By Edward Carter

Dateline: Chiang Mai, Thailand, March 7, 2007
A ten-minute read

A month or so ago, after our evening at The China House, General Manager Kurt Wachtveitl and I walked over to the lobby of The Oriental, Bangkok; then, out of the blue, he asked, “Would you consider having another look at Dhara Dhevi...now that it has officially opened?”

Sidebar:
You will recall that my visit in July resulted in my article about everything that had gone wrong at the “Disastrous Dhara Dhevi.”

My readers were not surprised by my candor but hotel people all over the world were amazed by my experiences at what had been dubbed “the most glamorous and exotic new resort in the world.” “Had the Mandarin Oriental Group called to apologize?” “Did the PR woman get fired?” “My God, what did the General Manager say?”

No one called, no one wrote…except many of my readers who thanked me for saving them a bundle—they changed their plans and booked the Four Seasons Chiang Mai (which has just been awarded “Best Spa in the World” by Condé Nast Traveller readers).

But then I get invited to dinner at The China House by the Mandarin Oriental Group’s most important ambassador—Kurt Wachtveitl, forty years the General Manager of the 130-year-old Oriental Hotel Bangkok. And not just dinner, but a uniformed limo and a long intimate chat with the hero of the hotel management world (who also just happened to be the boss of the Dhara Dhevi’s general manager, and spokesman for The Mandarin Oriental Group).
End of Sidebar

Who could resist this charming man (and the fun of having another chance to debunk Dhara Dhevi)? So, breaking my most important commandment that “I travel incognito and pay my own way to be free to tell it as it is,” I smile and say, “But of course, Kurt.” TIT (This Is Thailand) after all. He-he.

Emails fly back and forth, the dates are set, and two business class, round trip, Thai Airways tickets arrive by messenger the next day! Tan, my partner and photographer, and I get out the old, hard-sided Louis Vuittons, and start to pack. I rub my hands with glee—this is going to be fun!

We leave via Suvarnabhumi (see my daily updated comedy of errors): half-an-hour walk/glide/walk to the gate, crammed departure lounge, shredded plastic wrapping on the lamps, misaligned conduit amateurly stapled to the rough concrete walls, dust already clouding the glass paneling, and an unexplained, one-hour wait to board.

We land in Chiang Mai after about an hour’s flight and are met by a white uniformed footman and a chauffeur. The car is an old, stretched Mercedes limousine…rather chic actually, except that there is a leak in the exhaust pipe right under my seat and I have a headache by the time we arrive at Dhara Dhevi. As we drive through the massive gate and down the road, I turn to Tan and say, “We’re going to turn left here to go to the lobby.”

A moment later he says, “Well, we didn’t, what’s that ahead?”

“I don’t know.” I say, “It was behind a construction wall the last time I was here.”

The new Main Lobby Building

We drive up a ramp and under a porte cochere, and there, waving and wai-ing, are Mark Bradford, the general manager, and a bevy of Thai beauties each one smiling more than the next. I think they were expecting us ;-). What a difference from last time!

This is a whole new, main lobby and, sited squarely at the end of the now straight entrance drive, centers the entire resort in a much more sensible layout.

We each get lei-d with a garland of exotic flowers by Chomphunuch Thongkham, the lovely and knowledgeable Guest Relations Manager. Then we climb into an electric golf cart with a Rolls Royce front, and Mark climbs in behind the wheel! We coast down the stone ramp and hum under curving boughs that shield a massive building from sight. Turning the final corner we pull up in front of what could only be The Colonial Suites.

What can I tell you? On my previous visit I was totally put off by the fake confection of construction that I could only describe as Thailand’s Disney Land poorly disguised as a resort hotel.

But now in front of me, standing sedately, almost stoically, is an elegant colonial building, typical of many built all over the world in the olden, more golden days. It is reminiscent of the old Sofitel in Hua-Hin, Raffles in Singapore, The O&E in Penang, or any of the grand palaces in the great watering holes of the turn of the 19th century. Those wonderful places inspired “The Grand Tour” that was obligatory for all well-monied and well-heeled travellers whose annual pilgrimages spawned the noun “tour-ists.”

The low-key, mahogany detailing is traditional, and the wall-color is a sublimely subtle, pastel yellow—exactly what I would have chosen. Yes, this place is very me…after all, I’m an old colonial sweet! (And after our candid conversations at The China House, Khun Kurt obviously knew I would love it.)

Topping it off, instead of the usual slates, are tiers of pure Lanna-style, peaked roofs. It works—perfectly…and that best describes the new Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi—I couldn’t be catty if I tried; for me it is purrfect (and it doesn’t matter who paid for the tickets).

The Colonial Suites

Our suite is lovely. The walls are covered with a linen-textured wall covering in the perfect yellow. The wide-planked floors glow and in places have mosaic or tile inlays. There is a huge entry hall with a guest lavatory, a charming sitting room with over-stuffed upholstered pieces in delightful shades of red, and floor to ceiling doors lead out to a verandah that runs the entire length of the suite. The curtains are lined and interlined and an extra layer of sheers keeps out the tropical, noonday sun. Very high ceilings, typical British wainscoting and the obligatory botanical prints hanging in the bathroom and lavatory complete the colonial ambiance.

For in-bed reading, the over-size bedroom has dim-able halogens built into the ceiling—a far cry from the bedroom I had here six months ago. In the bedroom’s sitting area and in the sitting room are armoires concealing the latest in TV/DVD/CD technology—Michael Matthews would love them!

The bathroom is almost as large as the bedroom, with a mosaic cut into the floor, a party-in shower with hand and ceiling sprays, a waltz-in loo, a swim-in Jacuzzi tub, and a walk-in closet with stealable hangers and lots of drawers.

