Hi friends! Well, this post has been a long time coming, no? Sorry for the delay, but this Thailand content is both amazing and extremely intimidating. If you saw yesterday’s Instagram story, you’d know why. Yikes, right? Not to mention I’ve basically been in a transition state since June. Oh, and this was basically my post-divorce solo recovery retreat, which is something I really want to share but is also personally a bit difficult for me to do. Do I show you the superficial side of the trip or dig deeper? I’m opting to go deeper in hopes of helping anyone else out there recovering from or enduring a difficult time.
Anywho, because this content takes so long to create, I’m going to be releasing it bit by bit. That way I can also get more seasonal / time relevant content at the same time. But back to my Thailand trip from earlier this year…yea! I got a luxury pool villa in Thailand. And it was totally epic! Be sure to check out the video to get a full tour of the villa. But first, let’s start at the beginning.
*VIDEO* Luxury Pool Villa and Epic Breakfast Buffet | Evason Hua Hin Luxury Resort | Thailand Vlog
There’s definitely a lot more content in this accompanying vlog, so I highly recommend watching it for extra content.
Click here to view the Thailand vlog if the above player doesn’t work.
Why Did I Go to Thailand?
So, the whole reason I went to Thailand was because one of my best friends was getting married there.
But the timing worked out for a personal reason too. With my divorce in process, it seemed like a good time to take a solo trip for some recovery QT prior to meeting up with the rest of the wedding group. While I actually looked into doing a yoga or meditation retreat, I wasn’t able to find what I was looking for. So…I sort of made up my own. Side note: I think it would be totally awesome to host a divorce recovery retreat one day. If such a retreat existed, I would have jumped on the opportunity. So maybe one day I can create this to help others? Whenever I don’t see the thing that would have helped me, I wonder…maybe I should make it/
Anywho, this trip was terrifying, liberating, confusing, and amazing all at one time. Having never traveled solo before (other than work trips), the experience was totally new to me. While I’d like to say that I fearlessly jumped into this trip, I have to be honest. I did not.
I was super anxious and nervous leading up to the trip. And during it, I often felt awkward and uncomfortable. Even sitting on the plane, my mind ran away for a bit as I thought, “Wait, self…what are you doing?! You’re on a plane to Thailand. The other side of the world. YOU DON’T EVEN SPEAK THAI!” There were many reminders along the way that I was, in fact, no longer married. Two welcome drinks at one of the hotels? Gee, thanks. And those various reminders were hard to handle. But like anyone putting themselves into a totally new position and looking for growth and strength, I had to keep moving forward and focusing on the good. And there was a lot of it!
Overall, I sort of felt like (as cheesy as this is) that I found myself in Thailand. Like I remembered I was strong before my marriage and that I will continue to own that strength as long as I remember to do so. And I’m so glad I pushed past my fear because the experience has surely touched my life forever and truly helped me find my way.
First Emirates Flight
Truth be told, I’m not much of a traveler. Prior to this trip, I’ve traveled a bit around the US (mostly for work) and have visited only two other countries: France and the Bahamas. So to plan the trip, I enlisted the help of my well-seasoned travel buddies, J and A. J happened to be the groom of the wedding, so that helped. Haha. He knew better than anyone exactly where I was going and how to get there. I mean…he had to write the directions for the wedding guests. Lol!
J helped me plan flights, which was perfect because I knew nothing about international flight options. His top suggestion – Emirates. And I was not let down. In fact, I’m now completely spoiled because Emirates was so absolutely amazing. And no, this isn’t sponsored. None of this series is.
The only downside was that my backpack counted as a “carry on”, not a personal item, so I ended up traveling with only my backpack, which was loaded with camera and vlog/blog equipment. I hoped my luggage would arrive because literally all of my clothes were now checked.
Emirates customer service is top of the line. And I couldn’t believe how good the plane food was. Above is one sample meal photo, but I shared everything I ate in the vlog. And best of all – I never went hungry. There was always something to eat. And when there weren’t planned meals, you could ask a flight attendant for food. Not that I ever had to. The only downside was that I was so confused about the timing of everything. But this was simply due to the long trip.
I was a bit late packing (surprise, surprise), so I skipped dinner in a rush to get to the airport. I tried to find something at the airport but to no avail. My flight left around 10:30pm and wouldn’t you know it, as soon as we got in the air they were serving a meal. Woop! I think it was “dinner” but who knows. After this point, I became completely lost in time. I ate, slept, watched some movies, and repeated for hours and hours. Mostly I ate and watched movies. You plane sleepers are a lucky group. It’s not so easy for me.
