I will be in NYC next week and made one of the worst oops a person can make. I only booked 4 nights when I needed 5.  Of course, now hotel rates have soared and so I’m going to use points to book 1 night.  Choices, choices…

I’m staying at a Starwood property for two reasons 1) I’m trying to get to 100 nights before Mark D (@mdditt2000)  and 2) I have plenty of points to use!

I’m trying to decide between:

St. Regis NY – never stayed before but recently stayed at the St Regis Bangkok and LOVED it.

Le Parker Meridien – have stayed before and LOVE it.  Who can turn down Burger Joint and the amazing breakfast at Norma’s.  Have always been upgraded to a nice suite.

W Times Sq –  have stayed before but never seem to get upgraded.  Good location.

The Chatwal – have never stayed, and it’s 10,000 points more than the other hotels, so it’s not at the top of my list at the moment.

Where would you stay??  I just can’t make up my mind.  But I have do decide quickly…my trip is next week.

The Le Meridien Koh Samui is a nice resort, but not as spectacular as I had hoped. Our Flight into Koh Samui arrived 2 hrs late and we arrived at the hotel around 9pm. There was on one to greet us when the hotel car dropped us off.  A security guard pointed us towards the hotel. We wandered towards the hotel – the front of the hotel is ugly and reminded me of a motel – but once you pass through the actual entrance you get that resort feeling you expect. The hotel has the most amazing water and light feature that you walk through to get to reception.  Someone from reception finally greeted us at the top of a stair case (we carried our own bags up the stairs) and she showed us to reception. Check in was not smooth, but the staff worked hard and got everything sorted – eventually.  That’s the theme of this review – service.

I booked a verandah suite and used the new SPG Suite Night Awards Benefit to upgrade to a suite. I was upgraded to a Pool Access Suite. However, the word “suite” is very deceptive because there is one room with a bed, desk and TV an outdoor open-air bathroom and a patio that provides pool access. The hotel counts the patio as the “living room” and the front desk staff insists that makes it a suite. It would be better called a “villa” (which is what other Le Meridien in Phuket and Khao Lak call it). I was very disappointed to learn that the Suite Night Awards could not be used on any other “suite” types at this property. And in addition, another platinum member traveling w/me was upgraded to the same Pool Access Suite without using the upgrade awards.

After checking in, I went to my pool access suite and was disappointed with what I found. Not only did I find dirty sheets on the bed, I noticed that the duvet cover was stained and the towels were stained as well. The hotel staff changed the sheets, duvet and towels and the GM made a point to assure me the next morning that she would see that the staff had the room cleaned perfectly. And it was cleaned well after that point.  I was impressed that the GM made the point to meet me and discuss the issue. Very impressive service.

The out-door, open-air bathroom takes some getting used to. If you’re not into outdoor living, you may to book elsewhere (the W has indoor toilets). You’re exposed to the elements – I almost stepped on a worm one night while using the toilet. A bird flew in while I was in the tub and sat perched on the sink vanity.  The bathroom was very hot all the time, night and day, because Koh Samui is hot and there was no air flow.  I wish the bathroom had a fan – that would have really helped.  It would also be nice if the hotel offered mosquito nets to guests at checkin or before checkin.  (which they actually did provide a few days into my stay)

There are mosquitoes everywhere (hotel can’t really control that, but they do a good job of putting coils and citronella around to help as much as possible). The room has French sliding doors as the main door to the room that open directly to the patio and pool. Whenever those doors or the door to the bathroom were open, bugs flew in. Be prepared to wear a lot of bug spray – all the time! (I had the same problem with the mosquitoes at the LM Khao Lak too, it’s just the area.)

The room is small for a suite, but the bed is very, very comfortable and the room is decorated nicely in a colonial Thai style. There is a large TV and working desk in the room. There’s a mini-bar and plenty of drinking water.  The patio had a couch – which was in pretty bad shape – and a chair that looked onto the pool and directly into three other pool access suites. The downside to the pool access suites is that you have no privacy unless you keep all the blinds closed and if you close the blinds you lose out on the pool view.  It was nice to be able to sit right in front of your room and have your feet in the pool.

