The Tamarind
What You Get
Air-con
Car
Gym/Fitness Centre
Internet (WiFi)
Swimming Pool (Private)
Tennis Court
TV (Satellite/Cable)
Washing Machine
The Experience
The nine-bedroom Tamarind is a vast behemoth of a villa with so many places to both play and escape to that you couldn’t ask for a better holiday home. Despite being located in Thailand, the property is a triumph of contemporary Balinese design with almost everything, from the paving stones, ironwood roof shingles, antique Balinese doors and soft furnishing fabrics, imported from Indonesia. The Tamarind’s themed bedrooms, meanwhile, offer journeys to distant lands and cultures.
There has been no expense spared at this remarkable home. The owner has a large extended family, and The Tamarind is spacious enough to house all of them together for those special occasions. Accommodation is spread out in a series of buildings, comprising the main two-storey house, a detached two-bedroom family cottage known as the ‘Bali House’, and three stand-alone ‘Pool Villa’ guest suites, allowing guests plenty of secluded spaces for privacy and downtime.
The villa is situated within an exclusive gated country estate known as ‘Buraran’ in the foothills of Kao Krating, 28km from Pattaya; its nearest neighbour is several hundred metres away so there's no danger of any disturbance. Guests can swim in the dazzling 22m pool, laze in the open pavilions, sip cocktails on the breezy terraces, watch movies in the air conditioned Lava Lounge, workout in the gym, go for bike rides, or play tennis, billiards or petanque. There is even a golf buggy, a scooter and 250 Harley Davidson for guest use, plus a car and driver available at nominal cost. The large gardens are wonderfully landscaped with lush lawns, ponds and waterfalls, mango trees, bougainvillea and coconut palms, as well as many of the villa’s namesake shady tamarind trees.
With spa therapists on call and plenty to do nearby, including a round of golf at one of the numerous golf courses and privileged access to a private beach, there is no better place to bring your family or friends. It is also an ideal venue for weddings or corporate retreats (if more space is needed you can book the adjacent six-bedroom Club House). The villa is fully-staffed by a smiling cheery team offering superb, authentic Thai and Western home-cooking, with two meals a day inclusive.
Pattaya has never looked so good!
Our review
- Overall Rating:
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9.1
- Reviewed:
- 25-Jun-2010
A triumph of contemporary Balinese design in Thailand, with themed bedrooms offering journeys to distant lands and cultures.
Dining was an absolute treat and we looked forward to each meal like lions at the only watering hole for miles. The staff, being Thai, certainly know how to cook this (in our opinion) most tantalising cuisine the world has ever seen. That said, they still throw together a mean pasta, and an even better English breakfast, and will serve it up anywhere you like. We breakfasted by the pool, lunched by the lake and ate nibbles and sipped champagne on the rooftop Sunset lounge.
Each bedroom is a themed adventure to another country, and together they have been designed to cater to all combinations and permutations of guests. We slept in the Africa room, surrounded by leopard prints and animal skins which made us feel like we were on safari. We were lucky enough to spend four days here and were never at a loss for things to do. We swam in the pool, went for walks around the estate, played tennis, billiards and petanque and spent many hours reading, watching the huge TV, eating or just being horizontal in the myriad places provided for just such a position.
The villa driver is on call for 10 hours a day (at a very reasonable charge) so do take advantage of the service to get out and see the local area. We had a great time sightseeing, including an outing to observe some of the infamous ‘netherworld’ tourism that Thailand is famous for.
Note: Guests at The Tamarind can also use the facilities of the adjacent Buraran Clubhouse (unless already occupied) with its two tennis courts, 16 x 9.5m swimming pool, additional 9m kids’ pool, and seminar room with drop-down screen projector and WiFi. There are six bedrooms here, which can be rented by the room to accommodate any overflow of guests at The Tamarind, up to a total of 12.
