Koh Chang, Mercure Koh Chang Hideaway

Big Pool

To me, Mercure chain of hotels had always been associated with business. The stay had always been in a corporately decked out room with my laptop placed on the table punching out reports after work, my reflection in the mirror looking right back at me with the TV tuned to MTV channel or CNN. On Koh Chang, it was a different vibe altogether. The room had walls splashed gleaming white from the skylight in perfect tune with a vacation ambience and a large canopy bed that I had no trouble dozing off without a thought of work on my mind. Loved that in villa plunge pool so welcoming on a scorching afternoon, I just so had to jump in every time I opened the large glass doors which separated the bedroom. My coffee shot, accompanied by the sound of splashes made by high water streaming into the blue tiled pool, relaxation. A push of a button and the corner had jets that massaged me back. Beyond the opposite corner, a Jacuzzi tub awaited me with hot water, my personal onzen. No more stark corridors of rooms facing each other on the way back to my unit, it was a stroll through lush green avenues of flora among the villas. Never had I experienced Mercure on such a non corporate level.

Oh Yeaaahhh...

Front of the restaurant, a large expense of a swimming pool that had no trouble accommodating the scatter of guest that still allowed for ample privacy and chit chats. And dotted around the span of water on the wooden deck, Jacuzzis were embedded into the flooring which offered cool relief from the noon sun as we soaked and looked out into the sea beyond. Tall coconut trees decorated the landscape and short shady trees shielded us from the direct sun in them Jacuzzis. If accelerated skin aging from too much sun is not your idea of a relaxing afternoon, head for the spa. We did, it was very reasonably priced for a hotel on such grand scale. The only confusing bit was, the connected Spa was a separated entity and not owned by the hotel so reservations by the reception did not work.

Sunset

Though the shore laid out front of the resort offered no crystal clear water and white sand Maldivian pleasure, the sunset was spectacular. The western skies were painted a kaleidoscope of radiant orange and blue, that strange structure of what resembled crop circles casted an interesting contrasting silhouette. Many were out to greet the sun touching down, parents and children, the couples on their romantic holiday took loads of selfies. Sunrise, and the place awoke lazily under the shadow of the high hills that formed the backdrop. Resonance of metal cutlery on white ceramic, the gentle chatter of well mannered guests accompanied by the occasional churn of the coffee brewer. And of course, the wide spread of scrumptious gastronomy a fulfilling tasty breakfast. Off to somewhere venturing on Koh Chang, in between itineraries, we just retreated back into our villas and melted away. Seclusion the resort offered, the mind well rested. Lived up to her name, a hideaway indeed.

Spa

Pool Villa