There is only one restaurant on the property. The restaurant serves a good breakfast buffet and a la carte menu. Service at breakfast is very good and the GM is always present to ensure service standards. Unfortunately, lunch service falls a bit short – I think this is due to the fact that the GM is not present. There are long waits for drinks and checks and you often have to request the check several times.  The food is good, but the lack-luster service at lunch got frustrating.

The pool is nice, but a bit small. It’s very well maintained and the pool chairs are relaxing. The view from the pool is spectacular! I spent a lot of time sitting pool side enjoying the view and some great drinks.  The beach is not well maintained and the water is gray directly in front of the hotel -you have to go pretty far out for beautiful blue water you expect in Thailand. There’s a long dock that extends into the water but it was surrounded by brown frothy water that was not appealing.  Again, not sure how much the hotel can control this – it is a huge body of natural water.

The spa is very nice, the rooms are beautiful and the massage treatments are exceptional. The manicure and pedicure services are less than average. I would highly recommend the massages, but would not recommend the nail services.  Prices are a bit higher than most other Starwood spas but they do offer discounts for early/late appointments and I took advantage of those.

Every evening there is an end of day ceremony.  The ceremony is beautiful and a great way to end the day.  Part of the ceremony, weather permitting, is the release of Chinese lanterns into the sky.  Guests are invited to join the staff in the lobby wading pool where the lanterns are lit and released.  The ceremony was breathtaking and a must-do!  An absolute highlight of the trip.

On my last day, as I was checking out, I met Ben, the director of Sales and Marketing for the hotel.  I was extremely impressed that he took the time to meet with me and talk about the hotel.  He was genuinely interested in what I had to say.  Ironically, about a week later at the Sheraton Royal Orchid I ran into Ben.  I was unbelievably impressed that he remembered me and said hello.   Again, service!

I’m not sure if I’d go back given all the other SPG choices in the area. I have high hopes that the management turns it all around…but for me, it really comes down to personal preference. If you like outdoors and open-air bathrooms, then you’ll love this hotel. If you like more modern facilities, than you might want to consider a stay at the W or other SPG property in the area.   So in the end, while I didn’t love the hotel, I would highly recommend it.

L’Appart is a modern and charming French restaurant atop the brand-new Sofitel Sukhumvit Bangkok hotel. The restaurant design is based on a Haussmann-style apartment (Haussmann buildings are also referred to as pierre de taille or cut stone) with beautiful decorative finishes, wooden floors, and fireplaces. There are several rooms, just like an apartment, including a library, a living room, a kitchen and dining room. The restaurant feels like a place you would call home.

Sofitel Sukhumvit Executive Chef Aurelien Poirot has worked in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and now, Bangkok. He has cooked at some of the most acclaimed hotels and restaurants around the world including, The Grand Amsterdam, Sofitel Brussels, 3 Michelin Star rated Le Meurice under chef Yannick Alleno, 2 Michelin Star Lasserre, 3 Michelin Star Taillevent, and several Alain Ducasse restaurants including Il Cortile.

Jeremy Tourret serves as Executive Sous Chef at L’Appart and was in the kitchen during both of my visits this month.  His kitchen, which is visible to diners, is pristine.  The kitchen is decorated in black and reds and is quite welcoming – like a kitchen should be.

The attention to detail at L’Appart is inspired.  From the décor – cook books on shelves in the kitchen, dish towels in a cabinet in the dining room, stunning lamps and sculptures – to the presentation of food, no detail is left to chance.

During our first visit, we sat in the living room and had a nice view of the kitchen.  On our second visit, we sat at the chef’s table in the kitchen and it was an amazing experience.

The menu at L’Appart, created by chef Tourret, changes about every two-weeks.  According to General Manager Christian Schlegel, who we met during our second visit, Tourret cooks food that inspires him – food that he loves.

His love of food, and his talent for creating masterpieces is evident in every dish he presents.

Prior to joining L’Appart, Tourret ran the kitchen in the Sofitel Silom Bangkok and the Park Hyatt Daubi.

During our visits we were able to taste some amazing dishes.  On my first visit, I started with the blue crab raviol, lobster bisque, fresh herb salad and combawa oil (an essential oil).  The ravioli were amazingly delicious and the presentation was beautiful.  It was a great way to start the meal.  My main course was the chicken breast with black truffles, pumpkin puree, parmesan foam and poultry juice.   The chicken was so moist and cooked perfectly.  The flavors of the black truffles were delicious and the pumpkin puree was good too.  I loved the chicken.  I finished the night off with a home-made Oreo Cheesecake that was very good.   I loved everything I had that night.

