VanMan
Jun 25, 01, 11:31 pm
Decided to take MariefromMontreal on a birthday treat to Phuket. Booked a couple of tickets on TG406 direct from Singapore, together with a two-nights points award from Starwood (staying at the Sheraton Grande Laguna), and we left early Friday morning.
Nothing much to say about the TG flight – it was a full A-330, and the meal was fine, though a little unusual for a breakfast: chicken and mushroom in a cream sauce, with pasta. Coke, OJ, water, tea and coffee were served.
After the 90 minute flight, we moved rather slowly through Thai immigration, and eventually found ourselves looking for the Sheraton sign outside the arrivals area. We gave our names to the gentleman with the sign, and looking down his list I was happy to see myself described as a VIP. We were the only passengers on the Sheraton shuttle bus, and we arrived at the hotel around 10:45 am.
A very pleasant young lady, by the name of Jib, greeted us with a Thai flower wristlet, and escorted us through the hotel lobby, apologizing for some inconspicuous bamboo scaffolding, erected for renovation work. She took us down to a boat dock, where she led us on to a launch on the lagoon. After a freshen-up with some ice-cold, eucalyptus-scented towels, a smart, white-uniformed, driver then motored us to our “room”, or rather villa, which shared its dock with just one other villa. With Jib taking the lead, we walked up the dock ramp to villa, and entered through the balcony doors.
She gave us a tour of the two-story unit, with a living area downstairs, with TV and CD/radio hi-fi, and the bedroom upstairs, with a king-bed, another balcony overlooking the lagoon, and bathroom. The bathroom was equipped with two showers: one indoor, and one large, outdoor, one, which was completely private, and received the warm sun’s rays during the day.
There was a welcoming gift of a beautifully carved melon, personally welcoming us, as well other fresh fruits.
Jib explained that the Villas formed a resort within a resort, and as such we had a number of special extras: the exclusive use of the Puccini restaurant for complimentary a la carte breakfast, or a complimentary room service American breakfast, or a complimentary buffet breakfast in the Birds of Paradise restaurant. In addition, there was a private complimentary cocktail party each evening and exclusive use of the Villas pool area, with fresh fruit served to your lounge chair every couple of hours.
By now, we were extremely impressed. I had faxed the hotel duty manager just the day before, letting them know that we were staying on reward points, and that MfromM was celebrating her birthday, and that if they were able to add a personal touch, it would be warmly appreciated. I’ve no idea if the fax helped, but I certainly had my expectations exceed by our welcome and the upgraded room.
We walked the grounds of the hotel after Jib left, and decided to get on with the serious business of sunbathing in the exclusive area of the Villas. After an hour or two, we stopped for a drink at the pool bar, and headed up to our room(s). There another surprise awaited: a beautifully decorated birthday cake with chocolate, fresh fruits and candles!!
We then walked the grounds again, and stopped at the Spa to make reservations for MfromM’s birthday treat the following day: a full 3-hour spa treatment, including massage, mud bath and various oils and herbs treatments. We snacked at the pool bar (smoked salmon quesadillas), spent an hour and a half at the complimentary cocktail hour, eating some yummy nibbles, and rounded out the evening by listening to the pleasant duo in the lobby bar.
The next morning, we decided to have the complimentary breakfast on the outside patio at the Puccini restaurant. I chose fresh tangerine juice and poached eggs with prawns in a delicious sauce, with a savoury tomato and a little potato cake. MfromM had watermelon juice and Phuket lobster with scrambled eggs and the same tomato and potato. Inside the restaurant was a buffet spread of breads, fruit, cereals and smoked salmon and smoked mackerel. This was an outstanding breakfast at any price – and to have it served complimentary was a special treat.
After breakfast we took the free shuttle boat across the lagoon to the Canal shops, and immediately found a branch of Jim Thompson (famous for silk goods). We made our purchases, and wandered around the rest of the shops, and got a boat back after an hour or so. 2 0’clock quickly rolled around an MfromM went to the spa for her three hour session, while I sat and read poolside. After another pleasant cocktail hour, we walked to the lobby and picked up a taxi to take us to Patong Beach, and the Baan Rim Pa restaurant. We were shown to a lovely surf-side table, and ordered some Thai food, including steamed snapper with lemon and garlic, stir-fried squid and fried noodle with egg and chicken, all washed down with a decent Australian Shiraz. Excellent!! After dinner, we took a taxi (the Phuket version - basically a pickup truck, with a roof, and two benches inside along the sides) and headed for Bang La Road at the heart of Patong Beach, where we ambled happily past bar after bar after bar, and found the infamous Rock Hard, described previously by Quiet Lion.
After a drink or three watching the show we headed out and picked up a taxi for the exciting, breezy ride around the zigzag bends to the Sheraton.
The next day dawned bright and sunny, and we had breakfast again at Puccini, but switched our choices. I added lots of smoked salmon to my scrambled eggs, and finished with some fresh lychees. We lazed around in the sun today, and, finally, it was time to check out, and head for our 6:50pm TG flight back to Singapore. We were seated in the business class cabin, which was actually economy overflow. The meal on the plane was chicken, tomato sauce and spaghetti (again, I thought, an odd choice) and we shared a bottle of red, since nobody else apparently was drinking anything other than coke or OJ. As usual we zipped through Changi immigration, and were quickly in a taxi on our way home.
