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

Khao Sai Dao Waterfall Chanthaburi

The Khao Sai Dao Waterfall is best know as a wildlife sanctuary,

but many people neglect the
actual falls themselves. Those who do take the time to see
them, leave with a feeling of awe for this spectacular natural area.
The waterfall, in addition to the paristine fotest, make this natural
park a have for the animals that call it home.

Location
The Khao Sai Dao Wildlife Sanctuary is
located near Amphoe Pong Nam Ron,
Amphoe Makham and Amphoe Kaeng
Hang Maeo. The two highest peaks in
the ares are Khao Soi Dao Nua at 1675 meters.
For tourist information, you should contact
the Wildlife Sanctuary Office in
Amphoe Pong Nam Ron

Highlights
Namtok Khao Soi Dao: is a fertile, sixteen-level waterfall that flows year round. From the
parking lot you can see the first level of the waterfall. However, if you want to see the
others, which is recommended, you will have to place up your shoes and walk.
The most notable levels are nine and ten. These are particularly stunning because
he water collects in pools at the base before falling to the levels below.
The best time to visit is during the rainy season, but beware of the leeches. That is one souvenir that is better left at the park.
While in Khao Soi Dao, you will have the opportunity to see many species of birds and butterflies. The best place to see the birds is in the area around the waterfall, while the butterflies prefer to settle in the many ponds scattered around the park.
On your trek, there is a two and a half-kilometer route where tourists can study the indigenous plants and animals by way of information markers. These signs serve not only to educate, but also to lead your way through the forest. As a result, guides are not need in this area of the forest.

How to Get there
From Chanthaburi take Highway 317. After passing Amphoe Pong Nam Ron, turn at Kilometer Marker number 22. lf you find yourself at the Patong Marker, you have passed your turn off. Turn left at the Kilometer Marker and drive for approximately four kilometers until you reach the Wildlife Sanctuary. The entire trip is about seventy kilometers.

blog: Thaifood, Series, Inter Music