After some time in the Golden Triangle Andrea is reassessing her view of all-inclusive holidays…
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Let me start this by saying that I’m generally not a fan of all-inclusives. For me this just means restrictions and limited options. When I travel I like to have all opportunities open to me. I like nice hotels, but I also like to get away from nice hotels and have “real” cultural experiences. Knowing that, it came as quite a shock when I realized that in Chiang Rai my advice for guests would unequivocally be to go all-inclusive. We recently stayed at Le Meridien near Chiang Rai town and while we had a good stay and town was okay for a night out, the area just doesn’t offer enough for a good exploration. Then we experienced the Anantara Golden Triangle and the Four Seasons Tented Camp.
Both of these amazing properties are all inclusive…meals, activities, spa treatments, it’s all included! And for this area and the experiences available these properties is totally the way to go! Personally I love the Anantara, with it’s infinity pool overlooking three countries and it’s amazing fine dining restaurant as well as great Thai cuisine, everything from the cooking class to their wonderful elephant foundation is done well. If you stay here you can enjoy one activity a day from their activity list; a spa treatment, a tour across the border into Myanmar and of course a day with the elephants.
The rooms are spacious and well designed and you could easily spend four days here having some fun adventures and just enjoying a chance to relax.
Four Seasons Tented Camp is also just around the corner and it has won more awards for it’s service and experiences than probably any hotel in Thailand. Here you will experience a more personalized and exclusive stay with amazing views, a chance to spend a day with the elephants and the fantastic service that Four Seasons is known for.
In Bangkok, Chiang Mai and honestly the rest of the region I recommend staying in or near the city and exploring on your own or with our guides each day, but here in Chiang Rai, the best option is really one of these amazing all inclusive properties that give you the experiences of Northern Thailand and none of the hassle! From now on we’ll be including both these properties and the experiences that go with them into our Northern Thailand tours!