Thailand

Travel: The Sukhothai Bangkok / August 21, 2017 by Jenn Chan

Sukothai is roughly translated as the 'Dawn of Happiness' and Thailand is known as 'The Land of Smiles'. Bangkok I did not want to Google to save myself from similar keywords leading me down a rabbit hole, but I can attest to its vibrancy. Each day of the two weeks I was in Bangkok I'd jump on my 125cc Honda PCX, a beautiful, powerful beast, and navigate the streets of Thailand's capital amidst a glut of scooters that flow along like logs in a river in packs of 20-30 through stop sign-less streets. Retreating to The Sukothai Bangkok each night and relaxing in their palatial, very Thai suites was like a lake in the desert!

You enter the Sukothai through a glistening lobby with rich woods, stones and ceilings high enough to accommodate giraffes. Standing on one another's shoulders. On our way to the room, that we did not yet know was so incredible, we passed windows that offered glimpses into the private courtyard pond, secluded from the public by each of the four wings of the hotel that border it. The doors open and a smile passes your face that won't fade until after you've left days later. The bathroom, spa room really, is almost as big as the adjacent bedroom and seating area. A very useful desk space bookends the lounging area and a pair of love seats face each other and look upon the tv and its sophisticated entertainment options. A lazy Susan under the tv swivels the flat screen towards a very comfortable bed and ornately carved wood shutters slide into place over the windows and provides a very cozy, dark sleeping space.

The service at the Sukothai is fantastic! Sincere smiles and humble bows were gratefully reciprocated, pillows and ice were delivered to the room hastily and appreciation for gratifies was clearly heartfelt. If you take care of your employees they will take care of your customers and Sukothai gets this right! The food, as one would expect from the grandeur of the property, was fresh and plentiful. Certainly an option for anyone and we will certainly return once repairs to the pool are complete. I'm told the space is lovely so please drop us a line at JennChanPhotography.com and let us know your experiences! The Sukothai is a beautiful place to stay whether you're in Bangkok for business or pleasure and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Travel: Akyra Manor Chiang Mai, Thailand / July 31, 2017 by Jenn Chan

Chiang Mai is a jewel in the mountains of northern Thailand! From the ancient, walled 'Old City' to the Riverside district to the mountainside temples overlooking the Valley containing the city of Chiang Mai, the sprawl of which would have awed its founders in 1296! There's a thousand and one things to do and restaurants to try. The experience has been described by people who have travelled more throughout the country as authentically Thai.

Travelling by scooter is about 5 times faster than travelling by car. And on this morning, I left Jenn and a taxi driver, and the charming doormen at Akyra Manor in charge of the luggage, and took off on the scooter for a short tour, and STILL beat Jenn and the taxi to Akyra. Not having any documentations to check in to the room, I headed straight to the renowned Rise Rooftop Pool Bar, famous for its glass-sided, Aquarium style pool where swimmers become an aquatic mealtime show.

Akyra Manor Hotel is one of the top luxury hotels in Chiang Mai! As you walk in the front doors, you're struck by the irregular, birds nest like embellishments that crown the exterior. Once inside, modern furnishings meet kitsch meet ten foot candelabra chandelier, and a full sized horse lamp. As we were whisked what would turn out to be a futuristic, jetsons-like slice of modern luxury, we were ushered down curtained hallways, lighted from behind, giving the effect of a movie theatre atmosphere.

The door swings open to our suite and were greeted with a plush looking, leather bench, overlooking an 8-foot fishbowl tub, which sits outside on the patio. Above it, a chandelier of softball sized ball bearings dangle preciously, illuminating the bamboo growing on the outer edge of the patio, providing privacy for the bathers. A right turn into the suite, leads you into a bathroom fit for a 5 star luxury spa. A large sliding window leads you to a tiled path surrounded by small river stones to the outdoor tub. A symmetrical sliding door on the other side is a shortcut to the master bedroom. The centrepiece of the master bedroom is a slick double-sided wardrobe. One side conceals a large flatscreen TV facing the large King sized bed, the other side sports a halo lit mirror vanity and small seating space. The bed is a plush pillow top that comes with a pillow bar menu, which allows you a choice of 7 different types of pillows; seriously. We rang the front desk and asked for one of each and tested them out. A smiling staff member was at our door with our pillows within a few minutes and shared a good laugh with us having ordered all of them. On the wall behind the bed, inside the built in cupboards, are the master controls to the room, doing everything from dimming the lights, to closing the drapes, to turning off the tv. We slept well.

A breakfast buffet at italics is included with every stay at Akyra and the food is very good. Fresh pastries, delicious tropical fruit, delicious coffee, fresh squeezed juices and a selection that will make sure everybody will find something they will like. Every night they drop off a cocktail of the day for you to make yourself in your room. All the non-alcoholic ingredients are included free of charge, and there's an option to add the corresponding liquor at a very affordable price. Taking everything into account: the modern rooms, the world class rooftop pool, excellent food, perfectly adequate gym and beaming staff make Akyra an excellent choice for your stay in Chiang Mai!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Travel: Empress Hotel Chiang Mai, Thailand / July 6, 2017 by Jenn Chan

The service at the Empress Hotel in Chiang Mai will dazzle you! We were welcomed warmly by their very gracious front desk staff and showed to our room where a beautiful bouquet waited and a bag full of Thai snacks. A good start to a lovely stay!

The room was very clean and well appointed. Lighter hardwood floors contrasted with the dark wood paneling and beautiful embellishments. The bar is well stocked and the work space is very functional. The bed passed the comfort test with flying colours as I sank into its plush duvet. The washroom offers a very clean, modern oasis away from the humid Thai heat outside.

