Koh kood.. an hidden gem ..
Soneva experience starts with a short flight by private plane from Bangkok to Koh Kood, this cute island located in the golf of Thailand, just next to Koh Chang, between the China Sea and the Andaman Sea… A wild and still preserved paradise that has much fewer tourists than other Thai islands. Koh Kood is a real wonder which offers us sublime landscapes, forests, waterfalls, sandy beaches lined with coconut palms and of course a turquoise blue water which we can already perceive at a distance through the porthole .. What a beautiful spectacle to behold….
No news no shoes..
1 hour flight, and 10 mins by speedboat later, here we are in paradise.. The first thing we do after disembarking is to change our watches and clocks (yes the hotel has its own time zone, just to put us in a time warped bubble) and we are then invited to put our shoes in a bag which we shall reopen only upon our departure. Here we walk barefoot following the Sonevas philosophy.. No news, no shoes…. which is the perfect antidote to the mad, rushed, “real” world we need vacations from..
>>Basically, we are there to play (chic) Crusoe and to disconnect (but not too much, they do still have WiFi, so no panic)…
Time for a (love) story ..
Soneva is before all else, a love story between Sonu and Eva, a lovely couple, who gave birth to a beautiful project in the 90s in the Maldive Islands .. Our 2 lovers of life and nature have created a magnificent collection of well thought out, sublime, ultra-luxurious and eco hotels where the essence of “barefoot living” is mixed with perfect comfort, service and style, and that are integrated perfectly into the nature.. All of this using local, recycled or ecological materials.. Following the great success of their first hotel, other Soneva hotels were born, 2 in the Maldive Islands and 1 in Thailand, on the magnificent island of Koh kood ..
Soneva Kiri.. first impressions :
Awesome.. and If I had to describe the hotel in a few words, I would say that it is a real Robinson Crusoe style chic hideaway.. First of, everything is Feng shui and thought of, so that we feel good, relaxed (and never want to leave).. Eva who is in charge of the decoration made of this place the ultimate in barefoot luxury where every detail is beautiful, uncluttered and harmonious, from the choice of materials ; wood, polished glass, bamboo, to the decoration and the choice of colors..
>>And even the view from the bathroom is beautiful 😉 The hotel toilet and bathrooms are opened out into the nature so one can lazily contemplate the ocean or the jungle.. It is very pleasant..
The rooms (or rather the villas ) ..
They are huuuge (270m2 for the smallest!), real cocoons that we do not want to leave, cosy and soothing, in tones of whites and taupe, with wooden mattress, bedding and pillows that are ultra comfortable and are also in natural materials.. Despite the somewhat rustic nature that is the main ‘raison d’être’ of such places, the rooms are fabulously stylish and well designed. Curtains made from local fabrics, furniture created from reclaimed woods, curves instead of straight lines,bathrooms that are wonderfully functional and yet have sand floors and cast-off or reclaimed fittings, simple and stylish glassware, paraffin lanterns instead of electricity, a decent bookshelf, intelligent hosting, no daily timeframe or agenda….the whole starts to make absolute sense as one unwinds. Oh and speaking of the bathrooms… I simply adored my bathroom, outdoors, in a green setting with an immense bathtub, 1 shower in the middle of the palm leaves, and the second shower more “classic for those who are a little more shy 😉
>>All the villas have a swimming pool (untreated), some like ours had also a private beach, and all have a butler (Mister or Miss Friday) , available 24/24 for our every need.. Robinson Crusoe would totally approve !!
Food..
OMG !! Hard to be on a diet (or at least reasonable) in Soneva as everything is good, organic and home-made, so we just want to try everything.. To begin with the wonderful breakfast ; there is for all the tastes, a buffet or menu: fresh fruits, cakes, pancakes, pastries, waffles, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free option, eggs done every way possible, muesli, raw food, milk, vegetables, bread, Thai specialities, jam.. In short, a feast which we savour in the Dining Room, main restaurant which offers us a magnificent panorama between nature and the lagoon.. An absolute pleasure for the eyes and stomach, the perfect way to start the day 😉
Other restaurants in the hotel are also very pleasant and the meals are extraordinary, each with their own decoration and own identity, but all are worth seeing .. The first is Le Benz, magical and authentic where we spent a dream candlelit evening tasting Asian specialities, “gourmet” style.. There is also So Spirited .. A very surprising and cosy restaurant with colored pillows, swimming pool and the breathtaking views of the bay. .. We had our lunches or snack there, but we can have dinner there also of course .. And let us not forget the sublime View Restaurant, the best spot for admiring the sunset and tasting a good smoothie.. So romantic..
