THE ROSE GARDEN IN NAKRONPHATHOM

The Rose Garden Country Resort, Hotel, Golf Course& Cultural Centre is a self-contained resort situated 32 kilometres west of Bangkok along the bank of the Ta Chine River. Set in 40 hectares of lush tropical gardens and immaculately manicured lawns, The Rose Garden boasts a deluxe family-style resort hotel, a lakeside motel and ancient teak Thai houses around a picturesque lake.

A Thai Village and Cultural Centre is located within the compound while the Golf Course is just five minutes away. Between the two hotel wings is the swimming pool, with a Jacuzzi pool and the latest in water treatment — using ozone instead of chlorine. There is a games room, a fitness centre, steam rooms for men and women, and conference and meeting facilities for up to 250 delegates.

The numerous F&B outlets include a karaoke lounge and piano bar. Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Western cuisines are served. Banquet facilities include the beautifully maintained lawns and the Ruen Kaew traditional Thai House which is opened exclusively in the evenings. Anything from a normal buffet to an elaborate international barbecue in the garden can be arranged, including theme parties featuring Thai festival themes.

The unique garden setting offers meeting facilities outdoors as well as indoors. Corporate clients wishing to promote better staff teamwork find the facilities ideal for team building with fun and games as well as with meetings. Walk rallies and Quest are a fixture of many corporate meetings at The Rose Garden. Exhibitors find the open spaces of the gardens ideal for outdoor exhibits. The Third World Orchid Conference set the ball rolling way back in 1978, and today The Rose Garden plays host to these unique exhibitions. Exceptional theme parties offer a taste of Thailand together with sights and sounds from the Thai Village. The production finishes on one of the lawns, culminating in a fireworks display.

The Rose Garden GolfCourse was founded in 1972 on 73 hectares of disused rice-fields. Opened in 1975 by Queen Rambhai Bharni, it is one of the oldest golf courses in Thailand. This 18-hole 6479-metre (7,085-yard) par-72 golf course is privately owned, but is open to the general public. Its Thai designer, builder and General Manager, Khun Visudh Junenanondh, was a far-sighted pioneer. By making use of natural waterways as well as some man-made ones, this flat, almost straight course designed with two greens for each hole has challenged weekend golfers as well as diehard golf fanatics to break par on this deceptively challenging course.

The Rose Garden Golf Course is undoubtedly one of Thailand's most popular holiday golf courses, the proud winner of a Silver Medal Award by Golf Magazine of the USA for being one of the World's top 24 golf resorts. For non-golfers there are two tennis courts at the hotel, and canoes and paddle boats are available in the lake. Children have their own playground and a natural bird park.
Xhe Cultural Centre attracts hundreds of visitors daily to its daily cultural show. Rural life is depicted in the Thai village along with demonstrations of the making of local handicrafts.

The show features folk dances and other rituals demonstrated by over 150 performers. Then there are the famed Rose Garden elephants who put on a show of their own as well as taking guests on a short ride in the centre. Excursions abound. From the ultramodern shopping malls only 20 minutes away, to the Bat Caves of Ratchaburi, the beach resorts of Hua Hin and Cha-Am, the famed bridge on the River Kwai, the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Even afternoon cruises along the Ta Chine River can be arranged.

Long before ecotourism and conservation became catchwords in the tourism industry, The Rose Garden always maintained natural balance in the gardens. No chemical fertilizers are used and water treatment has always been a priority. The same goes for the Golf Course.
The most satisfying aspect of The Rose Garden is the people who work for us. Guests feel that not only is it family owned but family run; it is like a big family where everyone is a family member and treats guests as true guests of the family.

The Rose Garden Riverside
Km. 32, Petchkasem Road, Sampran,
Nakhonpathom 73110

blog: Thaifood, Series, Inter Music

The Mu Koh Phetra Satun

If you want to cut yourself off from the rest of the world and enjoy some peace and quiet, then Petra Island is the place for you. If you tire of relaxing, you can explore the nearby islands of Koh Buloan, Koh Lama, and Koh Phetra.
Location
The Mu Koh Phetra National Park is located in Amphoe Palian in the Trang Province and Amphoe La Ngu in the Satun Province. The National Park encompasses a total of twenty-two
islands in the Andaman Sea. The National Park Office is located at Ao Noon in Amphoe La Ngu in the province of Satun.

