The Sarojin in Khao Lak Thailand

For a luxurious, romantic holiday in Thailand, the Sarojin in Khao Lak is hard to beat.  Located an hour and a half’s drive north of Phuket airport, it only has 56 rooms and a no children under 10 policy, making it a popular destination for honeymooners and couples who want to feel thoroughly relaxed and spoilt for a few days.

Highly recommended by numerous posts on Trip Advisor and similar sites, the Sarojin, with its 2:1 staff-guest ratio, more than lived up to our expectations during the six nights we spent there. We were there in the low season, when it rains a bit most days and when, consequently, prices are more moderate.  The rain really didn’t bother us as most of it fell at night.  We stayed in one of the garden room bungalows which each has a private pool.  The spacious accommodation includes a bedroom, office/bar area and bathroom which has a huge overhead shower and an equally large oval bathtub which was full of floating frangipane when we arrived.

The main swimming pool is surrounded by wooden sun beds with umbrellas so you can be in the shade if you prefer.  As guests arrive one of the smiling Sarojin staff brings a towel and a glass of water and shortly afterwards a complimentary fruit punch arrives.  The pool is just the right temperature and after a swim it’s a perfect spot for reading, dozing, contemplating the peaceful tropical garden and listening to the birds.

A la carte breakfast with sparkling wine is included in the room rate and can be enjoyed as late as you like – even as a very late brunch, which was our preference.  Rooms are furnished with very comfortable king size beds, a choice of top quality pillows, cable TV and the quietest air conditioning I have ever experienced.  Fresh fruit and bottled water are provided daily and there’s a well-stocked mini bar, free wifi, a gym and everything else you would expect to find in a good hotel or resort. Indeed, you know a place is seriously good when the only criticism we could think of was that the map of Khao Lak they gave us at the front desk was somewhat out of date!

The town of Khao Lak is a 15 minute drive away and the resort supplies a fairly regular shuttle bus, for a small fee. It’s small and relatively quiet – the way Phuket used to be 20 or 30 years ago.  There’s no need to leave the resort at all if you don’t want to. Meals served in the Sarojin’s two restaurants are five star and they have an award winning spa.  Theme nights such as the seafood BBQ on the beach most Saturdays are very special.  However, Khao Lak offers numerous dining and massage options for those on a tighter budget or wanting a change of scenery.  We particularly liked Smile restaurant, run by a very friendly Frenchman called Frank, which we also found on Trip Advisor.

Day trips to nearby islands, elephant and monkey parks can be arranged by the Sarojin or by Frank, a Jack of all Trades. When we told him we had just spent 6 weeks in Europe and were now travelling with two suitcases full of dirty washing he offered to arrange for it to be laundered by one of his many local contacts!  We politely declined, especially as a swimsuit, a pair of shorts and some thongs are all you need in the tropics.

South African born Dawid is the General Manager and if you should have any problems he’s never far away.  We didn’t, but he checked in with us regularly during our stay, to make sure everything was hunky dory.

This resort ticks all the boxes and we will definitely be back.  In fact we did contemplate emailing our son to say “Please look after the dog for another six months.  Back in time for Christmas.”

French Bed and Breakfasts

When we holiday in France we use Alistair Sawday’s French Bed and Breakfasts as our bible.  We have a hard copy, but you can find it online.   Over the years we have stayed in more than 50 of the listings and while almost all have been more than adequate, some stand out as exceptional.  Places to return to.

Two of the best we have tried are the Moulin du Goth and Les Vieux Guays.  As the name suggests, the Moulin du Goth is a converted 13th century mill. It’s run by a charming Australian/British couple and within five minutes we felt as if we were old friends.  The mill pond and English-style garden are beautifully maintained by Coral, who is a very good cook and serves a delicious dinner if you book ahead.  There’s plenty to do in the area, including the underground caves at Padirac (the best I have ever seen, quite amazing), a walnut oil mill at Martel and several stunning Medieval villages, located on the nearby Dordogne river.  We spent two nights there and fell asleep to the sound of water running gently over the weir.

We only had one night at Les Vieux Guays but will definitely go back.  They also do dinner but only on Fridays and Saturdays and again it’s wise to book ahead.   It’s run by a French/Chilean couple and sits in 200 acres of woods with plenty of land for chiildren and dogs (who are welcome) to run around.  In winter it’s run as a hunting lodge.

Relaxing in Bali

Spending a week relaxing in Bali at the Green Garden Hotel and Spa.  A small place with comfortable rooms, good aircon and friendly people.

Last night we had a delicious meal of fried calamari rings, satay chicken and chilli prawns with rice.  Today a light lunch down by the beach.  I chose a salad which was just right for the warm weather.  Here’s my take on it.

Mozzarella, Tomato and Avocado Salad with Olive Dressing

4-6 handfuls of small salad leaves including rocket if liked
250g mozzarella or bocconcini balls, sliced or cubed
4 tomatoes, sliced, or the equivalent in baby tomatoes, halved
2 large avocadoes, sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil e.g. canola
¼ cup cider or white wine vinegar
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tbs finely chopped olives (green stuffed with pimento are nice)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp honey or sugar

On four plates arrange the lettuce leaves, then the tomatoes, avocado slices, onion and mozzarella.  Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously.  Drizzle dressing over the salads.

Serves 4 as a light lunch