Two months before we were due to stay at the “Angkhang Nature Resort”:https://www.mosaic-collection.com/angkhang/, a Trip Advisor review read – ‘We were about the only guests there as we heard they are closing.’ However, Trailfinders checked and assured us the resort was still open.
Having left the main road, the hotel’s location at around 1900 m above sea level meant we had an hour of driving up a very steep, twisting mountain road, just wide enough for two careful drivers. Frequent signs warned of 8% gradients and ‘charp curve ahead’ (sic).
The hotel is located near the Thai/Myanmar Boarder and Doi Angkhang National Park.
We were welcomed with a rather sweet chrysanthemum tea and a small truck was laden with luggage and us and we were driven to room 121. All the semi-detached rooms are located over a relatively steep hillside and are on stilts. Steps led onto a dark wood covered terrace with two wooden chairs and table.
Inside the large room, two queen sized beds were made up as one, and it was well equipped with empty fridge, TV, space for two suitcases, robes and slippers, tea and coffee making facilities, wardrobe with safe, a desk and two armchairs and coffee table. The only real downside was the 2-foot gap between the wall and one side of the bed and bearing in mind the size of the room, it could have been better positioned. There was also a steep step up into the wardrobe area and then a shallower step down into the bathroom.
The bathroom was simple, with a shower, loo and basin and a decent hairdryer and lighting. Whilst the shower wasn’t particularly powerful, the water was hot.
Complimentary Wi-Fi was available all over the hotel.
January day time temperatures were around 20 degrees, but because of the altitude, dipped down to around one degree in the evening. The room was unheated (there was a ceiling fan), and it was chilly, and the electric blankets provided were comforting and necessary. The grounds were beautiful, and the pink cherry blossom was out. This was a haven for birds, and we enjoyed spending time in the fresh mountain air, bird spotting from our balcony.
The restaurant was semi open and consequently cold and although I’d been wearing shorts during the day, for dinner I was grateful for my cashmere polo neck jumper and pashmina. Dinner was included in our package and was huge. On the first night, we were served a bowl of thin soup with vegetable chunks and large, unappetizing looking pieces of meat on the bone. Before we finished, the rest of the food was served: individual bowls of rice, wok-fried mixed vegetables, spring rolls with honey dipping sauce, pork stir-fried with vegetables and the centre piece, a deep-fried fish with filleted individual chunks adorned by the head and tail. All the dishes were garnished with salad. There was no way we could do justice to such a huge amount of food and we just hoped the leftovers were put to good use. Plates cleared, a dish of fruit (kiwi, strawberries, water melon and papaya) was brought out. Despite trying to tell them we didn’t need as much food, dinner on subsequent nights followed a similar style.
Early mornings were also cold and required fleeces for breakfast. There were three stations: one with fruit, salad and various hot Asian dishes, another with the bread, croissant, cereals, juice (passion fruit and strawberry), tea and coffee and another with an egg chef.
The resort was a short walk to the local town and Royal Agricultural station, which were both worth a visit. Unfortunately, we’ve read that the resort, owned by the Forestry Department, has since closed due to some political dispute we couldn’t get to grips with. However the hotel website still shows it as being open.
