25 OUTSTANDING BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN THAILAND AWARDED. SO IF YOU ARE VISITING THAILAND, STAY IN ONE OF THESE WINNING HOTELS!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

Outstanding Thai boutique hotels conferred special awards A total of 25 outstanding Thai boutique hotels were presented with awards at a glittering ceremony presided over by the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mrs. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul. Jointly organised this year by Krungthai Card Public Co., Ltd. (KTC), Bangkok Airways, Thai Rent A Car and TripAdvisor, the awards are designed to reward the quality and standard of SME boutique hotels, and help them become more widely known both within Thailand and abroad. Other partners were Travel Channel Thailand, PPTV and 23 Perspectives. This year’s theme was ‘Think Green’ for which the main deciding criteria was participating hotels’ efforts in preserving the environment while maintaining service excellence. Congratulating the winners, Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Thawatchai Arunyik said, “In recent years, Thailand has seen a huge growth in these exclusive boutique properties offering privacy, luxury and relaxation.  "These awards are an excellent way to reward their efforts and boost their business in an era of intense competition.” Applications were open from November 2013 to February 2014, from hotels ranging in size from 3-79 rooms; showing superior design and unique, innovative ideas, and being environmentally friendly (Think Green).  The four location categories were 1) Seaside, 2) Mountain and Forest, 3) River and Lake, and 4) City. "This is the third year in which the awards have been organised. There was a two-year break since the last awards in order to allow more time for applying hotels to improve their products, landscaping, design and service standards before the inspection process. This year’s first-time involvement of TripAdvisor has given it fresh impetus by linking the use of online media to achieve rapid and sustainable growth at lower cost. The following is a full list of the Thailand Boutique Awards Season III 2014-15 award winners: Outstanding Product Awards Hmong Hilltribe – Community Award Phunacome Resort – Green Award The Library Hotel – Innovative Award City Blu Monkey Hostel – Basic Design City Hotel I u Dua On The River – Luxury Design City Hotel Tamarind Village Chiang Mai – Luxury Design City Hotel Baan Noppawong – Basic Thematic City Hotel Ping Nakara Boutique Hotel and Spa – Luxury Thematic City Hotel  River & Lake Villa Moreeda – Basic Design River Hotel Sala Rattanakosin – Luxury Design River Hotel 500 Rai Floating Resort – Basic Nature River Hotel The Float House River Kwai – Luxury Nature River Hotel Marndadee Heritage River Hotel – Basic Thematic River Hotel Praya Palazzo – Luxury Thematic River Hotel Mountain & Forest HOTEL des ARTISTS Khaoyai – Basic Design Mountain Hotel Sala Khaoyai – Luxury Design Mountain Hotel Rai Saeng Arun – Basic Nature Mountain Hotel Ramrimna – Luxury Nature Mountain Hotel Lanjia Lodge – Basic Thematic Mountain Hotel Seaside Baan Ploy Sea – Basic Design Seaside Hotel Paresa Resort – Luxury Design Seaside Hotel Chongfah Resort – Basic Nature Seaside Hotel Paradee – Luxury Nature Seaside Hotel Paree Hut Resort – Basic Thematic Seaside Hotel Devasom Hua Hin – Luxury Thematic Seaside Hotel