Muerz

Has anyone ever been to this property? The pictures on the website look very promising and nice...
http://www.lemeridien.com/thailand/k...l_th1812.shtml

jkc22

While I've never been to this property, most properties in Khao Lak were serverly damaged by the tsunami incident and pretty much required complete reconstruction. This property is most likely completely rebuilt.......hopefully the tourism industry will pick up this holiday season in Phuket.....

When I was in Phuket last month, the Hilton was only 50% full....

TiteG4

I was there pre-tsunami and the current pictures on the website are the same as the pre-tsunami ones. The villa section were closer to the beach with the main hotel buildings a little further in. I believe that there is a new building code (post-tsunami) mandating certain distance from the beach. Therefore, I am not sure if the villas were rebuilt further inland or not.

That said, the decor was clean/comtemporary Thai. There were two pools, the main HUGE free-formed pool and another lap pool (around 20-25 meters). Both were beautifully landscaped. The service was impeccable (greeting by names, knowing your drinks, etc). The spa was superb. Each treatment room was a whole individual villa. The beach, though small, was beautiful and mainly empty as there were not many hotels on that stretch.

The hotel is secluded. So you will be pretty much stuck there (except for any planned excursions). Fortunately, the restuarants were fantastic, both Thai and western). Dinner theme varies nightly.

I believe Le Meridien is having a re-opening promotional rate for USD75/night now (until 12/22). You do have to be a Moments member to get this rate though. Getting there is via Phuket airport (HKT). The hotel can arrange an airport pickup for about $40. Be warned that the hotel is about an hour from the airport and 2-3 hours from the Phuket town. If you want nightlife, you will be better off in Phuket. But if you want to chill out and get pampered, give Khao Lak a try (especially with the promotional rate). ^

wahoo99

I was looking at the pictures on their web site and the Ocean Front Pool Villa was featured in one of the pictures, looks amazing. However, just looking at regular reservation room choices, this was not one of them. One, I was curious how to book this room at a paid rate, why would it not show up as a choice on spg.com? And two, can this room type be booked on an award stay? If anyone had looked into this and knows, that would be excellent. I called SPG cust service and they didn't have any info on this room type....

THEMOON

Asiarooms does list that room type for $461USD tax and breakfast included, and since they list the Lagoon Villas for $277USD tax and breakfast included and Meridien lists the Lagoon Villas for $280 plus tax/no breakfast I imagine the Oceanfront Pool Villa would be a similar price from Meridien.

hellolock

Anybody stayed here recently?

It is some time since the devastating tsunami so how is the feeling there? Is the hotel and area fully rebuilt?

jayzee9

Does anyone have experience with this property?

I am thinking about going with my wife, sister in law and brother in law in early January and I wanted to know:

How do they treat SPG Plats?

Does an award room include breakfast? Is there a lounge?

Should I rent a car? If not, how much would a taxi run me from Phuket airport? (Is that where I should fly in?)

What is there to do outside the hotel area, if anything?

How is the beach/pool area?

Any help would be tremendously appreciated.

lovtofly3

I can answer 1 question.It's about 700-800 bht ($20) for a taxi from the Phuket airport.(I asked a local driver last month that I use.)
I have never been to the Merdien,but the pictures look very promising.
Maybe someone else has the answers as I would like hear them as well.

LIH Prem

We passed by the front of the property after a dive to drop somebody off. It looked very nice. If you're a diver, this is a great location. The dive boats to the Similan Islands depart from Khao Lak. The pier is 5 - 10 minutes from the hotel.

There's a small town up the road from the hotel, so you're not completely isolated like some other properties.

I'm seriously thinking of staying there on my next Thailand trip, whenever that is.

-David

Arandora

Visited Le Meridien in April/May 2006 for 15 nights, enjoyed it so much we stayed a further 4 days (my wife had to return to go to work.....) and we are going again in March 2007.
Khao Lak was the area most affected by the 2004 Tsunami and is in the process of regeneration. Having visited Thailand on several occasions we chose KL to put our vacation £s into this process. While LeMeridien is a superb resort (biggest at 250 rooms by far in the area) it is the emotional ties formed with KL that gives us (and many other visitors) the urge to return.
A variety of room types from Deluxe at very cheap rates (but not on SPG, but that's another story - compare them to AsianRooms.com and then try to use SPG's Best Rate Guarantee! AsianRooms $102 per night including breakfast, service charge and local taxes, compared with $175 equivalent rate with SPG!!) to very expensive (comparatively) beach villas with their own pool. Lovely spacious grounds, 4 restaurants, 4 pools with great pool areas, a great Spa, Beach bar and a wonderful beach - secluded, we walked for miles without passing a soul.
A few local beach restaurants, that's all, and these close May - September as do many in Khao Lak Town which is about 20km away. (Hotel shuttle 3 times a night into KL @ 100THB per person each way)
Hotel limo transfer is 1800 THB per limo each way.
Car hire (Hertz in the hotel, plenty cheaper in KL and at Phuket Airport) is about 1600 THB inc CDW etc., each way. Petrol, sorry, gas, is cheap. Good roads to and from main destinations and they drive on same side of road as us Brits.
Lots of restaurants, bars, shops, tour/dive shops in KL Town which is, thankfully, not as over commercialised as the better known resorts of Phuket, Koh Samui etc..
Breat place, great hotel for peace, quiet, rest and relaxation in a superb location.
Photos from our holiday at:
http://photos.orange.co.uk/album/3635279

lovtofly3

Welcome to FT! thanks for the info. and photos..Good work.

dctrzeke

I am heading there at the end of November and am looking forward to some piece and quiet. Your info much appreciated.

LAFlyer

asianrooms.com goes to a porn site! I googled around a bit and the correct site is www.asiarooms.com.

tyro

I was there in May/June this year for about 3 nights and it is a truly gorgeous resort. Khao Lak was quite beaten up during the tsunami, but Le Meridien has completely rehauled itself, there is no sign of any tsunami damage at all. The resort is very exclusive and peaceful, with alot of space. Rooms are lavishly decorated, and the pools are big. landscape is also great, with touches of old time Siam.

Stayed in one of their lagoon villas and it was one of the best resort villas i have ever stayed in in Asia Pacific. Think floor to ceiling windows, which makes waking up in the morning so pleasant, your own sun deck with sunbeds, a gigantic plasma flat screen TV, a large desk (not that i'm working there at all) and a very big bed. The bathroom is oversized with a tub, separate toilet and shower, two sinks, and an open air rainshower at the back that's very private. Interior design is that of contemporary thai, with touches of nature. A friend was staying in an ocean-front villa which had a private lap pool (great for private skinny dipping), and a sundeck with a hammock, from which you can have your breakfast served, or admire the golden sunset.

Didn't try le spa, but took a tour of it. very very personal and luxurious.

As you can probably tell, i'm in love with the resort. =)

Arandora

Oops, very sorry!!! You've heard of "ham fisted"? , I'm ham fingered!!!