Luxury Khao Lak Resort Hotel, Thailand - The Sarojin : What's new

December 2009

The Sarojin Newsletter No.14

Dear Friends and Partners,

Thank you to all of you who have visited us. The Sarojin celebrated 4 years on 7 October 2009 and we are very privileged to have welcomed visitors from more than 48 different countries.

Overwhelmingly the most popular activity at The Sarojin continues to be the consistent ability of guests to fall in love with the luxury of just relaxing; www.sarojin.com/overview_guestbk.html

Romance

World Luxury Hotel Awards
"World Luxury Romantic Hotel"

We are delighted to share that The Sarojin has been awarded winner "World Luxury Romantic Hotel 2009" at the World Luxury Hotel Awards for a second year (previous winner 2007). Announced on Friday 27 November 2009, at a star studded gala dinner in Bangkok, the World Luxury Hotel Awards are accepted as the pinnacle of achievement for Luxury Hotels worldwide. All the team at The Sarojin is extremely honoured and proud to have won this global luxury "romantic” award. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of the staff’s hard work, truly exceptional spirit and testimony to the very high levels of personal and tailor-made services the whole team consistently strive to deliver to our guests. Thank you for all your great support to help to achieve and win this award and we look forward to welcoming you all at The Sarojin to enjoy very personal, luxurious experiences for romance, celebrations, relaxation and adventure .....

Excellence in Wines

The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is made to those restaurants that share a dedication to wine and lists a well-chosen selection of quality wine producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. The Ficus restaurant has won this award for the past two consecutive years 2008 and 2009

The Sarojin’s passion for wines is avidly shared amongst its owners! The Sarojin’s Wine Director, a New Zealander and retired lawyer, Sam Bonifant, personally dates his passion for wine back to his college days and the bottle of Liebfraumilch which he and his then girlfriend were accustomed to drink over supper. His taste thus wetted, he confesses to being fascinated by wine ever since. His excuse, if he needs one, is that his legal career left little time for other pursuits. Sam is an enthusiastic collector of wines which he cellars in England with a back-up cellar in his native New Zealand. Thus assured that a sudden world wine drought will not find him lacking in supply in either hemisphere, he enjoys sharing the results whenever possible with family and friends and exploring the many ways in which food and wine complement each other.

The latter is an endless subject he says. “The old principles of what went with what were really quite limited and thus the challenge is to find what is best for the myriad of flavours which modern cuisine has to offer.”

At The Sarojin, Sam has worked with the team to create a comprehensive wine list with over 200 selections from both the old and the new worlds. The emphasis is on quality yet affordability, which is quite a challenge given the very high Thai import duty on wines and limited supplier lists. Careful attention is also paid to proper storage as well as to proper serving, given the additional challenge of maintaining quality when drinking wine in a tropical climate. As Sam says “you can have the best wine in the world but if it is exposed to the heat for too long the result can be a total disaster”.

We are very proud of our wine selection at The Sarojin and hope that you too enjoy exploring Sam’s choices and recommendations during your stay.

Le Verre de Vin - Wine by the Glass
Le verre de vin is the world's most advanced wine and champagne preservation system and is the only wine preservation system capable of effect ively preserving an unlimited number of still, sparkling and fortified wines. Le verre de vin has been recently installed at both Ficus and Edge restaurants and we are delighted to now offer 20 wines by the glass including both still and sparkling wines. This is a wonderful addition and enables all guests to more freely roam and enjoy Sam’s wonderful wine menu at The Sarojin. Thank you Sam!

Degustation Dining

Executive Chef Khun Jui and his team have been delighting guests with a range of ten course candlelit degustation dinners. These very special dinners have been set in the most breathtaking of settings around the ancient ficus tree. Inspired cuisines created by Khun Jui and his team such as “mint tuna sashimi on a bed of whipped tomato terrine avocado topped with fish roe”, or “andaman blue crab and celery essence with prawn coriander ravioli” have been set with specifically chosen wines by Sam Bonifant, The Sarojin’s wine director for each course. These very special degustation dinners offer a true culinary adventure into cuisines and wines.

Dine in Extraordinary Locations …
a private candelit jungle waterfall, a secluded white sand beach or….
Our chefs are passionate not only for the food and wines served but also for securing extraordinary dining locations “just for 2”. Be prepared to be asked “where would you like your dining table set tonight?” and equally we love to be challenged! Perhaps a private candlelit jungle waterfall diner “just for 2”? This is something special for any couple, with the romance of the setting heightened by its ethereal beauty; a guided walk down a candlelit jungle path leads to a waterfall setting lit by hundreds of candles. Against this backdrop is a beautifully adorned dinner table, replete with a personal chef, ready and waiting to prepare an exquisite gourmet experience.

Other popular locations include private beach barbeques under one of the old sea almond trees on The Sarojin’s secluded white beach; pool island pavilions; or in the intimacy of your private dining sala.

Gourmet safari style breakfasts and lunch locations allow rare opportunitie s to take advantage of spectacular locations within the five adventurous national parks bordering The Sarojin. For the more adventurous why not sea kayak at sunset to a secret location for oysters and champagne, or dine romantically amongst four hundred candles by a tropical waterfall in the moonlight?

