Today we’re focusing on Thailand, where the key selling point is that there are no price increases for May Day, summer vacation, and National Day! Most of today’s packages reflect this offer.
It’s quite normal for Thailand to have unchanged prices during May Day, summer vacation, and National Day, as these are not considered peak travel seasons (the traditional peak season in Thailand is from November to April). However, before the pandemic, when the proportion of Chinese tourists was high, some hotels would still raise prices during Chinese holidays.
For this wave of Thailand offers today, I recommend stocking up for the following reasons:
– Such extensive promotions for Thailand from Ctrip happen only about 2-3 times a year.
– The validity of this promotion is particularly long, generally lasting until October or November this year; packages with a long validity period are definitely worth stocking up on.
– Since May Day, summer vacation, and National Day are not peak seasons in Thailand, most of today’s packages feature no additional charges for these holidays.
– The Thai government has announced that from April 1 to 21 this year, various locations in Thailand will co-host a 21-day Songkran Festival. There are quite a few packages available that do not have price increases during this event as well.
– All packages are fully refundable, even if expired, and can be canceled anytime, so you can stock up with peace of mind.
– Additionally! At this very moment, I am in Thailand, specifically to be part of Ctrip’s large promotion for Thailand.
What’s on today?
All products will go on sale promptly at midnight. I’ve literally said this a hundred times: I really dislike things being available for purchase at midnight.
This spring promotion from Ctrip also starts at midnight, and previously I would have posted in the morning. However, for this Thailand promotion, we have to be on time because I’m worried there will be limited availability for May Day and National Day, and if we delay, all the bookings may be gone.
*sigh*
Since the international amounts can be substantial, I recommend that everyone use coupons for products located overseas whenever possible.
By entering the keywords “xiyou songli” in the Ctrip app, you can access a page to receive discount coupons. Please remember to click after searching.
The discount coupons are as follows:
– Spend 599 and get 30 off
– Spend 1599 and get 80 off
– Spend 3000 and get 100 off
– Spend 6000 and get 120 off
– Spend 15000 and get 318 off
If you invite three friends successfully, you can receive additional coupons:
– Spend 599 and get 50 off
– Spend 1599 and get 100 off
– Spend 3000 and get 150 off
– Spend 10000 and get 200 off
– Spend 28000 and get 888 off
The prices listed below are before applying the discounts.
Also, please keep in mind that the prices for Ctrip’s international packages are based on local prices, so fluctuations in exchange rates will create some price variability. The prices mentioned in the article may vary by a few to several tens of dollars at different times.
**Bangkok**
– HOMM Sukhumvit 34 Hotel (Banyan Tree Group) 2 nights with breakfast, 891 yuan
– Sukhumvit Park Marriott Executive Apartments Studio for 3 nights (no breakfast), 1996 yuan
– Banyan Tree Bangkok Club Floor Room for 3 nights with breakfast + Executive Benefits, 3562 yuan
– Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok Deluxe Room for 1 night with breakfast, 510 yuan
**Koh Samui**
– Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui Preferred Terrace King Suite for 2 nights with breakfast, 3328 yuan
– Holiday Inn Resort Koh Samui Bophut Beach for 2 nights with breakfast (free upgrade to standard garden view room), 1603 yuan
**Chiang Mai**
– Melia Chiang Mai for 2 nights with breakfast + 1000 THB in restaurant credit, 1558 yuan.
– MGallery by Sofitel Veranda Chiang Mai for 2 nights with breakfast + free extra bed + two complimentary activities arranged by the resort, 1393 yuan.
– Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites One-bedroom for 2 nights with breakfast, 4007 yuan; Two-bedroom for 2 nights with breakfast, 6678 yuan.
– Milatape Boutique Hotel Chiang Mai Garden View Double Room for 2 nights with breakfast, 666 yuan; Deluxe Double Room for 2 nights with breakfast, 754 yuan.
**Phuket**
– Kata Thani Phuket Beach Resort Villa for 1 night with breakfast + afternoon tea, 1895 yuan; Beachfront Pool Villa for 2 nights with breakfast + afternoon tea, 3679 yuan.
– Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bang Tao 2 nights with breakfast, 533 yuan.
**Others**
– InterContinental Pattaya Ocean View Room for 2 nights with breakfast, 2137 yuan.
Let me go through these one by one.
**Must-Have Hot Picks:**
1) Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui Preferred Terrace King Suite for 2 nights with breakfast, 3328 yuan
Valid until June 30, 2024, with no price increase for Qingming, May Day, or Dragon Boat Festival.
