Hotel of the month: Escape Khao Yai Hotel

 IT’S amazing to think that, in just a little over two hours behind the wheel of a car, you can swap the concrete and cacophony of Bangkok for mountains, lakes, peace and quiet, and air so fresh you’ll wonder what’s hit you.
    
Escaping the madness of the big city every once in a while, of course, is essential to maintaining one’s sanity; incessant whistling, lack of personal space, and the stresses and strains of the daily rat race can dull even the brightest of souls. And if that’s how you’re feeling right now, then it’s time to get your spark back.

A great place to do just that is the Escape Khao Yai Hotel. This wonderful property, part of the Sansiri Hotel Collection, is surrounded by lush mountains in a serene valley and boasts well-appointed guestrooms designed to four distinctive, ‘Back-to-Nature’ themes: Earth, Wood, Forest, and Floral.
    
Room types range from the 25.46 sq. metres Deluxe, to the gigantic Escape Grand Three-Bedroom Sunken Heated Pool Villa (263 sq. metres!). And each is equipped with all the mod-cons you could wish for (think 32” LCD TV, DVD player, refrigerator, free wireless internet, coffee and tea facilities etc.).

Alongside relaxing by the hotel’s pool, working out in the fully-equipped gym, and slobbing out with a DVD in your room, you can while away your stress-free hours with activities such as horse-riding and cycling, afternoon picnics, and a tour of the Escape Organic Farm.
    
Escape Khao Yai also has its own onsite spa offering all kinds of treatments ranging from aromatherapy to traditional Thai massage. And as for dining, the hotel’s Green Oak Bistro is a real treat – its ‘Farm to Table’ concept ensuring you can expect to enjoy some of the region’s freshest fare, including mushrooms, fruit and organic vegetables that have been grown in the hotel’s own farm, as well as some delicious homemade ham. You can also choose to complement your meal with signature cocktails from one of Thailand’s top mixologists, Niks Anumanrajadhon.

Full details and current room rates are available at escape-hotel.com.

329 Pansuk-Kudkla Road, Phayayen,
Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima 30130.
Tel: 044 756 669 or 092 823 2590
www.escape-hotel.com/khaoyai