Camille's Thailand Hotel recommendations

Sawasdee Sea View Hotel, Pattaya

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:57:00 +0000

Sawasdee Sea View Hotel, Pattaya

The Sawasdee Sea View Hotel in Pattaya, is very centrally located at the entrance of Soi 10 near Beach Road in the heart of Central Pattaya Beach, only 10 steps away from beach, shopping centers, and entertainment spots. Mike's shopping mall is almost across the road of Soi 10 and the brand new Central Festival is within walking distance.

It's a budget hotel and the rooms include all the amenities of a modern hotel to ensure that the guests have a pleasant stay. All rooms are air-conditioned, have an ensuite bathroom, cable Tv, hot water, a refrigerator, and a queen size or twin beds. Facilities at the hotel include, restaurant & bar, laundry service, tour desk, and a safe deposit box.

The place is old though and lived out but excellent value for a budget traveller with good location. During the October 2009 wreck dive trip to Pattaya, two of the divers stayed here and they were happy with the price and what they got for it.

Booking by Hotels Combined

Booking by Agoda

Standard Room

Double room

Suite room

Regency Park Hotel, Sukhumvit 22, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:38:00 +0000

Regency Park Hotel, Sukhumvit 22, Bangkok

Located almost on the top corner of Soi 22 of Sukhumvit, very near Washington Square and in walking distance to the Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain station.
This is an excellent location indeed! It's one of the first hotels in Bangkok I stayed in once I started living on Samui and I have been coming back over time, due to it's great location.

The Emporium Shopping Mall and the Benjasiri park are also within walking distance and especially the park is very nice and a relief in the fast paced city life of Bangkok. It's also near the Queen Sirikit convention center.

Although the rooms don't have windows, the hotel offers a nice indoors garden as an alternative and all rooms have all the necessary amenities. One tip before booking, make sure that breakfast is included since that's not included in their standard prices!

The Regency Park Hotel offers a quality reasonably-priced three-star boutique hotel with 117 rooms and suites in one of Bangkok’s most famous entertainment, shopping, and business districts.

Booking by Hotels Combined

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Hotel exterior

Lobby

Deluxe room

Superior room

In house garden

Imperial Hua Hin Beach Resort, Hua Hin

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:29:00 +0000

Imperial Hua Hin Beach Resort, Hua Hin

Located slightly outside of Hua Hin so it's slightly isolated if you have to rely on the two hourly shuttle which the hotel runs to downtown Hua Hin. The hotel is part of the Imperial chain and you can expect the usual Imperial hospitality and comfort.

The resort provides 124 elegantly designed rooms, and has a beachfront location on Klaikangwon Beach.

The three-star resort provides a complimentary shuttle serve to Hua Hin, so guests can enjoy all the bustling markets, restaurants and entertainment venues that the city has to offer. It is also 7 km away from the domestic airport. There are a few onsite restaurants for guests to dine at, including the Montalay Beachfront Restaurant, which serves a variety of both Thai and Western cuisine, and the coffee shop entertains guests with live piano music.

Excellent medium range value for a nice and relaxed environment.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by Hotels Combined

Booking by R24

Guest room

Deluxe Twin

Junior Suite

2 and 3 bedroom suite

Exterior and swimming pool

Charm Churee Villa Rustic Resort, Koh Tao

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Charm Churee Villa Rustic Resort, Koh Tao at Jansom Bay

During my many stays on Koh Tao for diving or work on Koh Tao during PADI IE's I get to know the island relatively well.
One very nice discovery is the Charm Churee Villa Rustic Resort south of Mae Haad on Koh Tao.

The hotel is set in Jansom Bay, one of Koh Tao’s most beautiful areas, with views of the beach and the crystal-clear waters. Set in a secluded spot, this resort is the ideal place to get away from the stresses of modern life. There are two restaurants on site serving a variety of Thai and international dishes, as well as a range of cocktails. This is a great place to visit during your trip to Thailand.

The beach is exclusive to the resort which makes it even more desirable to stay there. On the down side, elevators are a big no no on Koh Tao so be prepared for some stairs walking in order to get to the room or anything else on the premises.

