Girl… stays in Thailand’s most luxurious golf resort

Where: Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa, Pakchong, Thailand

Why: Thailand has more to offer than just white sandy beaches and if you’re looking for a chill holiday that’s as cool as summer’s breeze, Kirimaya in the centre of Thailand might just be for you. As you drive through the litter-strewn debris and chaos of neighbouring village Pakchong, the five-star Kirimaya resort, hidden secretly in the foothills of the UNESCO world heritage Khao Yai National Park, couldn’t be a more tranquil antidote. The wide, welcoming entrance hides a lush, sprawling sea of green (quite literally – Kirimaya is Thailand’s most prestigious golfing destination) dotted with enormous super-luxurious tented villas (yes, actual tents!), Asian-inspired architectural suites and hotel-style rooms.

The resort is a curious mix of wild jungle forest and perfectly manicured golfing greens (18 holes, designed by pro-golfing legend Jack Nicklaus), which makes for an interesting stay: the resort literally runs on golf buggies, as swarms of these speedy little vehicles are used for everything from shuttling guests around the resort to zipping room-service meals around and, of course, on the greens.

Kirimaya has long been the playground for south-east Asia’s rich and famous, mostly because it’s a boutique resort that knows how to mix the intimate with the immense: there are only 64 rooms, yet the grounds are vast, with a golf course, jungle, private homes and even another resort, Muthi Maya (link to other review here) hidden away in the sprawling complex.

Despite the enormity of the place, there’s a sense of privacy and at-ease luxury here, from the beautifully designed open-air lobby and Acala restaurant, to the polished-teak breakfast Clubhouse and T-Grill restaurants and relaxing Maya Spa. Rooms are tastefully kitted out with Asian-inspired bamboo furniture and Thai silks and linens, and comfy daybeds on private, enclosed balconies are the perfect place for an afternoon nap. The service staff are intuitive, anticipating your needs before you know you have them, which makes for a comfortable stay and a feeling of being well looked after. For golfers, Kirimaya is heaven. For the rest of us, it’s just paradise.

What’s hot: The resort grounds – you can’t help but feel relaxed and rested, plus the organic garden is brilliant; produce goes straight from field to fork via the Acala Thai restaurant with flavours that really pop. The comfort factor also can’t be denied – after cocktails and dinner, you’ll be whisked back to your room via a speedy little golf buggy to save your tipsy legs. And then there’s the golf course – golfing greens don’t get more picturesque than this!

What’s not: The hotel-style rooms – a little on the small side, they can’t really compete with the high-ceilinged marble splendour of the resort’s lobby and restaurants. If you can, go for a suite or treat yourself to stay in a tented villa if you’re after a taste of luxury.

Number of rooms: 64, including four tented villas and four terraced suites.

Check-in/out: 2pm/12pm

Room service: Yes, from 6am-10.30pm. If you fancy something other than Thai food from the Acala restaurant, you can order from Muthi Maya’s Japanese/Italian restaurant – meals are delivered to your room on the back of a golf cart.

Swimming pool: Yes, there’s a gorgeous infinity pool and outdoor Jacuzzi in the common area near the restaurant.

Spa: Yes, and it’s lovely. Located next to the lobby building, the Maya Spa is an oasis of tranquility, with its peaceful décor and quiet location. After crossing a small, bridged pond, you’re seated at a covered outdoor lounge area, where the spa manager talks you through treatments and asks you to select products – I had a divine one-hour body scrub using a bespoke grape exfoliating cream made from locally sourced grapes, exclusively created for Kirimaya, which smelt heavenly and sloughed away my dry, Thai-sun-parched skin. I then had an incredible massage from Jittima, the Spa’s longest-serving and best masseuse, which was a wonderful combination of traditional Thai massage and oil massage. I chose a blend of corn milk, pandana leaf and wheat-germ oil for my treatment, which smelt heavenly and nourished my skin. Jittima then got to work on pummelling out my aches and knotty muscles, leaving me feeling deeply relaxed but also relieved of tension I’d been storing in my back, neck and shoulders from too much computer work. Afterwards, she braided my hair, which I don’t think is usually part of the service, but which made me feel very Beyonce circa 2012. If you don’t fancy leaving your villa, in-room massages can be arranged between 10am-10pm – just add a 10% surcharge.