Listen to me. Stock up on this one. I’m going to stay there myself next week, and I’ll provide everyone with a detailed report afterward.
The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui is part of YTL (YTL Hotels Group), which has two top properties in Thailand, one in Phuket and the other being the Ritz in Samui.
The Ritz opened in 2017 and is nestled in a private bay offering a stunning environment. I found some images on YTL’s official site for everyone to check out. If you want real photos, just wait a few more days as I’m heading there soon.
Additionally, the Ritz-Carlton Samui has its own private beach.
The hotel features 175 suites or villas. This time, we’re looking at the Preferred Terrace King Suite, which is a second-tier room type, covering 93 square meters with a terrace and a great view.
The Ritz-Carlton isn’t cheap, at the base level the regular price is about 2000 yuan per night. Our second-tier room type is 3328 yuan for 2 nights with breakfast, and it has no price increase during Qingming, May Day, or Dragon Boat Festival, making it definitely worth stocking up on.
2) Kata Thani Phuket Beach Resort Villa for 1 night with breakfast + afternoon tea, 1895 yuan; Beachfront Pool Villa for 2 nights with breakfast + afternoon tea, 3679 yuan
Valid until December 21, 2024, with a price supplement of 446 yuan per night from April 1-16, and no additional charge for other dates (no charge for summer holidays or National Day), with a supplement of 446 yuan per night in December.
Listen to me, stock up first, and book for May Day, summer holiday, and National Day. Let me put it this way: during today’s Ctrip Boss live broadcast, only one hotel was featured, which means it’s probably the best offer!
Additionally, I am currently in this hotel; I won’t have time for a report today, but I will have a detailed one coming out soon. Anyway, it’s both good and cost-effective.
Highlights of Kata Thani Phuket Beach Resort:
– The location is fantastic, situated on Little Kata Beach, with only two hotels on an 850-meter stretch (Kata Thani Beach Resort and Kata Thani Resort), both owned by the same owner.
– No price increase for May Day, summer holidays, or National Day. They also have no price increase in November when Phuket enters its peak season.
– This is the hotel with the most ocean-view villas in Phuket, with a total of 98 villas, 82 of which have ocean views.
– Every villa comes with a private pool that is temperature-controlled, allowing swimming anytime, day or night.
– The service is guaranteed, as the hotel employs over 120 staff members for 98 villas. The staff-to-room ratio exceeds 1.2, and those 120+ staff do not include management and support departments (like finance and procurement).
– Adults only, with a maximum of 2 guests per room; children under 18 are not permitted (two-bedroom villas can accommodate 2 adults and 2 older children over 12).
– Given these conditions, the hotel maintains a peaceful atmosphere, perfect for honeymooners.
The package has no price increase for May Day, summer, or National Day. Looking at National Day calendars, prices have already surged to over 3300 yuan per night without afternoon tea.
3) HOMM Sukhumvit 34 Hotel (Banyan Tree Group) 2 nights with breakfast, 891 yuan
Valid until October 31, 2024; not valid during the Songkran Festival (April 13-17), but no additional charges on all other dates. Bangkok has a vibrant Songkran atmosphere throughout early to mid-April.
The HOMM Sukhumvit 34 Hotel is part of the Banyan Tree Group, which opened in 2022 and is located in the central Sukhumvit area of Bangkok.
Those familiar with Bangkok know that Sukhumvit is the trendiest and most creative district, filled with numerous restaurants, bars, and cafes. It’s often said that Sukhumvit is like the Pudong area in Shanghai.
The basic room is 30 square meters, and since the hotel opened in 2022 under the Banyan Tree brand, the quality won’t disappoint.
This package is great for anyone heading to Bangkok—prime city location, long validity, high cost-effectiveness, with no extra charges for May Day, summer holiday, or National Day. It’s a deal you shouldn’t miss.
4) Sukhumvit Park Marriott Executive Apartments Studio for 3 nights (no breakfast), 1996 yuan
Valid until October 31, 2024, with no price increase on all dates (including Songkran Festival, May Day, summer holiday, and National Day).
This hotel is also in Sukhumvit, having opened in 2009 and recently renovated in 2019.
The price difference between the package and the regular price is significant; basically, the two nights price is equivalent to three nights with the package. And again, no price increases during Songkran, May Day, summer holidays, or National Day.
It’s worth stocking up on.
