resort

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: Movenpick Bangkok / August 8, 2017 by Jenn Chan

I was a water baby. Turn around at the beach and I was neck deep. Leave me to my own devices at home and I'd draw a bath. To this day I retreat to the water to recharge and refocus. That's why pools are so important to me! Mövenpick Bangkok has a really nice rooftop pool. Ultra comfortable chaise lounges sit in a specially designed area in 2 feet of water at the edge of the deep end. I posted up there for hours and hours and never once felt the scourge of FOMO; fear of missing out. Surrounded by lush greenery and a fully stocked bar there is no reason to leave. Ever.

The lobby of the Mövenpick screams luxury. The tiling is so intricate and time consuming that the average home owner or non-mega corporation hotel builder would have a hard time justifying the cost. Here's how the conversation with your contractor might go: "we can put the marble in a regular pattern and liven up the design through wood details on the walls and crown moulding OR we can lay it in a pattern undecipherable to anyone save for those well versed in the matrix and that'll run you around... 40-50 times more." Tough pill to swallow, but the end result speaks for itself. The folks at Mövenpick decided to do the kaleidoscope tile AND ornate wood work. Everywhere. It's truly a feast for the eyes!

A bedroom is only as good as its bed. That sounds obvious, right? Well it clearly isn't obvious to everyone because I've stayed in a lot of places where the TV was the big expenditure. Or the bed frame matched the end tables, which matched the wardrobe which matched the dressers which matched the coffee table which matched the... you get it. And then you spring onto the bed only to find a limp, lifeless spring mattress. Maybe a puff of dust flies up. Maybe bed bugs. Maybe it's a hide-a-bed couch and you wonder what you've done to your friend or family member to subject you to this torture. "Why is there a bar directly in my back?" you ask yourself as you re-examine your life choices. At Mövenpick they spend money to make money. This bed is money! Combine that with an amazing spa-like bathroom, meticulous cleanliness and modern conveniences and you've got a home away from home you may never want to leave!

What do humans need to live? If you thought to yourself "food and water" and neglected to think about sleep and oxygen you better take a sober second look at how you're living your life. While I didn't try the water, though I'm told locals drink it and live long lives, I can attest to the food; delicious! The included breakfast buffet has something for everyone and the food is very high quality and fresh. This is not a place that sees so few guests it keeps its ingredients frozen to avoid spoilage leaving you with a reheated burger that feels like an icicle in the middle or veggies that don't quite make that satisfying snap noise when you bite into them. Everything at Mövenpick is top shelf! The perfect combination of service, location, ambience and luxury make this hotel a perfect option whether you're visiting Bangkok long term or it's a pitstop on your way to the lush paradises of Thailand's north and south. Highly recommended!

Movenpick Bangkok Breakfast - Omelette Bar

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Travel: Amanjaya Pancam, Phnom Penh, Cambodia / June 24, 2017 by Jenn Chan

Phnom Phen was founded in 1434 and was considered amongst the most beautiful cities in the French colonies of Indochina in the 1920's. The Riverside area, which boasts the venerable Amanjaya Pancam Hotel, is a bastion of French restaurants, enchanting rooftop bars and the Cambodian Royal Palace. So thick with attractions and excitement you will almost certainly need at least two days just to explore half of it!

The Amanjaya Pancam Hotel has a very New Orleans feel. New Orleans was a French colony itself until it was bought by the USA in 1803 for a cool $15,000,000; the Louisiana Purchase. One would almost expect to see shiny strands of beads being tossed up to the balconies where eager recipients demonstrate their gratitude by... well give it a quick Google and you'll get the gist.

Our room was very well appointed. The original wood floors compliment the wood mouldings and the French doors open to reveal a lovely patio overlooking the beautiful Wat Ounalom Monastery and the Decho Meas Decho Yat, a lovely riverside pavilion with statues, vendors and kids playing in a very carnival-like atmosphere. The large soaker tub was an oasis after a long day seeing the sights! The whole bathroom is very spa inspired and relaxing. The beds are very comfortable as are the spacious seating and desk areas.

Renowned for their Le Moon rooftop bar the fare in the KWest Restaurant is gaining equal notoriety. We thoroughly enjoyed the complimentary breakfast. Growing weary of large scale buffet breakfasts it was a genuine pleasure to order from a set menu and have the food made fresh. The ingredients used are top notch and the food is fresh and flavourful. I would certainly recommend KWest if you are in Phnom Phen!

