On TravelersDaily: Experience Nature at Sukhothai Heritage Resort

Both of us are not luxury travelers and most of the time we travel, we rarely splurge our holiday budget on accomodation, unless there is no other option. Why? Simply because that  is not our style and as long as the place is clean and decent to our standard, we don't really care about anything else. However, our last trip to Sukhothai was a bit different. We decided to stay in a boutique hotel recommended by a friend of mine and it turned out to be a very nice staying experience with affordable price, too. 

Things I wrote here is purely an opinion from the happy customers. Here's my article, originally written for and published in Travelersdaily sometime ago. Happy reading!

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#ReadersPost: Experience Nature at Sukhothai Heritage Resort

Have you ever thought about going for a trip to Thailand without spending it in the vibrant Bangkok city nor in their famous beaches? Almost incomprehensible, right?  Who goes to Thailand and not spending any time in its ever–stimulating city and stunning beaches?  Well, we did And if you are as much into culture or nature as we are, then spending a serene weekend in the ancient city of Sukhothai is fathomably the best  way to spend your holiday in Thailand.

photosource: www.sukhothaiheritage.com

My husband and I, together with our 17-month old son,  wanted  to get some fresh air out of Bangkok and we decided to visit Sukhothai – a small city in lower northern Thailand.  We took a car to go there  and after approximately 7 hours drive from Bangkok with several breaks in between, we finally arrived at the ancient Sukhothai architecture styled resort at nightfall. We initially thought of staying in the old city nearby Sukhothai Historical Park, however, after looking at several possibilities, we decided to stay at the resort because we wanted to give it a try despite its remote location.

Rooms and the Resort

The open air concept of the resort allows guests to breathe fresh air as well as enjoy the view of the ponds and its lush surroundings.  We were welcomed with a nice cup of tea and warm fresh towels, then shown to our room.  The room was clean and well laid out with a baby cot provided as per our request.  All rooms in both wings are overlooking the pool with a cozy balcony on each room. I think this resort is perfect for couples or honeymooners due to the serene and relaxing ambiance.

View from the resort's lobby

Time to relax

The pool view

photosource: www.sukhothaiheritage.com

We spent sometime lounging around the pool before heading to  the Lotus Restaurant for dinner. Apart from their scrumptious stir-fried chicken cashew nut, I personally thought that the other menu we ordered tasted fairly acceptable.  We were satisfied, however,  with their quick service and nicely presented food as well as their child-friendly staffs.  They were very helpful and attentive.  They helped us look after our son so we could enjoy our nice dinner.  Yes, for parents like us who have no nannies, this kind of small thing means luxury, especially when we are on vacation.

Another small detail that I personally liked from the resort was: instead of putting the guest’s note on the table to be completed, when we went back from dinner one night, we found the note along with a personalized good night’s greeting card from the staff and a frangipani flower on our made bed, very nice!  The only issue we had was mosquitoes, especially approaching dusk, since the resort is surrounded by ponds and lush vegetation.  Therefore, taking mosquito repellent with you is a must.

Activities

The next morning after breakfast,  we spent almost the whole day admiring the beauty of ancient Sukhothai under heavy rains.

Wat Mahathat on a rainy day

The beautiful Wat Si Sawai

The weather on our second day was better fortunately.  It was  bright and sunny.  We decided to  take a bike tour to several tourist spots nearby using the resort’s free bike service. We spent a couple of hours visiting  the airport complex, which was only one and a half kilometer away. We also went to see the shy black and white swans floating gracefully in the ponds; visited the zoo and saw beautiful giraffes and zebras; saw buffaloes, cows and orchid greenhouse during our bike ride and had a great time enjoying the picturesque rural landscape.  You don’t need maps to explore the surroundings. The area is easy to navigate even for first-timers like us.  There are signposts within the complex and the small paths in between are very easy to follow.

Our fabulous getaway at the beautiful laid-back Sukhothai countryside

We stopped by a small restaurant serving organic food and drinks at the end of our bike ride. We ordered rice grass juice while observing the people working in the farm.

The organic farm

The resort entrance surrounded by paddy fields

The resort also provides various interesting packages ranging from culture to nature. For those who love culture, get a seat for the excursion trips to the historical park of Sukhothai and associated historic towns nearby declared as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  They are well-known for their constituting masterpiece of the early Siamese architecture and was once the capital of Siamese kingdom in the 13^th-14^th centuries.  You can also  learn how to cook local food by attending traditional Thai cooking class with the resort’s chef; or learn how to work in the farm by joining the organic farm tour.

The panoramic Wat Mahathat

 

We had such a great time here and definitely will come and stay at this resort again  without a second thought.  We’d take the flight from Bangkok next time instead of driving and save us a lot of time. Bangkok Airways serves two flights daily going here and it takes only one hour twenty minutes. So, what do you say, want to give Sukhothai a try?

If you are interested,  go and visit their website  www.sukhothaiheritage.com  for more info. Booking through their website is highly recommended as they have special offers for prospective guests.

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