To get away from it all for a reasonable price, this is one of the places in Thailand to be and direct access to all the great dive sites Koh Tao has to offer.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Deluxe Room

Panorama terrace

View from a sunset room

Sunset over Koh Tao

View of the exclusive beach and the bay

Links for 2009-09-08 [del.icio.us]

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 9th September, 2009
Daily weather update for tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand by Camille Lemmens

Links for 2009-09-06 [del.icio.us]

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

The September 2009 PADI IDC has been completed on Koh Samui, Thailand
The September 2009 PADI IDC has been completed on Koh Samui, Thailand with PADI Course Director Camille Lemmens
Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 7th September, 2009
Daily weather update for tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand by Camille Lemmens

Links for 2009-09-05 [del.icio.us]

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Thaa Yai 2009 in Wat Chaweng, Koh Samui, Thailand
Thaa Yai 2009 in Wat Chaweng on tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand
Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 6th September, 2009
Daily weather update for tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand by Camille Lemmens

Links for 2009-09-04 [del.icio.us]

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

PADI Specialty of the Month September 2009; Project AWARE
PADI Specialty of the Month September 2009; Project AWARE with PADI Course Director Camille on tropicl island destination Koh Samui in Thailand

Links for 2009-09-03 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 4th September, 2009
Daily weather update for tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand by Camille Lemmens

Links for 2009-09-02 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

EFR Instructor Course for September is bagged on Koh Samui, Thailand
EFR Instructor Course for September is bagged on Koh Samui, Thailand with PADI Course Director and EFR Instructor Trainer Camille Lemmens
Bandara Suites Hotel, Silom in Bangkok, Thailand
Review of Bandara Suites Hotel on Silom in Bangkok, Thailand by local expat Camille Lemmens
Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 3rd September, 2009
Daily weather update for tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand by Camille Lemmens

Bandara Suites Hotel, Silom, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Bandara Suites Hotel, Silom, Bangkok

A friend of mine just stayed here and although he turned out to not be a big Bangkok fan, he enjoyed staying at this hotel.

Bandara Suites is the calm within the storm. Located in the heart of Silom; one of Bangkok's most important financial, shopping, restaurant, and night life districts. The Bandara Suites superb location on Soi Sala Daeng 1 , is only a 5 minute walk down a quiet Soi to the Metro and Sky train and the three main thoroughfares of Silom, Sathorn, and Rama IV roads. Bangkok's traffic free connecter to all of down town. Bandara Suites Hotel is comprised of 2 high rise buildings. Bandara Hotel & Resort is a 17 storey structure with 48 units of exclusively serviced residence designed to match the Pure Bandara Suites concept. There are also a 4 bedroom penthouse and a 3 bedroom penthouse that offer the maximum in amenities, service, and extravagance. Bandara Hotel & Resort has been designed for the long term resident who needs to be in Bangkok's prime business location.

Bandara Suites is a 26 storey building which brags some of the best views in all of Bangkok. Enjoy the splendid sunrise and observe as Thailand's capital city comes to life; and then later in the day watch the sunset and the skyline of Bangkok shine with high rise illumination

All rooms at Bandara Suites are equipped with high-speed internet and full kitchens for a comfortable stay of one night or as a permanent residence. The 4-star hotel’s facilities include: 2 pools, a spa, a gym, a squash court, a sauna, a whirlpool, a business center, and a restaurant. The city is waiting to be explored as soon as you step out of Bandara Suites in Silom.

Currently, Agoda has some fantastic offers for this hotel available.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Deluxe two bedroom suite living room

One bedroom suite dining area

Deluxe room

Jacuzzi pool

Lounge area

Links for 2009-09-01 [del.icio.us]

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 2nd September, 2009
Daily weather update for tropical island destination Koh Samui in Thailand by Camille Lemmens

Twin Towers Hotel, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:44:00 +0000

Twin Towers Hotel, Bangkok

The location of the Twin Towers hotel on Rama VI road in Bangkok is one of it's best assets, about a kilometer away from Chinatown with all it's fascinating little streets, food and exotic things to see and discover and on the edge of Chinatown is also a small street laced with outstanding Indian restaurants and (literal) hole in the wall places.
Many business area's are nearby, an entertainment zone (Patpong) is also around the corner and shopping malls are just a BTS station away with MBK and Siam Paragorn just to name a few.

Both my sister and an old friend of mine with their respective families stayed here early August 2009 for a few days, just before they visited me and my family on Koh Samui and both were happy with the price/quality on offer. They also booked various other activities through agencies in the hotel lobby, very well organised both inside the hotel and the actual trips that they booked.

There are a total of 660 rooms at the hotel, each designed with your comfort in mind. A variety of delectable dishes are served at the on-site eateries, while the cocktail bar serves an array of exotic drinks.

