Thailand

11 Hip Hotels in Thailand

Thailand has a lot to offer the discerning traveller, including breathtaking beaches, the energy of Bangkok form the pounding nightclubs, screaming traffic, gleaming shopping centres, and glorious luxury hotels. Thailand encompasses so much, and is often referred to as a golden land, not because there is precious metal underfoot but because the country gives off a certain lustre, be it the fertile rice fields of the central plains, white sandy beaches or the warm hospitality of its people.

Contact our Travel Gurus for inspiration and advice on luxury hotels in Thailand.

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  1. AKA Hua Hin Hotel

    Hua Hin, Thailand

    Situated in the hills behind Hua Hin, it is hard to believe that this splendidly isolated resort is only 2½ hours from the pulsating metropolis of Bangkok.

    Hills, forest, pastures, rice paddies: AKA makes the most of its authentic Thai setting. Located on a ten acre plot, including its own organic farm, it is an exclusive retreat fringed by mountains and lakes, and offers almost monastic tranquility.

    The beach is 10 minutes drive away but you may never tear yourself from the one and two bedroom villas (complete with roof terrace, water garden and a personal emerald green swimming pool) that are AKA’s version of a room!

    The main lake-side pool is 35 metres in length, the type of pool that would make real swimmers very happy. Big villa, big restaurant reputation, big spa menu and competitive price equals big value.

    AKA is the kind of place you’re not likely to want to leave, which is exactly what was intended.

    Photos of AKA Hua Hin

    • A luxurious complex of elegantly spacious villas, AKA is the kind of place you’re not likely to want to leave, which is exactly what was intended.
    • A luxurious complex of elegantly spacious villas, AKA is the kind of place you’re not likely to want to leave, which is exactly what was intended.
    • A one or two bedroom villa with a roof terrace, a water garden and an emerald green swimming pool is AKA’s version of a room
    • The bar is where you want it to be; there are areas all over the resort where you can meet for a drink,
    • The restaurants present a choice of French cuisine or mouth-watering traditional Thai and are reason enough to make the drive from Bangkok.

    Prices from:

    £1,599 pp

    Perfect for families

    Read more details about AKA Hua Hin

  2. Andara Resort Villas

    Phuket, Thailand

    Live an idyllic tropical life for a week (or two) in your own contemporary Asian bolthole at Andara.

    Photos of Andara Resort Villas

    • Stylish, fun and beautifully set perched above the Andaman Sea
    • Stylish, fun and beautifully set perched above the Andaman Sea
    • Not just a room but your own suite, apartment or villa for an idyllic tropical home from home – most with private pool
    • Take your cocktail out onto the terrace and absorb the full panorama with a cool breeze
    • Popular with locals both for the contemporary style, the fine Thai cuisine and of course, the view – enjoy it all from inside or al fresco

    Prices from:

    £2,139pp in low season (May-Oct)

    £2,769pp in high season (Nov-April)

    Read more details about Andara Resort Villas

  3. Four Seasons Tented Camp

    Chiang Rai, Thailand

    A once-in-a-lifetime experience inspired to combine the luxury of a bygone era with the thrill of interacting with Thailand’s treasured national symbols (elephants).

    Photos of Four Seasons Tented Camp

    • An inspired travel experience that combines the luxury of a bygone era with the thrill of interacting with Thailand’s treasured national symbols (elephants).
    • An inspired travel experience that combines the luxury of a bygone era with the thrill of interacting with Thailand’s treasured national symbols (elephants).
    • With hurricane lamps, suede chairs and an open fire pit, the ambience is rustic, but the detail such as white linen, glassware and silver cutlery, is refined.
    • Set amidst the bamboo forests the spa at Four Seasons Tented Camp is all about rejuvenating and healing.
    • From the elevated position of your camp, the view is of Burma’s Ruak River, the nearby mountains of Laos and the surrounding jungle of the Golden Triangle.

    Prices from:

    £4,235 pp

    Ask our Gurus about Special packages available

    Read more details about Four Seasons Tented Camp

  4. Indigo Pearl Hotel

    Phuket, Thailand

    Indigo Pearl is located on Nai Yang Beach, just 10 minutes from Phuket International Airport, but because it’s situated next to Sirinath National Park it’s one of the quietest areas on the island – although the hustle and bustle of places like Patong are only 30 minutes away.

    The open air lounge bar is set in a raised pavilion that catches glimpses of the beach, and Rebar neatly sums up Indigo Pearl’s ambience ie funky and blue. There are four different restaurants, the most spectacular being Black Ginger, a traditional Thai building on stilts in a man made lake with an all black interior accented by cobalt blue chandeliers. Alternatively, help create your own flavours of Thai cuisine at Moo’s Kitchen, Indigo Pearl’s Thai cooking school.

    Moody blue lighting and traditional touches expressed in a new Thai modernity.

