Firstly, we all had an amazing time. It’s probably the best holiday we’ve ever had for various reasons. Normally, after 12-14 nights we’re ready to come home, but we would have gladly stayed there for another 2-3 weeks.
Some specifics:
Flights – All fine. All connections and transfers worked well with no significant issues.
Shangri-la, Bangkok – Excellent hotel in a great location on the river. Easy access to river taxis. We did the three temples river tour on day 2 (4 hours, private taxi). The only issue with the hotel was the rooms were not ready on check-in, which meant we had to wait 3-4 hours. We had to use the public toilets to get changed. It didn’t spoil the stay, but it meant we couldn’t shower and freshen up after traveling for 24 hours. We all agreed we would stay there again. With hindsight, we probably should have stayed an extra night to give us a little more time to explore the city. There was a minor mix-up with the transfer from the hotel, but this was purely down to the driver not speaking very good English and not carrying a sign with our name on it, so we didn’t know he was waiting for us until I asked him. Despite the delay, we got to the airport in good time.
Davesom – Probably the best hotel we have ever stayed in. Everything about it is perfect and it surpassed our expectations on every front. It only has 60+ rooms, so it feels very exclusive. It’s beautifully presented and clean throughout. The facilities are spot on. The staff are amazing – very friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Fantastic breakfast. The location is superb, right on the beachfront. My wife and I went for long beach walks every day and we had the beach to ourselves most of the time. Poolside cocktails (happy hour) and lunchtime food were excellent. Food was sensibly priced. We ate in the restaurant twice on an evening and it was superb. But most nights we ate either at the beach restaurants or in Khao Lak town. Eating out was so cheap – 15-50 pounds total for 4 adults with drinks. While there, we did three excursions – James Bond Island, Similan Islands, and Elephant Home. All amazing and were arranged through the hotel. Prices were slightly higher than booking in the town, but we didn’t mind. We were all so impressed with the hotel we’re already talking about going back in early 2025.
Thank you for your recommendations and arranging this for us. We had the most amazing time and it was perfect. We’ve all fallen in love with Thailand. You’ve helped us make some amazing memories.