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Beach Resort for November Honeymoon in Thailand

Beach Resort for November Honeymoon in Thailand

Old Dec 3, 2016, 5:21 pm
  #1  
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Beach Resort for November Honeymoon in Thailand

What beach resort would you all recommend for 3 nights in Thailand for our Honeymoon? We will be leaving from Bangkok and following the beach resort, we will be heading to the FS Golden Triangle. We are currently looking at Amanpuri, Six Senses, Andara, The Surin, and Sonevi Kiri, but we are open to anything in a similar level. Any advice in deciding, or any thoughts are appreciated!

Last edited by Anlun; Dec 3, 2016 at 5:32 pm
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Old Dec 3, 2016, 6:08 pm
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Originally Posted by Anlun
What beach resort would you all recommend for 3 nights in Thailand for our Honeymoon? We will be leaving from Bangkok and following the beach resort, we will be heading to the FS Golden Triangle. We are currently looking at Amanpuri, Six Senses, Andara, The Surin, and Sonevi Kiri, but we are open to anything in a similar level. Any advice in deciding, or any thoughts are appreciated!
Erh , Amanpuri is in a different league from those others you listed ..
Definitely , way higher " level " .

You did not mention Trisara which also has superb accommodation . Some regard as somewhat comparable to Puri if you read other threads on this forum .
Though Trisara does not have a good beach , rather corally , if that is what you are looking for .
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Old Dec 4, 2016, 10:50 am
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Originally Posted by FlyerEC
Erh , Amanpuri is in a different league from those others you listed ..
Definitely , way higher " level " .

You did not mention Trisara which also has superb accommodation . Some regard as somewhat comparable to Puri if you read other threads on this forum .
Though Trisara does not have a good beach , rather corally , if that is what you are looking for .
I've read through the forums and I have heard that the big debate is between Amanpuri or Trisara. I did not include Trisara because of the beach and because from what I understand Trisara has the better room, but the service and overall resort is nothing amazing. Is there anything similar to Amanpuri in terms of quality? I'm not against Amanpuri but from what I understand, Amanpuri can be a little dated and it seems very well known (and perhaps touristy/crowded).
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Old Dec 4, 2016, 11:18 am
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Amanpuri is not dated. It is classy, grand, monumental, typical Thai and just beautiful. It is not modern in its design, but that is not what you want in Thailand.
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Old Dec 4, 2016, 5:08 pm
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Originally Posted by Anlun
I've read through the forums and I have heard that the big debate is between Amanpuri or Trisara. I did not include Trisara because of the beach and because from what I understand Trisara has the better room, but the service and overall resort is nothing amazing. Is there anything similar to Amanpuri in terms of quality? I'm not against Amanpuri but from what I understand, Amanpuri can be a little dated and it seems very well known (and perhaps touristy/crowded).
Originally Posted by Musken
Amanpuri is not dated. It is classy, grand, monumental, typical Thai and just beautiful. It is not modern in its design, but that is not what you want in Thailand.
Thanks Musken .
Was hoping you would chime in !
Trying to keep my cool with the uninitiated , important on FT or anywhere

The latest phase of villas is rather contemporary - almost fort like - though the interiors are thankfully unmistakably Aman even with up to date gadgets & owners ' " stamp "

Glad to say that royalty & similar still find it best to take refuge here , along with others who do not take to crowds . Still somewhere we can chill without being bothered by the ..
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 1:10 am
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Originally Posted by Anlun
I've read through the forums and I have heard that the big debate is between Amanpuri or Trisara. I did not include Trisara because of the beach and because from what I understand Trisara has the better room, but the service and overall resort is nothing amazing. Is there anything similar to Amanpuri in terms of quality? I'm not against Amanpuri but from what I understand, Amanpuri can be a little dated and it seems very well known (and perhaps touristy/crowded).
Amanpuri is anything but 'well known' and touristy/crowded.