Our restaurants offer a mix of contemporary and traditional Mediterranean cuisines under the age-old tree at Ficus and a sumptuous selection of Thai, south east Asian and seafood dishes beside the shimmering Andaman Sea at the Edge restaurant.

Thai Cookings Classes
Visit the local market with chef to learn about the local ingredients used in Thai cuisine. Select and taste ingredients required for chosen dishes before returning to prepare and cook chosen dishes with individual tuition from chef. Enjoy lunch and perhaps a glass of wine? Non cooking partners are welcome to join for lunch.

Either allow our chef to suggest some dishes or select your favorites. for special dish requests please give chef one day’s notice

Choose from a range of cooking classes and locations, experience the surrounding areas and cook and dine in stunning locations…

Thai Cooking Class With Chef By Takuapa River
Takuapa river is one of the most important rivers in phang nga province. travel this magnificent river through its beautiful mangrove forest waterways by local “pleat” boat stopping at the local market with chef and then on by “pleat” boats for a personal cooking class with chef set on the river bank under the shade of old trees. Observe local and river life and a swim as you wish. Enjoy lunch safari style and a glass of wine in the great outdoors.

Imagineering Your Stay – The Limits Are Only Your Imagination…
A team of personal guides and the elegant and inspired “imagineer”, the ultimate personal concierge delight in creating very tailor made experiences and offer a wide variety of private and unique excursions into the surrounding national parks and area of outstanding beauty.

Romantic dinners by a candlelit jungle waterfall or secluded white sand beach, a rejuvenating spa massage lulled by the sounds of the Andaman Sea, a Thai cooking class and gourmet safari style lunch on spectacular river banks or jungle setting, private charters on the luxury yacht Lady Sarojin or personal jungle adventures complete with champagne. The limits are only your imagination…

Beautifully, Authentically Thailand … Adventure and A Glimpse of Local Life

The area of Khao Lak and Phang Nga bordering The Sarojin is truly an area of outstanding beauty in Thailand and a great adventure playground. The world famous dive sanctuaries of the Similan and Surin Islands, five spectacular rain forested national parks, stunning Phang Nga Bay national marine park renowned for its dramatic limestone islands and captivating sea cave canoe journeys are all easily explored.

The surrounding area also offers a rare and authentic opportunity to observe Thai rural and community life. The surrounding rural communities offer a combination of farming and fishing as well as insights into the daily way of life and cultural. As for all excursions offered by The Sarojin, these “Glimpses into Local Life” experiences are “just for 2”, tailor-made as you desire and offer ample opportunity for you to stop and to explore further as you wish.

Similans Islands- SCUBA and Snorkeling
The Similan Islands Marine National Park, one of the world’s top ten world dive sites, is less than an hour away by the Lady Sarojin boat yacht direct from The Sarojin’s beach. The Similans are renowned for their underwater beauty, marine life and coral, soft white sand beaches and lush interiors. With reefs beginning only yards from the white sand beaches and a visibility of up to 30 meters, the islands offer superb snorkeling as well as a unique diving experience.

We are delighted to be able to offer regular scheduled cruises to the Similans Islands as well as private charters. The luxury boat, Lady Sarojin, is exclusively available for guests to privately charter. These days are spectacular and offer a very personal and special opportunity and memory. Apart from the Similans Islands other destinations off the west coast for private charter include Surin Islands, Koh Bon, Richelieu Rock as well as Phang Nga Bay national marine park in the south east renowned for its dramatic limestone islands and captivating sea cave canoe journeys,

Pathways Spa –Spaaaaaa

We are very proud of our spa Pathways and delighted that Pathways it was recently honoured in the Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Travel Awards 2009 and Condé Nast Traveller - UK Readers’ Spa Awards 2009, and additionally acclaimed for providing “the ultimate in body treatments”

Secluded, privately entered and luxuriously integrated with the natural surroundings, guests are lulled by sounds of the Andaman Sea. As always we are delighted to personalise any aspect of your stay at The Sarojin as you wish.

Intimate Weddings

We are joyous to have had the opportunity to celebrate weddings at The Sarojin in the last few months and we wish all a very, very happy life together, filled with love.

With an Asian contemporary boutique resort design, an intimate atmosphere of staying at a “friend’s private estate”, the turquoise crystal waters of the Andaman sea and an expansive soft white sand beach, The Sarojin offers a beautiful and intimate setting for weddings. Our own personal wedding planner and team delight in providing a very high level of personal attention and detail to ensure a wedding is extremely personalised and tailor-made to each couple’s desires, and making the wedding day truly memorable

Lady Sarojin Awards
The Lady Sarojin Awards are presented annually to those staff that have indeed exceeded all expectation and delivered “The Spirit of exceptional service and attention” that Lady Sarojin has inspired. Nominations for these awards have been gathered from heads of department, previous award winners, travel agents and guests. These awards are given to staff that has been truly “exceptional”.

