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If every major hotel in Bangkok has its own special characteristic then landscaping must be what sets the Bangkok Marriot Resort & Spa apart from its competitors. Eleven acres of lush gardens, pools and lily pads give it a verdant presence that no other local resort can match.
The
hotel's inner courtyard and pool area with its swim-up bar and glorious jacuzzi
view of the tropical brush will make you forget you are in the bustling city of
Bangkok.
All
420 rooms of the low-rise resort are comfortable, cosy and luxurious. When you
see the bathrooms you might wonder if the designers spent some time at
Versailles' famous "Hall of Mirrors." There are mirrors everywhere!
Let's just say couples can let their imaginations wander.
If
your aching muscles are aching, the hotel recently opened the luxurious Mandara
Spa where you can relax and enjoy massages, body treatments, facials and spa
packages.
And
for those business types from out-of-town, the Marriott has state-of-the-art
videoconferencing, allowing you to stay in constant contact with your head
office or clients in other parts of the world.
Whether
you need to come and go for business or pleasure, access to the Marriott is
simple. Getting to the hotel by car is much easier now that the new Krungthep
Bridge has opened; whisking you over the traffic chaos that still clogs the
Thanon Tok intersection. The more interesting and relaxing way to commute to the
hotel is via the hotel's complimentary barge that travels to both the Oriental
Hotel and River City piers at regular intervals.
Speaking
of river travel, the hotel has two beautifully restored rice barges, the Manorha
& Manorha Song, that take guests on excursions up to the World Heritage Site
of Ayutthaya. If a day on the river isn't what you had in mind, then maybe an
evening meal is more your style. The Manorha departs nightly at 7:30pm for a
three-hour cruise on the River of Kings. Beautiful night views of the Grand
Palace, Wat Phra Kheow (the Emerald Buddha Temple), and Wat Arun (the Temple of
the Dawn) complement the Manorha's delicious Thai cuisine.
For
those who prefer land-based dining, the hotel has a number of good restaurants.
Benihana offers "teppan style" cuisine where guests sit around the
food preparation area and watch chefs display their lightning slicing and
juggling skills. It's not just a delicious meal; it's also a spectacular show.
The traditional Benihana teppanyaki meal comes with Japanese onion broth soup, a Benihana salad with ginger dressing, shrimp appetizer, Hibachi vegetables, steamed rice and Japanese tea.
Trader Vic's, renowned for its exotic drinks, was originally founded during the 1930s back in San Francisco. It was the late Victor J. Bergeron, `Trader Vic' who was credited with discovering the famous "Mai-Tai" rum cocktail.
The
food is equally famous and ranges from Polynesian to Asian with a hint of
Caribbean thrown in for good measure. At
the heart of all Trader Vic's kitchens is their unique Chinese wood oven, which
dates back to the Han Dynasty (206BC-20AD). The meats, fowl, and fresh seafood
are suspended from hooks and slowly cooked; smoke from the burning oak or
seasoned woods imparting a distinct and original favor.
Trader
Vic's offers the "River of King's Jazz Brunch" every Sunday between
11:30am and 3pm. The international buffet is accompanied by a fantastic jazz
quintet, providing diners with both an oral and aural feast.
Whether
you're a resident of Bangkok looking for an escape or you are simply traveling
through, the Marriott Royal Garden Riverside has everything you need to stay in
touch or lose touch; the choice is yours.
For more information, contact:
Khun Wannapa Rakkeo
Tel: (662) 476-2001-2
Fax: (662) 460-1805, 476-1120
E-mail: wannapa_ra@minornet.com
Website: http://www.royal-garden.com
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Tranquillity is the best way to
sum up the feeling one gets while cruising on the Manohra Song. This refurbished
rice teak barge glides through the Chao Phraya River, making you feel at peace
even as you cruise through the hectic urban sprawl that is Krungthep. The
boatbuilders really went to town on this craft, providing it with a comfort
level unsurpassed by any other vessel in Bangkok's waters.
Leaving from the pier of the
Marriott Royal Garden Riverside, the boat heads upstream and stops at the
fascinating Mon community on Ko Kret Island - where all kinds of fascinating
pottery abounds - before finally docking outside Bang Pa-In Palace for the
night.
The next day you can wander
around the Palace and its lovely grounds, which were used a country residence by
every Ayutthaya monarch after King Prasat Thong (1630-1655). Then as the barge
heads downstream you can stop off at Bang Sai to visit the Royal Folk Arts &
Craft Center, established under Her Majesty the Queen's Royal Patronage on 21
July 1976. But if you are not into handicrafts, you can always just catch some
rays on deck, while your shipmates go shopping.
You know that fabulous Thai
service you have heard so much about, well its very much in evidence on this
barge. The Manohra's staff is wonderful and unobtrusive as they just let you be,
yet serve and attend to you when need be -
making a fuss over you, without making a fuss over you. And the four luxurious cabins,
each with their own washroom: magnificent.
You can just lie in your bed and
watch the teeming life on the river banks drift by. It's enthralling and
soothing at the same time. Leave the mobile and office worries behind, get a new
perspective on life, chill, and just think the world is a wonderful place.
There is simply no doubt that
one of the best things you can do while on a trip to Bangkok is a take a trip
upriver on the Manohra Song.
You'll feel like Joseph Conrad
before he docked and went to dinner at the Oriental. And when the boat picks up
a little steam, you'll probably stand on the bow mimicking Leonardo DiCaprio and
scream, "I'm the King of the World." If you are tired or stressed
out, a trip on this boat, will totally rejuvenate you. Bottom line: there are
just so few things in life that can make you feel as good as a trip on the
Manohra Song, if you can afford it, make the trip.
The Manohra voyages include
luxury one-two night cruises with a maximum of eight people, but no kids under
twelve are allowed unless its a private charter. Everything is included except
for the cost of alcoholic beverages, although a full cash bar with a wide
selection of wines and liquors is available on board. Prices vary depending on
the time of year, but there are different rates for singles and doubles.
The Manohra also has daily lunch
(Bt 950++ per person) cruises as well as daily cocktail sunset cruises (Bt 500++
with unlimited non-alcoholic drinks & snacks) and daily dinner cruises
(Bt1,200++). The cuisine is Thai, and the capacity is forty people per cruise.
Private charter prices depend on
the barge used and the length of the cruise. It's best if you book a week in
advance, but you can go any day of the week, and you have an option of routes as
some people want to go further upriver to Ayutthaya, and some want to return by
coach.
Contact Info:
Supasak Vathasoonthornkul,
Manorha Operations Manager
Tel: (662) 477-0770
Fax: (662) 476-6086, 476-1120
E-mail: mcruise@minornet.com
Website: www.royal-garden.com
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