    Photos of Indigo Pearl

    • The open air lounge bar is set in a raised pavilion that catches glimpses of the beach, and Rebar neatly sums up Indigo Pearl’s ambience ie funky and blue.
    • The open air lounge bar is set in a raised pavilion that catches glimpses of the beach, and Rebar neatly sums up Indigo Pearl’s ambience ie funky and blue.
    • A combination of rugged industrial textures and tones expressed in traditional Thai patterns, and a modernity which has a focus on the colour indigo.
    • The authenticity of the inspiration can be found in the billiard room bar Tongkah Tin Syndicate, which not too long ago was still one of the mine’s surveyor sheds.
    • Of the four restaurants, the most spectacular is Black Ginger, a traditional Thai building on stilts in a lake with an all black interior accented by cobalt blue chandeliers.

    Prices from:

    £1,539 pp

    Combine with a stay in Bangkok

    Read more details about Indigo Pearl

  5. Six Senses Samui

    Koh Samui, Thailand

    The sweeping vista of palm-clustered islands and shimmering seas brings to mind all the fantasies we have of the Orient's beaches.

    The resort is made up of a stunning collection of bamboo-clad villas, most with their own infinity-edge swimming pool looking out over the Gulf of Thailand. A modern interpretation of a traditional Thai residence, with open-plan spaces combined with a loft-like arrangement. The restaurants and bars are open pavilions, deriving their aesthetic from the communal longhouses of traditional river communities. The view, the architecture, the style and even the temperature intentionally immerse the guest in the location.

    This is back to nature – without a hint of roughing it. Six Senses Samui gives you a lot, including a comprehensive spa that offers every conceivable treatment in Asia...with a brilliant view to boot.

    When you arrive at the Six Senses Samui the view is at once exhilarating and strangely familiar

    Photos of Six Senses Samui

    • Six Senses is the embodiment of a new kind of hotel. The focus is on space, privacy and personal indulgence.
    • Six Senses is the embodiment of a new kind of hotel. The focus is on space, privacy and personal indulgence.
    • At the Six Senses Samui there are only villas. The resort is made up of a stunning collection of bamboo-clad villas, most with their own infinity-edge swimming pool looking out over the Andaman Sea below.
    • The restaurant and bar are open pavilions deriving their aesthetic from the communal longhouses of traditional river communities.

    Prices from:

    £1,349 pp

    stay 7 pay 5 for stays 01 Apr- 21 Dec

    Read more details about Six Senses Samui

  6. Six Senses Yao Noi

    Koh Yao Noi, Thailand

    Special Offer

    This remote retreat on a small island in the Andaman Sea has one of the most spectacular views in Asia. Thai resorts and beaches are renowned for their beauty, but this escape destination takes it to another level. Camouflaged by the island’s dense foliage, the beautifully rustic but thoroughly contemporary guest villas all benefit from a constant vista of a collection of limestone sentinels sticking out of the turquoise Andaman Sea with purposeful monumentality.
    This spectacle continues throughout the property. From the bar, the restaurant, the beach etc, the view is consistent and unavoidably dominant.

    This remote retreat on a small island in the Andaman Sea has one of the most spectacular views in Asia. Thai resorts and beaches are renowned for their beauty, but this escape destination takes it to another level.

    Photos of Six Senses Yao Noi

    • A lost world all of your own with a much better view.
    • A lost world all of your own with a much better view.
    • Every guest gets a compound, not a room. You have your own swimming pool and outdoor living area, a huge open-plan bedroom and bath space, all dominated by that singularly spectacular view.
    • There are two; one just along the beach that takes in the much-talked-about view, and another set further back from the sea, suspended above a small river next to a waterfall.
    • Situated in the tranquil, turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, halfway between Phuket and Krabi, Koh Yao Noi is an hour’s journey by boat from the southern tip of Phuket.

    Prices from:

    £1,579 per person in low season (may-oct)

    £2,299 per person in high season (nov-apr)

    Read more details about Six Senses Yao Noi

  7. Soneva Kiri by Six Senses

    Koh Hood, Thailand

    A private paradise on Thailand’s unspoilt island of Kood.

    Photos of Soneva Kiri by Six Senses

    • Soneva Kiri is the first example of a private world created with only one purpose - the hedonistic pleasure of its guests.
    • Soneva Kiri is the first example of a private world created with only one purpose - the hedonistic pleasure of its guests.
    • Guest villas at Soneva Kiri have redefined the idea of private self-standing accommodation.
    • The choice in culinary experiences on offer is extreme.
    • Situated on the Gulf of Siam, just below Cambodia.

    Prices from:

    £3,125 pp in low season

    £5,295 pp in high season

    Read more details about Soneva Kiri by Six Senses

  8. The Library Hotel

    Koh Samui, Thailand

    Bang in the heart of Chaweng Beach, The Library makes the most of its absolute beach frontage. It has the turquoise water but it also has a charm which keeps those who have discovered it coming back.