Congratulations to our Lady Sarojin Awards Winner 2009!
Khun Lek (Engineering)

Past Lady Sarojin Award winners include:
Khun Ra ( Administration), Khun Tik (Front Office), Khun Gogh (Food and Beverage), Khun Jowell (Imagineer), Khun Harn (Housekeeping), Khun Junko (Corporate Office), Khun Pe (Finance).
Khun Chalai (Housekeeping), Khun Debbie (Sales), Khun Eke (IT), Khun Jui (Food and Beverage), Khun Kai (Reservations), Khun Kate (Administration), K Khun Sak (food and Beverage), K Khun Toy (Facilities), Khun Yai (food and Beverage), Khun Yui (Food and Beverage), ,

Congratulations and thank you all for delivering “ The Spirit of exceptional service and attention” .

English English English

Our in house English School as gone from strength to strength. Led by our “headmistress” Maria all staff each receives two x 45 minutes English lessons per week. A unique approach to teaching includes classroom teaching and “in-situ” teaching

Community Fund

The surrounding area offers a rare and authentic opportunity to observe Thai rural and community life as well as opportunities to be involved with and support many worthwhile and deserving local community projects. We are very happy to share these projects and opportunities with any interested guests during their stay at The Sarojin.

The Sarojin established ’The Sarojin Khao Lak Community Fund' in December 2004 and has supported community projects in the Khao Lak area as well as further a field. Past projects include fishing boats; housing; red cross; new school buildings; children’s play and educational equipment; orphanage support.

Currently The Sarojin has primarily focused its resources on children support (orphanage) and animal welfare (support of a full time veterinary surgeon in Khao Lak)

We thank all those of you who have visited us and look forward to warmly welcoming you again and others in the future, and hope that you will be truly enriched by your sojourn with us.

Sincerely yours,

Kate Kemp
Owner & Executive Director
kate.kemp@sarojin.com


2010
Tatler Travel Guide 2010 World’s Top 101 Hotels
Nominee 2010
World Luxury Hotel Awards Nominee 2010
2009
Winner 2009
World Luxury Hotel Awards "World Luxury Romantic Hotel"	Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2009
Finalist/Nominee 2009
World Travel Awards "Asia's Leading Boutique Hotel" World Travel Awards "World's Leading Boutique Hotel" "World's Leading Boutique Resort"
Condé Nast Traveller - UK Readers’ Travel Awards 2009 3 rd Place in “Favourite Spas in Overseas Hotels Worldwide” Condé Nast Traveller - UK Readers’ Travel Awards 2009 Ranked in “Top 100” - combining airlines, airports, cities, countries, cruise lines, hotels, islands, spas and tour operators Condé Nast Traveller - UK Readers’ Spa Awards 2009 5 th Place in “F avourite Overseas Hotel Spas For Asia and The Indian Subcontinent”
2008
Winner 2008
World Travel Awards "Asia ‘s Leading Boutique Hotel"	Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2008
Finalist 2008
World Luxury Hotel Awards "Luxury Beach Resort "
2007
Winner 2007
World Travel Awards "Asia ‘s Leading Boutique Hotel"	World Luxury Hotel Awards "World Luxury Romantic Hotel"
Green Planet Award 2007
2006
Winner 2006
World Travel Awards "Asia ‘s Leading Boutique Hotel"
Conde Nast Traveler Hot 2006
Conde Nast Traveler US Hot List Hotels 2006	Conde Nast Traveler US Hot List Spas 2006
LUXELIST 2006

The Sarojin press release and PR article download

Select and click the link to open the .pdf file
	Valentine's Ultimate Day at The Sarojin - 12 Jan 2010
	Enjoy a Fabulous 2010 with Fantastic Offers and Magical Experiences from The Sarojin - 6 Jan 2010
	World Luxury Romantic Hotel 2009 Winner, The Sarojin, Introduces Fantastic Treats For Christmas - 2 Dec 2009
	The Sarojin Celebrates New Awards with Value Added Offers - 14 Sep 2009
	The Sarojin Wins 2009 Wine Spectator Award - 10 Aug 2009
	Heavenly Honeymoons - 23 Jun 2009
	The Sarojin Asia's Leading Boutique Hotel introduces a Special Honeymoon Package - Nov 2007
	The Sarojin Introduces New-Year ‘Luxurious Relaxation Spa Experience’ - Sep 2007
	The Sarojin Inspires New Experience and New Position - Mar 2007
	Wedding Release - 8 Feb 2007
	The Sarojin - World Luxury Romantic Hotel Award Winner 2007 - 16 May 2007
	Thai Cooking and Fruit Carving - Create your own Taste of Asia at The Sarojin - May 2007
	Andrew and Kate Kemp Receive International Service Award - 4 May 2007
	The Sarojin Khao Lak Community Fund - May 2007
	The Sarojin Celebrates First Anniversary as Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel - Sep 2006
	Experience Harmony Through Design at The Sarojin - Aug 2006
	Learn to cook an authentic Thai Jungle curry … in the Jungle! - Jul 2006
	Executive Chef Profile (Jui)