A good choice if you're travelling with a family or in general want a good deal for an affordable rate.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Deluxe Twin room

Standard King Size room

Pool at the hotel

The exterior

An unusual shot of the hotels exterior

Rajamangala Pavilion Beach Resort, Songkhla

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Rajamangala Pavilion Beach Resort, Songkhla

It's been a while since I stayed in Songkla, probably for over 6 years or so, back in the days that I still needed to make Visa and border runs. Usually I stayed in Hat Yai but Songkla is very nearby and makes for a perfect break without the big city hustle of Hat Yai.

My impressions of Songkla were that the city is very laid back and relaxed and had a beautiful beach which seemed to stretch for ever.

Although I didn't stay in the Rajamangala Resort, it's located on Chalatat or Samila Beach with a lovely view over the bay and is a short distance from Songkla 'downtown'.
All rooms have fantastic views of the Samila beach and the Gulf of Thailand from the private balconies.
The hotel boosts Chalatat Restaurant located at the 1st Floor and they serve Thai, Chinese & European Cuisine. Operated between 06.00 – 24.00 with 125 seats.

If you want some more action, for keen bargain hunters, take a 20-minute drive to the bustling Santisook market in Hat Yai, where inexpensive duty free goods, from cigarettes, cosmetics, to food stuff, brought in mostly from neighboring Malaysia are abundant. Various other shopping malls and restaurants are also located in the center of Had Yai.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Guest room

Guest room

Superior room

Lobby

Swimming Pool

LK Metropole Hotel, Pattaya

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:10:00 +0000

LK Metropole Hotel, Pattaya

Each room of this modern hotel has its own balcony with city, pool and ocean views, all 133 of them.
With the beach and the array of entertainments that make Pattaya famous all within walking distance this hotel is ideal for those who like to be close to the action.
The Metropole offers a wide array of facilities including a fitness center, a spa, a swimming pool and a massage service. All the rooms are tastefully laid out and come with hi speed internet access, a mini bar and television. At the LK Metropole Hotel you can experience a little luxury and peace between forays into the razzmatazz that characterizes Pattaya.

The location is really good; smack down in the middle of Pattaya on the corner of Soi Buakhao and Soi Diana and is one of the few hotels in Pattaya with a car park.

The pool is rather small though and breakfast is not spectacular but good enough to get a day started, be aware that the 'free' wifi internet access is only available for one hour per day.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Standard room

Studio room

Restaurant

Restaurant and pool

Exterior

Rachaphruk Grand Hotel, Nakorn Ratchasima/Korat

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Rachaphruk Grand Hotel, Nakorn Ratchasima/Korat

We stayed in the Rachaphruk Grand Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima or also known as Korat during our trip last to Isaan or the North Eastern part of Thailand last year in January.

What I really liked about the hotel was all the souvenirs, like pictures and banners from all kind of US Air Force personal that stayed in this place, starting during the Vietnam War, when Korat hosted an airport to the US Air Force.

The other thing I really liked about this specific hotel is it's location which was on the ring road around the town center, but directly opposite the road that leads to Kohn Kaen and Udon Thani which we had to take the next day.

The hotel supports a coffee shop, a Chinese Dim Sum restaurant and a disco. On the third floor is a swimming pool and also a fitness center.

All in all a decent choice and affordable. The Superior rooms are decent and for just a couple of hundred Baht more you can get a Junior Suite room on each floor.

Booking by R24

Superior room

Junior Suite

Pool

Location

Lebua at State Tower Hotel, Silom Road, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:20:00 +0000

Lebua at State Tower Hotel, Silom Road, Bangkok

Lebua at State Tower Hotel offers 327 suites within the prestigious 65-storey State Tower which rises over a main thoroughfare of Bangkok near the river. High-speed elevators whisk you away to suites that exude space-age luxury with an old-world feel. Each suite is equipped with a charming living room, modern bathroom with separate shower, two flat-screen TVs, a DVD player, in-room broadband internet connectivity, workstation, a large and fully stocked refrigerator, a coffee percolator, iron and ironing board and personal safe. Lebua has conveniently procured a private entrance for the reception area on the ground floor. The rooftop restaurants offer a breathtaking-yet-breezy, romantic-yet-stately dining experience that on a clear day, makes for the experience of a lifetime.

Within the State Tower, there are a wide range of shopping, dining and entertainment choices under one roof. Additionally, the hotel offers a number of features for residents.

My sister and her family stayed here once and I was lucky enough to be in Bangkok and visited her here and it was gorgeous. Unfortunately it was very stormy that day and our planned dinner at the Sirocco restaurant was rudely disturbed by rain and we had to relocate to the room/suite.