Dogs welcome: No.

Eating & drinking: Specialising in highly spiced regional Thai food, the Acala Restaurant offers an exotic and authentic menu filled with classic dishes and new favourites. Built right on the resort’s tranquil lake, the sofa-like seating is a perfect way to chill and break out of your Thai-food comfort zone: the sheer range of inventive and mouthwatering dishes not normally found on western Thai menus is fresh and exciting. Taking tastebuds to new dimensions was the meltingly tender chestnut-encrusted sea-bass with tamarind, the pickled mushroom logs (nicer than they sound!), the divine Tom Jeud Samoon Plai vegetable soup and blanched mountain ferns and spicy bamboo salad, although if you’d rather stick to what you know, traditional classics have been given a zingy Acala twist that somehow makes standard Thai fare seem new and different. Live piano serenaded us most of the evening and the service was pleasantly personal. Small touches like the locally sourced clay crockery and the staff knowing the provenance of the ingredients (much of the organic produce is grown onsite) makes for a genuine experience that leaves you feeling satisfied in more ways than one.

Near to: Khao Yai National Park. The iconic waterfall scene from The Beach was filmed here, which gives you an indication of how stunning this little-known part of Thailand is. Teeming with wildlife (think monkeys, tigers, elephants, deer, civets, gibbons) and stunning jungle walking trails, there are also bat caves to explore and night safaris to enjoy. Day trips to the Jim Thompson Farm (famed for his beautiful Thai silks) or Pimai Historical Park (two-hours away) can also be arranged. If you feel the urge to shop, there is an Outlet Village in Pakchong (Kirimaya reception staff can organise a day trip), or head to the Palio or Fly Now shopping centres.

Getting there: Don’t attempt to get to Kirimaya via public transport – this is strictly a drive-to destination. You can rent a car with sat-nav from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (a week’s car hire will cost around £200) for the two and a half-hour drive to the resort, depending on how good you are at navigating insane Bangkok drivers. The resort isn’t easy to find, but punch the address into your sat-nav (1/3 Moo 6 Thanarat Road, Moo-Si, Pakchong
Nakorn Ratchasima 30130) and it should find the location. Once you’re there, you’ll be grateful you’ve got wheels, as you’ll need a car to take advantage of the nearby attractions. Alternatively, you can hire a private car with driver (the equivalent of a mini-cab service) to take you from Bangkok to the resort for around 3000baht (£60) one way. I recommend this taxi service (call 089 580 7223), but make sure you ask specifically for a car, otherwise you may end up with a songtaeow (an open Thai truck). You will need transport once you’re in Khao Yai, so I recommend either hiring a car (Kirimaya staff can arrange this for you) or renting a motorbike (you can hire one at the National Park entrance, or from khaoyaimotorcycle.com) for around 300-500baht per day (£6-£10) – just make sure you get a helmet! If you’re feeling adventurous and want to experience ‘local’ travel, you can take a public bus from Mo Chit bus station in Bangkok to Pakchong (the nearest town) for 150baht (£3). Be warned, however, that this ‘two-hour’ journey will take closer to five hours, and once you’re in Pakchong, you’ll still need to find a way to get to the resort. In all honesty, I can’t recommend the public-transport route, but if you’re up for an adventure, this most certainly will give you one!

Best room: The tented villas – yes, they’re actual tents! Pricey but totally luxe, think sunken bathtubs and wood interiors, plus incredible panoramic views of Khao Yai National Park, the golf course and the rest of the Kirimaya resort – a romantic treat.

Best dish: The Nam Hed Tord (Panko crusted, pickled Khao Yai mushroom log 
with crisp vegetables, hot mustard and sweet chili sauce) for starter and the Plakrapong Sauce Makam (chestnut-encrusted fried seabass with fresh tamarind sauce) for main. Honestly though, I had a taster menu and every dish was a delight.

Who stays here? Known as the resort du jour in this part of Thailand, Kirimaya attracts hip, cashed-up couples and young urban families wanting a five-star escape with all the trimmings.

Price: From £200 per room per night.

Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa, 1/3 Moo 6 Thanarat Road, Moo-Si, Pakchong, Nakorn Ratchasima, Thailand 30310.