Thailand… a place that feels like home…

It was an interesting trip this one…

Thailand is a yearly ritual for our family.

My husband is half Thai and half Scottish. So we have a deep connection to this beautiful country.

It really is the Land of smiles. :) The people are extremely friendly and hospitable. The hotels are luxurious and the food is exceptional! Which is why we got married there a whole 8 years ago!

Unfortunately on this trip we fell ill after our New Year celebrations. Jackie and Bella both ended up in hospital and we had to postpone our departure home! ( Thank God for travel insurance!)

Whilst in Bangkok we stayed at an amazing hotel “137 Pillars suites and residences”

We have never previously stayed there so this was a wonderful find! The hotel manager Bjorn was super friendly, very helpful and sympathetic to Jackie still being in hospital. So much so that he organised some hotel food to be sent there for him! I can’t even begin to express how grateful i am for the wonderful staff helping me and my two daughters while we stayed there! I highly recommend this hotel if you’re looking at visiting Bangkok! It’s expensive, but we were able to snag a cheaper deal online last minute!

It has a gorgeous marble bar where you can sip cocktails and swim in your choice of two different pools, and a rooftop pool overlooking the city with very cool cabanas to relax in the shade!

It was a perfect end to our huge holiday, even if we were in hospital! Tbh…i didn’t want to leave Thailand… but then again… i never do!

The best area to stay in Bangkok is the Pathum Wan District. It’s where all the major shopping centres are located. Bangkok traffic is a nightmare so it’s best to find a hotel that is walking distance or right near the BTS. Siam Paragon is in front of the Siam BTS Skytrain Station and within walking distance of other popular malls - Siam Center, Siam Square One, and Siam Discovery.

Our go-to shopping centre is Siam Paragon. It has everything ranging from H&M, Lego, Aveda, Zara, to Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton etc. But my favourite part… or should i say the kids favourite part is the massive Sea Life aquarium on the bottom floor!

If you are after rooftop cocktails the best sky bars are the Vertigo- Banyan Tree, or the Sky Bar rooftop at Lebua State Tower which has a 360 view!

I’ll add a quick list of other cool things to in Bangkok…

Grand Palace… (It’s extraordinary! Just remember to wear a sarong or pants, cover shoulders and no flip flops)
Night markets ( I love night markets, especially eating freshly cooked Roti with nutella! YUM!!)
Wat Arun… It’s on my bucketlist!
Ayuttaya - The Historic City of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350, was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. The city was attacked and destroyed by the Burmese army in 1767. This is 1 1/2hrs by car from Bangkok or you can travel there by train or bus. You won’t regret it, it’s fascinating. I’ll have to do a separate blog post on this wonderful place.
Wat Traimit - Temple of the Golden Buddha. You can take a tour inside the temple to see how this magnificent 5.5 tonne, 9.8 ft tall solid gold Buddha was discovered. If you want to see the man who discovered it, take a wonder into the old temple beside the new one and you will see his photo hanging on the wall. A wealthy business man who found the Buddha and donated it. He also happens to be my husbands great grandfather. It’s a remarkable story!