The view that I had up there was stunning though and well worth it. Unfortunately it was before my blogging days started so I don't have any pictures of the place nor of the restaurant.
Come to think of it, I actually stayed at the Dynasty Inn Grande when she stayed here at Lebua.

This is not a cheap to stay but it's definately worthwhile it if you can afford it.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Standard room

Two bedroom suite

Three bedroom living room

Balcony view over Bangkok

Sirocco restaurant

Dynasty Inn Grande, Sukhumvit Soi 6, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:12:00 +0000

Dynasty Inn Grande, Sukhumvit Soi 6, Bangkok

Great location in Bangkok, excellent price and good rooms with all the relevant amenities facilities including internet in the room . It's on the corner of Soi 4 also known as Soi Nana and in walking distance (just a 5 minute walk) to Nana BTS Skytrain station or use their shuttle service and you are only a few stops from the shopping destinations of Siam and Ratchaprasong.

The hotel even offers a shuttle service to the Nana sky train station. The tour desk at the hotel can help guests plan tours in and around Bangkok, and if you want to travel in style hire on of the cars on offer. Bloom Cafe, the restaurant at Dynasty Grande serves Thai fusion and international dishes, but with so many options nearby you might want to try them all. Across the road in Soi 11 guests will find some of the best nightlife spots in the city, BED and Q Bar. Guests will appreciate an excellent location along with great service, and the best part, all at an affordable price at Dynasty Grande.

Having stayed here myself, I can highly recommend this hotel with a price of just above 2.000,-THB per night, all taxes included but excluding breakfast. A hard to beat deal in this part of town.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Deluxe room

Deluxe room with view from the bed

Deluxe Grande room

Working place in the room

The very spacious reception

Montra Resort & Spa, Mae Haad, Koh Tao

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Montra Resort & Spa, Mae Haad, Koh Tao

The brand new Montra Resort & Spa in Mae Haad on Koh Tao is finally completed and it looks beautiful. It's a nice upscale boutique resort next to the Seatran pier on Koh Tao, just a 2 minute walk and on it's the other side is Sairee beach, just a 10 minute walk away, a beautiful scenic walk.

Montra resort is specially designed to pamper the needs of indulgent leisure travelers. The hotel is also popular among water sport enthusiasts who can indulge in scuba diving and snorkeling very nearby. The June Juea Beach, Ao Leuk and Thian Og Bay are some of the other unspoiled tourist spots within close proximity. Accommodation options are varied and there is something to suit every budget ranging from deluxe rooms to suites and all are equipped with cable TV and private balcony. The restaurant serves authentic Thai cuisine and the poolside bar is a nice place to relax.
The pool is gorgeous but you may find a few divers in it, as they are hard to avoid anywhere on Koh Tao.

If that's not enough, within a few minutes walks the Mae Haad and Sairee beaches offer plenty of excellent food options, covering a wide range of tastes and budgets.

At the moment of writing this review, the Montra Resort has a special offer which is very tempting. If you're looking for comfort and some luxury in a central location, the Montra offers just that.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Deluxe room

Superior room

Exterior view

Relaxing at the pool with a view on the beach

Panviman Resort, Thong Nai Pan beach, Koh Phangan

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Panviman Resort, Thong Nai Pan beach, Koh Phangan

Panviman Resort is highly recommended if you are looking for an idyllic romantic setting for two. Set on a steep hillside overlooking Thong Nai Pan beach, the luxurious Panviman Resort gives you the most incredible views of the beautiful Thong Nai Pan beach. The resort is most suitable for honeymooners, couples, and young families who want to enjoy a luxury holiday, away from the noisy beach crowds. The premium villas and cottages come with a private second floor terrace, complete with sun loungers and even an outdoor bathtub! A handful of beach side restaurants and bars within walking distance from the resort offer fresh seafood and fantastic value cocktails.

Be aware however that the resort is located in a real far away location, it's fairly remote and shuttle transfers are not easily available and taxi rides can be expensive. Another thing to consider is that the resort is build on a hill, so reaching your room can be a bit of a timely exercise.

The resort boosts 10 Superior Cottages, 26 Deluxe Cottages, 10 Deluxe hotel rooms, 4 Family cottages, 3 Spa Villas and a Presidential suite.

The swimming pool is massive and spread out over various layers and a real treat to use.

Room features Air – Conditioning, private bathroom with hot and cold shower, private bathroom with bathtub & hot and cold shower, bathtub with Jacuzzi in the open – air terrace, mini-bar & refrigerator, tea & coffee facilities, satellite TV in room, individual VCD, IDD telephone in the rooms, electronic safe in all rooms, beach sandals, towels and umbrellas in the rooms and daily make-up of the room.

The resorts has two restaurants, the Pan Sea and Stone Beach restaurants but there's also good food available in the nearby village.

A very nice and luxurious retreat almost in the jungle with a fair price tag, not cheap but affordable in the medium to higher end price range.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Superior Cottage

Superior Hotel room

Family Cottage

Stone Beach Restaurant

Swimming pool

Lanta Nakara Resort, Koh Lanta, Krabi

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:20:00 +0000

Lanta Nakara Resort, Koh Lanta, Krabi

Lanta Nakara Resort is a beautifully landscaped tropical resort offering a relaxed atmosphere. of Long Beach, the longest beach on Ko Lanta. Located only 70 kilometers from Krabi, the family-operated, beach side Lanta Nakara Resort offers complete relaxation in beautiful surroundings.

Dining options include a restaurant featuring the chef who helped make Relax Bay Tropicana famous.

Water temperature remains at 28-30 degrees all year and the three kilometer beach invites long lazy walks.There is excellent swimming and a rock reef for snorkeling five minutes walk away.

Nakara Resort offers 3 types of guest rooms with a total of 74 rooms; 8 Beachfront bungalows, 32 Luxury bungalows, 19 Deluxe bungalows and 15 Superior Bungalows.

A medium ranged priced resort, well worth visiting on a long stretching beach of lovely Koh Lanta.

Deluxe bungalow

Luxury Bungalow Bedroom

Swimming Pool

Koh Lanta scenery

Long Beach

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

The Centric Ratchada Hotel, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:49:00 +0000

The Centric Ratchada Hotel, Bangkok

Stayed in this hotel in Bangkok since it was conveniently located for me during that specific trip. It is around the corner of the Fortune Tower IT Mall and it's located within a 5 minute walk from Rama 9 subway station.
Being located at the corner of Ratchadapisek and Ding Daen and very near Asoke junction on Sukhumvit, the location is central and very good.
It's also close to the Suvarnabumi airport, it took me 30 minutes during the day time from the hotel to the airport.

The staff was very friendly, helpful and accommodating. Upon arrival I was transferred to 3 different rooms before i finally had a room with wifi connection. Only certain floors have wifi, so make sure you get on to the right floor, the 8th floor is one of those floors that supports wifi. At the reception cards can be purchased.

The hotel seems to be popular with Asian travel parties, Chinese mainly but there were plenty of other Asian travellers in the hotel when I was there.

Breakfast was very Asian but had also toast and eggs to offer, a bit meagre on the Western side.

The rooms were ok but all 3 rooms that I got to see smelled very strongly of tobacco, a typical Asian feat it seems.
The rooms itself were pretty non descript although rather spacious with a separated shower/bathroom/wardrobe (with safety box) area.

The lobby was big but lacked atmosphere.

The hotel is located in a small soi which may be hard to find, although taxi drivers tend to know it. The soi has a few interesting small shops and restaurants to show.

The room rate was good, just below 1.500,-THB including breakfast and all taxes.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Mango Bay Grand Resort, Koh Tao

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 03:20:00 +0000

Mango Bay Grand Resort, Koh Tao

As a diver living on Koh Samui, see my dive blog for my dive adventures, I've been diving Mango Bay since I arrived on these shores, in 1999. Mango Bay was a popular spot for it's shallow but beautiful waters. It's always been a snorkelers paradise and for entry level dives it's an excellent training location.

Over the years this beautiful bay has seen a bit of development and one of the results is Mango Bay Grand Resort. The bay can be reached by long tail boat by means of a free shuttle service or when weather conditions won't allow this, by an unpaved road and from the parking lot it's just 400 steps down to the resort!

Similar to the resort, all building materials had to be brought in by boat!

The views here are spectacular and you can literally drop from the mooring point into the clear water.
Things to keep in mind that it is very isolated, so bring all you need (cash, books etc) and electricity is only available from 6 pm to midnight, so it can get very hot and sweaty in your room.

Rooms are fairly priced and if you're looking for a (very) quiet and relaxing environment, this may be it!

Note that the resort is closed 1st October to 20th December.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Room with fan

Bungalow with aircon

Bungalow on the slopes

Sea view

Sea Lodge, Koh Tao

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:41:00 +0000

Sea Lodge, Koh Tao

This is the place where I usually stay when I'm on Koh Tao and I'm there quite a lot, for work when I accompany my IDC candidates for moral and logistical support for their their PADI IE's. Possibly I'm there 5 or 6 times a year at least. After Koh Samui where I live since 10 years, this must be the place in Thailand where I spend a lot of time.