Highlights
Koh Buloan: Koh Buloan, located twenty-two kilometers from the Pakbara Pier, is actually two islands, Koh Buloan Le and Koh Buloan Don. The boat will drop you off at Koh Buloan Don. There are many places to walk on the Island. On the eastern side there are clean beaches with pine trees where you can watch the sunrise at dawn. The western side consists of stone beaches, which are beautiful, but not suited for lounging. From the west side, you can enjoy the colors of the sunset as you look out over the ocean. If you choose to leave the island, long-tail boats are available to take you to Koh Buloan Le.

Koh Li Di: Koh Li Di is located five kilometers from the National Park Office. Koh Li Di, like Koh Buloan, is actually two islands, Koh Li Di Yai and Koh Li Di Lek. Both of these islands have fine accommodations and offer swimming and ample campsites. A one hundred-meter sandbar connects the two islands.

Koh Phetra: Koh Phetra is located in Amphoe Palian in the Trang Province. Here, you will find white-sand beaches and beautiful place to swim, but no accommodations. From the Laem Ta Se Pier in the Trang Province, you can rent a boat to take you here.

How to Get There
From the town of Satun, take Highway 4067 to Ftattaphum. Drive for twenty kilometers to highway 416 to Amphoe La Ngu. Continue driving for thirty kilometers until you reach the Pakbara Pier. The total distance from Satun is fifty-eight kilometers.
To contact the Mu Koh Phetra Marine National Park call:0-7478-1572

blog: Thaifood, Series, Inter Music

Hilton International Bangkok

Hilton International Bangkok is located on
Bangkok's Embassy Row, just minutes from the commercial and business districts, department stores and some of Asia's finest shopping plazas. With the hotel situated beside the on and off ramps to the expressway, the timing from the airport has been reduced to as little as 20 minutes. Ideal for business executives or holiday makers, the hotel spreads over 3.4 hectares of lovingly landscaped gardens created by Nai Lert, the founder of Nai Lert Park and further developed by his daughter Thanpuying Lursakdi Sampatisiri. Lawton & Umemura, the Hawaiian landscape architects, added the finishing touches of rare flora, soothing waterfalls and exotic lotus ponds. The magnificent gardens were guided by the

principles that it would not only be pleasing to the hotel guests and visitors, but also constitute a representative collection of tropical plants both foreign and indigenous to Thailand.
The hotel's low-rise
structure is almost totally hidden in the spacious park — strikingly different from other towering, impersonal hotels. The five-storey crescent-shaped building features three sky-lit atriums that provide a much higher proportion of public area than most hotels of this size. The extensive use of beige Italian marble, a wealth of indoor potted plants and cascading greenery from the atrium balconies exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere. Of particular note is an indoor garden complete with trees and a fish pond. The hotel has incorporated the artistic styles and traditions

of Thailand wherever possible in motifs, antiques and fabrics throughout the interiors and finishings.
All 342 guest rooms and suites have private bougainvillea-draped balconies and are decorated in original fabrics with soft pastel shades. Satellite television, executive writing desk, minibar, and a full compliment of toiletries including weighing scales and hairdryer in the bathroom are just some of the normal deluxe fixtures. An exclusive Executive Floor offers its own private lounge with butler service. A range of well-appointed suites is only topped by the Royal and Presidential Suites superbly decorated by Italian designer Valentino.
There are complete secretarial services and business telecommunications facilities for the business traveller, reference library and worldwide courier service, operated on a 24-hour basis. Amidst the flowering shrubs and trees, guests can relax by the pool or enjoy an invigorating run around the private jogging track. Two floodlit tennis courts with all-weather surfaces are available and the Clark Hatch Fitness Center offers state-of-the-art workout equipment, squash courts, steam and sauna rooms and massage services. Adjacent to the hotel is The Promenade shopping arcade offering a wide range of Thai handicrafts, jewellery, silks, a barber and beauty salon as well as some of the top designer names in the world. The Lert Wanalai Ballroom is ideal for grand launches, cocktail parties weddings and banquets. Six smaller rooms can host meetings, seminars

and smaller private functions while the Gallery is perfect for parties and fashion shows. All are fully equipped with sophisticated audio-visual systems. In the South Atrium the light is excellent for art exhibitions and the Chuan Chom Poolside and gardens offer many opportunities for more adventurous entertainment. The range of dining outlets never seems to end. Ma Maison is a speciality restaurant of unrivalled French cuisine with elegant facilities. The Suan Saranrom features authentic Thai and Western delicacies in stylish Thai decor. At the Chuan Chom Poolside, Thai favourites and Western meals can be enjoyed in the gardens. The Genji Japanese Restaurant attracts the cream of Bangkok's large Japanese business community. The Lounge is the perfect meeting place for morning coffee, afternoon tea and cocktails or after-dinner entertainment. Served at the Noble House is the finest Cantonese cuisine in the setting of an old China trading house (managed by Hilton Hotel). Guests can also enjoy Jigsaw, a contemporary bistro, offering a pasta bar, pizza with a difference, signature sandwiches and a take-away deli counter of tapas, antipastas and sweet creations.

