In March 2024, I checked into the Heritage Railcar 1-Bedroom Villa at InterContinental Khao Yai Resort. Set within the mountainous region of Khao Yai in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province, the 64-key property spans 19 hectares of lush landscape, interspersed with lakes inhabited by an abundance of swans.
Nearby attractions include Khao Yai National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 30 minutes away which is incidentally famed for its Heo Suwat waterfall featured in Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2000 film “The Beach”; GranMonte Vineyard and Winery, one of Thailand’s notable wine makers; and Toscana Valley, an Italian-themed mixed development with a variety of F&B options. The resort is a three-hour ride from Bangkok by car, and the area is often referred to as “Europe in Thailand” due to the abundance of European-themed resorts with very elaborate designs.
The property is designed by Bill Bensley, who is also responsible for the distinctive visuals of Capella Ubud, Shinta Mani Wild, InterContinental Danang, Capella Hanoi and Park Hyatt Siem Reap.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Bill Bensley-designed locomotive and nature fantasy escapism in Thailand.
The must-dos (if any): Take plenty of photos within the resort, spend time in your beautiful train-themed accommodation, take a stroll around Swan Lake, have dinner at Somying’s Kitchen, enjoy live music after hours at Papillon.
INTERCONTINENTAL KHAO YAI RESORT
The train-themed resort takes its inspiration from the region’s history as the gateway for train travel to Northeastern Thailand during King Rama V’s reign, as well as from the real 19th-century Pak Chong Railway station. Upon your drop-off at the entrance driveway (look out for the cute light-up traffic light installation), you are invited to strike the stationmaster’s bell and herald your grand arrival before being escorted to the reception, which is designed to resemble a ticketing booth. The public spaces are furnished with railway-related memorabilia, from vintage leather trunks and old tickets to station signboards and model railway kits.
The locomotive adventures continue after check-in – the resort offers 45 guest rooms within the main buildings which offer dramatic train-inspired designs, while the hotel’s retail boutique, Planet Trekkers kids’ club, Back on Track spa treatment rooms, F&B concepts Papillon, Poirot and Tea Carriage as well as the hotel’s luxurious suites and villas are housed within actual upcycled vintage railway carriages. During my visit, I also managed to try out the new railcar transfer service (under pilot testing) which runs along actual tracks and ferries guests from the entrance to different parts of the resort.
In terms of wellness, Back on Track spa offers a selection of beauty treatments. The sprawling resort also boasts a fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool as well as multiple biking paths and jogging trails around beautiful lakes which serve as home to families of koi fish and both black and white swans (who can be very, very active – I managed to observe an exhilarating race between two particularly athletic birds).
HERITAGE RAILCAR 1 BEDROOM VILLA
Housed within an upcycled vintage railway carriage, the 109sqm Heritage Railcar 1-Bedroom Villa certainly made for a memorable setting. The air-conditioned villa is decked in plush furniture, hard wood and marble textures, floral motifs as well as shades of teal and saucy red. The lounge and bedroom are located on opposite ends of the long, narrow carriage, with the wardrobe, toilet and shower spaces in the middle. The futon-style bed rests on an elevated platform, with air-conditioning vents on both sides of the bed for an optimally cool slumber situation.
The pantry is stocked with Nespresso coffee as well as single origin coffee and teas from Thai specialty brand Om Koi and Monteaco respectively, while the minibar offers assorted snacks, a combination of canned and bottled beverages as well as bottles of Chalong Bay rum, Chivas Regal whisky and Beefeater gin.
Doors in the lounge and bedroom lead out to an outdoor patio with daybeds and sofas as well as a Victorian era bathtub which stands proudly amidst the lush verdant proceedings and in full view of the villas on your left and right, perfect for moments of nudist liberation or Desperate Housewives/Sex & The City-esque moments of long-distance voyeuristic seduction. (There are curtains, but you will still require dexterity of bodily hide-and-seek or assistance from your villa companion to preserve full modesty.)
The marble-clad rainfall shower space offers full-size Bal d’Afrique amenities from Byredo.
DINING
Breakfast is a semi-buffet affair at Somying’s Kitchen, the resort’s all-day dining restaurant which offers both indoor as well as alfresco dining. The space is decked in pretty shades of blue, with Formica surfaces and pleather seating lending a retro American diner feel. The usual breakfast buffet selections – cold cuts, pastries, juices and salads – are available, while the a la carte breakfast includes various hot dishes such as Tom Yum Scrambled (scrambled egg with Tom Yum flavour and lettuce), Sai Ua Omelette (omelette with Northern Thai Sausage), Avocado Toast (multi-grain bread, avocado, cream cheese, smoked salmon, sesame, chilli flakes), Guay Tiew Moo (minced pork, rice noodle, bean sprouts, broth), Jok Gai (chicken congee with poached egg, sliced ginger, fried garlic) and Khao Tom Goong (brown rice soup with prawn, spring onion, fried garlic).
