Happy Easter!
outfit: Dorothy Perkins
Smell the sea & feel the sky
5* on the top of the world: 137 Pillars Bangkok, Thailand
137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok
5*****
59/1 Soi Sukhumvit 39, Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, 10110, Thailand
http://137pillarsbangkok.com/en/
Bangkok has some of the world’s best and most luxurious hotels and options where to stay are endless. A lot of 5* star hotels won’t disappoint visitors seeking luxury and comfort, while discovering the City of Angels. Why you should book a stay at one of the luxurious hotels in Bangkok, is clear – you’re senses will be pampered, the view from the top rooftop will be unbeatable. Especially if it has an infinity pool up there as well. Everything and much more you will get at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok, one of the best 5* star hotels’ve stayed at so far. Even though Bangkok has a lot to offer, I must warn you, you might be tempted to never leave this hotel.
The story of 137 Pillars began in Chiang Mai…
…and continued in Bangkok. 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai, formerly knowns as Baan Borneo, is a hotel located on the banks of Chiang Mai’s Mae Ping River and also the birth place of the 137 Pillars brand in the year of 2012. Completely different from the Chiang Mai’s boutique hotel is their 137 Pillars Suites & Residences in Bangkok, opened on 2nd April 2017. Each place follows its own story (Chiang Mai’s one respecting tradition, while 137 Pillars Bangkok is modern and luxurious); soon they are adding another amazing property in Phuket into their hotel chain. Having the chance to stay at this amazing hotel while exploring Bangkok was such an amazing experience, probably one of my favourite so far. The property itself comprises 179 residences and 34 luxurious suits, private dining, large balconies, luxurious bathrooms, personal butlers… 34 suites with 68 to 115 square meters are named after the great royal periods in Thai history, the Rattanakosin Suites, The Ayuthaya Suites, the Sukhothai Suites and the Thonburi Suites. Located in the heart of Bangkok’s upscale Emquartier & Emporium Shopping area and in the heart of Thonglor district it is an ideal location or travellers as well as businessman.
The highest rooftop infinity pool in Bangkok will make you feel you are on the top of the world!
At 137 Pillars Bangkok they’ve taken care of everything and they’ve truly got an eye for the detail. Carefully selected elements that combine comfort and luxury are accompanied by exceptional service, mouth-watering gourmet pampering and the view that will take your breath away. The ground garden with a pavilion and a koi fish pond is connected to the All Day Bistro & Deli at the Bangkok Trading Post (where you can have breakfast or lunch) and then to the main reception; your taste buds will also be pampered in Nimitr restaurant on 27th floor. Fitness, spa & wellness, library with reading room, golf court on 6th floor, complementary London Cab ride to EM-District and BTS, swimming pool and large Jacuzzi and bar on 27th level are there to be enjoyed. Suite guests also have a special reception on 26th floor, access to the Leonowens Club where they can enjoy breakfast or a drink. My personal favourite part of the 137 Pillars Bangkok is the top floor, accessible exclusively to 137 Pillars’ suite guests. Bar, pavilions surrounded by bonsai where you can relax and enjoy the view, two Jacuzzi’s and a large infinity pool overlooking the city… Amazing! Our Ayutthaya Suite was a hybrid between a hotel room and an apartment – as soon as you walk in, you’ve got smaller bathroom on your right, on your left a small kitchen area, large living room in front of you with a spacious balcony. Walk-in-closet is separated from the room with a large luxurious bed, where you can recharge your batteries overlooking the city of Bangkok. It has an extremely large marble bathroom with a double sink, large round bath with a built in TV, glass shower and a “smart” toilet. We had a butler at our service, as well as our own phone we could carry around the city to chat with the reception, check for places in Bangkok and even call home (complementary!). Need to add anything else? Well, I am sure I forgot something for sure, but I believe pictures speak louder than words…
You may also enjoy:
Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O review
I first got my hands on Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O skincare range a few months ago and I put it to the ultimate test this winter. It was an ideal time to try the products out – dry air, drastic temperature change indoor and outdoor, pollution, plus my schedule was quite stressful. Today I am sharing with you my, my sister Alja’s, blogger friend Tesa’s thoughts. So, 3 ladies with 3 different lifestyles and totally different skin – what do they say about the Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O?