On our second visit we tried a few more items that we shared at our chefs table.  We started with the cod fish carpaccio and fresh herb salad.  I was unable to taste this one because it had tomato in it (I’m allergic). But my friend loved it.  We had the snail raviol which were to die for.  The snails had been flown in from France and the flavor in the dish was simply out of this world.  I could have ordered a second one if there wasn’t so much food coming our way.  We also had the pan fried veal liver deglase sherry vinegare with young cress and crispy speck.  The veal liver was so good and the flavors mixed so well.  I loved the sherry vinaigrette on the dish.

After the starters, I had the lobster cooked in lemongrass butter served with oyster and potato mousseline and my friend had the steamed salmon fillet served with ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime.   Both of the main dishes were good, but the lobster really stole the show. The presentation was spectacular and it tasted even better.

We ended the evening with several desserts that we shared.  All of the desserts are home-made and we tried the mango cake – which was a little too sweet for me, a triple chocolate cake which was amazing.  It was not overly sweet and had great texture.

After dessert, we were presented with homemade marsh-mellows and candies which were very good and a great way to end the evening.

The meals were so exceptional that I would return to L’Appart anytime I’m in Bangkok and would highly recommend the restaurant to others.  The experience is exceptional and the food is incredible.  You can’t go wrong with L’Appart.

The Sheraton Royal Orchid is located on the Chao Praya River and is an expansive property with plenty of amenities.

The lobby is grand and decorated with traditional Thai designs.  The bellmen are very attentive and greeted me by name after two days at the hotel. The lobby has several gift shops, a reception area, a bar and restaurant. On the second floor of the hotel, there are many more shops (tailors, jewelry stores, a salon, etc..) an Italian restaurant, a traditional Thai Restaurant and Link@ Sheraton.   The third floor houses the Mandara Spa. There are conference rooms and plenty of areas for meetings and events.

The hotel tower is 28 floors and has many suites.  There is a concierge lounge on the 27^th floor.   At check-in we were greeted by an Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) representative.  He showed us to our rooms, explained our benefits and showed us the concierge lounge.  He was extremely helpful and friendly during our entire stay.  Every time we saw him, he greeted us by name and inquired about our stay.

Rooms:

As a Platinum member of SPG, I was upgraded to an Executive Suite.  The room was extremely large and on the corner of the tower building which provided great views of the riverfront.  There was a bedroom, bathroom with large shower and bathtub, a living room with desk, couch and chair and very large screen TV.   My colleague, also an SPG Platinum, was upgraded to a Junior Suite which was also in the Tower and just a smaller version of the Executive Suite.   The room was very comfortable.  There was turn-down service but it was not regular. Some nights it would happen, other nights it wouldn’t.
Concierge Lounge and Platinum Services:

The concierge lounge was very large with amazing views of the river.  The lounge was open all day and closed around 10pm.  In the morning, a light breakfast was served and the staff was very helpful and welcoming.  As a Platinum SPG member, I was given the choice of eating in the lounge or restaurant and did not have to use my Platinum amenity for this benefit.   The concierge lounge had snacks and drinks available all day.  At 5:30, the lounge served appetizers and drinks.  The rules for entering the lounge after 5pm were very different than during the day.  After 5pm, you have to dress appropriately and can’t wear flip-flops, unless they have a gold decoration or flower on them.  I had on the exact same flip-flops as my colleague, mine were plain black and hers had a gold buckle on the top.  She was allowed to wear hers and I had to go change.  The rules seemed to be enforced oddly.  The appetizers and cocktails were very generous and delicious.

The hotel concierge was amazing.  He was able to make very complex transportation arrangements for us and attended to all of our requests.  All of the hotel staff were great.

The restaurants:
The restaurants were all good.  Very fairly priced for hotel restaurants and the service was good and consistent.  Breakfast was served in the main restaurant and there was an enormous buffet in addition to an ala carte menu.  The Thai restaurant was very good.  There is traditional Thai dancing from 7-10pm about once every hour and it’s a great show. The Italian restaurant is okay.  There are many other great Italian restaurants in the city and I wouldn’t run to eat at this one if you had a choice.

