InterContinental Khao Yai Resort by IHG — Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima Province

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.

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.

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.

The full review inclusive of dining experiences and photographs is available on Secret Life of Fatbacks, a luxury...

The Heritage Railcar 1 Bedroom Pool Villa we had is a whopping 116 square meters of living space complete with an outdoor area where the pool and bathtub are. There are 4 of these villas and each is decorated differently. The fabrics of the interior follows the signature of the province in which they are themed. Ours was 50 shades of delightful bright golden orange tones. For the price one pays, the stocked minibar should at least be complimentary. Lights in the pool at night will add some much-needed illumination, it was rather eerie to be swimming in a dark feeling there could be a sea monster somewhere under the water. I don’t know what can be done to the outdoor bathtub to add more privacy. The neighbors sat out on their deck were so close they could hear the bubbles when I farted underwater.

Breakfast was had at Somying’s Kitchen. The décor here is a kaleidoscope of bold blue and whites saturated heavily with all sorts of quirky items from an era past. Gourmands will find the spread of food here not extravagantly wide, but it was enough for a decent breakfast. For us, we found all the cuisines adequately tasty, but nothing popped above the level of scrumptiousness nor remarkability in experience. The Tea Carriage was another joyful marvel to be in. It is located on the main road that extended from the parking area towards the Heritage Railcar villas. Inside the railcar, it is as intricately designed and decorated like Papillon Bar we had been to. All these railcars are not exceptionally big inside, so just a few groups of guests did already make a crowd when we were here.

Our child never got tired of Planet Trekkers Kids Club. It is an entire carriage converted tastefully into a playroom. There is also an outdoor fenced in garden which the staff said may have some small animals in the future. The great thing about staying in this resort is that you can have your kid deposited here for majority part of the day while you go galivanting somewhere else with your partner for some couple-time. They have activities throughout the day, 7 days a week. If you prefer to hang around, there is a sofa section and even a bed at the corner for napping it out while your children participate in the activities.

There is a wide variety of room types to choose from. We had the opportunity to visit the 2 Bunk Beds Premium Lake View room. It was set on the second floor in the building next to the reception. Four bunk beds run then length of the room with two of them on the upper level. It seemed to be a very fun room for kids. A connecting room may also be booked to make this one giant suite. Below on the first floor is the 2 Bunk Beds Premium Lake View room. It has an outdoor pool which we can see from the balcony up where we were. Privacy will be problematic for the guest below. We were told that the pool will be heated in the winter months for comfort. Heated pool feature however is not available in our Heritage Railcar villas.

Rooms with something outdoor should be the choice if possible when staying here. Visit the bars and restaurants at odd hours to avoid a crowd, reservation in advance is sure to help. Anyways, to fully indulge in this resort, take a stroll over her easy rolling landscape. There are three lakes I counted. They have peacocks down by one of them that had lotus flowers. That is where the herb garden can be found too. The swans were everywhere by the shoreline, some sleeping, some grooming. In the early morning before breakfast, many guests exercised, jogged and walked the lakes. The resort arranged for a 7am monks blessing session by the waterfall for whomever that wanted to join, we did. It shined, it rained it did not matter. The different skies and weather brought about varied allures to the experience. I have been captivated, I have...

This time round, we tried the King Premium Pool Lake View room. We did not get the Ambassador one level upgrade to a One Bedroom Suite Pool View maybe because there was full occupancy when we were here. The room we stayed in aims to recreate the feeling of sleeping inside a luxury train carriage. It delivers on the charm, but space is tight. I’ve knocked into things so many times I’ve stopped counting. My legs look like they’ve been on a boxing match with furniture. The shower is noticeably more spacious than the one in the Heritage Railcar Bedroom Pool Villa which we stayed 2 years ago. That spaciousness makes for a much more pleasant bath experience. However, still no USB charging ports and not enough wall hangers to properly to hang towels and clothes. Guests seem to be improvising with whatever fixture's available, which probably explains why the wall lamp was loose and you can turn it clockwise and anti like a clock’s hand. Definitely not its intended function.||The plunge pool is a standout. There is some privacy provided by an umbrella which shields you from curious upstairs glances. The balcony is uniquely train-themed, like you’re at the rear of a vintage carriage, a clever and charming touch by Bill Bensley. This room type only costs slightly more than the standard option, and for that, the plunge pool alone makes it worthwhile. It was so nice to just cling by the side of the pool looking at the foliage dotted with bright yellow flowers and into the lake beyond. Butterflies and bees flit gracefully from bloom to bloom, weaving color and calm into the air as long as the bee don’t make a dash for your nostrils. ||Since my last visit, they’ve added a themed train ride, introducing a light-hearted attraction to the mix. However, it was a bit comical. The ride is like a cabin on metal wheels taking you forward and reverse a short distance between the parking lot and Poirot (a restaurant housed in a train carriage). They operate only between 10 am to 5pm. Advance reservation is required. Does not operate during rain, else can’t stop when exceed full speed downhill and you end up in derailment disaster. The staff here, always courteous and never fails to make you feel special. I was at the reception trying to get my keycard replaced. But Maew (I hope I remembered clearly) was alone and overwhelmed with guest checking out. So, I left for lunch without bothering her. I was so pleasantly surprised when she called me on my phone to ask what she can helped me with and was apologetic about not being able to attend to me just before. Me impressed. | |That said, overall, quirky and charming as always, and a very pleasant stay even during a fully packed long weekend. The resort’s expansive layout guarantees a sense of solitude, no matter where you wander, it never feels crowded. This place has long been a sanctuary of peace, and it still lives up to...