Asia - Honeymoon Help!!!

Well, we're planning our honeymoon for next year (the trip will be from May 20 - June 4, 2007) and we could use some advice (Thanks BangkokTraveler for ALL your help thus far!) on where to stay and visit:

Here's the background:

I have cashed in 470,000 marriott points and will secure flights and hotels using the 2 travel packages that I "purchased" with points. BUT, there is a few caveats (which we can DEFINITELY live with as we will be flying first/business class from NY and 14 nights at any Marriott hotel for no $$ out of pocket ^ ):

1. We MUST stay at a Marriott hotel

2. We must stay 7 nights at one hotel and then 7 nights at a second hotel.

Originally we we're planning on one week in Phuket and the second week in Koh Samui (it doesn't matter where we go to first). But, some of you have suggested that we could better "maximize" our vacation and visit some other areas (many have stated that there is nothing "Thai" about these locations and hotels). Perhaps Phuket and Koh Samui are very similar?

So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE offer any advice and tips that you can to help us get the most out of our once in a lifetime trip (but aslo keep in mind the stipulations stated above).

Here's the hotel choices that I have considered so far (initially I was only looking at the JW Marriott in Phuket and the Renaissance in Koh Samui). Actually these are pretty much the only hotels we can choose from:

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/HKTJW

Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/PYXMC

Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/USMBR

JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BKKDT

Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BKKTH

Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/HHQMC

Here's some information about ourselves:

1. We'll be 30 & 31 years old on our honeymoon

2. The wife to be absolutely loves the beach and would prefer the feel and seclusion of a resort with PLENTY of beach time (I'm sure you all deal from time to time :D )

3. We would aboslutely be greatful for any restaurant recommendations (preferably romantic restaurants) and places to enjoy the nightlife a few nights out.

4. if there are local places that we must see (even the touristy ones), I'd love to hear about it.

5. We would certainly consider other asia (Japan/Okinawa, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.) locations but again, we prefer to stay out of major cities, prefer the "resort/romantic" atmosphere and HAVE TO STAY at a Marriott (hey, what can you expect from a "free" trip :eek: ).

Thank you so much (in advance) for all of the help!!!

You'd probably have better luck asking this on the Marriott forum? If you really are keen on the resort theme then I think that you've already picked the best Marriotts in South-East Asia, the ones in Malaysia are unspectacular and Marriott has no resorts in Singapore or Indonesia. 14 days on a beach (or even two) would be too much for me, and I'd suggest either of the Bangkok Marriotts if you want some city life with interesting daytrips (Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi etc). Forget Pattaya and Hua Hin.

I'm going to lock this thread, and suggest that people help the OP by responding to his same post in the Marriott forum (http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=568773).

From the FT guidelines (http://flyertalk.com/help/rules.php#q64):

Post Your Thread to Just One Forum
Don't post the same thread more than once. Our members read many forums, and weeding through the same message in multiple forums can be frustrating. Duplicate threads will be deleted, combined or locked.

SanDiego1K
Senior Moderator