The SPA:

The Mandara Spa is beautiful and relaxing.  The massage services are excellent. I would highly recommend the Traditional Thai Foot Massage or the Swedish Massage.  The manicure and pedicure services are average and I wouldn’t recommend them based on the prices.  There were very few nail polish color choices, the foot massage and hand massage that you typically get with a mani/pedi were pretty non-existent.  They didn’t have disposable shoes to wear after the pedicure, so you had to walk barefoot if you didn’t bring your own flip flops.

Location:
The hotel is located on the river and has its own river boat shuttle.  Directly next to the hotel is the River Center Shops.  There are daily dinner cruises that depart from the center and they can be extremely loud between the hours of 7pm – 10pm. On the 22^nd floor, I was able to hear the music every night from the dinner boats as they docked.  The shopping center is not anything special.  The stores are tourist traps and the restaurants are not so great.  I would avoid the center except for the grocery store – a great place to pick up snacks, drinks, etc…

Overall

Overall, the hotel is a great value for the cost.  The rooms are lovely and comfortable, the staff is very accommodating and the location is great.  I would absolutely stay again.

To say that I was excited to spend a long weekend at the St Regis Bangkok would be an understatement. Three days of R&R, great food and great shopping was just what I needed after two weeks of long working days in Thailand.

Upon arrival at the St Regis we were greeted by several bellmen and a hostess. Our bags were collected and we were escorted from the first floor to the 12^th floor where reception is located. The check-in process was very quick and the staff was very accommodating. I checked in with friend who is also a Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum member. I used my SPG Suite Night Benefit to guarantee an upgrade to a suite. I am very glad that I did because my friend was not upgraded to a suite.

The Room

After check-in, we were shown to our rooms. My Metropolitan Suite was on the 18^thfloor.

Metropolitan Suite Bedroom

The room was very spacious, had many large windows allowing plenty of light into the room and room was beautifully decorated. The suite had a sitting room with couch and two chairs, a coffee table, wet/dry bar, a small dining table with three chairs and a large work desk. The bedroom had a king size bed, plenty of wardrobe space and a gigantic bathroom.

The room was decorated in grays, blacks and taupe shades. The couch was covered in silk and was extremely comfortable and luxurious. The linens on the bed were soft and inviting. Even the work desk had a comfortable chair.

The bathroom had two large silver mirrors which were highly decorated and added to the ambiance. The centerpiece of the bathroom was the large soaking tub. The tub had a pillow and tray filled with soaps, fragrances for the water, a loofa and extra towels. In addition to the tub, there was a large glass shower with a standard and waterfall shower head. The shower had great water pressure. The bath products at the St Regis are some of my favorite in the world. I first experienced Remede products in Scottsdale, AZ and fell in love with the shampoo. I was so happy to see the Remede products in Bangkok.

Upon arriving in the room I discovered a bowl of fruit – which was refreshed daily, and a tray of petit fours which were amazingly delicious!

Private Butler Service

The service and attention to detail are what set the St Regis apart. The St Regis is known for its personal butler service. Shortly after arriving, and after enjoying a few too many petit fours, I decided to order a cup of tea. The butler arrived very shortly after I phoned with a hot tea and biscuits (didn’t really need the biscuits after all the petit fours…but tasted them anyway. They were good.)

Private Butler Serivce

One of the benefits offered at the St Regis is complimentary tea or coffee service from the butler. I have read many travel forums where people have reported less than stellar service form the butlers, but my experience was excellent and I had no complaints. The butlers were friendly, prompt and made the stay an exceptional experience.

The Restaurants & Hospitality

One thing that made the hotel stand out for me was the restaurants. I was a bit unsure after reading a review of the hotel on One Mile At A Time but I was relieved to learn at check-in that as a Platinum SPG member, breakfast was included (meaning I did not have to choose it as my platinum amenity and contrary to what many people have posted on forums, this is currently the standard at the hotel for Platinum members. I double and triple checked). Free or not, the breakfast buffet is awesome. You can choose from freshly prepared eggs, breakfast breads, fruits, mini-quiches, mini-bread pudding and other traditional breakfast items. You can also choose from Asian breakfast items including sushi and noodles and dumplings.

