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Holiday Inn Rayong hotel review: With a club lounge, a 30th floor French bistro restaurant and alfresco rooftop bar with panorama views of a city as well as the ocean by Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, complemented by a comprehensive neighbour shopping complex as combination, Rayong is perhaps not the first place one would think of for such a lifestyle offering! Somewhere in Pattaya would be a more likely guess. But no… Instead: Hello Rayong, what’s on!? Rayong is mostly known for two things: a gateway for travellers to the island of Koh Samet (via nearby seaside town Ban Phe) and as an industrial city (with large refineries and industries). And development of the city as such has been moving at snail pace, with the occasional new smaller hotel being added, while the building landscape has remained low-rise. So, Rayong is a drive-through town and for many Thais its main attraction are the many seaside seafood restaurants drawing in visitors from afar – usually for a full day family trip, to enjoy the seabreeze and grilled squid etc.

But since the dawning of Holiday Inn & Suites Rayong City Centre (2017) the initially described option is reality – and via an international hotel brand to put the destination on the world map. That, and the brand being Holiday Inn, made experience-seeking Happy Hour Asia very curious, about this de facto new destination in its own right, some 2.5 hours from downtown Bangkok. Holiday Inn offers something completely new in this seaside city and actually constitutes – one can see upon arrival – a new centrepoint for downtown Rayong. While its bus hub has inconveniently moved some seven kilometres outside town, the development of Holiday Inn has brought this city something that is still surprisingly unusual: a high-rise building. You can’s miss it because it’t the only building of this height in the city! And not only that but also an adjacent lifestyle shopping centre including grocery stores; shops for fashion , IT and tech gear; cafes and restaurants; and even a co-working space!

Getting there from Bangkok, or the nearby airports U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport, and Suvarnabhumi, is a breese, with a shortcut motorway to Rayong city.

One stepping into the hotel what one come across is a cosy lounge with a bar/café at its centre –CU Lounge & Bar – and flanked by modern style vintage-inspired design and furniture (including some vintage style high-back cage seats). It’s a living room style space with beige sofas and armchairs, large floor lamps and marble table tops. And rose gold metal for interior details and furniture makes it look luxurious and stylish. This vintage rose gold forms the legs for a dark wood long table, as well as for the high bar chairs, and can also be found in the lifts! Come evening, with various lights turned on, it turns even more cosy and stylish! Along a well guests also find two large apple computers for guests to use when some online tasks need to done. The check-in is discretly placed on the side and near the lifts. The lobby interior is also replete with shiny, bright marble, with brass metal frames on the pillas.

It’s comfortable setting for having appointments with friends over coffee or drinks as well as business meetings. And business people aplenty stay with Holiday Inn in Rayong, given its location nearby many industrial zones with international companies

Enjoy the ‘Drink & Delight Deal’ with one’s favourite beverage paired with a delectable pastry for only THB 50++. The bakery items are affordable; with a Brownie cheesecake priced THB 85++

The F&B attractions are on display at a monitor,with the various promotions, including happy hour at the roofttop and in the lobby, as well as events. Buy 1 get 1 free between 5 – 7 p.m.!

To get to the lifestyle mall (developed by the same owner as the hotel) – Passione Shopping Destination – one just walks out of the hotel and take a few steps over to the building justaposed with Holiday Inn & Suites Rayong City Centre.

As for the aformentioned beach restaurants, the hotel is actually nearby the beach (about 1 kilometre), so one of the side-roads across the main road opposited the hotel will take guests down there for a beachfront experience too.

But for swimming the hotel’s own outdoor pool is a preffered alternative – at less height and yet with an unobstrcuted panorama view that stretches to [the end of] the horizon.

It’s not a particularly large pool here but more for leisurely dips and enjoying the great panorama view while sipping on pool bar drinks and enjoying som bar food. The pool is slightly curved and partly under shade, flanked by sunbeds and a large tree with a shape similar to Bonzai. There are also few large rattan cabanas with plenty of cushions – which are of course attractive for guests to grab.

The hotel also comes with a club lounge, situated high up in the building, and with panorama windows facing the sea.

The lounge is mostly done up in hues creamy white and beige, and with brass table lamps, some brown wood furniture, marble tables with duo armchairs, and wall sofas with white oversized floral petals as well pattern. Beige sofas are turned in opposite direction, separated by a rose gold chrome and black-tinted glass table, with bright table lamps. Its stylish restroom stylish comes with veined bright tiles, brass metal door list, and a rounded brass metal mirror.

The First stop here is for afternoon coffee, or assorted quality Dilmah tea, with cookies and and fruit in the afternoon. This is followed later by evening cocktails with hors d’oeuvres – which just lacks a bit of variety, and cocktails! Though the wine served from Promesa, Chile is nice, and the Sommelier Edition. The chilled white is a Sauvignon Blanc, Chile – perfect pairing with canapés and cheese.

The evening cocktails also is the perfect pre-dinner warm-up for what is to come if visiting the hotel and Rayong’s flagship bistro!