In all I would rate Amanjaya very high for the location, comfort of the rooms and quality of the restaurants. Phnom Phen is certainly worth a visit! Many French buildings have survived from colonial times, the Khmer monument are architecturally stunning and the Killing Fields will give you pause to reflect on your own good fortune. Tell them Jenn Chan Photography sent you!

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

Travel: 137 Pillars Suites & Residences, Bangkok, Thailand / May 24, 2017 by Jenn Chan

Luxury. What does the word mean to you? To me it's an amalgamation of images from old time movies, chic resorts and modern day reality real estate TV shows. The rich woods of old meet the sleek stone, floor to ceiling glass and modern accoutrements of the new millennium. 137 Pillars Suites and Residences Bangkok is luxury. Period.

My name is Scott Michael Allan. The Scott Michael, I'm told, was meant to meld together à la Billy Bob in a two name, first name soup. In trouble as a young man my mom would string them together menacingly, but outside of that it's usually Scotty. I'm named for my paternal grandfather William John Allan. I understand that's confusing. An early settler of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada his Scottish brogue took some acclimating and hence "Scottie" was his handle and it evens adorns his grave stone in like quotations. Bjorn Richard Richardson, if 8 year-old schoolyard bullies were the same in his day and country of origin, might have taken similar taunting as a young man. Now the General Manager of highly regarded 137 Pillars Bangkok if those bullies could see him now! Bjorn is a lovely man; kind, enthusiastic, humble and accommodating. I have no doubt he will nurture the young hotel into a dominant force in the Bangkok luxury boutique hotel market. The property is amazing!

Pulling up to the front doors in our taxi we are inundated by smiling faces in full doorman regalia. You enter the lobby and you can see where the money has gone. Seemingly 100 foot high ceilings, giant slabs of wood adorn the wall behind reception, a 30 foot high Thai tapestry begs attention peering from behind velvet ropes and smart furnishings form cozy conversation nooks along the floor to ceiling windows. First impression, check!

We are whisked to the intimate Leonowens Club for a welcome drink and friendly conversation before being taken to our room. I played it cool when our host opened the door, but this suite would suit royalty! A beautiful living room with all the technological advances I, as a Canadian from a world class city, have come to rely on. The couch, chairs and dinette are very comfortable and the art, some a little risqué, really ties the theme of the room together. The bedroom is dominated by a large, extremely cushy bed that feels like sleeping on a fluffy cloud. It's adjacent to the futuristic washroom where the toilet greets you by lifting its own lid and spouting a stream of water to clean itself. 137 Pillars had the bathtubs custom made and they resemble a giant soup bowl big enough to comfortably fit three. The bathroom is a perfect 10/10!

On the roof lies the favourite pool I have ever swam in, in my life. An Infiniti pool that looks like it blends right into the cityscape behind it. A perfect temperature and the views. Oh the views! You could spend an hour looking off each side and still see something new the next time you gazed in that direction. This pool alone is worth the price of admission, it is simply breathtaking! The 27th floor pool boasts similar views and its huge, marble pillars give it a Romanesque atmosphere. The large jacuzzi beside it is warm and inviting and guests could be seen with smiles permanently plastered. Across from the pool you will find the soulful Jack Bains bar and Nimitr restaurant. The dark woods paneling and matching dark leather chairs wouldn't look out of place on the set of Mad Men and this scotch and cigar bar is a luxurious space to retreat to after your meal at Nimitr.

Nimitr means 'special dream' in the Thai language and what a dream it is! A lavish yet intimate space with mile high ceilings and intricately placed tile contrasting with wrought iron embellishments warmed by bright patterned chairs and the soft blue lit bar and wine fridge. Our gracious server Kwang surprised us with a lovely amuse bouche; a tender fish ball with Nimitr's special Thai sauce. I generally tend to pass on fish balls. I find them sometimes rubbery and oftentimes odious, but Nimitr's offering is subtle and the Thai sauce is heavenly!

On Kwang's recommendation we partook in a bottle of Sycamore Lane White Zinfandel from California and found it very nice. Strong notes of strawberry and a light cream finish and it paired very well with our first course. We ordered the Som Tum Thai, a papaya salad in rice paper with green beans, heirloom tomato and lime caviar, and Plah Goong whose presentation delighted Jenn immensely! The Som Tum Thai is a vegetarian spring roll which bursts with peanut flavour, and I love peanuts, from the 'peanut soil' which surrounds it and the tang of the lime caviar gives it a complexity that most will find very appealing. The Plah Goong comes out looking like a high school science project, but in a good way. The head and claws of the North Atlantic Langoustine remain intact, but the body looks dissected under 'glass' that is the delicious veil of lemon grass aspic. Savoury pieces of Langoustine meat and Matcha soba noodle comprise the innards and the smile didn't leave Jenn's face as she carved into the poor crustacean. A vinegar tinge coupled with a cucumber splash and they both played very well off the lemon caviar, a delight!