During my first breakfast, I met the manager of private dining. He was so incredibly friendly and welcoming. On our second day, we spent more time talking to the manager and learned a great deal about the hotel and its restaurants. I learned that the St Regis prides itself in providing extremely high quality breakfast items as opposed to extremely high quantity of breakfast items (none-the-less, the choices seemed endless on the breakfast buffet.) After having several lovely conversations with the manager of private dining, I remembered that what makes a hotel experience memorable isn’t the bed, or the couch, or the bathtub (okay, well, maybe it is the bathtub sometimes) but most often it’s the interactions you have with the staff that make a hotel stay unique and special. I’m not sure that in a year from now I will remember the petit fours or what I had for breakfast, but I will absolutely remember the private dining manager!

Breakfast Buffet

I didn’t have a bad meal at the hotel, from the scrumptious breakfasts, the very generous platinum cocktail reception, the restaurants and even room service – all of the food at the St Regis is great.

Recreation

The pool at the St Regis is located on the 15^th floor high above the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. The views are amazing – even if you don’t swim, you must check out the view. In the evening, the breeze made the pool area very pleasant, but during the day, it was extremely hot (average temp during my visit was 99 degrees, in the shade!)

The 15^th floor is also home to the Elemis Spa and fitness center. The fitness center looked nice, but I didn’t make any use of it. I did find plenty of time to spend at the spa. The spa is an oasis of relaxation and calm Read More…

Back on March 1st, SPGs new Suite Night Benefits took effect.  Members who stayed 50 nights in 2011 were awarded 10 suite nights. Since I reached 50 nights for 2012 on April 1st I was awarded an additional 10 suite nights for a total of 20 Suite Night Upgrades.

I decided to use 2 suite nights at the St Regis Bangkok this weekend. I had read on the blogs and forums that suite upgrades are hard to come by for Platinum and I wanted to ensure an upgrade.  Five days before check-in I received an email from SPG confirming my request for an upgrade.   At check-in I was with a friend who is also a Platinum member. We booked the exact same room rate and made the reservations on the same day.   In 2011, she qualified for Platinum, but did not have 50 nights, so she doesn’t have any suite night awards.  She was not upgraded to a suite at the St Regis this weekend but was upgraded from an Executive Deluxe room to a Grande Deluxe room.  This made me very happy about my choice to use the suite night awards.

More details about my AMAZING St Regis experience coming this week.

Next weekend I’m headed to Koh Samui and again decided to use suite night upgrades to ensure a better room.  I got the email today “Good News Regarding Your Upgrade!”  My suite has been confirmed.  

Instead of the Verandah Suite I had booked, I’ll be staying in a Pavilion Pool Villa which is going for US $385/night.  I used points & cash to book this stay and it’s going to cost me US$60/night and 4,000 points/night so I’ll pay $180 and 12,000 points for 3 nights in a Pavilion Pool Villa.

Here are the villa details:

• 1,130 sq. ft. / 105 m² room space
• 16 sq m private pool
• Open-air sitting room
• Outdoor rainforest shower
• Nespresso coffee machine

I think I’m loving the Suite Night Awards!  I still have 15 Suite Night Awards after the St Regis and LM Koh Samui stays!

Have you made use of the Suite Night Awards yet?

The Le Meridien Khao Lak is in Phang Na province between the beaches and lush tropical rain forests.  This was my second visit to the LM Khao Lak.  My first trip was in Dec 2010 over the Christmas holiday.  I had a spectacular time on my first trip, so I was excited to return.

The drive from the airport to the resort takes about 80 minutes to 100 minutes (rain and traffic can add time to the trip).  The hotel has a reception area inside the Phuket airport with comfortable chairs and cold drinks!  It’s a nice place to wait for you car if you have arranged transportation with the hotel.   A private car (Toyota Camry) is 2,000 THB each way, a SUV (Toyota Fortuner comparable to 4runner in US) is 2,400 THB or minivan is 3,200 THB.  This is an easy way to ensure reliable transportation to the hotel.

The Hotel lobby is a large outdoor area with concierge desk, travel desk, reception desks and the latitude 8 bar.  Upon arrival, I was greeted with a cold towel and very sweet fruit juice (not sure what it was exactly.)   For the second time, I made the mistake of not changing at the airport into cool clothes (I was still in jeans and a t-shirt). After about 10 minutes in the lobby, I was a dripping in sweat. The temp was about 103 degrees.