The Sea Lodge only has 4 rooms, a family room with 3 beds, accommodating 4 people, a room with 2 beds and 2 rooms accommodating two people, one room with a twin and one room with a double bed.
Breakfast is optional but all rooms are fitted with air conditioning and ceiling fans, hot water shower, mini bar, 40 channel satellite TV and free wifi.

The location is excellent! Coming off the Seatran ferry, it's straight ahead, 50 meters from the pier, the building you will be facing walking off the ferry, smack downtown Mae Haad, so to speak. Plenty of good restaurants in walking distance and all dive boats leave within a 100 meters from the Sea Lodge.

Convenient and easy if you're diving on Koh Tao or just for a couple of days on business or a short breakaway.

The family room

Sunset on Koh Tao viewed from the Sea Lodge

Booking by R24

Novotel Centara, Hat Yai

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Novotel Centara, Hat Yai

The Novotel Centara Hat Yai Hotel, is in the heart of the city's commercial and shopping districts, within easy reach of the airport, connections to Bangkok, and the Malaysian border.
With this in mind, it's ideally located if you're doing a visa/border run or if you're just visiting this bustling Southern Thai city.

With five meeting rooms able to accommodate up to 300 people, the Novotel Centara Hat Yai Hotel offers an ideal venue for business and social gatherings of every kind. The business center provides Internet access, fax/photocopying services, translation facilities, and secretarial services. The four restaurants and the bar at the Novotel Centara Hat Yai Hotel serve a variety of different cuisines. The 237 well-appointed guestrooms and suites offer a range of amenities to ensure a relaxing stay. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, a fully equipped fitness center, a sauna, and traditional Thai massage treatments.

If you don't want to try out some excellent restaurants, lining the bustling city streets, you can try one of these indoor restaurants;

Lobby Lounge Enjoy cocktails and live music. Opening hours: 4pm-1am on weekdays, 4pm-2am on weekends.

Cappuccino Corner Relax with coffee, tea, fruit juice or delicious baked goods. Opening hours: 9am-9.30pm.

Saneha Cafe Restaurant Authentic Thai and selected international cuisine. Open hours: 6.30am-11.30pm.

Hagi Japanese Corner Fine Japanese cuisine. Opening hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm.

Ginger Authentic Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine with a wine bar and live music. Opening hours: 11.30am - 2pm for lunch and 6pm to 11pm for dinner.

Good rates and great location, if in Hat Yai, definitely worth wile looking into with affordable rates.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Deluxe room

Dynasty Club Room; Spacious 36 sqm. room featuring air-conditioning, private bathroom bath/shower, Satellite TV/ Movies, Minibar, In-room safe, Internet Access, etc. Dynasty Club lounge and benefits included.

One of their restaurants

Exterior view of the Novotel Centara Hotel in Hat Yai.

Xen Suites, Don Muang, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Xen Suites, Don Muang, Bangkok

My parents stayed here during the airport closures in Bangkok at the end of 2008 in November for two nights, during the protests that made world wide news.

The hotel is very conveniently located near the domestic Don Muang airport and the Impact Exhibition & Convention center, the largest exhibition and convention center in Thailand.
An IT center is also within walking distance and two big shopping malls are within easy taxi reach at Chaeng Wattana, a well knows road in Bangkok.

Xen Suites is formerly and probably better known by taxi drives as Quality Suites.

The price and quality of the rooms are good and if you need to be in this area, it's excellent value for money.

Booking by Agoda

Booking by R24

Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:26:00 +0000

Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Bangkok

Imperial Queen's Park is the only hotel in Bangkok with direct access to a park. Fresh-air, lush gardens, ponds, badminton, and a playground are, just down the steps from the Parkview Restaurant, in Benjasiri Park. Nearby find a driving range and tennis courts. Imperial Queen's Park is located on Soi 22, in the middle of the bustling Sukhumvit restaurant and entertainment district. Prom Phong Skytrain stop, Emporium Shopping Center and the famous Queen Sirikit Conference Center are all a few minutes walk away. Designed to appeal to all guests, one pool will be in the shade while the other is in the sun, there are pools on the 4th and the 9th floor.

A magnificent 37-storey, twin tower hotel, The Imperial Queen's Park Hotel dominantly graces Bangkok's beautiful skyline, from its downtown Sukhumvit Road location. With its outstanding first-class facilities and services, this grand hotel is destined for legendary status.