In terms of design, it's classic - I think when people say it's 'dated', they mean that there are elements of the entry level suites that really could go up a notch (sea views, private pools, space etc) - bearing in mind it was built and opened late 80s. It's very well maintained, and looks 'newer' than many 'new' resorts I've been to.
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 2:15 am
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Providing budget isn't such an issue, take a look at Iniala - it's one of the best resorts I've ever been to.
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 7:21 am
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I know that the hotel reviews on TripAdvisor are inconsistent etc etc etc.

But I happened to be browsing Thai beach resorts on the TA site and was surprised to see that TA currently list 733 hotels in Phuket. No.1 is Trisara. No.16 is The Surin which shares its beach with Amanpuri. And Amanpuri itself is ranked No.188.

Interestingly, Trisara gets at least three times as many reviews as Amanpuri.
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 7:25 am
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Agree with the Trisara/Amanpuri comments - Trisara hard product is excellent, although Amanpuri does have a classic appeal (103-105 are beautifully situated). Amanpuri wins on service, beach, and I also love their gym.

Iniala is great in its own way. I wouldn't call it a "resort" in the same way as the other two; it's basically 4 villas, a beach and a gym (and a restaurant which may or may not be open depending when you visit). But if you really want to hunker down and see no one other than people paid to take care of you, it works well; and they do bend over backwards to cater to your every whim, from your 2 butlers, to the amazing instructor in the gym, to the chef. The kids hotel was also great for us but I'm imagining you're not honeymooning with offspring in tow. Design-wise it is definitely novel in comparison to the other options. MacMyDay wrote an extensive review (which helped plant the seed for our visit a couple weeks ago) and I agree with him that the Penthouse is the best option here. His review should help you figure out if this is the right place for you.

Between the three though, if I were forced to pick a phuket honeymoon destination right now, I'd probably still do Amanpuri...
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 8:13 am
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Altocumulus and Macmyday are both more well-traveled than I am and so they have a better perspective than I do regarding Iniala, but I just thought I'd add a few things to consider.

congrats on the honeymoon. It may depend on your personality. The tented camp is a lot of fun and when we went there were two other couples that were also on their honeymoon, so if you enjoy socializing you'll be able to share drinks every night, and how that might balance with your time down south.

We've only stayed at four different Amans, and with the exception of Amankora, people really seemed like they wanted to keep to themselves, and frankly it felt weird sharing a hotel with people who wanted so much privacy. If you prefer to socialize I would probably go somewhere like Point Yamu. FWIW: I have only been to Iniala and Phuket and can't speak from experience unlike other posters on here.

One more thing to consider is activities. At Iniala we had a driver who took us on any whim to places like zip lining, monkey shows, shopping, Tiger visiting, etc... plus, you'll no doubt want to take a boat out to the islands. Iniala set that up and we only paid "cost" whereas I heard that Amanpuri charges a significant markup. They both use the same boats, from the same owner, who I walked past when we were at the marina. Plus the BBQ-- a $500-$1000 charge elsewhere.

For children, no doubt, Iniala is superb. Though I liked the Siam villa more than the Penthouse.

One other option would be to rent a villa. Luxury Retreats markets a lot of nice places.
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 3:04 pm
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Wow great comments everyone thanks! I appreciate the analysis of the "dated" comments. I think chinmoylad is right on the reviews that reference that aspect. I did research Iniala, and while it looked great, the style doesn't really fit our tastes (a bit too modern). MacMyDay I will go read your review of Iniala shortly, but is there anything that put it over the top for you over Amanpuri?

To help with the discussion, we don't have kids, we are in our late 20s (and enjoy socializing), and we intend to do some excursions (boat to explore islands, snorkeling, etc.).

A couple more questions to help me decide. For Amanpuri, we would probably go with the the Partial Ocean Pavilion. Is there any chance (or any anecdotal evidence) of an upgrade to an ocean view for our honeymoon? What sort of rooms are rooms 103-105? Some reviews mentioned the lack of television in the rooms. This isn't a big deal for us as we are not really big on tv, but just curious if this is still the case. Also For Amanpuri, anyone know the additional cost for excursions (going out on the boat, snorkeling).