    White minimal lofts arranged along a wooden jetty leading to the beach, with a blood red swimming pool and a startlingly white media room; The Library breaks all the rules.Not many hotels can boast a blood red pool. Nothing about this place is conventional, why stop with the pool?

    An air-conditioned pavilion houses a floor to ceiling wine cellar, and a beachside bistro open to the elements – the dining experience at The Library is in keeping with Koh Samui’s emergence as a sophisticated escape destination.

    Accommodation at The Library feels more like you’ve borrowed a cool friend’s beach apartment than staying in a hotel.

    Photos of The Library

    • Accommodation at The Library feels more like you’ve borrowed a cool friend’s beach apartment than staying in a hotel.
    • Accommodation at The Library feels more like you’ve borrowed a cool friend’s beach apartment than staying in a hotel.
    • More a loft than a room, seamless white spaces, generous in terms of size and strikingly minimal in terms of style – perfect for a new generation beach hedonist.
    • Arranged along a raised timber deck directly adjacent to the beach, the bar is a perfect place to watch the sun go down.
    • Divided into two spaces – an air-conditioned pavilion with a floor to ceiling wine cellar and a beachside bistro open to the elements.

    Prices from:

    £1,675 pp

    Free night offer with complimentary breakfast

    Read more details about The Library

  9. The Metropolitan Hotel

    Bangkok, Thailand

    The Metropolitan is a three dimensional metaphor for the city itself; a heady combination of cool contemporary with reinvented tradition. Beautiful wooden floors are combined with pieces by Thai artist Natee Utarit and an ultra-slick lighting scheme from London’s Isometrix.

    Of all the hotels in Bangkok, the Metropolitan is the first in step with the city’s new energy. The Met Bar is at the cutting edge of Bangkok’s appetite for the contemporary and the restaurant, Cy’an, is Asia’s answer to Nobu, serving some of the best and most inventive food in Bangkok.

    Guestrooms that feel more like a downtown studio than a box, understated splashes of Jim Thompson silk, a gym that is not just an afterthought, an alternative health food restaurant called Glow and COMO's trendsetting Shambhala spa, it's more than just a look that sets this hotel apart.

    Unapologetically modern but distinctly Asian, the interiors are the work of Singapore-based Kathryn Kng. The Aesthetic is a pared down mix of East meets West.

    Photos of The Metropolitan

    • The Metropolitan is a heady combination of cool contemporary with reinvented tradition. Beautiful wooden floors are combined with pieces by Thai artist Natee Utarit and an ultra-slick lighting scheme from London’s Isometrix.
    • The Metropolitan is a heady combination of cool contemporary with reinvented tradition. Beautiful wooden floors are combined with pieces by Thai artist Natee Utarit and an ultra-slick lighting scheme from London’s Isometrix.
    • The rooms are like lofts; open-plan and flooded with light
    • Order a Tom Yumtini or Pineapple Martini, signature drink designed by the hotel’s famous sister Met Bar in London.
    • Cy’an is Asia’s answer to Nobu. It serves some of the best most inventive food in Bangkok. Or try Glow restaurant showcasing healthful, natural and organic COMO Shambhala cuisine.

    Prices from:

    £829 pp in low season

    £939 pp in high season

    Read more details about The Metropolitan

  10. The Racha

    Phuket, Thailand

    A tiny emerald green dot blessed with brilliantly white sand beaches, a short boat ride from Phuket.

    Photos of The Racha

    • A blindingly pristine compound of white bungalows surrounded by white jungle arranged around a startlingly white beach.
    • A blindingly pristine compound of white bungalows surrounded by white jungle arranged around a startlingly white beach.
    • Each guest gets an individual bungalow.
    • There's a bar on the beach, and there is an even smarter bar adjacent to the pool.
    • Food is of the quality, variety and inventiveness you would normally find in a big city.

    Prices from:

    £1,479 pp in low season (May-Oct)

    £1,649 pp in high season (Nov-April)

    Read more details about The Racha

  11. W Retreat

    Koh Samui, Thailand

    A futuristic, organic, idyllic resort lands on an island in the Gulf of Thailand.

    Photos of W Retreat

    • The W has raised the bar in terms of style, space and amenities.
    • The W has raised the bar in terms of style, space and amenities.
    • A Round tub is set against a mosaic feature wall that opens up to the private lap pool that runs the length of the villa.
    • The choices at The W, Samui seem to be divided between drinking for pleasure and drinking for health and wellbeing.
    • The Kitchen table is for International cuisine in a futuristic interplanetary collection of towering, circular spaces and Namu, an elegant and quirkily different setting for fine beach-front dining.

    Prices from:

    £2,125 pp

    Stay 7 pay 6 for stays 11 Jan- 21 Dec 2011

    Read more details about W Retreat

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