Plan for the upcoming Holidays
Have you already thought about what you are going to do during the upcoming Holidays? Well, I do and my plan is ready. My wife and I will be staying at the Soneva Kiri resort on the island of Koh Kood over Christmas and celebrating New Year's Eve at the Lebua Tower of State hotel in Bangkok.
Before I tell you a little more about these two occasions, I have to confess something: I love luxury!
Luxury hotels
Yes, do I have to stay in a hotel, preferably in a 4 or 5 star hotel. I have stayed in many, many hotels all over the world. Most of them were just average, if you disregard the glorified dog houses, which are called "bungalows" in the north of Thailand and in the Isaan. However, I have also stayed in many luxury hotels such as Hilton, Sheraton, Intercontinental, Marriott and the like. My favorite luxury hotel is still Dusit Thani in Bangkok. That was my first introduction to Thailand and I will never forget those impressions.
Luxury restaurants
In the Netherlands I visited restaurants quite a lot because of my work, sometimes just for a bouncer, sometimes a more luxurious business dinner. My wife and I both worked so during the week we sometimes went out for dinner. At set times we also went “out” for dinner to a more upmarket restaurant. Do you understand the difference between “eating out” and “eating out”. With the first a quick bite in a Chinese or Italian restaurant, with the second you go neatly dressed (woman in something new of course) to a restaurant to enjoy a course dinner there all evening. The latter costs a bit more, but sometimes that's allowed, isn't it?
Soneva Kiri on Koh Kood
Okay, back to the topic. Soneva Kiri is a luxury resort on the island of Koh Kood, tucked away on the quiet side of the island on a 400 rai (approximately 160 ha) property of forests and mountains and beaches. We go there with a private jet from Don Muang and then land on the strip present at the resort.
In the middle of the jungle a luxurious resort with 24 villas, each with its own swimming pool, furthermore equipped with all luxurious conveniences, an ideal place to relax. Read, relax, sunbathe, snorkel or just stare at the sea. Soneva Kiri is beautifully landscaped with winding paths in what appears to be a labyrinth of fragrant undergrowth, tall trees, ferns and mosses. A quiet walk through the woods is the best place to rediscover nature.
We will definitely go to Benz's restaurant one day. This Thai restaurant is tucked even further into the jungle and can only be reached by a 15-minute speedboat ride. Owner Benz, who is also the chef, works with herbs and spices grown on the island. The website promises an unforgettable Christmas dinner.
Check out their website for more information: www.soneva.com/soneva-kiri There are some great reviews on the Tripadvisor site, which were the direct reason for me to also choose this resort. Oh yes, you probably want to know what it costs to stay there. We have not chosen the most expensive bungalow, ours will cost “only” USD 1500 per night. Must be possible for a unique Christmas, right?
Lebua Tower of State Hotel in Bangkok
On New Year's Eve we dress up again, because we're going to have dinner on the roof of the Lebua Tower or State Hotel in Bangkok, from where a beautiful view of Bangkok. The hotel offers a wonderful New Year's Eve dinner in one of their 5 bars and restaurants under the motto “Reach for the Stars”.
I chose the Sirocco Restaurant and let me take you through the menu for New Year's Eve:
Spicy Tuna Tartar Cone
Kumamoto Oyster Trio
Ossetra caviar & vodka gelée,
Smoked trout caviar with asparagus shaves,
Black truffle sabayon
Foie Gras Terrine
Seared & chilled, fig layered, brioche, fig coulis, Champagne gelée
Maine Lobsters
Butter poached, bouillabaise broth rouille, brioche toast
Pheasant
Smoked-grilled breast, rillettes, beetroot risotto, fine green beans,
cauliflower puree, hazelnuts, white balsamic reduction
Atlantic John Dory
Chervil emulsion, black garlic coulis,
chanterelle mushroom sautéed, airy beurre blanc
Wagyu Beef Tenderloin
Bone marrow, potato gnocchi, winter baby vegetables,
Perigourdine sauce
Smoked Chocolate Mousse
Pistachio micro sponge, black sesame crocante, raspberry, mango crémeux,
passion fruit gel, chocolate feuilletine, crumble, mango sorbet
Sounds good, I can already look forward to it. Yes and then again the costs, but really, I don't think it's important. This Sirocco menu costs 30.600 Baht per person, all in and the champagne for that evening is included. Can be done, right?
For more information and reservations, visit their website: www.lebua.com/the-dome/pages/reach-for-the-stars-new-years-eve-2014
Plan failed
I had the plan ready and discussed it with my wife for the record. He gave me a glassy look and said: “Do you feel all right, I think you've lost your mind. Spending that much money for a few lazy holidays? Ammenevernot! Discussion closed.
