The weather isn't quite as humid as Bangkok as we are further north in Thailand. Our bikes and luggage are the amongst the first bags off so we load up and roll out of the airport to be greeted by the Le Meridien transportation that I had pre-arranged. Traveling with bike travel bags x 2 requires some preplanning.
A quick 10 minute drive to the hotel through the slow paced outer part of Chiang Rai sets us into a very relaxed mode, which didn't change for our entire stay. The arrival foyer of the hotel is beautiful and very very high ceilings looking out across the Mekong River and the vast gardens of the hotel grounds. Wow!
During check in we are offered a room upgrade to a deluxe room including buffet breakfast,which we agreed to. For $180 per night we lived it up in sheer luxury with a huge room, a double bed each and a bathroom fit for a queen! With a view of the pool and the river.
As we had not had lunch we headed to the restaurant for a late lunch. The menu had so many choices all sounding delicious. Most dishes were Thai inspired with a fusion of French influence. Carole settled for 3 entree dishes, salmon with green mango salad and curry, hawker style satay sticks and a rocket, poached pear, walnut and Brie salad. I ordered the tandoori rubbed snapper with cucumber and mint salad. The food was absolutely delicious. Beautiful presentation and wonderful blends of flavors. We ate at that restaurant a few more times before we left!
We then decided on a massage at the hotel spa. Amazing. The whole experience of walking into the spa via a pathway with lily ponds on either side, sipping fruit tea and being led to the treatment room which was more like a house with a luxurious shower, change room, toilet, the massage room, and separate room with 2 daybeds! Of course the gentle music of pipes and rainforest sounds playing in the background. For a couple this would be a very romantic experience. We had our own choice of massage style and pressure then proceeded to be pampered after a foot bath for the next 90 minutes. Oohhh. It was just magical. All the stress, tension and worries were all soaked away in the whole experience. We were then treated to a soothing cup of warm tea back out in the spa entrance whilst we listened to the mating sounds of the little brown frogs in the lily ponds as they filled their chests with breath and croaked their calls in hope of attracting a horny female! I've recording a minute of this soothing sound of the frogs..
Dinner was back in the main restaurant to sample more from the Thai dishes.
We started with a glass of bubbles to celebrate a great day and the beginning of our adventure. Carole ordered 2 entrees. Sweetcorn, Italian basil soup with truffle oil, followed by a Tofu, enoki mushroom and herb both soup. I had the green curry with pork belly and crispy rice balls. It was all delicious...All so well balanced with the flavours, textures and presentation.
We then retired for the evening in the luxury of our deluxe room with soft comfy beds and feather down pillows! A bit of light reading before drifting off to sleep Pprrrrrr! Day one was over....
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Location:Thailand and Laos
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