But, rewind; perhaps – before the dining and drinking adventures – it’s also of interest with a visit to the fitness centre!? Also that facility turns out to be high up in the hotel and facing the sea. With panorama windows it gets a bit hot in there during daytime, and the view towards the evening also gets impressive, with the sunset taking place to the right side, when looking out.

As for the accommodation, it’s sheer quality and comfort here, with interiors in natural colours. The configuration is also interesting in the sense that there are blonde wood corner slide doors facing the room. Open these up and you have ensuite bathroom, including a white bathroom counter, with an illuminated mirror on both sides, and an open wardrobe with bathrobes and a fold-up stand for luggage.

The flooring is blonde laminette, plus shiny tiles in the foyer plus bathroom, while walls have sandy tiles in the bathroom section. Elsewhere there is a silver silk wallpaper section, and a bedside lampshade in the same floral fabric. It has an overall pleasant look in line with Holiday Inn.

The TV is mounted on a beige leather wall opposite the bed, with a workdesk and office chair next to it. One guest can watch TV or enjoy the in-room time in a comfy mint green – or grey-blue? depending on the evening daylight or evening after turndown – armchair. The bed includes firm, soft pillows and, per Holiday Inn, offers great sleep thanks to its firm mattress. Toiletries are from Soak superfood skincare.

For sundowners, head up to the rooftop which is situated one level above (30th floor), and overlooking the pool, Rayong city and of course the ocean. ’Get one on you, one on us 5p.m. – 7 p.m.’, which time-wise perfectly fits with sunset in Thailand, regardless of season. The bar serves a variety of beer on tap: Estrella Galicia, Brewdog Punk IPA and Hoegaarden! Wednesday and Fridays also offer ‘Enchanting world of live jazz from 7 p.m.

Guests can sit on comfy upholstered bar chairs by the bar counter taps, or at rose gold surface stools in groups on the outdoor platform.

Continuing with dinner at Elementi Rooftop Restaurant is right next door to the outdoor bar.

The stylish floor in the bar as well as the restaurant consists in chequered marble tiles and guests make it over to the indoor dining is via a corridor housing wine fridges and with wine bottles inserted into rose gold vertical bottle holders along the wall.

Furnishing consists in light brown velvet wall and corner sofas (at sunset the sunrays make the sofas look more like mustard in colour) with dark, round wooden dining tables and grey or brown armchairs, but also a row of prominent triangle tables for two by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Many seats also offer a clear view of the action in the open kitchen.

Elementi – where keep the cherished traditions of authentic western classic cooking and dining alive are kept alive – is really the pinnacle of this hotel experience thanks to the great view, combined with the food served, and the service, being truly excellent!

And, equal to the hotel itself, the restaurant is a destination in its own right in Rayong, being a draw for both locals as well as many westerners on business trips or working for international companies in the Eastern Seaboard. This becomes evident on the night of our visit, where for instance a group of Swedes (and clearly not tourists) are having dinner. It’s a lively bistro atmosphere where kitchen sounds blend with guests’ conversations and a nice dinner soundtrack from ceiling speakers.

Since 2023 the culinary genius of French Chef Cedric Cartal takes center stage at Elementi, adding on to Italian food (for instance a pizza selection or Chorizo and prawn risotto) with also more French cuisine, including some classic dishes from France!

For starter, The Escargot – Classic Burguny Snails – is highly recommened. The snails come served on a bed of coffee beans, and are truly a delicacy; herb-infused (baked with homemade parsley and garlic butter) and (for someone new to the dish) not dissimilar to some shellfish in texture and a great appetizer. Also superb with suitable wine! Or how about a Cheese & cold cut board, or calamari!

For fish lovers the Chef’s Signature snow fish main course is a winner, beautifully presented parmesan crust snow fish served with eggplant and tomato concassée. And this tomato is just awesome!

Then, as dessert, the signature Pavlova consists in Meringue, Chantilly cream and fresh fruits – including a personal favourite: passion fruit!

Guests can also expect dishes to be alternated with new ones on ongoing basis at Elementi, so that there is exciting cuisine to discover at any occasion for regular guests.

For more details on the restaurant, and with a Chef interview, see also: Elementi restaurant at Holiday Inn & Suites Rayong City Centre goes French with Cedric Cartal

The hotel also has as an all-day dining restaurant, The Brasserie Global Dining. Its cuisine was not tested during this visit, but Happy Hour Asia can bear witness to that the breakfast is by Holiday Inn standards comprehensive, here with a focus on hot dishes from Asia, paired with standard western breakfast items. Examples: Korean pork gochujang, Thai grilled pork, Beef curry massaman,
Wok-fried fish with ginger and mushroom, or Potatoes a la Lyonaisse. There are also low sugar muesli and biercher muesli, to mention a few items, that sets you off on a healthy start to the day.

A final highlight to mention is that Holiday Inn in Rayong also constitutes a pretty perfect landing point for visitors from overseas, where to wind down at a relatively short distance from the international airports nearby, and to explore Rayong and its surroundings before heading on to other destinations such as Koh Samet or Koh Chang. For instance there are plenty of waterfalls to visit in the area, not to mention the many fruit farms nearby Rayong – after all the area, and Chantaburi beyond it, is the fruit basket of Thailand!