Speaking of oasis from the heat; the Empress pool is among the best in Chiang Mai! Our room offered a beautiful view of it from the 21st floor and the area bustles with happy guests laying out on chaise lounges and enjoying frosty cocktails from the pool bar. People swim laps as children frolic in the shallow end and weary travellers swap stories of their Southeast Asia adventures leaning against the pool's edge with Thailand's famous Singha beers clinking in celebration.

The Chao Nang dining room is raucous spot where Empress staff entertain guests with sing alongs and delicious food. Each course of our culinary experience came served by a kneeling waiter who also bore gifts. I was presented with a lovely pair of elephant salt and pepper shakers which I will cherish and Jenn received some lovely pearly jewellery which she is actually wearing as I write this. The food is top notch and there will certainly be something for everyone whether you opt for a set menu or explore the large buffet. The freshness really jumps out at you!

The service is what sets Empress apart from other hotels in Chiang Mai. It is centrally located, only a short walk to the vibrant Night Market area, and it is surrounded by all the shops and restaurants you could ever need. There is no reason to leave! I would happily stay with Empress again and I think you should do yourself a favour and check it out!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Travel: Grand Mercure Phuket Patong / June 6, 2017 by Jenn Chan

How do you know which hotel is the best in town? Do you believe Google and its pay-for-play style of marketing? TripAdvisor, similarly, will up your rating for a few shekels. Do you go by ratings? What if luxury and comfort is different to you than their raters? It's quite likely it is. My advice is to take an aggregate of all of them. Study the pictures on their website, but also check out hashtags on social media for less filtered images. When you put the Grand Mercure Phuket through these paces what you see is near universal adoration, shimmering rooms, posh villas and fantastic amenities. The Grand Mercure is the best hotel in Phuket!

When you enter the grand, open air lobby your eyes are immediately drawn to the classic Thai atrium surrounded by water which overlooks the spacious pool. The ceilings are 60 feet high if they're an inch and are covered in rich woods that contrast perfectly with the gorgeous marble floors. The birdcage benches dotted along the perimeter of the great entryway offer a comfortable spot to take it all in. It is impressive.

Patong Beach is to Australia and Eastern Europe what Mexico is to Canada and the USA; a hedonistic beach paradise in the sun. The beach stretches for 3.5 KMs and the gorgeous white sand feels like flour between your toes. There are vendors selling locally made goods, parasailers gliding through the air and ice cold beer flows like water. It shows no signs of the devastation it has incurred in recent years. My heart goes out to all my Thai brothers and sisters who lost their lives in 2004 when a mighty tsunami hit the area, gone, but not forgotten!

The rooms are well appointed and each faces into the pool which is a sparkling blue. Deep soaker tubs gaze out into the soft beds and the air conditioning is an oasis in an otherwise hot and humid atmosphere. The rooms are very well appointed and the villas, which we toured but didn't get a chance to enjoy, looked to provide some quiet in the bustling metropolis that is Patong. 1 and 2 bedroom cottages nestled amongst thick palm trees with their own private pools. Yes, please!

The breakfast buffets were immense and certainly had a dish anyone and everyone could enjoy. The Bubbles Restaurant is staffed by very competent professional from the front to the back. We partook in a lovely brunch and dinner there and were very well taken care of. Our brunch started out with the Long Phuket Island which is Bubbles Restaurant's take on the (in)famous Long Island Ice Tea: gin, run, Vodka, tequila, Triple Sec, lime and coke. It was our introduction to the Grand Mercure's mixology program and it was a good one! How and why the original recipe added every liquor in the cabinet to this drink I'll never know and I don't really care; it's good! Jennifer indulged in the Grand Piña Colada in a Young Coconut: rum, Malibu, pineapple juice and coconut milk. She called it "the fire extinguisher for the Mee Hoo Gaeng Poo", a spicy crab and yellow curry dish, sublime, that will make your nose run like a faucet and I mean that in the most positive way! But we'll get into that more a bit later. Rounding out our pre meal cocktail session was the Patong Libre, their take, of course, on the Cuba Libre which consists of rum, coke, vanilla syrup and cranberry juice. Delicious!

Fresh Omelette  & Noodle Station at Breakfast — Fresh Omelette & Noodle Station at Breakfast

Jewel of Phuket's Cuisine - Mee Hoon Gaeng Poo

Jewel of Phuket's Cuisine - Banana Blossom

Jewel of Phuket's Cuisine - Deep Fried Prawns

Jewel of Phuket's Cuisine - Ice Cream with Banana Jelly, Grass Jelly & Red Beans

It is hard to go wrong when ice cream is involved and Bubbles stayed fast to that tried and true rule. In all a very pleasurable experience. The dinner buffet, a once per week extravaganza dubbed Phuket Night, was incredible. Seafood, Thai food, meats, cheeses, veggies, fruits, pasta, etc... so much of everything I deigned to not describe anything because I would leave something out. If you are in Phuket, and your budget doesn't necessitate a shared room with a dozen grubby strangers, I could not recommend the Grand Mercure higher. We stayed at another location afterwards, which will go unnamed, and to say it was 1/10 the hotel GM is would be an understatement. Tell them we sent you and get at least a high five, possibly an upgrade lol!

Phuket's Night Market at Bubbles Restaurant

Phuket's Night Market at Bubbles Restaurant - Noodle Station

Phuket's Night Market at Bubbles Restaurant Dessert

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan