Part 2 in our Honeymoon Series, we’re exploring your Luxury Honeymoon in Thailand
The possibility of a Luxury Honeymoon in Thailand is definitely doable on a moderate budget. 5 star accommodations are something you’ve only dreamed of and for a premier experience, why not order a butler as well? What do you do with a butler?
Let me explain these luxury Honeymoon opportunities in terms of their categories. Boutique Hotels are smaller and feel more quaint while offering all regular hotel amenities also. Hotels are well…. Hotels. Resorts are where you wander the grounds and enjoy all the custom-created, local-type aspects.
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THAILAND HONEYMOON, BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Welcome to 137 Pillars House, Chiang Mai…
You step back in time to the 1800’s where life was simpler and people were most gracious. You’re greeted with an incredible welcome drink as staff buzzes around you to take care of your every need. When escorted to your room, your first experience is through the beautifully maintained gardens that open up to a central park feel… and right there in the middle sits the beautiful, authentic namesake on its original 137 pillars.
137 Pillars House is more than only its beautiful boutique hotel environment with outstanding amenities and indoor/outdoor private showers (a personal favorite of mine). It’s about the staff, the food, the bartender and the amazing way you feel relaxed when you sit back and get pampered. At any point during the day you will feel like there is always someone at the ready to assist you with anything you might need. This luxury you’ve purchased is about a transformation in yourself as well.
You’ll find yourself quickly adapting to being able to simply look over your shoulder to signal a charming server to come over and immediately inquire of your needs. Each room comes with a Butler that speaks your language and is available at any time to make recommendations, reservations or even help translate to a driver that doesn’t speak English (we’ve tested all 3 of these concepts many times.
Don’t get too used to this because as at some point you’ll need to go home and your new spouse is not a butler.
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THAILAND HONEYMOON, RESORT
Sarojin Resort, Khao Lak…
The Sarojin Resort is a piece of paradise just waiting for a romantic honeymooner! Situated right on the beach, you might wonder why you’d go from your beach wedding on Maui to a honeymoon on the Andaman Sea. From a visual standpoint, the water and sky are completely different colors. The sea is saltier than the Pacific Ocean and the coral reefs look more like exploding mushrooms than Maui’s hidden onyx-style underwater gems.
At the Sarojin you’ll find between 130-250 staff just waiting to make sure your stay is romantic and memorable… and you’ll swear you only saw a dozen people… that’s how they encourage your intimacy 🙂
The staff is trained to share information to help you not have to ask for the same thing twice – whether that’s to keep an ice chest filled with ice in your room at all times, or to never offer you a food that you are allergic to. From that first sip of your tasty welcome drink, you will know that you are in paradise. A perfect place for newlyweds to unwind and reconnect on your luxury honeymoon after the faster pace of your Maui wedding with all your family and friends.
This luxury doesn’t come cheap and you will definitely feel the intimacy of your well-spent funds. Their goal is to be there when you need them, provide you with outstanding food at any time of day and to aid you with romance ideas, surprises and personalized experiences in the Takua Pa District… then they step back into the shadows and allow you the most relaxing, intimate experience of your life.
Enjoy a romantic dinner on the beach for 2 with hundreds of candles and a Chef cooking there beside you. Take a tour of a floating village and have every aspect upgraded to luxury on the tour (they even bring the water bottles and towels from the resort!) Walk the beach, collect shells, fall into a heap on the sand and watch the sun set.
However you choose to spend your luxury honeymoon, please remember to watch your surroundings and most importantly enjoy each other. The point of a luxury honeymoon is to take time to simply “be” with each other and let others take care of your day-to-day needs. You’ll have plenty of time for others when you get back.
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THAILAND HONEYMOON, HOTEL…
Empress Premier Suites, Chiang Mai…
Located in a fun walking part of Chiang Mai, you’ll be just outside of the historical Old Town and therefore a bit quieter, less touristy and nicer for an evening stroll. You’re still only 7 minutes by car and 15 minutes walking to the exotic rush that is Chiang Mai. Every evening the streets adjacent to the hotel come alive with food vendors and souvenir stalls. There are top TripAdvisor restaurants located just around the corner.
At first blush this 9.8 rated hotel doesn’t seem like it can compare with others in the 5 star rating class… no bellman to greet you or to help with your luggage and no welcome drink to speak of; however the front of house staff is full of smiles and go the extra mile to assist you if they can. This is definitely a “hotel stay” and not a Boutique hotel or “resort experience”; however, the Manager on Duty graciously presented us with a bag full of local treats and escorted us to our suite. She then found a bellboy to bring up our belongings as she demonstrated the suite’s features.
The pool area offers a nice water feature to drown out any ambient street noise from 5 flights below. The bar is staffed with colorfully dressed pool boys to create a concoction just right for every drinker or non-drinker’s taste. Your food can be delivered pool-side and the best part of it all – there is shade! Shade might be the last thing you think of on day one, but after a bit of time in Thailand, you too will begin to welcome the opportunity to pop into the shade for a few minutes while remaining pool-side.
The suites in this hotel are very clean, spacious and well-equipped – perfect for those wanting to bring street food back home to eat or for those honeymooners that never want to leave the room and select 24 hour room service instead. As far as hotels go, this one checks all the boxes.
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It has been our experience overall that Boutique Hotels offer the best combination of personalized service, luxury amenities and best overall stay in the luxury accommodations world. You’re also welcome to email us if you have Honeymoon Planning Questions. Aloha!
Honeymoon Information
The pros and cons of Thailand on a budget.
Thailand offers every major U.S. Brand item you could possibly miss with the exception of chocolate chip cookies. Oreos will have to suffice or go without. Check out their potato chips for about 30 cents – the best are Boat Noodle Flavor!
Another top secret – if the flies like the food, you should move on. Never eat from a food cart that has flies – they transfer bacteria and leave larva behind.
Keep in mind 1 key element when deciding how much you want to spend on accommodations. Often people who spend very little on accommodations will also keep a small reserve for activities. That means that the very cool pool and gym you see offered at your inexpensive condo complex will also be packed with people throughout your stay. Travelers with a larger budget staying in slightly nicer accommodations will tend to be off on day trips and tours leaving the complex common areas available for you to enjoy at your leisure. A little extra spend gives you a lot more fun in the long run.
Staying in a brand new complex sounds appealing, doesn’t it? Everything brand new and not broken in yet (read into this very hard beds)… This also means tolerating construction noises, paint thinner smells, and swarms of visitors touring the complex on “vacation freebie tours”.
