Sawadeee....

Everything is finally booked!
I must say of the many websites that help you book hotels in Thailand, Sawadee.com has to be one of the better ones. Some websites require you to provide your credit card number up front (and they immediately charge your card if the room IS available), but with Sawadee.com, you just have to place a reservation, and they will get back to you on availability and cost via email.

That way you can put in an online reservation for a few hotels, then choose where to stay once they let you know if your chosen rooms are available, and how much it'll cost on your chosen dates.

Decide on the hotel you want, click on a link in the email, and you're directed to a secure site where you pay by credit card.

I have used them last year, and am using them this year too. So far, they've been quick, efficient and user-friendly.

So. LY and I decided not to stay at the wholesome, organic food-feeding, greenie hotel. It's kinda tucked away in the Old City side of Bangkok, with few choices of public transport. No BTS Skytrain some more. Not to mention it's very expensive, at RM380 per night, negotiable to RM320 if we stay there all 8 nights. Uhm... thanks, but no thanks.

Instead, we decided on a 'budget' yet 'boutique' place called The Bedrooms, Bangkok. Located near the On Nut BTS Skytrain, it's not only cheap at RM126 per room per night, but you get a really nice room with great facilities to boot! Check out the website for pictures and details! :D

We also kinda reverted to our original plan (the one we had before the Thai-Laos-Thai plan), which was to go to an island or beach before we spend a few days in Bangkok (3 nights by the beach, 5 nights in the city). Instead of Koh Chang or Koh Samet, we decided to look further south to the Cha-Am - Hua Hin area. More quiet, less commercialised. Apparently, mostly locals and senior citizen European couples holiday here. Hahaha.

Looking through the list, hotels were more or less pricier than Bangkok. Then this hotel caught our eye. We couldn't stop laughing.

Welcome to... Casa Papaya.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's RM300 a night for the cheapest "Garden Room". GULP (but still cheaper than the greenie hotel lah). You must check out the photos and read about the place at their website. Beautiful. You'll. Fall. In. Love.

Then we saw a nice resort in Cha-Am going at RM120 a night!
All rooms face the sea! Has its own beach! Sensible us thought, RM120! Cool! What a steal! What a... HUH? WHAT! FULLY BOOKED?!

It's a public holiday / long weekend when we arrive in Bangkok, so alot of the locals have booked their holiday for the weekend. Oh shoot...

Other resorts in Hua Hin/Cha-Am were either far from the beach and/or cost around RM200 plus a night. So we decided, what the heck. CASA PAPAYA it is!

Hee hee hee. The name of that resort still tickles me.
Wait till you read this little description:

In your room you will find :
A fully stocked Mini-bar.
Satellite TV, In-House movies and Casa Papaya music.
Daily complementary coffee and tea.
Air Conditioning and ceiling fan in each room.

What the hell is Casa Papaya music? *Laugh until tergolek-golek*
Their own version of Cafe Del Mar?

Now what I'm looking forward to is this:

Each room is surrounded by the lushness and privacy of its own exclusive tropical garden. Each room features twin beds (3.5’ x 6.6’), a wooden patio and an irresistible hammock that will surely let you dream away all day.

Wah... I can start dreaming right now.

Sigh. Feel a flu and fever coming. Wish I called in sick.