Individual Scores:
| Character/Charm: | 10 | Location: | 8 | Outside Area: | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Area: | 10 | Bedrooms: | 9 | Bathrooms: | 9 |
| Kitchen: | 9 | Facilities: | 10 | Staff: | 8 |
| Value: | 8 |
Highlights
This villa is huge and has more facilities than you can possibly imagine. One guest was at The Tamarind for two days before he realised there was a tennis court! We were never bored or found wanting for something to do. In addition to all of the amazing facilities at The Tamarind, we appreciated the simple, yet thoughtful provision of fly screen doors throughout the property.
Surprises
We tried to think of something that might make you step back and say “that’s not right” but to be totally honest, we failed. Everything works and everyone smiles. Some of the staff don’t have the best English in the world but they do know what you want and there is always someone close at hand to translate.
PROs
- Nine round-the-world bedrooms
- Super luxurious and massive
- No neighbours to disturb
- Great Thai cook
- Umpteen facilities
CONs
- Staff’s English not hot, their Tom Yam is
- Easy to get lost, keep cellphone handy
Guest reviews (1)
- Dee Cheng, Thailand checked out on 15-Aug-2015
- Overall Rating:
-
8.3
- Reviewed:
- 21-Aug-2015
Individual Scores:
| Character/Charm: | 8 | Location: | 8 | Outside Area: | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Area: | 9 | Bedrooms: | 8 | Bathrooms: | 8 |
| Kitchen: | 9 | Facilities: | 8 | Staff: | 9 |
| Value: | 8 |
Gallery
Location
The villa is located just outside the fishing village of Bangsaray, 28km south of Pattaya on the secluded Buraran private estate, in the foothills of the Sattahip District of Chonburi Province. The estate includes lakes, a large reservoir and connecting waterways, encircled by a ring road (which makes for a perfect jogging track). Guests at the villa have privileged access to the golden sandy beach and safe swimming at the Thai Navy Base (4km).
Places of Interest(KMs) |
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| Bangsaray Fishing Village | 4.0 |
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| Bangsaray Naval Base Beach | 4.0 |
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| Nongnooch Cultural Gardens | 5.0 |
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| Banampur Beach | 12.0 |
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| Silverlake | 13.0 |
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| Marina | 14.0 |
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| Phoenix Golf Course | 15.0 |
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| Amara Water Sports | 18.0 |
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| Polo Club | 21.0 |
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| Pattaya | 28.0 |
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About Sattahip District
Situated 23km from Pattaya City on the southern tip of the Chonburi Province, the coastal and mountainous district of Sattahip is home to the large Sattahip Naval Base and Juksamet Port, which is one of the few deepwater ports in Thailand. This is also the site of U-Tapao Pattaya International Airport, a joint civil-military public airport serving Rayong and Pattaya. Villages in the district include the fishing village of Bangsaray, with its deep bay, fish market and pretty white sand beach offering safe swimming, clothing stalls and simple beachside restaurants. From the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, boats can be chartered for excursions and fishing trips to the nearby islands, which are all under the jurisdiction of the Thai Royal Navy. Activities include scuba diving, sailing and other watersports. Among the many golf courses in the province is the 27-hole Royal Navy Golf Course blessed with beautiful views from its hillside setting, and featuring some very challenging holes with lots of elevation, water hazards and mature forest backdrops. Another attraction in the Sattahip District is the Nongnooch, a tropical and cultural garden complete with in-house zoo, two restaurants and a small shopping mall. Here, traditional Thai dance performances and elephant shows are presented daily, while the gardens showcase a wide variety of plants including some rare and exotic palms, cyclades, bonsai trees, cacti and orchids.
About Pattaya
The city of Pattaya and its offshore islands – located off the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 145km south of the city of Bangkok, surrounded by Bang Lamung District. Once a fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as a ‘Rest and Recuperation’ destination during the Vietnam War, later developing into a family-orientated seaside destination.
The main sweep of the bay has two impressive beachfronts: Pattaya Beach is the main destination, with many of the town's restaurants and nightspots to be found on the section from Pattaya Klang south to the harbour. Jomtien Beach in the southern part of the bay area consists of high-rise condominiums, beachside hotels, bungalow complexes, shops, bars, and restaurants. Offering watersport activities and small sail boat hire, this area becomes increasingly crowded at weekends, with many Thai visitors coming from Bangkok.