The first flight was (I think) 12 hours? And the second was about 6 or 7. There was a stop in Dubai, which was sadly at night so I didn’t get to see any of the famous structures. I was so terrified about getting lost in the airport and/or missing my connection, but the airport was well organized, and the signs were super clear. Phew!
By the time I arrived in Thailand, it was about 7:30am Thailand time. On a Friday. Funny how time zones and travel work. Oh, and my bags came out together right on time. Yay! We were off to a great start.
Traveling Through Thailand
Because I was traveling solo, and internationally!, for the first time, I did not want to mess around with getting lost in Thailand. So I paid extra to have car service via the resort. They picked me up right at the airport with the cutest sign and whisked me away to my resort.
I was already headed 3 hours south for the wedding hotel, so I tacked on another hour because that’s where I found some amazing luxury resorts that were pretty reasonably priced. So yeaaaa, I ended up traveling roughly 24 hours in total. It was exhausting, but I’d do it again hands down.
Anywho, a bonus of having my own car was they knew where a clean bathroom was for a pit stop. And they arrived with bottled water in the car! This was great, because I hadn’t exchanged USD for baht yet and I literally couldn’t buy anything at the airport. #fail I really wanted to get a bubble tea but…denied!
The drive was really interesting. There were some times when I felt like I was in the US still. Until I saw a sign or temple. The temples were so cool!
The wedding was in Hua Hin, which is about 3 hours south of Bangkok. While I explored the idea of going to Bali or a different area of Thailand for my solo portion of the trip, I ultimately decided to keep things simple and stress-free. But still stay somewhere different than the wedding venue. Thus the additional hour of the trip.
Oh, and because I was so anxious about the trip, I waited until the last minute to book the resort. I guess it was analysis paralysis. So, I ended up having to book two different resorts due to room availability.
Did I mention that I actually didn’t have a room for one night of the trip? Yup, for the night just before my reservation at the wedding venue. Worst case, I knew I could crash with a fellow wedding guest. Or at least that’s what I hoped.
I’m learning to not maintain such a tight grip on planning everything and being more spontaneous. And I have to say…it’s pretty fun! Staying at two different resorts ended up being a super cool experience!
Evason Hua Hin Luxury Resort
The first resort I booked was Evason Hua Hin. I chose this one because the photos of this place were absolutely stunning online. It almost didn’t seem like a place so beautiful could exist. But it did, and I have the photos to prove it. If it was even possible, Evason looked even more gorgeous in person.
I mean, just look at their registration / check-in building. That’s my photo. I took that. For real!
The car dropped me off at a first gate, and then a golf cart took me on a short trip for check-in. In the beautiful, open-air check-in area, I was greeted with a hand towel and a fruit drink. I’m not sure what it was, but it was tasty and refreshing after the long trip.
In a stunned state of awe and jet lag, I wandered through the resort marveling how magical it looked. And I almost instantly regretted only booking one night here.
The Bar | Pool Side Classic Thai Lunch
Despite all the Emirates food, I was hungry again around lunch time. So I stopped at the first restaurant I found (there are I think four total at Evason, though some are not open on certain nights…or maybe that’s because I think we were in low season). “The Bar” had a lovely menu, and I easily selected a Thai tea for a drink.
Followed by fresh rolls that were truly refreshing.
And then green curry with chicken and rice.
The food was amazing, and I’m still surprised at how affordable it all was. While I’m now kicking myself for not taking better notes on costs, I’m pretty sure this meal cost about half or less of what it would have in America.
This was definitely a moment of many where I wanted to pinch myself like this was just a dream. I mean, here I was…having Thai food..IN THAILAND?! What is life?!
Some of the best travel advice came from my friend V who is from Indonesia. He said to try to get onto the new timezone as soon as possible and to shoot for going to bed no earlier than 8pm Thailand time. And this would reduce jet lag. So, I ordered this soy latte to help me stay awake. It was delicious and came with an adorable little cookie.
So I sat in this outdoor area, sipping my soy latte, and telling myself that this was really happening.
I Got a Luxury Pool Villa in Thailand?! Oh Yes, I Did!
So, now the part you may be wondering about. I got a luxury pool villa in Thailand? You bet your sweet a$$ I did. Hotels in Thailand were shockingly affordable. So I figured I’d treat myself to at least one luxury resort. #treatyoself
The pool villa was like a tiny house all to me. And it came with it’s own private pool. And the most beautiful fruit bowl. I did a full walk-through on the vlog, so be sure to watch that if you want to see the whole thing. I mean…it had an outdoor shower. How cool is that?!
The bed was amazingly comfortable, and the whole thing was so picturesque. While I was a little nervous about traveling alone (from a safety standpoint), I felt totally at ease here. If only I could stay longer!
A pool all to me? This is like that scene where Kevin McAllister gets his own cheese pizza. But better!
