My holidays in Thailand have been some of the best I’ve ever had and I love the country for the food, the incredible hotels and some of the best service in the world. Listed here are eight of the best luxury hotels in Thailand and the most amazing places to stay for incredible service.
Koh Samui
I first visited Koh Samui, a beautiful island off the East Coast of Thailand, around eight years ago and I’d still love to go back one day as it’s one of the most stunning islands I’ve ever visited. Beautiful beaches, perfect weather and great night life make Koh Samui one of my top places to visit in Thailand.
The Four Season Koh Samui
With its gorgeous hillside setting and private beach, The Four Seasons Koh Samui is the perfect place to escape the crowds.
Each villa is huge with a deep bath to luxuriate in, your own private pool and a beautiful decking overlooking the Gulf of Siam.
Though you may never want to leave your room, the hotel’s pool is totally dreamy, surrounded by coconut trees and plenty of places to take shade. When I went we loved the Pla Pla restaurant which serves a mostly seafood menu with both Western and Thai options but they’ve since added Koh Kitchen and Bar which serves authentic Thai food. What I love most about luxury hotels is the unique experiences they can offer you and here you can try a private barbecue in your villa, a picnic on a secluded beach, cookery classes and movies under the stars.
The Library
If you want to be closer to the action, The Library Hotel is the only five-star place to stay on Chaweng Beach.
I’ve never stayed anywhere quite like The Library, a unique design hotel that is themed around the idea of books for example the restaurant is called The Page and our suite was called The Bookmark. The room was super spacious with a focus on technology and came with its own iMac, smart TV and mood lighting. Central to the all-white, modern minimalist hotel is the library which offers a vast selection of books to peruse or DVDs to borrow.
But perhaps the most intriguing thing is the blood-red pool that provides a stark contrast to the hotel’s white exterior. With mosaic tiles of orange, yellow and deep red, the pool is often cited as one of the most unusual and best pools in the world.
Phuket
Phuket is the largest island in Thailand with another 32 smaller islands off its coast. Unfortunately the island of Phuket has got a bit of a bad reputation for being over run with tourists and slightly devoid of charm; this can be the case if you go into Patong which is the centre of nightlife and really rather seedy. Instead I’d advise choosing a hotel away from the hustle and bustle so that you can still appreciate the beauty that Phuket has to offer without the downside.
Trisara
Mr S and I still regard Trisara as one of the best beach hotels that we’ve ever stayed in.
Meaning ‘The Garden in The Third Heaven’, Trisara was a simply celestial experience.
The public buildings is made with elegant brick work and dark wood including pretty water features and beautiful gardens throughout.
A beautiful pool, fringed with palm trees overlooks a stunning private beach and you can well and truly escape from any crowds.
We loved the elegant design of our Ocean View Villa and own huge 10 metre private pool which seemed to drift right into the ocean.
The decking area was so big that one night we enjoyed a barbecue poolside with our own private chef, another day we made the most of the restaurant and enjoyed the hotel’s brunch with a bottle of champagne and entertainment from a jazz quartet. In the evenings we tried the delicious food at Trisara Seafood or more casual dining on The Deck. The spa is an unmissable experience, and there’s the opportunity to try a six handed massage with three spa therapists.
Six Senses Yao Noi
If you want to move even further away from the madness of Patong, The Six Senses Yao Noi is located on a small island in Phang Nga Bay between Phuket and Krabi.
We didn’t actually stay at The Six Senses Yao Noi but we went there for lunch whilst on a boat trip around the islands.
I really loved the natural feel of the hotel’s architecture which blends in beautifully with the surroundings and unsurprisingly the hotel is eco-friendly with a dedication to the environment and social responsibility.
We loved our lunch at their all-day dining restaurant The Living Room but there’s also The Dining Room for dinner and the exclusive Hill Top Reserve Restaurant. But we also loved simply visiting their ice cream parlour and walking down to the beach with our cones after lunch. I didn’t actually see the villas, which all have private pools, but the staff were kind enough to give us a tour of the gardens where they grow the vegetables for the restaurant. Other cool experiences offered by the hotel include a secluded island barbecue, visits to nearby James Bond Island and Thai boxing lessons.