Just so I know what's out there, is there anything else comparable to Amanpuri/Trisara on any of the other islands? We are not beholden to Phuket.

Thanks again everyone!
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 3:32 pm
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Just to reiterate what DSI said:
At least in our experience, most Amans are pretty quiet. Scratch that extremely... so find that off putting.. for us it was a bonus but I can see how it would be not ideal...

FDW
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 3:48 pm
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Originally Posted by Anlun
Wow great comments everyone thanks! I appreciate the analysis of the "dated" comments. I think chinmoylad is right on the reviews that reference that aspect. I did research Iniala, and while it looked great, the style doesn't really fit our tastes (a bit too modern). MacMyDay I will go read your review of Iniala shortly, but is there anything that put it over the top for you over Amanpuri?

To help with the discussion, we don't have kids, we are in our late 20s (and enjoy socializing), and we intend to do some excursions (boat to explore islands, snorkeling, etc.).

A couple more questions to help me decide. For Amanpuri, we would probably go with the the Partial Ocean Pavilion. Is there any chance (or any anecdotal evidence) of an upgrade to an ocean view for our honeymoon? What sort of rooms are rooms 103-105? Some reviews mentioned the lack of television in the rooms. This isn't a big deal for us as we are not really big on tv, but just curious if this is still the case. Also For Amanpuri, anyone know the additional cost for excursions (going out on the boat, snorkeling).

Just so I know what's out there, is there anything else comparable to Amanpuri/Trisara on any of the other islands? We are not beholden to Phuket.

Thanks again everyone!
This is Aman , do make your preferences & requirements known .
We always get a TV & if a station isn't available or e.g. games aren't shown on theirs , then Puri gives us a ride to one of the pubs " round the corner "
Amanpuri has her own boats & more in her fleet .
Some are owned by others under Amans care to charter ( gives them an ego boost with income )

The costs depends on how long your cruise is & which boat you choose .

103 & 105 are similar to the other pavilions but with amazing views . The pool pavilions have good views too .
Puri does surprise with upgrades , where to depends on occupancy .

Best email them for information .
Also let them know that it is your honeymoon , congratulations !

No other comparison .

No other comparable hotels on other islands .
But you may want to check out Racha , some royals go too

You may consider splitting your stay .

If we do a combination of hotels , it is often X , followed by Trisara & capping our stay at Puri ( nothing beats the peace ' Aman ' - chilling on her beach & , swimming to their pontoon in high season )

You if are wanting to meet people , complimentary tea time by the main pool should not be missed

Last edited by FlyerEC; Dec 5, 2016 at 3:58 pm
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 7:36 pm
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Hmm I never thoughtabout socialization. It seems regardless of what I go with, there isn't a whole lot of socializing (which is fine it is our honeymoon, but it would be nice to get drinks and meet people). Looks like Amanpuri it is!

Follow up question, my itinerary includes 2 days in Chiang Mai. Should we cut the two days and spend an extra day in Amanpuri and another in Japan (we will be heading there after Thailand)? We are already getting our elephant fix at the FS Golden Triangle, so is there anything Chiang Mai would add to the trip? Thanks.
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 11:35 pm
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Anlun - I would urge caution about Phuket. It does have over 700 hotels, it has become a mass market destination and outside the resorts there isn't much to see. Like Bali, I think Phuket has had its day in the sun. By all means go to Amanpuri - I last stayed there after arriving from Amanpulo in the Philippines and there just wasn't any comparison. Yes, it's a great hotel, the main pool is iconic, but I've never liked Amanpuri's steep steps to the beach and the beach is shared with another, bigger hotel.

So this is what I would do - fly to Bangkok for a few days, then to the Golden Triangle area, then to Manila and Amanpulo. This then gives you the option of returning via Tokyo.

PS: Please don't ride an elephant. By doing so you would be supporting a seriously cruel industry.

Last edited by Pausanias; Dec 5, 2016 at 11:41 pm
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