel, surrounded by lush landscaping and refreshing saltwater pools ensconced in frangipani trees, and it offers every amenity, including private BMW-7-series limousine service to pick you up from the airport.

The location is fantastic. Situated on Rama Road, behind the upscale Siam Paragon shopping mall. What I like about the location is that while it is accessible from the back of Siam Paragon, it is quite discreet, and as yet relatively unknown, so you don’t get any foot traffic or curious people strolling around.

Of course from Siam Paragon you have easy access to the Skytrain, and from there, most places of interest to the Bangkok visitor. Even without boarding the Skytrain, in the immediate area one can walk to Siam Square, MBK, Central World and a number of other malls. Within Siam Paragon itself are many high end brand flagship stores, plenty or restaurants, a multiplex cinema and an aquarium.

When the hotel opened in 2010, it revealed itself as an art piece. From the green garden atmosphere outside, to the two-story gleaming marble lobby, down to the 1,500 works of art inside, the theme of this hotel is the grace and beauty of Thailand. In fact, more than 200 of the hotel’s original art pieces were commissioned by renowned Thai artists. Featured art work includes sculptures, paintings and collages, as well as padded Thai silk panels in guestrooms, with gilded depictions of Thai rural life and lotus flower designs (see image above).

That theme continues throughout the 303 rooms, including 42 suites, many of which offer private balconies, with stunning views of the city. Guest rooms range in size from 40 square meters (430 square feet) to more than 48 square meters (520 square feet). Each room offers internet access, a well-stocked mini-bar, which is replenished for free every day of your stay, as well as coffee and tea making equipment. The décor is rich, with an earth tone color palette in the plush carpeting, rich fabrics and thick drapery. Glass fronted bathrooms give each room a chic, urban feel, with a deep soaker bathtub and private shower.

Siam Kempinski also offers free wifi throughout the hotel, which is a big improvement on many 5 star hotels, however this may be becoming a trend as the new Hansar Bangkok also provides such a welcome service. (See my review of Hansar Bangkok here.)

Many of the rooms offer buffet breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. Cabana Rooms open right onto the garden and the swimming pools, giving you that resort feeling in the heart of the city. I have mentioned before that the pool at Grande Sheraton Sukhumvit makes you feel like you are at a tropical resort and far away from the Bangkok hum and grime. Well, the pool(s) at Siam Kempinski make that two tropical escapes in the capital.

The suites start at 70 square meters (750 square feet), ranging up to 300 square meters (3,200 square feet) in the Royal Suite. Each suite offers separate living, working and sleeping areas, all with incredible views of the garden and the city. Every suite has walk in closets, breakfast service, and evening cocktails. There are also eleven duplex suites, which have two levels of luxurious accommodations including a living room and bedroom.

The Siam Kempinski Hotel has several restaurants and bars, where you can have dinner and relax. You can enjoy European cuisine at the Brasserie Europa or local Thai delicacies at the Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin restaurant, where Danish chef Hanrik Yde-Andersen shows why he earned a Michelin star for his Thai cooking in Copenhagen. The T Lounge serves afternoon tea, served by a professionally trained Tea Master. You can also enjoy a glass of champagne or a refreshing cocktail here, or at the 1897 Bar.

If you need to unwind further, the Kempinski Spa can be found in the Garden Wing, and offers healing treatments based on natural healing elements. You can also work out in the fitness center, and take a class in Muay Thai or body stretching.

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3 Thai hotels make Conde Nast’s 2011 Hot List of new hotels is a post from: Thai Hotels Blog.

One Bangkok and two Ko Samui hotels join 121 other hotels around the world to make Condé Nast Traveler’s list of the best hotels that opened in 2010.

In the recently released 2011 Condé Nast Traveler Hot Hotels List, 124 properties spanning 43 countries and six continents were chosen from all the hotels that opened in 2010 as the best of the best.

Below are the three hotels in Thailand which opened in 2010 and made it to this year’s Hot List.

Siam Kempinski Bangkok

First up is the majestic Siam Kempinski Bangkok, the first Kempinski hotel in Thailand, and situated in an unbeatable location in the heart of Bangkok right behind the upscale Siam Paragon shopping mall

“A handful of heroics set it apart, including the modern art program, which stocks the hotel with 1,500 paintings, sculptures, and bewitching collages by local artists. All 303 rooms face the courtyard’s palm gardens and free-form pools, screening guests from the city’s hum. Walls are decorated in padded Thai silk, some with gilded accent panels depicting rural life and lotus flower designs, and rooms are wired for video on demand, Internet radio, and iPod connectivity.”

Banyan Tree Ko Samui

Ko Samui is really heating up with the opening of many spectacular resorts including not one but two winners to make it to this year’s Hot List, including the Banyan Tree Samui.

“In a feat of engineering and architecture, the villas dramatically ascend the hillsides on stilts, clinging to the slopes. The golf cart–driving chauffeurs mean it when they tell you to hold on. Each of the 78 villas has a sizable swimming pool outside and earth tones inside.”

W Retreat Koh Samui

W Retreat Koh Samui rounds off  Thailand’s contribution to this years Hot List, further enhancing Ko Samui’s green credentials.

“If you don’t feel like socializing, pop in the mix CD provided in your minibar, and you’ll soon be at ease in your bachelor pad of a villa, with its red-and-black color scheme, sliding wall panels, beanbag chairs, and private pool. At the beach, which curves around a headland, villas have either a sunset or sunrise view…”

I’m surprised to see that the Hansar Bangkok is not included in this list at all. Considering that it opened December 15th and this list came out in May, I would have though they would have had time to send somebody to take a look. I did. Check out my review of Hansar Bangkok.

What do you think of this year’s Hot List? What other hotels in Thailand would you like to have seen included? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think.

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