I lost the photos of our suite in a hard disk disaster and I’m not sure of our suite number. I know we were in a deluxe colonial suite, and the baggage tags that now adorn the decanters in the bar in our home in Bangkok are numbered 1005. Anyway, when you book, be sure to ask for the one we were in unless you need two bedrooms. The following from the resort’s CD will give you an idea, but our bedroom, at 30 paces or about 50 feet, was much bigger than the larger one below…

We order lunch from our butler and eat on our long, long verandah overlooking the pool and the main lobby building beyond; the spires of the spa can be seen on the far horizon. Across a small lake are more colonial buildings. There are seven in all and the whole place looks like a university campus of slightly curious (because of the roofs) but very dignified, elegant edifices.

***

The Food

Just outside the main gate is the resort’s shopping village, Kad Dhara. Here is the Oriental Shop, a traditional tea shop serving sweet pastries and cakes, home made ice cream and fine tea and coffee...

Also in the village is Fujian, the resort’s famous Chinese restaurant. Mark invited us to join him there for dinner. I had brought a Shanghai Tang jacket for the occasion, Tan is in something equally elegant, but Mark outdoes us in sartorial splendor. I think Mark reserved the whole place for us but the chef, Jovi Cheng Kay Yan, said there was a big private party upstairs.

The restaurant is styled as a 1930s Shanghai mansion and offers great regional Chinese cuisine. We dine on Peking Duck, a steamed sea bass with a fantastic sauce, and finish with JuJub—Chinese plum ice cream! Except for the rare ice cream, this is the same menu of the dinners I used to fly from London to New York every four months or so to have at Shun Lee Palace—Michael Tong’s restaurant on East 55th Street. It’s better here. As the Michelin Guide might say, it’s worth the journey!

Mark is a charming man and loves living in Thailand. He’s worked at some of the world’s great hotels and spent five years as hotel manager under Khun Kurt at The Oriental Bangkok. He is even so charming to say that my super-critical article on my previous visit to Dhara Dhevi was fair and helpful. I thank him for his welcoming note that I found in our suite upon arrival, as well as for all the beautiful flowers, Champagne, cookies, and chocolates that appeared as if by magic.

The next morning we have breakfast at the Rice Terrace. It serves a spa menu and we even try the liquefied grass – ugh! Anyway the orange juice and the buckwheat pancakes are good.

The second night we dine at the resort’s French restaurant, Farang Ses. They should rename it “Simon Says” because it sets an example almost every restaurant in the world would do well copying. It is a balmy night…we spray our ankles, and eat on the terrace, personally served by Philipp Knuepfer, the resort’s food and beverage manager, and the chef of Farang Ses, Simon Larese.

We start with langoustine and white asparagus, follow with truffle-covered pasta, and the most tender sirloin steaks we have ever tasted. As the Michelin Guide might say, it’s worth the journey! As a matter of fact, the world’s 3-Michelin-starred chefs often come to cook both here and at The Oriental in Bangkok but, frankly, I don’t see how anyone could have improved on tonight’s dinner under the stars—seriously good food.

(It was interesting to me to see what was once billed as the resort’s centerpiece and raison d’etre—"The Village on the Rice Farm"—has now faded to become simply the backdrop to great food and wine and spa services of this great colonial hotel. It needs be nothing else.)

***

The Spa

Exterior of Spa Reception Building

Six months ago, this structure was the resort’s main lobby. It seemed over-theatrical and badly planned to me. But now, as the reception for the Dheva Spa and Wellness Retreat to which it is linked architecturally, physically, and spiritually, it all makes sense.

Spa Reception

Modeled on the breathtaking, antique Royal Palace of Mandalay, and constructed of golden teakwood, the Dheva Spa and Wellness Retreat includes a 3100-square-metre Holistic Spa and Ayurvedic Centre with 25 treatment rooms, Watsu Pool, Hammam, Rissoul, Vichy Shower, and Hydro-therapy Bath, all set in an environment of absolute luxury.

The Spa

In our suite is a 28-page, hard-cover book describing the spa treatments. We make an appointment and following an intensive investigatory interview by Tisna Prapansiri, the Spa Manager (very professional; very nice), Tan and I each have two separate treatments spread over two days. As the Michelin Guide might say, it’s worth the journey!

***

The Bottom Line: What six months ago was a jumble of ambitions…all unachieved, has evolved into a cohesive whole—a classical colonial hotel securely ensconced next door to what is best described as a restored Lanna village containing extraordinary architectural marvels to house those who have come to wine and dine, and partake of the now famous Dheva Spa and Wellness Retreat.

As the Michelin Guide might say, it’s worth the journey!

Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai
51/4 Chiang Mai – Sankampaeng Road
Moo 1 T. Tasala A. Muang
Chiang Mai 50000. Thailand
Telephone: +66 (53) 888 888
Fax: +66 (53) 888 999
E-mail: mocnx-enquiry@mohg.com
www.mandarinoriental.com

***

Compare this report with the one of my visit last summer.
Read all my reports of Chiang Mai and The Golden Triangle.
Read my report on Khun Kurt and The China House restaurant.
Read my report on The Oriental, Bangkok.

Update: April 2010

"THAILAND'S LONGEST SERVING, LEGENDARY HOTELIER BESTOWED ROYAL DECORATION FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY"

Mr. Kurt Wachtveitl, former legendary General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, and currently Special Advisor to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, was recently bestowed "The 5th Class of Our Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn" Royal Decoration during a ceremony presided over by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Suraphon Svetasrani (far right). Mr. Kurt was presented with this accolade and Royal insignia for his most valuable contribution to the hospitality industry in Thailand during his record-breaking 41-year tenure at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok (1967-2008).

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