Everything in this 1,400 guest room hotel is on a grand scale; The 1,600 square metre bobby is four times the size of those in ordinary hotels; deluxe rooms are a spacious 38 to 40 sq.m. and a grand 700 sq.m. Penthouse; luxury suites range in size from 240 to 350 sq.m.: there are over 2,500 sq.m. of convention space; two swimming pools set in roof-top gardens; and six exquisitely designed restaurants specializing in Thai, Japanese, Chinese Continental, Vietnamese cuisines which have numerous private rooms for business functions and intimate dining.

It's also part of the Imperial group that houses the Imperial Boathouse and Imperial Samui on Koh Samui.

Although this is a top end hotel, I find the rates rather affordable and excellent value for money.

The hotel supports also various restaurants;

Parkview Restaurant
Located on the ground floor with direct access to Benjasiri Park, this round-the-clock restaurant offers a wide selection of meals. From 6am-10am a buffet breakfast which features Western and Oriental favorites is available. Lunch and dinner buffets have carving stations and dessert counters.

Lai Thong Thai Restaurant
Lai Thong Thai Restaurant is located on the lobby level and offers Royal Thai Cuisine in a modern Thai setting. The restaurant features a wide selection of entrees as well as set menus on special occasions. Open for dinner only from 6pm-10pm. lobby level

Les Nymphéas French Restaurant
Located on the 4th floor overlooking the pool, 'Les Nymphéas' delights guests with authentic French cuisine and large Monet reproductions. Open for lunch 11:30am-2pm and dinner 6pm-10pm.

The Uncle Ho Vietnamese Restaurant
Located on the 4th floor, this well known and popular restaurant serves Vietnamese meals in a relaxed atmosphere. Lunch 11.30-2pm, dinner 6-10pm.

Shabu-Shabu
Located on the 9th floor, this is a favorite restaurant for those who enjoy the traditional Japanese experience of cooking raw ingredients at the table in a shabu-shabu or crockpot. A lot of fun for youngsters as well as grown-ups. Open 6-10pm.

Kacho Japanese Restaurant
Located on the top (37th) floor, Kacho offers lunch and dinner guests a spectacular view of Bangkok in elegant high-end surroundings. For a traditional Japanese experience try one of the seven private dining rooms. Lunch 11:30am-2pm, dinner 6-10pm.

The Lobby Lounge
You can sit leisurely or order snacks and drinks all day. In the afternoon there is an elaborate tea set up and a pianist to lend a pleasant sound to your mood. Open daily 10.30am-10.30pm.

The Sundowner's Jazz Club
Meet friends and business associates while listening to the eclectic sounds of a live band. The Sundowner's Jazz Bar is a pleasurable venue to meet at. Open Daily 5pm-2am.

The Imperial China Chinese Restaurant
Also situated on the 4th floor, this restaurant serves Cantonese cuisine in a luxurious setting. There are eight private rooms as well as a special room for a private party of up to 120. As well as the popular a la carte favorites, Dim Sum is served at lunchtimes.

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Nova Platinum, Pattaya

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:12:00 +0000

Nova Platinum, Pattaya

Is located very conveniently on Pratamnal Road which is just a few minutes walking distance from famous Walking Street and near the road leading to Jomtien.

More importantly for me was the location near the Bali Hai pier, where the dive shop is located that I use for my wreck dive trips to Pattaya.

The hotel has freshly renovated and slightly more expensive than the average 1.000,-THB pre night room that can be had in Pattaya. The Nova Platinum starts around 2.000,-THB per night pending on special offers that can make the room slightly cheaper. Breakfast is not included though!

This Pattaya hotel has 78 guestrooms, featuring a 32” flatscreen television, a DVD player, free wireless Internet access and an array of modern facilities. Guests will enjoy a tropical garden, a large swimming pool, a jacuzzi and waterslide. The hotel offers all-day dining at Zia Restaurant, serving a great selection of delicious Mediterranean and Asian favourites. The pool bar also provides guests with refreshing tropical drinks and snacks.

I can recommend this hotel for your stays in Pattaya.

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Diamond Plaza, Surat Thani town

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:13:00 +0000

Diamond Plaza, Surat Thani town

Whenever we travel to the main land and we end up in Surat Thani for a night, we stay at this hotel, near the center of Surat Thani town.

The Diamond Plaza is fairly no nonsense hotel, but it has clean rooms, over 400 deluxe and suite guestrooms and they have wifi on most floors. Very convenient.