Som Tum Thai - Papaya Salad, Rice Paper, Green Beans, Heirloom Tomatoes, Peanut Soil, Shrimp Feather & Lime Caviar

Plah Goong - North Atlantic Langoustine, Matcha Soba Noodles, Veil of Lemon Grass Aspic & Nam Prick Fluid Gel

We also ordered the Ox Tail Soup to satiate Jenn's abominable soup lust. The clear beef broth gets infused with Five Spice and my first slurp warmed me and made me want gallons to bathe in later in my room. Jenn loved it even more. I was careful to keep my hands and feet clear of her mouth as her hands became a blur as spoon sped from dish to mouth. It preceded our main courses by mere moments, masterful timing from a talented chef! The Gai Yang and Massaman Curry are delicious. The former a beautiful chicken dish stuffed with luscious foie gras and the latter a lamb shank braised for 4 long hours in an incredible spicy coconut curry. The chicken, definitely free range, was tender and fresh and spiced delightfully and the lamb shank, again blurred by Jenn's fast moving hands, was equally as delicious! Stuffed to the gills we skipped dessert, but we would wager our last dollar that it's amazing!

The 137 Pillars Suites and Residences Bangkok is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. The service is incredible, the property is absolutely world class and the location is as perfect to walk to the Louis Vuitton store as it is to traditional Thai massage parlours or the local 7-11. The central location is a boon to an already palatial property! I would recommend the hotel without a moments hesitation and you will be glad you followed my recommendation!

137 Pillars Suites & Residences, Bangkok, Thailand

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica - Los Cabos / March 21, 2016 by Jenn Chan

Immediately upon arriving at the luxurious Pueblo Bonito Pacifica a sense of calm quickly envelopes you. The spacious lobby, with its distinctive spa-like fragrance and serene, round wading pool mirrored by a large round skylight, is warm and inviting. It quickly becomes clear how Pacifica earned its 5-star rating as you are greeted by their warm, effusive staff. Each room boasts fantastic ocean views, are very well appointed and fully stocked with all the essentials. The view from the extremely comfortable deck chairs is nothing short of awe inspiring. Being lucky enough to watch the sunrise from the spacious patio will leave an indelible mark on you.

Each dish sampled at any of their 3 onsite restaurants exceeded expectations. From the New York steak or tuna tartare at Siempre to the divine nigiri and delicious sushi rolls at Pescados and even a simple ceviche poolside at Aire are all done with extra care and attention and with the highest quality ingredients. Top shelf liquor is included in the all inclusive price and a nice Crown Royal Whiskey neat was a welcomed treat after a long day of sun and sand.

One of the 2 pools at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica

The grounds are meticulously maintained and Pacifica boasts one the best swim-up bars in Mexico. The hot tub was kept at the perfect temperature and the fire pits proved to be a favourite meeting place for resort’s the well heeled guests. Calm permeates the grounds, relaxation ensues.

Perfectly rolled up towels on pool loungers

The Armonia spa is the heart of Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. As soon as you walk into the smartly decorated spa lobby you feel pampered. Low, tranquil music plays, friendly staff welcome you and large glass pitchers of iced tea are on hand as you hunker down into one of the very comfortable lobby chairs. The lobby is an oasis of unique, high-end beauty and health products and browsing them while you treatment room is prepared makes the time slip quickly away.

Once you pass the threshold of the gender-specific treatment area candlelight envelopes you and your eyes slowly adjust to the warm, castle-like ambience. The changing rooms are well appointed with beautiful private showers featuring rain shower heads and all the toiletries you would need to get back to the day. Around the next corner is a large jacuzzi tub, sauna and splash pool surrounded by Greek columns and beautiful art. Here you wait and loosen up for the massage or luxurious facial you have reserved with their wonderful staff.

Each treatment room is VIP and you will feel like a very important person. The staff are true professionals and I felt as loose and fluffy as a bright white cloud in the sky as I sauntered out a few hours later. Armonia is a true 5-star spa inside of a wonderful 5-star resort which will leave you feeling like $1,000,000.

Aerial of Pueblo Bonito Pacifica at Sunset

Balcony Views of Pueblo Bonito Pacifica at Night

Thank you so much Pueblo Bonito for hosting us in Los Cabos - we had an amazing time, and got our much needed R&R during our stay!

Words: Scott Allan
Photography: Jenn Chan