WHAT IT'S LIKE TO STAY AT A 6 STAR RESORT IN THAILAND | SONEVA KIRI
Many flock to Thailand for a cheap getaway, so the question to ask is: Where's a place for those wanting that taste of luxury?
On Thailand's fourth largest but least populated island lies a hidden gem called Soneva Kiri. Yes they are the same people who created Soneva Jani - Maldives most luxurious overwater bungalows - so you already know you will be in good hands.
This remote resort, accessible by a 90 minute flight from Bangkok via the resort's private plane, is one of the most exclusive beach resorts in the world. A mixture of luxury, environmentally friendly design and an authentically Thai experience will provide a holiday you will be talking about for years to come.
We had the incredible opportunity to experience 2 nights at this resort, and it will for sure be a trip we will be telling our future kids about!
The Arrival
Our journey to Soneva Kiri began at the Bangkok airport. Upon arrival we were greeted by a friendly Soneva representative who checked us in, took our bags and escorted us to our very own private plane. Yep, you read that right - a private plane!
This was our first private plane experience, and we were like two kids experiencing Christmas for the first time. Once we were seated and fresh juices and snacks were in our hands (yep, told you we were big kids) we began to take off and settled in for our 90 minute flight over crystal blue waters.
Our plane landed at Soneva's private airstrip on the adjacent airport island, but our journey was not yet complete. We were then escorted off the tarmac by buggy to a private speedboat. Fresh watermelon juice in hand, clear skies above and a tropical paradise slowly moving towards us.
Checking in: Soneva Kiri First Impressions
The first thing that hit us when we arrived at Soneva Kiri was the natural landscape - it is absolutely breathtaking. The resort is located on a huge 102 acre area in of the most remote corners of Thailand's southeast.
With most of the island covered by lush tropical rainforest and white sand beaches surrounded by crystal clear waters - this has got to be the most stunning resort grounds we have ever experienced!
After meeting our own personal butler - called Mr Friday - he escorted us onto the back of a buggy and gave us a quick tour of the resort, ending at the front of our Beach Pool Villa Suite. He then handed us the keys to the buggy and thats where we found out its our personal vehicle to get around the resort island.
Our Private Beach Villa
The villas are set in various levels and are entirely made of bamboo and tan wood with glass. From the entrance, you descend into the bedroom where you will find a four poster bed in its own glass walled semi circle room surrounded by a wrap around swimming pool and the jungle foliage.
From the bedroom you will find a walk-in closet, two toilets, two showers (one inside, one outside), a bathtub, a large vanity area with two mirrors and two sinks and several drawers to store things in. Outside, the canvas roof covers a very spacious lounge area with a table and an L-shape sofa with more cushions than we could lay our heads on!
And of course we can't forget about the fabulous swimming pool. Wrapping around the deck area, the pool edge finished onto a grassy garden that led to our very own private slice of the beach..
Unforgettable Dining Experiences
The food at Soneva Kiri is hands down the best food we have tasted in all of Thailand! With fresh juices, plenty of seafood and unique dining options - eating was one of our favourite activities to do at this resort!
For breakfast the buffet had a perfect balance of Western and Thai options, with the best almond pancakes and iced coffees we have ever had! The poolside bar, So Spirited, was our favourite spot for lunch. Sitting in sunken lounges surrounded by water overlooking the sea, we devoured way too much fresh seafood that we found it hard to come back for dinner!
But of course we still had to come back for dinner, which was a theme night! We tasted our way through a 5 course RAW dinner - yep, everything was raw & it was delicious. The most unique course had to be the iced tomato soup... served inside a ball of ice.
World Famous Tree Pod Dining
Imaging having high tea, literally, suspended high above the leafy rainforest canopy of Koh Kood!
Something extremely unique about Soneva Kiri is their famous Treepod Dining. The private bamboo pod hangs about 6 metres off the ground and holds up to four guests, who enter at ground level and are hoisted up with cables. Once you are elevated and among the native trees, a waiter delivers freshly prepared food and drinks via zip line!
This is definitely the most unique dining experience we have ever experienced.
Read more:Most Unique Dining Experience in Thailand | Treepod Dining At Soneva Kiri
All The Extras: Outdoor Cinema, World's Best Snorkelling & The Ice Cream/Chocolate Room
The Outdoor Cinema
You can watch movies under the stars! The resort’s Cinema Paradiso screens movies in an open-air theatre, an auditorium surrounded by jungle with cushions & blankets so you can get comfy while watching a flick on a screen situated in the middle of a lagoon. They even have freshly popped popcorn for you to snack on while you watch!
World's Best Snorkelling
One of our day activities was a snorkel trip, and it was hands down the clearest dive we have had in recent memory.
With a marine biologist, we sailed out to two amazing snorkelling spots in the corner of the Gulf. We swam with thousands of fish and colourful coral in the most crystal clear waters in all of Thailand.
Pristine Beaches
Another unique aspect to Soneva Kiri is that it has it's very own private beach only it's guests have access to. The North Beach is a three minute speedboat ride away or 10 minutes via kayak. The white, sandy beach is fringed with palm trees, and offers sun beds & umbrellas for guests to lounge on.
The resort also offers complimentary non-motorised watersports, including stand-up paddle boards, kayaks and snorkelling gear, there is never a lack of choice when it comes to how you want to spend your day by the sea.
The Ice Cream & Chocolate Room
One of our favourite things about the Soneva resorts is their chocolate & ice cream parlour. You can choose from over sixty flavours of homemade ice creams and sorbets at So Chilled. Inside the adjoining So Chocoholic, you can indulge in every child’s dream of never-ending chocolate - the diet can start once you leave, trust us no calories count here!
Our Experience
As always we film everything we get up to on our travel adventures. If you want to see a room and hotel tour and also what we got up to – check out our video below and make sure you head on over and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Flying The Nest was welcomed as a guest of Soneva Kiri, however as always all opinions are our own.
READ NEXT: 10 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO VISIT SONEVA JANI | THE BEST RESORT IN THE MALDIVES
