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Living Life in The Imperial Samui
Once upon a time, in a land forty five minutes by plane from Bangkok lay a unique, Mediterranean style hotel nestled amongst lush tropical foliage in the exclusive Chaweng Noi Bay. This luxurious hotel is known to all as the Imperial Samui Hotel. They say that visitors have been known to come back again and again, and I was on a mission to discover why. The magic begins the moment you enter the premises. The huge white archways and blue accents are reminiscent of the whitewashed beachside homes in the hills around Santorini, Greece and its only the Asian inspired furniture that reminds you that you are actually in Thailand. It is as if you were in two places at the same time. There is a casual, quiet elegance about the lobby. Instead of the customary couches, immaculate white pillars are surrounded by colorful pillows, allowing guests to sit back, relax and recline with ease. The whole area is bright from the big, blue framed bay windows providing ample sunlight and gorgeous views of the sea. We are greeted with big, warm smiles and respectful "wai(s)." The staff immediately makes you feel at home, and it is as if you don't want to be anywhere else. The coconut juice we are given is sweet, cold and refreshing, quenching our thirst. "This is the life," I thought, sipping on my coconut juice and appreciating the gorgeous view in front of me. Several guests pass me by and their smiles and sunburned skin are good signs of what's to come. After being promptly checked in, we were then escorted to our rooms. The vibrant colors immediately caught my eye. Bright punches of red, yellow, orange and blue were all around in the room from the paintings to the pillows, down to even the yellow tiles in the bathroom. It seemed like everything was well thought of, to the very last detail. Being a stickler that I am with amenities, I was pleased to discover two umbrellas in the closet, as well as anti-mosquito spray – very appropriate for island life. I was also surprised to discover that I could slide my bathroom door, exposing the bathtub to the room – a bath with a view if you will. After a thorough examination and the customary survey of my room, I went to the balcony and loved what I saw – another great view of the ocean, complete with the feel of the ocean breeze. I could just imagine myself sitting on one of the lounge chairs, sipping on a drink and enjoying the view. The Imperial Samui is massive, with several low-rise buildings to house the 120 premier sea facing rooms, 13 junior suites and 8 one or two-bedroom suites surrounded by lush tropical plants. It is almost impossible to see the whole property on foot, as I discovered. There is much to see at Imperial Samui and a great many activities for everyone. The resort has two swimming pools, a beautifully tiled fresh water pool near the main building with its own Jacuzzi as well as a your private salt water pool right next to the beach. The salt water pool is quite unique. It is really being in the sea itself, with smooth boulders jutting out which also serves as perfect spots to sunbathe and enjoy the water. Small clay statues line the pool, adding character. I enjoyed the salt water pool the most, since it was nice and warm compared to the actual water in the ocean. Plus, it also nice to relax and enjoy the sun without having waves splashing your face every few seconds dispelling the ennui that builds up from relaxing. Not that I didn't enjoy the beach. The Imperial Samui has its own private stretch of white sand beach, perfect for sunbathing or for frolicking around. For the adventurous, there is sailing and windsurfing available, as well as a Gold Palm PADI scuba diving school for those who are interested in exploring the deep blue sea of Samui. Not on this trip I told myself, this visit is going to remain on terra firma. For the landlubbers, tennis on a flood-lit court is available, as well as table tennis, snooker, badminton or volleyball. There are also non-sport activities such as Thai cooking classes, fruit carving, Thai lessons or a tour of the Imperial's extensive gardens containing hundreds of different plant species together with the hotel's resident horticulturist. But for those seeking rest and relaxation, one should take the time to go to the award winning Imperial Spa. I was lucky enough to get one of their treatments despite my restricted time. As soon as you arrive, you are greeted by the receptionist who hands you a welcome drink of fresh bael fruit tea, made with ginger, lemon grass and honey as well as a cold jasmine scented towel. While you wait, tinkling traditional Thai music plays in the background; you fill out a form, indicating your personal preferences. They take all your needs into consideration- from the room temperature, massage pressure or the volume of the music. Everything is customized to your personal comfort level. For my treatment, I chose the Golden Glow