The studio apartment is the basic type, measuring 45 square meters. As an executive apartment by Marriott, it includes kitchen facilities.
5) Banyan Tree Bangkok Club Floor Room for 3 nights with breakfast + Executive Benefits, 3562 yuan
Valid until November 30, 2024; not valid from October 1 to 10; no extra charges for Songkran Festival, May Day, or summer holiday.
Banyan Tree Bangkok is nicely located in the bustling Silom commercial district, right next to COMO, which I also enjoy.
The hotel’s Moon Bar on the rooftop is one of Bangkok’s famous rooftop bars, so if you decide to stay there, you definitely need to enjoy a drink while taking in the stunning night views of Bangkok.
Many who don’t stay at the Banyan Tree still go to the Moon Bar for a drink and to appreciate the view.
This package includes a Club Floor room, which is a premium room type at Banyan Tree, equivalent to an executive room in other hotels and comes with additional benefits (afternoon tea in the lounge, happy hour, etc.).
Banyan Tree’s executive benefits are not to be missed.
6) Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok Deluxe Room for 1 night with breakfast, 510 yuan
Valid until November 30, 2024; not valid from September 6 to 10; no extra charges on all other dates (including Songkran Festival, May Day, summer holiday, or National Day).
I really like the location of the Holiday Inn Silom, which is near the Surasak BTS station and the Chao Phraya River, making it very convenient to use the boat service.
To put it this way, other well-known hotels like MO, Shangri-La, and the Peninsula are also around this area.
One downside of the Holiday Inn is that it is a relatively older hotel, having opened in 1990 (though it was renovated in 2017). The Deluxe Room is the standard offering with an area of 32 square meters.
The difference in price between the package and the regular rate is minimal; basically, the package includes a double breakfast on top of the room rate.
Nonetheless, the long validity and no price increases during the Songkran Festival, May Day, summer holidays, or National Day make this a very attractive option.
**Koh Samui**
7) Holiday Inn Resort Koh Samui Bophut Beach for 2 nights with breakfast (free upgrade to standard garden view room), 1603 yuan
Valid until June 30, 2024; additional charges apply in March and April, but no price increases in May and June (no additional charges for May Day or Dragon Boat Festival).
This Holiday Inn is located on Bophut Beach. Chaweng Beach, Mae Nam Beach, and Bophut Beach are the three major beaches in Koh Samui that are well-developed with a wealth of resorts and night markets.
The hotel is beachfront, has a nice beach, and is part of IHG, ensuring a pleasant vacation experience.
This hotel is particularly family-friendly, with a large indoor and outdoor children’s playground.
The package includes a room that leads directly onto the garden (on the ground floor), with a balcony that opens up to the garden and pool, making the beach accessible relatively easily.
This room type is 32 square meters, part of the IHG chain, and quite new, offering controlled quality.
**Chiang Mai**
8) Melia Chiang Mai for 2 nights with breakfast + 1000 THB in restaurant credit, 1558 yuan
Valid until October 31, 2024; not valid from September 11 to 14; no extra charges on May Day or summer holidays, with additional charges of 112 THB/night during the Songkran Festival (April 12-15) and from April 22-25, and 279 THB per night during National Day (October 1-7).
Melia Chiang Mai opened in 2022 and is conveniently located near the Night Bazaar and Warorot Market, making transportation, dining, and entertainment easy to access.
The hotel has a rooftop bar where, given that Chiang Mai is not a high-rise city, you can enjoy panoramic views of the city, even spotting Doi Suthep.
The package offers 1000 THB in restaurant credit that can be redeemed in the hotel’s restaurants.
Rooms in Melia Chiang Mai are elegantly designed in white tones, giving them a high aesthetic value. Melia is a Spanish hotel brand, with properties in Chengdu and Chongqing.
Regular rates for Chiang Mai Melia are around 800 THB per night without breakfast, so this package costing 1558 THB for two nights effectively adds breakfast while providing an additional 1000 THB (about 200 RMB) for food.
9) Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites One-bedroom Suite for 2 nights with breakfast, 4007 yuan
Valid until September 30, 2024; no price increase during May Day or summer holidays; not valid during Songkran Festival (April 12-15).
Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites faces the Anantara Chiang Mai Hotel, allowing guests in the suites to share amenities with the hotel.
The serviced suites have 7 floors with only 25 suites. On the seventh floor, which is relatively high for Chiang Mai, you can enjoy views of a large area. Here’s a picture of the infinity pool at the Anantara Serviced Suites—it looks amazing, right?
