Thursday 7 May 2015

The Sarojin, Khao Lak

Today is six months since our wedding day, so it seems fitting to continue the Honeymoon reporting! We flew from Chiang Mai to Phuket via a quick and cheap flight with Air Asia. Our next hotel of choice for some rest and relaxation was the stunning Sarojin in Khao Lak where we camped out for four nights of luxury.

We took the private hotel transfer from Phuket Airport to the hotel, which cost 2,600 THB and included soft drinks, beer, cold towels and an Ipad with internet. On arrival we had another cold towel and a delicious welcome drink whilst sitting on a comfy sofa for the smooth check in process. We booked a garden residence, room 404. The room was huge, the bathroom was very different and the garden and sala were a great place to relax each evening. Everything you could ever need was included even insect repellent.

The pool area is both beautiful and spotlessly clean with very friendly staff and they run happy hour by the pool or on the beach from 5-6:30pm serving cheap cocktails and wine. The hotel is set on a gorgeous beach, part of which is private but is excellent for a wander at sunset.

We took a couple of day trips through the Sarojin's luxurious service and these were well worth the inflated cost, especially as we were on our Honeymoon. The first was the private James Bond Island tour. We were collected bright and early and driven to the dock where we took a long tail boat all around the area and earlier than the majority of tourists. We were given alcoholic drinks all day and it was very romantic sailing around the limestone scenery sipping sparkling wine! Lunch was also included and was set up in a restaurant over the water in the Gypsy Village. There was a huge amount of traditional Thai food on offer to try. Our second trip was a day on the hotel's yacht to snorkel in the Similian Islands. There was a full open bar all day and an incredible seafood lunch. Showers, a toilet and fluffy towels were all provided for your comfort as well as full gear and an instructor to help.

During our stay we also dined at both of the hotel's restaurants Ficus and The Edge. The Edge is situated on the beach and serves Thai food by candlelight. The prices are reasonable when you consider your 5* surroundings and the food is absolutely delicious! Ficus is a much more expensive option serving Western cuisine. However, the setting is again by candlelight with a choice of indoor or outdoor dining. If you opt for outdoor you will be seated on a deck by the beautiful water feature. Food here consisted of pasta's, steaks etc etc but all cooked exceptionally well and accompanied by an extensive wine list.

Talking of food choices the best part of this hotel is the all day breakfast served until 6pm at Ficus. Pastries, juices and sparkling wine were in abundance and continually topped up by the staff. Hot drinks are also included and brought to you when ordered; the fresh mint tea was very good! There is then an A La Carte menu to choose from. This consisted of various meats and cheeses, waffles, pancakes, any type of eggs, some English breakfast options, porridge, fruits, french toast and of course Thai. The chef was also happy to substitute the cream for vanilla ice cream on my waffles!

One of the many reasons we chose The Sarojin for part of our Honeymoon was the private dining options on offer. After much debate we chose the private waterfall dinner for two. We chose our menu and our wine in advance and on arrival were greeted in the hotel's wine bar with a glass of bubbly before taking a short drive to the waterfall (if you ever do this, wear flat shoes!!). The pathway to the table was lit with around three hundred candles and surrounded by thick jungle with all of the associated noises. You then arrive at a small clearing with a waterfall slightly lit as a backdrop to your dinner experience. Your private chef whips up your meal and your private waiter looks after your every whim, including providing gowns and towels in case you fancy a dip! We had a jumbo prawn and papaya salad as well as seared tuna to start. This was followed by a rack of lamb for the boy and a seafood platter for myself. I had jumbo prawns, squid, mussels, white fish and lobster! This was followed by cappuccino creme brulee, a fresh fruit platter, coffee and petit fours.






I can't really say thank you enough to the Sarojin for our four night break. The hotel is beautiful, the food is incredible, the day trips are absolutely spot on for luxury and the waterfall dinner took our breathe away. I honestly think that was the most romantic night of my entire life and I will never, ever forget the experience. This place is very expensive but it genuinely is worth every single penny and if you have a special occasion and can afford to splash out then you 100% have to stay here. We are hoping and praying one day we can justify returning!

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