Amari Pulse

Situated near the sea in Thailand’s royal beach town, Amari Hua Hin is scheduled to open on 15 August 2012.

Amari Hua Hin is close to both Khao Takiab and the town centre of Hua Hin – making it an ideal choice for families, friends and couples.

This property will feature all of the comforts expected from an Amari resort in addition to exciting new concepts designed to make guests’ experiences truly unforgettable.

Take a look at the latest photos and tell us what you think!

We asked the Executive Chef of Joe’s Restaurant in London to write about her recent experience at Amari Orchid Pattaya’s 2nd annual Gourmet Festival at Mantra Restaurant and Bar.

My name’s Maria Elia and I am a chef from the UK. Here’s a little bit about me…

I’m totally in love with cooking and have been since I was four years old (quite a few years ago!!). I used to finish nursery school and visit my parent’s restaurant where I’d sit and watch my dad cook. My love affair with cooking has blossomed ever since.

Last March, I travelled to Thailand to take part in the second Pattaya Gourmet Festival. I’d first been there fifteen years ago where I spent eight weeks travelling around the country. It was my first introduction to Asian food and I have been fascinated by their culinary offerings ever since.

This year’s event was a fantastic week-long celebration of great food and wines. It was such a great experience to meet the other chefs: Steven Snow from Australia, Chan Kam Yuen from Hong Kong and the very handsome Yannick Ollivier Cayrol from France! We shared a prep kitchen and got along famously.

Throughout the week, we each created dishes and canapes for various wine tasting dinners. I served seared scallops with soutzouki (a spiced Greek sausage) and watermelon with an oregano raisin dressing as a third course. It matched the Sauvignon Blanc beautifully.

The Grand Finale dinner was a great success. All four guest chefs along with Kai the Amari Orchid Pattaya’s Executive Chef cooking a course. I prepared the sixth course: Rabbit three ways with a Greek twist!

It was a perfect way to end a spectacular week and all of us were sad to say goodbye to our wonderful Thai chef assistants- who couldn’t have helped us more.

The service at the Amari Orchid Pattaya is second to none, we were so well looked after. My room was luxurious, modern and spacious- overlooking the beautiful garden and pools. One of most favourite thing about the hotel- the scent of fresh Jasmine flowers everywhere!

I had the most amazing adventure and was thrilled to be part of the festival. I learnt a lot and my taste buds were totally inspired!

Thank you Amari for being the most perfect hosts

Find out more about Mari Elia at www.thisismariaelia.com or follower her on Twitter at @thisismariaelia.com

Guest blogger Ian Borromeo recounts his first experiences of Thailand. In this two part series, Ian shares his impressions of Phuket and Bangkok during his five day stay. 

Enjoy!

Touchdown Thailand!
I’m not quite sure when I first wanted to visit Thailand but I do know it was a desire from long ago. The people and culture appeared to be similar to mine - I’m of Asian descent - yet so unique and mysterious that I had always wanted to find out how special this country really is.

Last month I finally had my first opportunity to travel to Thailand. Although it would only be for a couple of days in Phuket and Bangkok, this was still a dream come true.

Impressions of Phuket
After hours of travelling, I found myself laying on a soft white bed relaxing to the sounds of the waves echoing into my senses at Amari Coral Beach Phuket. With elegantly decorated rooms in contemporary Thai style, this was truly paradise.

Having been up for more than 17 hours, I settled down for much needed rest and relaxation, excited by the prospect of island hopping the next day.

Island Hopping
Bright and early, we went to James Bond Island for a day of island hopping. This was pretty amazing. Swimming on a beach in absolute privacy was a genuine highlight. These islands were like nothing else I'd ever seen - crystal clear water, white sands and enormous limestone rocks jutting out of the water- such a dramatic landscape!

That evening we headed off to witness the world class performance of Thai artists at Siam Niramit which was indeed a brilliant show. It was like watching a Las Vegas production, with overwhelming lights, sounds and visual effects. The remarkable talents and artistry of each performer definitely leaves you wanting more.

Next Destination, Bangkok
After two memorable days in Phuket, we left for a much anticipated three days in Bangkok.

Find out more about Ian’s experience of Bangkok in our next post.