The check-in process is very quick and easy. I was also greeted by the executive assistant manager which was a very nice touch.   I was upgraded to a pool villa, but the room wasn’t ready upon my arrival.  I was very hungry, so I decided to have lunch while I waited.

TIP: Bug spray is a must when you visit Khao Lak.  The mosquitoes were as hungry as I was, and ate me alive.  You need to wear bug spray at all times, even at night (while you sleep) or get some type of repellent for the room – 99% of my bites (and I probably left with15 or so bites) came while I slept.

While I waited: Lunch is served every day at the Bamboo Bar & Grill.  The view is spectacular because the bar and grill sit directly in front of the ocean. The lunch time service at Bamboo is terrible – my only complaint about the LM Khao Lak.  Since this is the only lunch option at the hotel, you’re kind of stuck w/it.  The food is good and not expensive compared to most hotel restaurants around the world. An iced tea was $2.50 and most lunch dishes were around $9-15.

I got an amazing rate at the hotel -about $90/night, and quite a spectacular upgrade (more about that later), but it turns out that May is the start of the rainy season and it literally rained about 18-20 hours a day during my visit.  The storms can be stunning too.  Luckily, the hotel has a great spa, I had some good books and a blog to attend to!

Room

I was upgraded to a pool villa. The villa was large and roomy with a king size bed, day bed, desk and chair.  The bathroom is amazing. There’s an indoor and outdoor shower, a huge soaking tub and some of the best hotel towels ever.  A really nice, large, fluffy bath towel makes such a difference I think.  The bath products, Cinq Mondes, are nice and have a very mild fragrance.  The villa had a huge patio with a private pool and jacuzzi.  The patio had a day bed, lounge chairs and area for a grill (the hotel will provide a private chef and grill for a bbq in your villa.)  The villa pool is surrounded by very tall walls and lush greens – which made it very private – and also meant it was in the shade most of the day.    The villas have private villa hosts who will help you unpack and repack, they will press two items of clothing, they will make reservations for you and are extremely attentive and accommodating.

The villas have very high ceilings and therefore they can get extremely warm.  My room was 29C/84F when I arrived. It took about 5 hours to cool it to 22C/71F and I couldn’t get it to go below 22.  The ceiling fan was extremely helpful and made it comfortable.  During my last visit here, in December, I remember the rooms getting a bit cooler.  I can’t even imagine what it would be like in June/July!

As I’ve already mentioned, the mosquitoes are everywhere – there’s really nothing you can do to avoid them other than keeping the bug spray on as much as possible.  There a a million other insects, bugs, spiders, lizards and birds around the hotel too. I really only found the mosquitoes annoying.   You will also notice a ton of tiny black ants.  They’re everywhere.  If you leave even a crumb on the ground you’re sure to have a swarm of ants in no time.  The ants were all over my villa – in the bathroom – my guess is they come in from the outdoor shower; near the coffee maker, around the bed headboard, and all over the patio.  I suspect the rain also contributes to this as well.  They don’t bite though.

I loved the villa and only wish the weather had been better so I could have enjoyed the pool and jacuzzi more!

Restaurants 

The Bamboo Bar & Grill – which I’ve already talked about – serves lunch and dinner daily.  The menu offers a variety of foods including traditional Thai dishes, sandwiches, seafood and more.   You can’t beat the view and setting – I only wish the lunch service was better. Strangely, the dinner service is better usually.   The resort offers plenty of restaurant options, though you’ll have to figure out the schedule upon arrival – they’re not all open at the same time. The Twin Lake Pavilion serves bbq and Japanese cuisine – the sushi is good and Kuk Kak Bar & Grill serves Indian food –   I didn’t eat here on this trip.   Baan Thai serves very good Thai food and is a great experience.  It’s a little pricier than the Bamboo, but still a great dinner option.  Café Lilawadee serves a huge breakfast every morning. The buffet is quite amazing and has about every type of food and juice you could ever want. The buffet is included for platinum guests – so you don’t have to choose that as your amenity. They also serve the signature breakfast and “eye-openers” created by three-star Michelin chef, Jean-George. I fell in love with the Oatmeal Soufflé on my first trip and it was just as good this time around.   Favola, formerly Bangsak Grill. offers Italian food and is definitely worth a visit.  Favola is next to the pool and has a great atmosphere.