Activities ?
Aside from disconnecting, eating and sunbathing ? There are still quite a few things to do in Soneva.. First of all sport to eliminate the little extras.. Thai Yoga, gym, mua thai and pilates, so no excuses.. There is also a great spa “six senses” in the middle of the jungle where we can enjoy a good smoothie or a protein shake after sport or a massage.. Without forgetting the sauna, Ayurvedic consultation, bowl courts…
>>The mantra is to take care of yourself. And in another theme there is an outdoor cinema, scuba diving, excursions and even an observatory to look at stars (we couldn’t really test this as it was rather cloudy during our stay)..
The – –
Speaking of activities, we also tested the tea time in the Treepod, a kind of wooden basket nested in the jungle. Once we are attached, the basket is raised into trees and we enjoy tea time with a stunning view. Of course, during this snack, a member of staff is with us in adventurer mode and he goes and fetches our order in this little outfit.. We found this to be quite a funny experience but no more than that.. and as the waiter is with us in the basket ( even if he is very discreet), it ruins the moment a little..
The +++
– The chocolate room..it is basically a room filled with homemade chocolate that you can eat as much as you like and all day long (god help me !! ).. Chocoholics will appreciate this choco paradise (I did !!) filled with of all kinds of chocolate delights.. chocolate fondue, macaroons, mousse, coconut and hazelnut chocolate, hot pepper chocolate, with almonds and so on.. in short the best homemade chocolate ever.. Amazing !! A really cool concept for both young and old alike especially when we are chocolate addicts , like me;-) And in the same theme, they also have a whole set of homemade ice cream that you can eat as much as you like, and for cheese fans there is a cheese room.. Fortunately there is a gym!!!!
– The Private plane transfert from Bangkok ! Awesome !!
– The adorable little golf cars which are provided to us to circulate the hotel.. There is one (or more) for each villa (depending on the number of occupants).. Either we drive them ourselves or our butlers can drive us from A to B, so cool!!
Our crush :
North beach !!! The private beach of the hotel is a hidden paradise situated on a small island just in front of the Soneva.. We reach it after a 10 min boat ride which is not bad for arriving in a paradise.. Turquoise water, palm trees and white sand are waiting for us without forgetting ultra soft sun bed, towels, beach bar, kayaks, and paddles that are all available to enjoy your day .. We really fell castaway on this beautiful and secluded beach .. feeling you don’t really get so much on thai beaches 😉
>>Special mention for the beach bar which is great and for the staff who are all very discret and thoughtful !.. We spent an unforgettable day in this postcard setting.
Last words ..
Soneva Kiri was for a long time on my ” bucket list ” and it really reached the height of my expectations.. We liked its luxurious and exclusive side, but in an intelligent and eco-responsible way, not too pompous nor show off but rather a smart and authentic Robinson chic.. In fact the eco-friendly essence of Soneva is part of the whole as one relaxes into a lifestyle that may mirror “castaway” in feel but is actually the height of discrete luxury. It is the kind of hotel where we feel really good and where we do not want to leave.. We really had an idyllic stay in our cocoon, hidden in the jungle where everything was perfect..
>>In short it was an unforgettable experience, a real crush for this exceptional eco resort which is no doubt one of the most beautiful in the world..
Notes :
=> Infos & resa : Soneva.com / reservations@soneva.com / Tel. : +66 (0) 82 208 8888
=> Prices : There are several ranges of villas, for 2 to 18 people and from 1 to 6 rooms, with or without private beach and with different views, so the price range is rather wide according to these criteria and especially according to the season, but on average prices starts at 930 euros for a villa for 2 people with a swimming pool & breakfast.. On Soneva’s website you can find some special deals and the best rates. Some website such as Idiliz , voyageprivé.com , booking.com , hotel.com, amoma etc offers interesting package deals as well.
Huge thanks to Soneva & the team for having us and for this amazing experience..
Photos @ Peter Soubbotnik
Bikinis @Charlie by mz