Chiang Mai
Located in the North of the country, Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand and it is known for being the capital of culture. For me, it was one of my favourite areas to explore and definitely a must visit destination in a Thailand itinerary.
The Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Another one of my all-time favourite hotels, The Four Seasons Chiang Mai is located about half an hour drive out of the main city but it’s still in very easy reach for sightseeing. The hotel is built in the Mae Rim Valley on a real working rice field with a resident buffalo
The property sprawls across a large area with gorgeous water features and gardens and architecture influenced by traditional Thai temples.
Our pool villa was gorgeous with a huge and beautifully decorated indoor space with a stunning bathroom and indoor and outdoor shower.
But even better was the outdoor space, we didn’t just have a private pool but we had a whole water garden, a dining pavilion and a swing chair all nestled in a lush jungle environment.
Another thing I loved about the hotel was all the amazing dining experiences that you could have such as a Thai barbecue in the main restaurant, Sala Mae Rim, a cookery school and our own private dinner in the hotel’s rice barn.
Chiang Rai
North of Chiang Mai lies the smaller town of Chiang Rai, an area known for its relaxed atmosphere and unspoilt landscape. The Chiang Rai province is also the location of the Golden Triangle, the meeting of the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
The Four Seasons Golden Triangle
Ok, I know a theme is emerging here but I just love Four Seasons Hotels and the Four Seasons Golden Triangle is perhaps one of the most unusual hotels that I’ve stayed in.
You arrive via a boat along the Mekong River and find yourself at the stunning pavilion of this open air hotel set in the dense Thai jungle.
And your home for the next couple of days is a luxurious tent that feels as though it’s suspended in the treetops.
Exquisite hand-made furnishings and antiques complete the room which make you feel like a jungle explorer…
And don’t you just love that hand-hammered copper bath.
Our room also had a large terrace with its own hot tub. One of things I loved about this hotel was that it was all-inclusive but completely tailored towards the guest – the chef met us as we arrived and asked for our likes and dislikes, we were able to tailor our itinerary of excursions and choose the spa treatments that we liked best. The very best thing about the hotel – and what really set it apart from anywhere else that I’ve ever visited – was that it was home to four elephants that have been rescued from a life of cruel treatment.
Throughout your stay there is the opportunity to interact with the elephants including feeding them breakfast, watching them bathe and trekking through the jungle with them. Mr S and I also experienced the special elephant camp dinner where we fed the elephants before enjoying our own special candlelit dinner.
Bangkok
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the Thai capital as I found it polluted, congested and humid but I think it’s worth devoting a few nights stay in Bangkok to check out the awesome nightlife, bars and restaurants. Make the most of this aspect of Bangkok by staying in fun hotels with cool bars but for super luxury I would also suggest checking out The Mandarin Oriental and the Peninsula.
The Banyan Tree, Bangkok
Located in the centre of Bangkok, The Banyan Tree is a great place to base yourself for exploring Bangkok. Rooms are beautifully spacious and modern and the hotel has a wide variety of dining options including a dinner cruise on their private boat, a contemporary Thai restaurant, a Chinese and a Japanese.
The outdoor pool on the 21st floor is simply stunning and the spa is award-winning. But the reason I chose to stay at The Banyan Tree last time I was in Bangkok was for the incredible roof top bar and restaurant.
Vertigo Restaurant and Moon Bar are located on the 61st Floor of the hotel with sweeping views across the city – for me this is an unmissable experience in Bangkok.
Lebua at State Tower
The alternative, and even more vertiginous, is Lebua at State Tower, made famous by The Hangover Part II. Though I prefer the decor of The Banyan Tree, the rooms at Lebua have balconies overlooking the city, and the hotel has an equally prime location with many attractions nearby.
Once again there are several restaurant options including the fine dining option, Mezzaluna, but Lebua has become well-known for its Sky Bar. The bar appears to be suspended on a precipice of the 65th floor and with its incredible views it is also known to be one of the best bars in Bangkok.
I visited Lebua around eight years ago, but you can read a more recent experience on Catherine’s blog including the launch of their new bar, Flute A Perrier Jouët Bar, the world’s highest open air champagne bar.
So there you have it eight of the best luxury hotels in Thailand. Let me know what you think!
Have you ever been to Thailand? What hotels in would you recommend?
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