Thailand Part IV - Thai Smile Airways and Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort -Check In and Room

My time in Bangkok was short, and mostly spent recovering from the flight and the consequences of having my days rapidly turned upside down. Soon I was back at Bangkok airport preparing to board Thai Smile for my flight to Chiang Rai. It was an economy flight, but it wasn't going to be a long one, and I paid for both my domestic flights with my annual travel credit and points from Amex, so I was prepared for discomfort. Surprise, for an economy flight it wasn't bad. There was even food (some sort of chicken paste roll) and water provided for all passengers at no extra cost! For cheap and cheerful, this was pretty good.

I'm not going to lie, this was the part of the trip I was looking forward to most. Spending my birthday with elephants was the major feature of this trip. But first, I had to get there. Fortunately, the hotel offers a reasonably priced luxury transfer between the airport at Chiang Rai and Golden triangle. The van was equipped with wifi, juice, cookies, a cold towel, and hand sanitizer.

The resort bangs a drum to welcome you. And then you enter the lobby, and get checked in. You are greeted with a cold towel, juice, and a snack. The yellow object on the tray is an entire peeled and quartered local pineapple. They are tiny, adorable, and delicious.

My room had a view of the "Golden Triangle" where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet.

They certainly made me feel welcome, with all sorts of welcome and birthday amenities.

I had a suite, which was very spacious (64m²). It was almost at the top of the hill, so the view was spectacular. I was later shown the more accessible rooms and suites they had at the bottom of the hill. I had a walk in closet, sitting area, soaking tub, shower, massive vanity, mini fridge, bedroom, and balcony. The sitting area had a sofa, coffee table, binoculars, and snacks. 

Next: Part V - Elephants, and a resort tour.

 

Thailand: Part III - Anantara Siam Bangkok

It was well after 1:00 when I had gathered my luggage and found the taxi stand at BKK. I had booked a transfer, but the supplier was forced to cancel at the last minute. Fortunately, I looked it up before arriving, and found that the taxi experience is a little different. You go to a ticket machine, and it gives you a numbered ticket. The number represents the parking spot your taxi is in. I knew to do this, but forgot to look up the hotel address. The driver didn't know it, so there were a few minutes of googling before we were on our way. It turns out, it was my atrocious Thai pronunciation that was the issue. 

The lobby was very quiet as I entered, but service was immediate and attentive. I was supplied with a cold towel, some tea, and a cookie while I checked in at the counter. I received my room key, and bell services brought my bags to my room.

The room was well equipped, and nicely decorated. The door faced an interior courtyard, so the hall was open, but covered.

 

Ah breakfast! The breakfasts at Anantara properties are rightly celebrated. In addition to multiple food stations catering to just about every conceivable breakfast desire except cold pizza, they also have an a la carte menu where you can order freshly prepared options such as eggs and pancakes. These menus vary by location. For the first morning, I chose the red velvet banana pancake with cream cheese syrup. For the second morning, I chose some buffet decadence with smoked duck and salmon, cheese, and honeycomb. The service was excellent, and coffee quite good. The atmosphere was also lovely, being in a covered part of the courtyard, which included lush plants and a koi pond.

What better way to digest a late breakfast than with a swim and a lounge by the pool? The pool area is large, with lots of very comfy loungers, and your choice of sun or shade. There is also a bar, from which you or the obliging servers can grab drinks, and a covered smoking area for the nicotine inclined.

The hotel is beautifully decorated with many artworks, plants, and water features.

The health club in the hotel has a hot tub, steam rooms, and showers. Towels, lockers, robes, and sandals are provided to hotel guests.

I had dinner at The Spice Market, which is the hotel's Thai restaurant. There was a complementary appetizer of leaves which could be dressed with a variety of light fillings such as dried shrimp, small chilies, and lime. I found this to be the case in almost every restaurant in which I had dinner when I was in Thailand. I also had the duck and vegetable spring rolls, which were delicious, but a bit too much for just me.

Next: Part III - Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort