The Chareon Thani Hotel in the centre of Khon Kaen shares a special place in my heart. It’s where I first met my wife and where we spent our first night together as a married couple. So if for no other reasons than those, I decided to write a little article about it.
The 4 star rated hotel stands tall amidst the city at 19 stories high, with 320 guest rooms, of various quality, a fully equipped fitness room, spa and swimming pool. It’s located on Srichan Road, about 12 km from Khon Kaen Airport. The slightly boring, drab exterior belies quite a grandiose ground floor reception area, complete with grand piano. Which is one of my aims to play.
There are 2 restaurants to choose from. Tycoons Chinese Restaurant serves authentic Chinese dishes. Whilst Graceland serves Thai, Chinese and International cuisine right through until midnight. There’s also a bakery, full banqueting facilities plus a business centre.
Evening entertainment is catered for with Showtime Karaoke Hall, 21 private rooms located on the ground floor and 147 Snooker Club. Or simply relax in the well decorated lobby watching the word go by over a cocktail.
Choices of which hotel to stay in are very personal be it Khon Kaen or anywhere else. “Quod ali cibus est aliis fuat acre venenum” to quote English poet Thomas Middleton. ‘One mans’ meat is another mans’ poison’. So I`m avoiding a recommendation, Its simply my experience.
That experience started as I walked down the splendid staircase to the lobby where I was to meet for the first time my future wife. We`d been communicating for months by email and Skype. But this was the moment we actually got to meet in the flesh. She was accompanied by 2 older friends, as was to be expected. I set eyes on her and I ‘knew’. She played the dutiful shy Thai girl. In fact we spoke more on Skype than we ever did during that first nervous meeting.We also stayed there on our wedding night.
The Chareon Thani Khon Kaen has a lot to answer for. Because 3 months later it’s where my good friend went through the same nervous ordeal I did meeting his wife-to-be for the first time as well. I’m not claiming it to be the best hotel in Khon Kaen. I've actually only stayed in a few. But it ticks all the boxes you would expect and, like I said, it is a place of special memories for me.
www.charoenthanikhonkaen.com