Centara Grand Bangkok Central World ★★★★★

At last! Thailand in all its verdant, welcoming beauty and dazzling colour is mine to explore and after years of going on about his backpacking adventures there and how spectacular it is, my man is finally bringing me here. I'm not sure which of us is more excited! One thing's for certain, this is no backpacking trip and I have insisted on going for the utmost of comfort to really make the most of our romantic, exotic escape. If we are to land in the capital of Thailand I would like to explore it a little and to do so in style. I want to absorb the myriad of colours, temples, markets, shopping malls and buzzing mayhem that makes up this dazzling and diverse city and I want to do so in the lap of luxury. Thanks to VeryChic this has been made very feasible and our first stop will be at the Centara Grand Hotel Bangkok.

We arrive disoriented and jet-lagged and are instantly taken into the dreamy embrace of this ultra-modern and extremely chic hotel. Swishing up in the glass elevator I feel as though I'm in a futuristic film and our room reinforces this sensation. The slick, sophisticated plush design includes a vast flat screen television, Minibar, safe, Air Conditioning and Wi-Fi as well as tea and coffee machine. The vista from the floor to ceiling windows is truly spectacular and it's all we can do to resist that gorgeous, fluffy King-size bed, but the sparkling, sumptuous bathroom helps refresh us. The yummy, fresh Asian cuisine with great options for my vegetarian man at Ginger, one of the many restaurants, restores some energy, helping to keep that jet-lag at bay and then we then make our way to Floor 26.

Here we discover the stunning outdoor swimming pool, bordered with palms, overlooking the city and the relaxed atmosphere around the lounging deckchairs and pool bar.  A Spa with comprehensive list of treatments and a state of the art gym and is also available to guests although I can't quite face a running machine now. A leisurely swim and soak in the Jacuzzi keeps us awake and happily entertained before a delicious dinner at the Red Sky rooftop restaurant. Then at long last we can surrender to sweet sleep til’ the morning, which we begin by coaxing ourselves to wake up with a fabulous massage before spending the day sight-seeing.

Our short city interlude passes by swiftly and before we know it we are waking to another splendid morning glowing like a vast cinematic panorama of the Bangkok skyline through our colossal windows. We keep gazing sleepily over this fascinating city as we tuck into a lavish breakfast. It's time to move on and if it were not for the paradise awaiting us I would be quite upset to be leaving so soon. I have enjoyed every, deluxe minute of our short stay at the Centara Grand and look forward to coming back on the way home!