Suvarnabhumi Bangkok New Airport

The Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport, now open is the biggest airport in Asia. The name Suvarnabhumi was chosen by HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej ... all » which means "The Golden Land", specifically referring to the continental Indochina. "Golden Peninsula"or "Golden Land" is a traditional name for the Thailand-Cambodia-Laos-Burma region.

True bargains exist, but finding them takes lots of legwork

Even as hotel prices increase, “the number of not-good-deal packages is at an all-time low,” said Bjorn Hanson, New York-based hospitality consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, an international accounting company. You can thank the Internet and yourself for that. “Guests can do research so easily,” Hanson said. Hoteliers, he explained, are wary of alienating customers.

Amy Ziff, editor at large for online travel seller Travelocity , put it this way: “Travelers are pretty savvy. They know the game.” In this contest, your best weapon is a calculator. “People have to do the math,” Ziff said.

You’ll need patience too. Evaluating packages can be tedious. With rates shifting by the minute and information available from multiple outlets, such as third-party sellers, the hotel’s reservations number and its website, Hanson said, “guests have more work to do now than ever before.”

But the work can be worth your time or worth paying a travel agent to do. In my research, I found packages that saved quite a bit, a little or nothing.

"Free" nights: These may not be the cheapest deal.

The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino in St. Martin, for instance, advertised a "Fourth Night Free Special," good through Oct. 31, on its website. With that special, the four-night tab for Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 totaled $630 for a Supersaver King room.

The package beat the hotel's "best available rate" total of $760. But I could have paid only $500 using the resort's $125-per-night "Web rate."

No. 1 lesson: It's not the "free" night; it's the cost of the paid nights that counts. Effectively, I would pay $157.50 per night under the free-night special.

No. 2 lesson: "Best available rate" isn't always the cheapest.

Breakfast included: If you want to eat at the hotel, you may save at least modestly with a bed-and-breakfast package.

At the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, for instance, which is rated Four Diamonds by AAA, the "Bed & Breakfast Package" for two was listed as $329 per night for Sept. 29 to 30. That was $15.90 per night less than the cost of separately booking the "best available rate" ($309) and buying two buffet breakfasts ($17.95 per person). If you booked the AAA room rate ($299), savings fell to $5.90.

Golf, anyone? The price of the "Endless Fairways Golf Package" at Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii's Big Island depended on the class of room and number of golfers. Either way, you would save.

For a king lanai golf-view room from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, the package was $354 a night for one golfer and $454 for two. Essentially, the hotel added $100 per golfer to the "best available rate" of $254. The nonrefundable "Net Direct Rate" was even less, $234. Because greens fees, bought separately, were $130 per guest, you would save $30, or $60 per room, depending on the number of golfers.

Math class: The $299 "Back to School" special at Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa included a $50 certificate for Office Depot to buy school supplies.

[Source from latimes.com]

Tourism Authority Of Thailand Focuses On All Things Hip, Intimate And Boutique As Part Of New ‘Chic By Thailand’ Campaign

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is promoting the growth of all things hip, intimate and boutique as part of its new marketing campaign to attract visitors to the country – ‘CHIC By Thailand’.

The focus on ‘chic’ comes because of the ever-growing mix of new and lavish hotels, eateries, bars and attractions throughout the country. From opulent hideaways in the south of the country, unashamedly five-star properties in the far cultural north, to deliciously decadent dining hangouts and must-see bars in the buzzing capital, Bangkok.

Commenting on the ‘CHIC by Thailand’, Khun Tanes Petsuwan, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand London said, “Thailand lends itself to the concept of ‘chic’ because of the recent explosion of many new boutique-style properties in the country. There is also a growing trend of new islands and resorts which focus on style and attention-to-detail. One important message we want to get across is that ‘chic and boutique’ is not necessarily synonymous with ‘expensive’: Thailand has an abundance of hotels, guest houses, bars and restaurants which are both inexpensive yet effortlessly fashionable.”

One of the initiatives of the new ‘CHIC by Thailand’ campaign includes a new dedicated brochure for the discerning traveler, presenting a collection of the highlights including the most stylish hotels, restaurants and bars the country can offer. This has been produced in conjunction with tour operator partners and includes a range of special offers on holidays to Thailand. The campaign will also include an integrated advertising, PR and on-line campaign to communicate the message.

Up-and-Coming Islands and Resorts
Some of the up-and-coming island resorts include Koh Yao, Koh Racha, Trang, Khao Lak, all in easy reach of the more established resorts of Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui. Another emerging hotspot is Ko Chang located on the East coast and Thailand’s second largest island yet still relatively unknown. Visitors to these latest beach offerings can make themselves at home with a choice of sleek and select new five star properties. Hotels with a groove include: the swanky ‘Sarojin’ and funky ‘La Flora’ in Khao Lak; the ‘coming soon’ new Evason Hideaway Resort and Spa and the small but perfectly formed ‘Paradise’ in Koh Yao; the environmentally-friendly ‘The Racha’ is Ko Racha’s only premier accommodation and the sophisticated Amari Emerald Cove in Trang where sweet dreams are made from.

More Established Resorts
The grown-up beach resorts of Phuket, Samui, Krabi, Hua Hin and Pattaya have all pulled off a delectable combination of fabulous and no-expense-spared hotels and resorts. From the ridiculously radiant Phuket Pavillions all pool villa complex and the rooms with a view Phulay Beach Resort and distinctively designed The Tubkaak in Krabi to the sumptuous Sala Samui, the hideaway Hua Hin Aleenta and the striking new Sheraton Pattaya.

Northern Thailand
Some of the best new arrivals for the stylish and adventurous traveler can be found in the North of Thailand. It doesn’t get much more glamorous in Chiang Mai than the ‘Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi’, not forgetting the deco-to-die for ‘D2’ and ‘The Chedi’s fabulous new creation. For something a little different, Chiang Rai is now home to Thailand’s first-ever ultra five-star tented camp. Forget sleeping bags on mud-packed floors, camping has moved up the sophisticated scale courtesy of Four Seasons.

Bangkok
Bangkok chic has boomed too with an endless array of places-to-go and be-seen. Who could resist the grandeur of ‘Sirocco’ or ‘Vertigo’ both of which offer a first-dinner date success guarantee and the most breathtaking views of the city. And then there is the heavenly serenity of Mahanaga serving both Thai and International dishes and the spaceship-like, all-white pod which is the ‘Bed Supper Club’ where the beautiful people of Bangkok can lounge, chat and eat. Other hip hangouts include the fabulous ‘Q Bar’, the chilled ‘Club 87’ at The Conrad, the hot-to-trot Hu’u cocktail bar and the all new pretty and pink Syn Bar at Raffles International.

[Source from europetravelnews.com]