Their American breakfast is nothing special but has the basics but there's a wide selection of Asian breaky food.

The hotel further supports a gym and a swimming pool and is very popular during the week for business meetings and in the weekends for weddings.

Excellent value for money but not very charming.

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Centara Kata Resort, Phuket

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:53:00 +0000

Centara Kata Resort, Phuket

My family and me stayed a few times in this resort during our almost yearly Phuket holidays and although it has no beach location, we really liked a lot. We prefer queit Kata Beach over busy Patong, so that made it also an easy choice. Since we always visit Phuket during their rainy season, the Resort has very good deals during that time frame!

The Resort has a big pool with a slide and Jacuzzi's, which the children loved a lot and the breakfast is very good as well, with a good mix between Thai (Asian) and Western food.

We stayed in Deluxe rooms with baby cots and there was still plenty of room and we also stayed in the Family Suites, which was excellent. The children slept in the living room and we in the 'masters' bedroom.

Centara Kata Resort Phuket is located in the tranquil heart of Kata Beach, set in its own tropical gardens. Centara Kata Resort is functional and tastefully decorated in contemporary style, creating a relaxed atmosphere. Centara Kata Resort offers 158 large guestrooms, suites and apartments, all of which have a private balcony or terrace overlooking the pool areas or the garden. Centara Kata Resort also provides a restaurant and bar for fine dining and a drink. Recreational facilities at Centara Kata Resort include three magnificent pools and sundecks, a small spa and fitness room.

The resort comprises 158 rooms and suites spread out in a cluster of 2 and 3 storey low-rise buildings. All units are very spacious, comfortable, functional and tastefully decorated in traditional Thai and contemporary style architecture to create a family friendly resort.

If you travel with children, I can highly recommend this Resort in quiet and relaxed Kata Beach.

Prices range drastically from season to season, during low season it's very affordable but in high season it's priced in the medium range.

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The pool

The slide at the big pool

The restaurant overlooking the big pool

Deluxe room

Family suite

Charoensri Grand Royal Hotel, Udon Thani

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Charoensri Grand Royal Hotel, Udon Thani

Is one of those classic hotels that breath that 'old style' grandeur. Also, once in Udon, there's not that much choice and the Charoensri is conveniently located in the thickst of it all, next to a big shopping mall with cafes, restaurants and various shops.
It's located in absolutely the middle of downtown.

One of the other nice features of this hotel is that it's reasonably cheap for what it offers, big enough rooms with all amenities.

The Charoensri offers 234 Deluxe rooms and 18 Senior suites for very reasonable rates.

All rooms are air-conditioned and are equipped with individual thermostat controls.
Baby sitting service is available - We take good care of important little guest with kind and gentle care and Baby cots are available free of charge.
Charoensri Complex Shopping Mall - The mall, the largest one of the northeastern, is only one minute walk from the hotel with over 200 shops, Robinson Department store, Food center, Major Cineplex & Major Bowl.
Television Entertainment - The hotel provides you with a wide range of local and satellite channels.

During a trip earlier this year we went to Udon Thani and had a grand time there.

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City Lodge, Sukhumvit, Soi 19, Bangkok

camille@idcthailand.net (Camille Lemmens) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:25:00 +0000

City Lodge, Sukhumvit, Soi 19, Bangkok

Is one of two City Lodge's on Sukhumvit, one in Soi 9 and this one on Soi 19.

I've stayed in this superior hotel in the heart of Sukhumvit area, City Lodge Soi 19, on Sukhumvit Soi 19 which has a very convenient location offering within walking distance both ‘Asok’ skytrain and ‘Sukhumvit’ underground stations, almost on the hotels door step.

In the middle of Bangkok's most exciting commercial, embassy, shopping, dining and entertainment district, this Bangkok city centre hotel enables guests to explore the vibrant city and its multiple options – all within easy reach.

City Lodge Soi 19 provides well-appointed guest rooms with modern amenities and personalised service for a relaxing stay. The hotel offers great dining at La Gritta Italian Restaurant with superb authentic Italian delicacies.

The hotel offers 23 Superior rooms of approx. 30 square meters, 5 Deluxe rooms of approx. 36 square meters and 6 Deluxe corner rooms of approx. 45 square meters.

City Lodge Soi 19 is fully equipped for a comfortable stay and offers;

-Broadband internet access
-Room service
-Medical service (on call)
-Laundry and pressing
-Currency exchange
-Limousine service
-Parking

This medium ranged hotel offers excellent location and good rooms.

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