After 2 nights at Rayavadee, situated in the heart of Krabi's beautiful Phranang Peninsula, and 9 nights at The Tubkaak on mainland Krabi, Fay and Sid's final port of call was a 3-night stay at the Anantara Riverside in Bangkok.
I always recommend doing crazy Bangkok at the end of a stay in Thailand as it takes time to acclimatise to Thailand's heat and humidity.
Here's Fay's final lot of feedback... for now!
Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort
A luxurious tranquil retreat set amidst lush gardens and tropical landscapes on the bank of the Chao Phraya River and only ten minutes by shuttle boat to the heart of the city.
Reached by direct flight from Krabi, followed by private car transfer.
Fay and Sid spent 2 nights in a Riverfront Suite with breakfast included.
How was your arrival transfer?
At Bangkok Airport, we were greeted by a lovely chap who escorted us to our transfer. It was a lovely surprise to be driven by a woman. The car was cool, and it took about an hour to get across the city, as expected. No conversation and again this was fine by us as we were up early in the morning.
How was your hotel reception experience?
We had two hotel reception experiences. We checked in as normal but were then told that our room type warranted the special treatment, so we got another welcome drink and cold flannel (the cold flannel is such a relief in Bangkok).
What was your first impression of the hotel?
It’s on the other side of the river and next to a mall.
What type of room were you in?
River view suite with wrap around balcony.
Room score out of 10 and why?
9/10. Ridiculous! It was bigger than my flat in Brixton. Almost too big BUT it was lovely to have the space and LOVED the balcony.
Bathroom score out of 10 and why?
8/10. The shower was lovely, hidden behind the door but the temperature was not consistent so did not make for a comfortable shower. Huge bath but we didn’t use it.
Breakfast buffet score out of 10 and why?
7/10. We did have the option to eat breakfast in the private lounge due to room type, but we wanted to see it. It was fantastic - there was nothing missing from any country in the world. It was almost too much that you could not enjoy or see the wood for the trees.
Did you need to fight for a sunbed?
No. We went to the pool area for a little while and we had a spot by the hot tub. It was too hot for the hot tub though - LOL!
What was your favourite meal during your stay?
I really wanted to go to The Blue Elephant, but they were doing an event so were only open for lunch. The hotel recommended Baan Khanitha, a Thai cuisine and it did not disappoint. Do not be afraid of the menu - it's huge and starts with whole crabs and lobsters so appears to be very expensive. Persevere and find things such as crispy squid, duck and spring rolls. The cocktails were amazing.
Top tip?
The hotel does offer a complementary boat service to cross the Chao Phraya River so you can get into the thick of it.
Would you return?
No, we prefer to be the other side of the river at the Shangri La (Krungthep Wing) or the Banyan Tree where you’ve sent us before.