blog: Thaifood, Series, Inter Music

GRAND HYATT ERAWAN IN BANGKOK

Since its December 1991 opening, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok has rapidly gained a very high reputation for its gracious hospitality and top-ranked business facilities. Right in the business and diplomatic districts surrounded by modern shopping areas, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok is located on the site of the legendary Erawan Hotel. During its construction, the Erawan Shrine was erected to honour the four-headed Brahma god, Tan Thao Mahaprom, and land spirits.

In honour of the revered shrine, two two-metre-high three-headed bronze elephants guard the Grand Hyatt Erawan s main entrance. The 400-room luxury hotel is comprehensively equipped with the latest business facilities and trained expertise. The Business Centre offers extended operating hours, 24-hour telecommunications worldwide, office equipment rental, and even business cards can be printed in two hours. A Non-Smoking Floor

and rooms for the handicapped are also available. Japanese guests can enjoy the traditional welcome of green tea, together with all the many amenities featured in their own language.
Guests can either jog on a roof-top garden track, swim in a lagoon pool, play several games of tennis or squash, or work out at the Club Erawan Fitness Spa. This facility is an integration of gymnasium, aerobic studio, squash and tennis courts, massage, Jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms plus a health bar serving fresh juices and low-calorie snacks. For golf enthusiasts, privileges at ten clubs are organized through the concierge team.

The choice of restaurants and bars is beyond compare. Spasso, the trendy Italian restaurant is a focal point for the city's fashionable set, changing every evening to an entertainment centre with music by some of the world's best bands. Similarly, The Dining Room and The Garden Lounge are popular meeting places with the full buffet array of Thai and international cuisines or traditional afternoon tea. Sample spicy Thai cuisine at Ruen Thai Restaurant. For superb Chinese food, elegant and stylish The Chinese Restaurant features Cantonese and regional specialties, with seven rooms available for private parties. You & Mee serves a variety of popular noodle dishes perfect for snacks or a fast meal at any time.

The Grand Ballroom is decorated with silk wall panels edged with intricate hammered silver in traditional Thai designs and a spacious pre-function area. With capacity for 1,500 persons for receptions and 650 for a sit-down dinner, fully equipped with the latest audio-visual installations including directional lighting and projection rooms, it is the frequent venue for elegant social events and corporate seminars. Six other function rooms accommodate up to 300 persons.

The Regency Club comprises three floors of Deluxe rooms and suites with its own check-in counter, complimentary continental breakfast, cocktails and canapes, all-day coffee and tea, and around-the-clock assistance by the concierge team and butlers. Guests can hold a conference of up to 10 people. A reference library, foreign newspapers, portable cellular phones, pagers and in-room fax machines are among the many services which are available.

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok has created perhaps the most comprehensive collection of works by Thai contemporary artists. Original artworks totalling 1,850 pieces have been placed throughout the hotel, acquired from all over Thailand for US$1 million by the property's architectural/interior design company. The results are stunning. Complementing that, Thailand's top fashion designer has especially created uniforms of Thai silk and cotton for the traditional Thai chong kra bane trousers worn by waiters, bell attendants and doormen.

This hotel also has a gift for the unusual. Take for example, the "Necktie Rejuvenating" process: gentlemen can continue to enjoy wearing their favourite ties, which have been dismantled, cleaned, then hand stitched back to their original shapes.
The hotel is under the capable management of Pierre A. Bonard, a graduate of the Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne, and a Hyatt veteran of over 20 years. Mr. Bonard was honoured as "One of the World's Best Hoteliers for 1990" by the US Travel Industry Monthly, a division of Travel Digest Publications. In 1995, he was acclaimed "Hyatt General Manager of the Year" the highest award given by Hyatt International.

blog: Thaifood, Series, Inter Music