Walking Street is a pedestrian area south of the beach and a centre for nightlife. Boyztown and Sunee Plaza provide locations for the gay community, while Muay Thai (Thai boxing) matches aimed at tourists can be seen at several open-air beer bar complexes.
There are some good shopping centres in Pattaya, while other activities include a wide choice of zoos and theme parks, such as the Elephant Village, Crocodile Farm, Orchid Farm and Underwater World. Sports include golf – there are 21 golf courses within one hour of Pattaya, many driving ranges and even a beginner-level golf course.
Rooms
There is a place for everyone at The Tamarind. The Spice Lounge, beside the swimming pool, is an open-sided den abounding in warm zesty colours and big cushions. Adjacent to this lounge is the dining pavilion, which seats up to 24 people – 16 at an enormous solid teak rectangular table and eight more on a matching oval table. An alternative alfresco dining venue is the dining sala, which offers lovely views and is a great spot for breakfast or a leisurely lunch. The pool sala, styled after a Balinese relaxation pavilion, provides the ideal place for an afternoon nap. The Lava Lounge is the ultimate, cosy, air conditioned home theatre, with a 62-inch TV, electronic blackout curtains, acoustic ceiling, cinema beds and a huge collection of DVDs arranged in alphabetical order for easy reference.
There will be no scrambling for bedrooms at The Tamarind as each air conditioned king, queen and twin room has its own theme and design which will please all comers. The exotically-named stand-alone guest rooms, Africa, Zen, Java and White are grouped around the pool, while Raj (the master suite), Rose and The Dorm, designed to sleep four kids in bunks, are housed in the main building. Last but not least, the charming Bali House offers more privacy on the far side of the garden, with its own living-dining room and kitchenette.
The bathrooms follow close on the heels of the bedroom designs, combining themed indoor and outdoor spaces with wooden bench tops, stone floors and antique cupboards and fittings. All have walk-in showers, and some have bathtubs.
Guests can enjoy the recreational facilities of the state-of-the-art gym, the floodlit tennis court (with coaches on call), or the petanque court. Those in need of pampering can head to the massage sala for authentic Thai massages administered by local therapists, while business needs can be taken care of in the office, complete with computer, WiFi, and fax.
Finally, at the end of the day, what can be better than a glass or two of Champagne either up on the rooftop Sunset Lounge, or in the shaded seating area of the 18m tower, which looks out over the distant ocean and a large reservoir attracting an abundance of bird life.
Key Amenities
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Air-con
-
Car
-
Gym/Fitness Centre
-
Internet (WiFi)
-
Swimming Pool (Private)
-
Tennis Court
-
TV (Satellite/Cable)
-
Washing Machine
Other Amenities
- Baby Cot
- BBQ
- Bed Linen
- Bicycles
- Board Games/Toys
- Book Selection
- Car Parking
- CD Library
- CD Player/Stereo System
- Ceiling Fans
- Coffee Machine
- Computer
- DVD Library
- Equipped Kitchen
- Extra Bed (Roll away/mattress)
- Fax
- Golf Clubs
- Hairdryers
- High Chairs
- Home Theatre System
- Hotplates
- IDD (Extra)
- iPod
- iPod Dock/Speakers
- Iron/Board
- Laundry Service (Extra)
- Main Dining (16 persons)
- Massage Beds
- Microwave
- Oven/Hotplates
- Safe
- Snooker/Pool Table
- Swimming Pool Toys
- Table Tennis
- Toiletries
- Towels
- Tumble Dryer
- Wine Fridge
- Wine List
Villa Staff
- Babysitter (Extra)
- Chef/Cook (All meals)
- Driver (24 hours) (Extra)
- Housekeeping (Full time)
- Manager
- Masseuse/Spa Therapist (Extra)
- Security
- Service Staff
- Shopper
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Large enough to accommodate 20 guests, The Tamarind is like a mini-resort, yet it has the elegance and intimacy of a private home, complete with swimming pool, tennis court, gym, home theatre, and numerous other facilities. Here, folks can get together and party, or escape to their own private spaces.
http://www.thevillaguide.com/villa/the-tamarind.aspx
