Luxury Hotels - Where to splurge in Thailand?

I'm going to be honeymooning there and am trying to pick one property around $500-$600 a night to splurge. Everything else will be on points. I am leaning towards FS Chiang Mai because it seems like a very special place (especially compared to the Chiang Mai properties that are actually in Chiang Mai), and using my points for a stay in a beach area. Should I consider shelling out for a beach property and using points for a stay up north? Six Senses Yao Noi is tempting me.

In Chiang Mai, I would recommend the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi.

In the south, nothing beats the location (for me) of the Ritz Carlton Reserve Phulay Bay in Krabi.

The two choices in Chiang Mai are FS & Mandarin with a lot of discussion already on pros and cons of each. I think the current edge room wise goes to the new pool suites at FS Chiang Mai. The more standard rooms, non-villa, are better at the Mandarin. As you have already noted, no chance to use points at either of these hotels.

There was a recent thread with lots of photos from Yao Noi.. Kage will post it for you as I can't find it!

I have followed the FS Chiang Mai vs MO Chiang Mai debate pretty closely and am still leaning towards the FS, but I have a friend who works for MO corporate and if she can get me a discount that would heavily favor the MO.

I would love to stay at an Aman or Trisara but I simply can't afford it. I suppose one of the overarching questions is whether or not it's worth it to splurge on this particular trip. Notwithstaning the specialness of the occasion, there's such a glut of affordable properties in Thailand (money and point-wise) that I am debating the wisdom of spending so much money at a more mid-level luxury property at all.

When is this trip? (low season rates are much lower than high season)

What kind of points do you have available?

FS Chiang Mai is definitely worth it, although if mutually exclusive I personally would prioritize a beach destination.

This summer, Trisara has a promotion for USD $200 daily f&b/spa credit, with rates from $700- effectively USD $500 room rate. An upgrade would be possible.

Phulay Bay and Rayavadee in Krabi have pavilions starting around $500 in the low season, and both are fantastic properties. Phulay Bay, as a Ritz-Carlton, can be reserved on awards through the Marriott/R-C rewards program (very high redemption rates).

FS Samui base category (with FSPP benefits), or Karma Samui could be options. W and Conrad Samui are possible for SPG/Hilton points.

Naka Island (formerly Six Senses) in Phuket is now Starwood.

For something extra special and unique consider FS Tented Camp.

For something extra special and unique consider FS Tented Camp.

Did that earlier this month and it is really nice, but.....IMHO it's seriously overpriced and service wise is not at all in the class of Puri or Trisara. If not for the brand, which attracts a lot of honeymooners from NY, I think it would be out of business. I had a really nice stay there, but I would have a hard time recommending it to someone else unless they had already been to the other places and had money burning a hole in their pocket.

RC phulay (and singapore) dont do awards.
RC phulay did before program change, think singapore did too.
so i guess they did not want to participate in point earning.

service problems at FS tented camp?

OP said $500

nothing beats the location (for me) of the Ritz Carlton Reserve Phulay Bay in Krabi.

IIRC a regular here posted review saying everything was better than rayavadee EXCEPT location, and IIRC everyone who has discussed location said it is bad (which fits with fact its renovation of nonluxury property) although perhaps beach isnt as crowded? (because of that)

I had a really nice stay there, but I would have a hard time recommending it to someone else unless they had already been to the other places and had money burning a hole in their pocket.

pretty much exactly what I told you when you originally posted.... Its very special, but the value is hard to justify.

As for OP Alpha, yes you should try and do as many amazing things for your honeymoon as possible. Splurge away. You'll get married no more than 2 or 3 times in your life, so enjoy!

IIRC a regular here posted review saying everything was better than rayavadee EXCEPT location, and IIRC everyone who has discussed location said it is bad (which fits with fact its renovation of nonluxury property) although perhaps beach isnt as crowded? (because of that)

There really is no swimmable beach to speak of at Phulay Bay itself- for swimming guests often are taken by speed boat or long tail boat to the Hong Islands or further down Tubkaak beach. Of course, guests can also take full or half day excursions to stunning locations such as the Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay, and others.

While the location does not compare to Rayavadee, it is beautiful in its own right. In my opinion three nights or so at Phulay Bay before or after a longer stay at Rayavadee makes for a very good pairing.

pretty much exactly what I told you when you originally posted.... Its very special, but the value is hard to justify.


You were right!

This summer, Trisara has a promotion for USD $200 daily f&b/spa credit, with rates from $700- effectively USD $500 room rate. An upgrade would be possible.

or Karma Samui could be options.

Trisara is a winner although the weather may be questionable in July/August?

Karma Samui is great- I have had some wonderful stays there in seaview pool villas- they are fantastic.

We loved the Four Seasons Samui... It gets mixed reviews here but we had a lovely time. We are from NY so that may be a problem for 5khours though so you may want to take someone elses advice. ;)

For something extra special and unique consider FS Tented Camp.

Of course, this is nowhere near a $500 price point, so not really an option for OP. (As to the issue of value, it seems roughly comparable to high-end safari camps, both in terms of experience as well as cost; I'm not sure it's a good value, but I'd consider going back again despite generally spending much less, especially in Thailand.)

I haven't stayed at the MO Chiang Mai, but have had a couple of good stays at the FS Chiang Mai. If you like to cook, taking a cooking class there is great, and I think there's more of a difference in experience between the FS (and presumably the MO) and the chain hotels in Chiang Mai versus Bangkok or beach locations in Thailand, so it's definitely where I'd splurge.