What does Cosmetics Afrodita say about the Hydra Patch H2O skincare range?
Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O is a new generation of moisturising skincare with active anti-pollution protection. Unique PatcH2O technology works as a protective H2O “shield” that protects cells against pollution damage, maintains the vitality of skin cells and strengthens the protective function of the skin. The Hydra Patch range includes products for the care of all types of skin. It offers intensive, instantaneous hydration with a long-lasting effect and helps fight the adverse effects of pollution and combat the signs of premature ageing.
What do I say about the Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O skincare range?
Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O cream for dry skin is an ideal face cream for dry skin during winter months. It is a very thick and very rich cream that provides moisture to your skin. Despite the rich texture it is a good base for makeup, but keep in mind that it works only for dry skin type. If your skin type is mixed/normal/oily it will be too much (try the other version instead), because your face will have a greasy shine for sure. For me (and also my boyfriend Jan) it was a great choice during cold winter days, I really felt it created a protection “patch” for the harsh environment. My second favourite from the Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O skincare range is the Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O Hydraboost serum, with lighter consistency (which makes it ideal for most of the skin types). By itself it was not enough for my dry skin, but it worked great as an additional hydration step underneath the face cream. Hydration boost with Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O ampoules is also a great option. The effect totally convinced be, but I am not sure about the packaging – it is practical when it comes to traveling (such as taking it with you on an airplane), but on the other hand I’d rather see a classic packaging with a pipette. A big plus this skincare range is getting from me is because of the fact that it’s not heavily perfumed and it doesn’t irritate your skin. Also, the price is amazing – each of the product is cheaper than the 10eur mark. Affordable skincare with an amazing hydration effect!
What does my sister Alja say about the Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O skincare range?
»I tried out Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O cream for normal to mixed skin, which provided moisture to my dehydrated skin during the colder months. It didn’t cause any breakouts or clogged pores, my skin felt soft and supple. In addition to the face cream, I also used Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O eye cream, which was actually my first eye cream I used on a daily basis. They both worked great for my skin and also were a great base for applying makeup (which is a huge plus!). My message to Ajda is: I wouldn’t mind testing out the serum as well! haha…« Alja said.
What does my blogger friend Tesa say about the the Afrodita Hydra Patch H2O skincare range?
»The month of February (aka the fashion month), has been pretty crazy and hectic, not only for a crazy schedule, but also for my constant travelling which as we all know, can be pretty brutal on your skin. Airplanes, hotels, crazy New York wind or Parisian cold, my skin definitely needed my full attention and a really special care. One of my favorite products to use was Hydraboost serum, that I would apply before the cream, as an excellent base and of course (as the name says) an extra hydration boost, while my ultimate winner are definitely the ampoules. A real special treatment, which is pretty much a new generation of skincare!« You can read all about her experience on her blog Magnifique.
3 days on Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
All about Koh Phi Phi – the good, the bad, sweet, sour and salty!
I am sure you heard about the famous Koh Phi Phi before. Or least see it in all of its glory in the movies. Doesn’t ring a bell? Well, I am sure you remember film The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie brought eternal fame to (uninhabited) Koh Phi Phi Leh and the wholw archipelago thanks to the outstanding Maya Bay. In this blog post I am sharing with you all about Koh Phi Phi – the good, the bad, sweet, sour and salty!
Koh Phi Phi is actually a small archipelago of 6 islands in the Krabi province, southern part of Thailand. It is considered to be one of the most popular beach destinations in Thailand. And not only in Thailand – in the whole world for sure, due to its aqua blue sea, white sand beaches, green mountains, vibrant nightlife and of course thanks to the famous Maya Bay on the island of Koh Phi Phi Leh.