So it will just be a BBQ on our terrace at Christmas and the New Year we celebrate on the beach of Pattaya. Nice and cozy, too!
Finally
Wherever you spend the upcoming holidays is not so important, I wish you a lot of fun during Christmas and a beautiful new year. May the New Year 2015 bring you and yours good luck and above all good health!
Doesn't the price tag for the menu show that there must be people living in BKK who spend that much for it?
I live in France myself, but you can't even spend that amount in a three star restaurant.
Perhaps there will be some Bank CEOs from the Netherlands on the roof there on New Year's Eve. They have to put their stolen money somewhere, don't they?
Dear Gringo,
I think this anticipation was already very nice. Small consolation, it could never have gotten better.
I wish you happy holidays with the BBQ on your terrace and wish you a very good 2015.
French Nico
@Gringo; for a moment I thought “Who has it wide, let it blow wide” but when I read about that private jet I started to doubt. Christmas will not be much different with us in Isaan, only that I have to dress up as Santa Claus and surprise the little ones of the poor with pancakes.
New Year's Eve is going to be at school, they need a way from the entrance to the back and that's going to take quite a few peddlers. Can book a table for 6 for 1200 baht. Dinner as it is served, but for me there will be nothing tasty in between. Hope they serve a LEO and then it will be good for me too. Have a nice day!
Seriously, some women just don't get it. Would like to have a bag of 80.000 baht, but an evening of good food (because you only do that once a year) for 30.000 baht per person is still cheaper, isn't it?
We're just going to do that. For the past two months we have only eaten vegetables from the land, tree leaves with grilled beetles and old rice. Because we live in the middle of the pineapple fields, we could also get enough fruit (there are also banana trees, so we also had variety). Water costs almost nothing. So now we already have almost 60.000 baht together…. Can we go party in Bangkok for a night, or not? Or am I too late for the reservation?
All joking aside… That is the last thing I would do with 60.000 Baht… Only if I had an income of at least 500.000 a month… then I would consider it… maybe… but probably not…
I dream about that every year now.
Also have a BBQ party on the terrace with Christmas tree and other Thai decorations around the terrace.
I would like to join in the good wishes for a happy and healthy 2015 for everyone.
For myself I don't really think about it that way, because those days mean nothing to me and that was also the case in Belgium.
I've told my wife it's all good for me, whatever she decides.
At the moment I don't know what she's up to.
I sometimes hear her make plans, but they seem to be replaced by new ones the next day…
So the Thai way… we do this and tomorrow it will be something completely different.
Ill see.
As far as I'm concerned, just at home on our terrace with family / friends.
Taking care of Leo's and/or Black Label is usually my job, the Thai branch will provide food and music…. So very normal and it doesn't really have to be a holiday for that. We do regularly.
For everyone, whatever you do, enjoy it and, above all, get through it safely.
nice piece,
First thought there are also multi millionaires on Thailandblog.
Soneva kiri is really over the top and in terms of costs often only accessible to multi millionaires.
Was on Koh Khood (or Koh Kut) last November and curious, an adjacent island has been completely rented for the airstrip to be able to land with a private Cesna caravan.
I think you are a bit off with $1500, most bungalows there cost €2000 to €3200 per night. Then add €500 every night for dinner if you keep it cheap. Apparently you can try the 60 different chocolate fountains for free.
5 nights there will cost you a new Toyota Hilux
Eating outside the resort is not really an option, because the road to it is almost uninhabited. And the restaurants are not so thick on Koh Khood anyway
Effin what you lose there per day, I can easily go on holiday to Thailand for 5 weeks with my girlfriend.
Admittedly without a 200m2 hotel room and Butler that Friday?? hot and 60 choco fountains.
I paid or Koh Kood something like 1000 thb per night and could enjoy the whole island with a motorbike.
Dear Gringo,
thanks for the tip. I was looking for something similar and found it in Cambodia. Now that you're coming up with something similar in Thailand, I shouldn't bother making the move to Cambo. then rather a little closer to the door; I'm really pleasantly surprised that I can read something exclusive on this blog for once and not always ask the "cheap harry" rubbish we are usually bombarded with here. I was really waiting to be able to read something other than: where can I shop cheaply, where can I stay cheaply, where is the cheapest this and that, it really started to hang out in my throat. Please more tips like this.
greetings and thanks,
lung addie ( am a single immigrant in Thailand and don't have to spend my money on handbags of 60.000 Baht to please madam )
We do normal and are on Koh Munnork from December 24 to January 2. Rented this "entire" island with friends. After us you can return to this island for a starting price of 7.000 baht per night. Highly recommended, I can assure you. Be quick, because the 23 bungalows on this paradise island are always full quickly! For uninvited swimming guests during the mentioned period: Beware of our dogs!