Thursday, 20 September 2012

Buri Rasa in Thong Nai Pan Noi: 12th Best Hotel?

Buri Rasa is the latest luxury offering on Thong Nai Pan Noi beach. It is built at the end of the public road that leads to the beach where the Star Huts used to be. For those who remember Star Huts, it will come as no surprise that Buri Rasa is completely dissimilar.

Building on Koh Phangan’s most exclusive beach has been going on frenetically since 2011. The same company has been busy putting up another 20 odd Rasananda units while having to build a whole new resort next door. They have been focusing on the Rasananda villas and this means they are really sweating on the deadlines for Buri Rasa.

It is very much a sign of the times that as far as the internet goes Buri Rasa is ready and open for business. They are already selling rooms. The truth is that only a fraction of the 63 promised rooms are actually up and running. All this is excusable. What is bizarre is that the hotel is already regarded on Trip Advisor as the 12th best hotel on the island. This just shows how flawed Trip Advisor really is. If only idiotic Google would stop displaying 20 pages of their misleading reviews on their searches people might be able to find more information about where they are planning to visit. The internet is the home for a polyphony of voices, not one voice pretending to speak for everyone.

Buri Rasa has gone for contemporary style hotel style rooms with all the mod-cons and private balcony. The resort starts at the edge of the village and leads down to the beach. They have gone for a European style parade of shops and coffee shops complete with covered areas and wall paintings. It promises to be very chic and expensive when finished.

At present the pricing seems to be a bit wrong for Buri Rasa. It has a swimming pool but lacks spa, fitness room, wine cellar and the other amenities that give a place 5 stars, and yet the room rates are comparable with Panviman and Santhiya.

No doubt lots of rooms will be discounted through travel agents and for special promotions. You have to inflate your prices to seen to be giving a bargain when you discount.

In comparison Star Huts were always slow to put up their prices. They had an archaic system for booking in advance and displayed a healthy contempt for interior design, swimming pools and for fusion cooking.

Oh well the times are changing. Virtual hotels championed by corporate internet sites are now the thing.