ITTN’s Allie Sheehan was recently on a fam trip with Etihad Airways and Amazing Thailand. During the trip, she stayed in various hotels, two in Bangkok and two in Hua Hin, while also visiting another hotel in Hua Hin for dinner. The hotels were all different offering unique experiences.
Kimpton Maa-Lai Hotel, Bangkok
Upon arrival in Bangkok the group checked into the Kimpton Maa-Lai Hotel, a city centre hotel that offers 360 degree views of Bangkok. It has 362 hotel rooms, including 132 serviced residences. The pool has a cover, which is great as Bangkok can get really hot, so it’s nice to cool down in the pool. There’s a pool bar with happy hours and sky bar with those amazing views. Having a cocktail in the Skybar in the evening and taking in the views of the city is truly magical. We had dinner and breakfast in the Stock Room buffet restaurant. There was food options from all over the world and a cheese bar, a salad bar and a seafood buffet. Don’t worry if you don’t like seafood, you can also order Al la Carte. There are drinks options to include from soft drinks to house wine. The hotel is also pet friendly, which is an added bonus for guests, so no need to leave the doggies at home.
So Sofitel, Hua Hin
The So Sofitel Hua Hin is a luxury 5-star resort overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, approximately 2 and a half hours drive from Bangkok. We had one night here with dinner in the beach restaurant, the vibe set from the DJ and the ocean in the background. The hotel has 99 rooms and 9 villas. There’s fun for all the family in this hotel with an adventure float, mini golf, cycling routes and kids tents. For the adults, there’s a private serenity pool and a spa that offers luxurious treatments including Thai massage. The rooms have different themes; my one had a nature theme with the rustic vibe and floral decorations throughout.
Avani+, Hua Hin
This next hotel really offers something for everyone. From the kids’ pools and activities to the wellness spa with detox and botox treatments. There are 196 rooms, suites and villas. The beach bar overlooks the ocean and is a fantastic place to chill in the evening; there’s also a pizza cafe by the pool. The hotel offers retreat stays where guests can book wellness programs in the spa, these include detox and weight loss programs, the spa also offers aesthetic procedures and there’s an on sight doctor for free consultations. Our rooms overlooked the pool, and we could literally step outside into the pool area, which was a real bonus.
Dusit Thani, Hua Hin
Next to the Avani+ is the Dusit Thani, which combines a historic feel with a modern twist. The hotel overlooks the Gulf and has ocean front bars, movies on the beach for the little ones and has 296 rooms, suites and villas. There’s also an ornamental lake in the middle of the resort, which is a great background for photos. We were treated to a 10 minute mini head and shoulder massage showcasing what the spa offers. We had dinner in the main dining restaurant, which offers a seafood BBQ on a Saturday evening.
Lancaster Bangkok
Returning to Bangkok, we finished the trip with two nights in the Lancaster, Bangkok. Upon arrival we were welcomed by the General Manager and a welcome drink. This 5-star luxury hotel has quite a modern look and feel offering deluxe rooms, family rooms, premium and executive suites, apartments, sky suites and a siam suite. The pool and pool bar on the 12th floor has amazing views of the city. We were treated to an authentic Thai meal with dishes that served a lot of different flavours. Having some free time before we left for the airport, I booked into the spa in the Lancaster. I couldn’t leave Thailand without a Thai Massage and my treatment was very relaxing but with some good pain. On the second night, a ‘Mango Collin’s’ cocktail kit was left in our rooms, so we had the chance to become our own mixologists.
There are so many amazing hotels in Bangkok and Hua Hin and we were lucky to stay in hotels that all had a different look and feel to them. It was great to experience these hotels and with it being a bank holiday in Thailand as well, most of the hotels were fully booked, which was great for local tourism.