All in all, a great weekend – thanks to Starwood for a first-class experience!!!
Nothing much to say about the TG flight – it was a full A-330, and the meal was fine, though a little unusual for a breakfast: chicken and mushroom in a cream sauce, with pasta. Coke, OJ, water, tea and coffee were served.
After the 90 minute flight, we moved rather slowly through Thai immigration, and eventually found ourselves looking for the Sheraton sign outside the arrivals area. We gave our names to the gentleman with the sign, and looking down his list I was happy to see myself described as a VIP. We were the only passengers on the Sheraton shuttle bus, and we arrived at the hotel around 10:45 am.
A very pleasant young lady, by the name of Jib, greeted us with a Thai flower wristlet, and escorted us through the hotel lobby, apologizing for some inconspicuous bamboo scaffolding, erected for renovation work. She took us down to a boat dock, where she led us on to a launch on the lagoon. After a freshen-up with some ice-cold, eucalyptus-scented towels, a smart, white-uniformed, driver then motored us to our “room”, or rather villa, which shared its dock with just one other villa. With Jib taking the lead, we walked up the dock ramp to villa, and entered through the balcony doors.
She gave us a tour of the two-story unit, with a living area downstairs, with TV and CD/radio hi-fi, and the bedroom upstairs, with a king-bed, another balcony overlooking the lagoon, and bathroom. The bathroom was equipped with two showers: one indoor, and one large, outdoor, one, which was completely private, and received the warm sun’s rays during the day.
There was a welcoming gift of a beautifully carved melon, personally welcoming us, as well other fresh fruits.
Jib explained that the Villas formed a resort within a resort, and as such we had a number of special extras: the exclusive use of the Puccini restaurant for complimentary a la carte breakfast, or a complimentary room service American breakfast, or a complimentary buffet breakfast in the Birds of Paradise restaurant. In addition, there was a private complimentary cocktail party each evening and exclusive use of the Villas pool area, with fresh fruit served to your lounge chair every couple of hours.
By now, we were extremely impressed. I had faxed the hotel duty manager just the day before, letting them know that we were staying on reward points, and that MfromM was celebrating her birthday, and that if they were able to add a personal touch, it would be warmly appreciated. I’ve no idea if the fax helped, but I certainly had my expectations exceed by our welcome and the upgraded room.
We walked the grounds of the hotel after Jib left, and decided to get on with the serious business of sunbathing in the exclusive area of the Villas. After an hour or two, we stopped for a drink at the pool bar, and headed up to our room(s). There another surprise awaited: a beautifully decorated birthday cake with chocolate, fresh fruits and candles!!
We then walked the grounds again, and stopped at the Spa to make reservations for MfromM’s birthday treat the following day: a full 3-hour spa treatment, including massage, mud bath and various oils and herbs treatments. We snacked at the pool bar (smoked salmon quesadillas), spent an hour and a half at the complimentary cocktail hour, eating some yummy nibbles, and rounded out the evening by listening to the pleasant duo in the lobby bar.
The next morning, we decided to have the complimentary breakfast on the outside patio at the Puccini restaurant. I chose fresh tangerine juice and poached eggs with prawns in a delicious sauce, with a savoury tomato and a little potato cake. MfromM had watermelon juice and Phuket lobster with scrambled eggs and the same tomato and potato. Inside the restaurant was a buffet spread of breads, fruit, cereals and smoked salmon and smoked mackerel. This was an outstanding breakfast at any price – and to have it served complimentary was a special treat.
After breakfast we took the free shuttle boat across the lagoon to the Canal shops, and immediately found a branch of Jim Thompson (famous for silk goods). We made our purchases, and wandered around the rest of the shops, and got a boat back after an hour or so. 2 0’clock quickly rolled around an MfromM went to the spa for her three hour session, while I sat and read poolside. After another pleasant cocktail hour, we walked to the lobby and picked up a taxi to take us to Patong Beach, and the Baan Rim Pa restaurant. We were shown to a lovely surf-side table, and ordered some Thai food, including steamed snapper with lemon and garlic, stir-fried squid and fried noodle with egg and chicken, all washed down with a decent Australian Shiraz. Excellent!! After dinner, we took a taxi (the Phuket version - basically a pickup truck, with a roof, and two benches inside along the sides) and headed for Bang La Road at the heart of Patong Beach, where we ambled happily past bar after bar after bar, and found the infamous Rock Hard, described previously by Quiet Lion.
After a drink or three watching the show we headed out and picked up a taxi for the exciting, breezy ride around the zigzag bends to the Sheraton.
The next day dawned bright and sunny, and we had breakfast again at Puccini, but switched our choices. I added lots of smoked salmon to my scrambled eggs, and finished with some fresh lychees. We lazed around in the sun today, and, finally, it was time to check out, and head for our 6:50pm TG flight back to Singapore. We were seated in the business class cabin, which was actually economy overflow. The meal on the plane was chicken, tomato sauce and spaghetti (again, I thought, an odd choice) and we shared a bottle of red, since nobody else apparently was drinking anything other than coke or OJ. As usual we zipped through Changi immigration, and were quickly in a taxi on our way home.
All in all, a great weekend – thanks to Starwood for a first-class experience!!!