Scrub which incorporates the detoxifying and cleansing benefits of lemon grass to improve circulation and speed up the process of detoxification. I was quietly led to one of the seven treatment rooms, where I spotted a particular room with huge shower heads. My therapist explained that it was for a steam bath, one of Imperial Spa's traditional treatments. I disrobed and self-consciously lay on the massage table while the therapist covered me with a towel. Then she massaged the scrub onto my feet, working her way upwards in a slow yet strong circular motion. I could feel all my tension melting away as she concentrated on my upper back, just like I had requested. After the "scrub," I took a nice warm shower in the bath inside the treatment room which I thought was the end of my experience, but my therapist beckoned me to come up to the table again where she massaged me again with a cold lotion that felt like pure heaven on my skin. I expected it to be painful because when one hears the word "scrub," it sounds rough and vigorous but it ended up to be quite relaxing, leaving my skin soft, smooth and glowing afterwards. It seemed like my experience in Imperial Samui was only getting better and better. After my massage, it was time for cocktails with the staff and some of the other guests. During cocktails, the general manager announced that it was time for a raffle – the prizes being spa treatments at the Imperial Spa. It was a perfect opportunity for the guests to socialize with each other as well as the staff. It seemed to me to be a great idea because it would make the guests feel even more at home and at ease with the staff. I was surprised to see the number of people that had shown up since usually, at guest functions at hotels nobody really makes an effort to attend. The guests at the Imperial cocktail party were plentiful and varied, coming from different parts of the world. It amazed me that most of these guests had been there before and to make the journey back from – lets say England, really amazes me as it is no joke to fly thousands of miles (believe me, I know). Following cocktails was a perfect dinner under the stars at Tara restaurant, serving the best buffet of Thai, Japanese and Continental cuisine. At Tara, one can opt for the ala carte menu as well. One of their signature dishes, the Seafood Spaghetti which is a delightful medley of squid, prawns, clams and mussels in a peppery marinara sauce topped with olives – definitely a must try for those who enjoy a little spice in their dinner. One can also try the Stir-Fry Mud Crab – an enormous, delectable crab cooked with all kinds of peppers- red, yellow and green adding great color and taste. There are other great restaurants at Imperial, such as Jarmujuree, that serves an excellent American buffet breakfast and specializes in Thai cuisine. From our table, we had the perfect view of the beach while listening to the traditional Thai music in the background. As we were all settled, we clinked our glasses in unison and said "Cheers!"– the perfect end to the perfect day, not before dessert, of course. One of the things that struck me about Imperial Samui was the friendliness of the staff. Every single staff member I had come across was genuinely friendly, not only inquiring about my stay but about my well-being as well. While talking to Khun Jan, erstwhile PR Manager about the resort, an elderly couple walked by. Khun Jan was quick to greet them by name, and asked the older gentleman if he was feeling better. Khun Jan later on explained that they were guests from London who had been to the Imperial several times and were staying this time for about ten days. Ten days seems like quite awhile in my book, but apparently and obviously the guests of Imperial Samui just can't get enough of the treatment that they receive. I noticed that she was greeting most of the guests who had walked past us by name. To develop that kind of rapport with your guests is not that easy and Khun Jan explains that the employees really take the time out to get to know the guests. It is this exact reason that guests return again and again to Imperial Samui. They make an effort to make you feel at home, even if you are so far away. Mr. David Ashworth, the affable GM, considers his employees to be the best asset in the hotel. He is aware of the impact they make on the guests. A simple equation – happy employees equals happy guests is his motto and it is evident in the way that he gushes on and on about his staff. After this experience, it seems that the secret recipe behind Imperial Samui's success is great customer service, a warm smile, top-notch facilities and well appointed rooms. Now I understand why they call this the hospitality business. It is that uniqueness, character, a big splash of color and great views that becomes apparent which why guests keep coming back and now I have completed my mission. Imperial Samui, I'll be back soon! |
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