Pools & Beach

The pools are great.  There’s the main pool, a kids pool and two smaller pools next to the towers.  The beach is nice with lots of chairs, volleyball and other water sports. Cold towels and fresh fruit are served pool-side – when it’s not raining. There are plenty of lounges and very attentive pool staff. There are many small vendors and restaurants along the beach offering food, souvenirs and massages.

Spa

The Spa is amazing and shouldn’t be missed.  There are early bird specials and other specials offered throughout the week making the spa very affordable.  The spa rooms are private and relaxing.  The reception area is quite and a great place to wait for services while enjoying a tea or juice.  Since my last visit the hotel added a room for manicures and pedicures.  This was a very welcome addition. The room, however, needs a little TLC – the paint was chipping, there were water stains on the walls, etc… – but the pedicure chairs are very comfortable!  The mani/pedi services are wonderful.  The Le Spa manicure and pedicure are 60 minutes each and cost $30 and $35.

Overall 

The weather stunk – but the hotel can’t control that – and so I didn’t enjoy my trip this time around as much as I did last time.  The villas are wonderful, the restaurants are good and for the most part, reasonably priced.  The service – with the exception of lunch at Bamboo – is first class.  And the Thai hospitality is amazing – everyone is friendly, kind and so welcoming.   I would return to the LM Khao Lak again – just not in the rainy season.  The hotel definitely rates a 5 out of 5!

I can hear my mother now…I think you meant suite, not sweet. No, I actually really meant to use sweet, mom.  US Air Envoy Suite is sweet!

I fly, a lot, and this Sunday was actually my first trip in US Air’s Envoy Suite product. My last few trips have all been in the old envoy configuration. (I used an upgrade certificate to book this Envoy Suite trip…worth it!)

So what’s the difference? Let’s compare:

Old Envoy Configuration Traditional Business Class seats that lie partially flat. I for one can’t sleep at an angle. I can fall asleep in

Traditional Envoy Configuration

coach sitting upright before the wheels are off the ground…but put me in an angled business class seat and I can’t fall asleep. The old style seats have you very close to your neighbors and you have to crawl over someone – or be crawled over – if you’re next to a window since the US Air 767 has a 2-2-2 configuration.  Finally the TVs are portable (never figured that one out) and so you have to wait for crews to hand them out – and they frequently don’t work well.

New Envoy Suite Configuration The Suite is like a pod – self-contained and very private. The suites are angled to the left or right to give you even more privacy from your neighbors and the seats actually lie flat! That’s right, totally flat. TVs are built into the suite, so you don’t have to deal with portable units being set up by the crew. There’s a power panel with 110 volt outlets and USB ports (the USB port wasn’t powerful enough to charge my iPad 3, but I was able to plug it into the outlet and charge it. The woman next to me had her iPhone plugged into the USB port and it was charging fine)

Envoy Suite Configuration

The food is the same on both configurations, and US Air has done a great deal to improve their meal service in Envoy. For the first time I can actually say I had a better meal on US Air than on Thai Airways! (Thai trip report coming soon). I have pictures of the food below.

Service is service. It’s hit or miss. I blogged last month about stellar service on USAir – in the old Envoy configuration – and on this trip, the service was OK, not great.  On this flight, there was a flight attendant who I nicknamed Oscar The Grouch. She was so grumpy and let everyone know it!  There was Susan, she was pleasant, but she was not on my side of the plane – wish I could have switched to her side!  Then there was another flight attendant – didn’t catch her name – who did nothing but complain about other US Air employees. I was seated behind the bulkhead and could hear everything she said. It drives me crazy when the crew talks about other people in a bad way. I’m all for overhearing funny stories, airline gossip, etc…but I really don’t want to hear someone bad mouth others (not just on US Air, in general)

Overall, the flight was good – bumpy (literally a lot of turbulence) but good. I would fly the new Envoy Suite configuration any day of the week over a traditional business class product.  Here are some pictures from my flight:

Envoy Suite

Envoy Suite TV

Power Panel

Envoy Cabin

Chicken Skewers w/red peppers and apple fennel salad.

Salad with yellow peppers and croutons

Herb Chicken with Rice Pilaf

Fruit and Granola Breakfast