Given the resort’s fairly remote location, I had dinner on multiple occasions at Somying’s Kitchen. The Pa Neang Kor Moo Yang (grilled pork neck red curry) was a massive highlight, being a piping hot, undeniably luscious and spicy sensation, while the Tom Yum Goong (prawn in spicy coconut soup) and Gaeng Chaploo Poo Nim (red curry with soft shell crab, betel leaf red curry paste) were similarly packed with intense flavours. The Yum Som O Goong (spicy pomelo salad with grilled prawn, coconut oil essence) concealed its slow-burn fiery agenda behind a sweet and savoury cloak, while the Gluay Cheum (poached Pak-Chong banana with palm sugar, coconut and mascarpone, espuma foam, coconut crumb) was visually something to behold.
Faring less well were the Ka Prao Gai (stir-fried minced chicken with hot basil, jasmine rice, fried egg), Khao Pad Rod Fai (Thai train fried rice with kale and pork belly) and Pad Phong Karee Talay (wok fried seafood with yellow curry powder, onion, chili, celery and chili paste), which tasted distinctly average next to the very notable soups and curries. The Somying Saab (grilled whole chicken, spicy papaya salad Korat style, Laab Moo, sticky rice) can be vulnerable to diminishing returns fairly rapidly, but a bigger dining party may well sidestep this.
Apart from Thai cuisine, Somying’s Kitchen also offers international dishes such as Seafood Margherita Pizza (oven roasted house dough recipe with prawn, squid, mussel, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce), Steak Sandwich (grilled rib eye steak stued with cheer batá bread, honey mustard sauce), Australian Black Angus Tomahawk 1.5kg 30 Days Dry Aged Bone-in and Rigatoni Arrabbiata with Prawns (stir-fried rigatoni pasta with prawn, garlic, tomato, dried chili).
Set within an upcycled railway cart and with cosy seating on the outdoor deck which is occasionally serenaded by live musicians, the jazzy Papillon serves a variety of signature locomotive-inspired cocktails such as Platform (Nua Spumante Brut, Beefeater Gin and Rosella Water) and The Engine (Nua Spumante Brut, guava juice, lime juice and homemade lemon syrup) along with classic cocktails such as Kir Royal, French Martini and Manhattan. Next door, brasserie concept Poirot serves posh French fare (think Gillardeau Oysters, Boeuf Bourguignon and Steak-Frites) in an elegant setting well-suited for special occasions and romantic rendezvouses.
Rounding up the dining concepts at the resort are Tea Carriage, the classy and serene afternoon tea destination with an outdoor deck which overlooks Swan Lake as well as Terminus Bar, the poolside bar concept adjacent to Somying’s Kitchen.
GUEST EXPERIENCES
Guest experiences available at the resort (which usually involve additional fees) include botanical and naturalist tours within the resort, guided tours of the Khao Yai National Park, visits to external orchards and vineyards, community cycling and kayaking trips as well as other nature and wildlife experiences.
During my visit to the Khao Yai National Park, I managed to catch glimpses of the Wreathed Hornbill and Oriental Pied Hornbills circling high up in the air; observed different coloured gibbons (including the White-Handed Gibbon) swinging from tree to tree and heard for the first time ever their very distinctive calls; saw a Barking Deer dashing across the road; and observed at close range multiple Sambar Deer chilling at the visitor centre area. My tour guide also shared plenty about interesting flora at the national park, from champagne mushrooms and parasitic trees to the fragrance of cinnamon bark. A pity, though, that I did not manage to spot an elephant, many of whom are known to be sighted fairly frequently. I also managed to visit the beautiful Heo Suwat waterfall, made famous after its appearance in Leonardo Dicaprio’s film “The Beach”.
Another highlight of my stay was my visit to the Granmonte Vineyard and Winery, one of the country’s most notable winemakers. The vineyard was gorgeous, transporting me to a setting that was both international and timeless (was i even still in Thailand?), and I had the chance to tour the production facilities. Apart from the wine tasting session, during which I managed to taste four different wines (including the 2022 GranMonte Durif and the 2021 Heritage Syrah), I also spent time sampling more wines at the retail shop, and returned to the resort with a bottle of the Orient Viognier 2021 in hand.
CONCLUSION
The remoteness of the resort means that, in terms of entertainment and dining, InterContinental Khao Yai Resort has to deliver, and deliver it did. The mix of calming nature and locomotive whimsy made for quite the immersive fantasy getaway (not to mention an Instagram-worthy dream), and the trips to Khao Yai National Park and GranMonte Vineyard and Winery were both educational and enjoyable.
Definitely spend at least two nights (and an additional one if you want to check out the quaint cafes and European-style attractions in the vicinity) to make your trek up to Khao Yai worthwhile.
InterContinental Khao Yai Resort
262 Moo 6 Pong-Talong, Pak Chong
Nakhon Ratchasima 30450
Thailand
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