The skies were blue, the sun was bright, and the weather was a warm but nice temperature.
I was remembering how amazing life can be when you go out there and make it so.
Six Senses Spa at Evason Hua Hin Thailand
My pool villa stay came with a massage at the amazing Six Senses Spa. Shortly after booking my stay online, someone from the team emailed to let me know that they had scheduled a massage for me. Since the date/time wasn’t what I had in mind, I replied asking for a different slot. They quickly rescheduled for me. So the booking process was very simple.
The above photo is their open air check-in area for the spa. As soon as you walk in, it feels peaceful and serene. There’s a little fountain element, and some cute, natural lifestyle products on sale in a gift shop like area. And I ended up taking home one of the lotions. Bath and body products are one of my favorite souvenirs to bring home because you get to enjoy the item without it cluttering up your home like some travel souvenirs can.
Truth be told, this next scene is one of the major reasons I wanted to book here.
Are you ready?
Are you sure?
Okayyy…
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So this is what the inside of the spa looks like…
Just LOOK AT THIS! I mean…there are no words.
So you check in at the spa and you get to use their facility, which includes a steam room (if I remember correctly) and a super cute outdoor lounge area. When it’s time for your massage, you are guided down this wooden path, through this water scene, and into one of these little cottages. And this is where you get your massage.
The massage itself was lovely and definitely helped me further relax into my vacation. Ahhhhhhh…
And at the end, you’re greeted with some fruit and hot tea. Divine.
Kieng Sah Restaurant | Dinner at Evason Hua Hin Thailand
That evening, I had a romantic dinner for one. Seriously, Kieng Sah had a beautiful outdoor patio that was candlelit and so perfect for couples. But I thought, hey…I can go solo. Why let the couples have all the fun, right?
I went for the Pad Thai Jae. Luckily, this photo has menu prices. And I just ran this through the latest Google calculations. 330 baht is roughly $10.20 USD. And this is the fancy restaurant, guys!
Although the prices were super affordable compared to what I’m used to, Evason did not cut corners on quality. All of the food I enjoyed here was super fresh and artfully prepared. From my casual lunch to my “romantic” dinner. Let’s call it a self-love dinner, eh?
And I couldn’t resist mango sticky rice for dessert. Do you see what I see? I got a whole mango to myself. Woop!
Evason Hua Hin Review
So, I do have a bit more from this trip to share by way of photos of Evason’s amazing breakfast buffet, which I’ll share in a separate blog post. But since this post is more about the general resort, I wanted to share a mini review here.
If you can’t tell by the above photos and text, Evason Hua Hin blew me away. I loved every moment and would happily return (and really hope to do so one day!).
The Downsides
If you’re looking for a beach hotel, this resort is not on the beach, though it is on the water. There’s a snippet of what the back of the resort looks like in my vlog. However, there is a free shuttle that goes to a nearby beach on a frequent basis. Should be about a 10-15 minute ride. And funny enough, it takes you to the same beach as the one my next resort was on – just a bit further down and close to this photo-worthy mini-mountain. The beach itself is okay, but it stretches on for some way, so you can get a nice walk in.
The Upsides
Where do I start? There are rooms in all prices. You don’t have to splurge for a pool villa to enjoy Evason. The whole facility is clean and beautifully kept. The place is a well-oiled machine: very organized and punctual. They totally were there right on time when I landed at the airport, which made me feel so much better. And this really helps you ease in and forget your stresses.
Every single person on the team was lovely and made me feel like a welcomed guest. The food was amazing. The prices of everything were very reasonable. The spa is lovely and has many different services available. Plus there is a nice pool area with plenty of chairs. And if you’re looking for more, Evason offers the ability to purchase packages to see local attractions or do activities. For my vegan friends, there is a vegan cooking school there! And vegan options on (I believe) every menu. But you don’t have to be vegan to participate in cooking classes. They have regular ones too.
Special Note
I was very sad and heartbroken going into this trip. It was a time in my life when few things were making me happy. So for any bursts of joy, I was grateful. And Evason certainly lifted me up with it’s beautiful scenery, delicious eats, luxurious accommodations, and warm and friendly staff. If a resort could give you a comforting hug when you needed it, Evason did just that.
So, thank you, Evason team.
More Travel Blog Posts and Vlogs
Stay tuned for part 2 of my Thailand 2018 Trip blog and vlog series!
Here was my last beach trip prior to this – my annual Kiawah birthday vacation in 2017
Click here for my NYC related content
And click here for all my other travel content
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Thanks so much for reading this about about me getting a luxury pool villa at Evason Hua Hin in Thailand. Check back soon for part 2 – the epic breakfast buffet!