Why the island is so popular among tourists, you will see the first moment you arrive there. It is stunning. Nothing like you’ve seen before. But on the other hand, you also should expect (especially in high season) lots of people. And by lots I truly mean LOTS. If you arrive in the famous Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh in the middle of the day, you probably won’t see the white sand, you will see the colourful spectrum of hundreds and hundreds of tourists. No exaggeration. There are thousands visiting this bay each day. The bay was made extremely popular by the movie “The Beach”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Mass tourism has brought a lot of profit to locals, while also since taken a vast toll on the fragile coral reefs. The authorities decided to ban tourists from Maya Bay this year from June to October. This will hopefully allow enough time for the nature, especially the coral reef to recover. I knew by going there, I wasn’t really helping, but still. We took a private long-tail boat early in the morning (leaving a few minutes after 6am, which is half an hour before sunrise) and arrived in Maya Bay before 7am, and there were already at least hundred people there. We didn’t stay long and rather than being surrounded by others sailed along Koh Phi Phi Leh. Our captain found some amazing (not so crowded) bays for us to enjoy the aqua blue water, amazing landscape and snorkel with hundreds of colourful fish (this was a beyond amazing experience). We had our long-tail boat reserved for 4 hours, so we had a lot of time to really enjoy our sea adventure. When we were heading back to Ao Tonsai Pier we also stopped at the Monkey Beach where we fed the monkeys some sweet fruit. Our little private tour of Koh Phi Phi Leh was an amazing experience. Minus the number of people in Maya Bay. Maybe setting daily quotas wouldn’t be a bad idea after all.
Fame to the larger island – Koh Phi Phi Don was brought by a less fortunate event…
December 26th 2004 was the day, when larger part of Koh Phi Phi Don was hit by the tsunami. Today the island infrastructure has been rebuilt and developed to an even greater extent the before. The centre of happening is the Ao Tonsai Pier with a small, vibrant town. Cottage next to cottage, hotels, restaurants and bars – the place is packed! People come back to this island not only for the lush nature and amazing waters, but also for crazy parties. These are the craziest during full moon. If you are crazy about hiking or at least enjoying some breathtaking views, you should definitely hike up to the Phi Phi Viewpoint. After a half hour hike uphill (in humid 30°C), hundreds of steps and narrow paths, you arrive at the iconic viewpoint, where you can see both bays hugging the island of Koh Phi Phi Don. You can see the whole Ao Tonsai Pier, amazing lush hills and aqua blue waters. Overall, the beauty of this island (despite huge tourist popularity) is that you can find a hidden spot (beach or hills) where you are completely alone – unfortunately most of the hidden beaches are only accessible by the sea. The hilly landscape separates Koh Phi Phi Don into parts where there’s very crowded to parts where you barely see a soul. Koh Phi Phi Don is for sure an ideal starting point for exploring the entire Koh Phi Phi arhipelago, for diving and also is an excellent location for island hopping. Our next destination was Koh Lanta. Keep in mind, if you are travelling in peak season, there will be a lot of people. Because of its popularity, Koh Phi Phi can (and does) up their prices – for a kilo of mangos you will pay at least double the price, the same goes for Pad Thai (you will pay 30-50% more compared to Koh Lanta’s prices). But I guess, that’s the price we pay for travelling to popular destinations.
3 days on Koh Phi Phi:
Day 1
Take a ferry from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi Don. You will arrive at Ao Tonsai Pier. After getting settled in you hotel, take a stroll around the town, maybe buy a thing or two, eat something good. You should definitely order a mango smoothie (or two). Enjoy your time at the beach, maybe head over to the Shark Point (yes, as the name suggest, this is the point where you can actually see real sharks). The beach there is long, sandy and less crowded as the one closer to pier. After dinner book an early morning private tour with long-tail boat on Koh Phi Phi Leh.
Day 2
Start your day as early as possible, sail from the bay towards Koh Phi Phi Leh, visit the famous Maya Bay (if it’s open for tourists!), enjoy the less crowded bays with amazing landscape and water, swimm with millions of colourful fish. On the way back to Koh Phi Phi Don, stop at the Monkey Beach, give some fruit to the monkeys. Have Thai lunch at the pier and spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach. If you got any energy left, have a drink (or two) in one of the bars in the evening. You may end up partying till morning.
Day 3
Hike uphill to the Phi Phi Viewpoint. Don’t forget to wear proper footwear and take some water with you. The rest of the day can be spent on the beach or catch a ferry to your next destionation. Koh Lanta for example.
photo: Jan Žumer