It's been ages since we've traveled anywhere and my nomadic spirit is getting a little restless. It wants to go someplace new and exciting. Apparently, driving to Home Depot doesn't count.
It's going to be a while before we set out on new adventures, so I did the next best thing - look back at pictures from old adventures and reminisce. Like the time we stayed at the Red Rose Hotel in Chiang Rai, Thailand. They bill it as an amusement hotel. I'd use the word quirky to describe it. It's a bit weird too, in the nicest possible way.
We had hired a motorcycle in Chiang Mai and were making our way up to the Golden Triangle and needed a place to stay. I was just hoping for a comfortable bed and clean sheets, but we got so much more.
By the way, if you run into my mom, don't tell her about the motorcycle. They kind of freak her out. Definitely don't show her this picture of the machine of death.
This is the office. Right away, you know you're in for something different.
There's all sorts of themed rooms to pick from - Star Wars, cartoon characters, race cars, jungle etc.
We went with one of the Love Boat rooms. A nautical theme and romance - you can't really go wrong.
After you pick and pay for your room, you drive into a covered parking lot and are greeted with all of this wonderful weirdness.
We parked our motorcycle, grabbed our stuff and unlocked the door. The moment of truth - would the room be as exciting as the picture promised? The answer is yes. It was even more bizarrely wonderful in person. Just look at those murals!
Alligators are everywhere. Even in quirky hotel rooms in Thailand. See the river that our boat is floating on? That's hot water and coffee supplies at the bow of our boat.
Yes, we slept in a boat - such fun!
And we had a monkey sitting on top of the toilet paper in the bathroom. I'm not sure why he's holding his nose.
Even the common areas are quirky.
What was just a stopover on the way up to the Golden Triangle, turned out to be so much more. If you ever happen to find yourself in Chiang Rai, the Red Rose Hotel is definitely worth checking out.
What's the best or worst hotel you've stayed in and why?
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Wow, that's very different! I don't know if I'd sleep....I'd probably wake up and be frightened by the murals and toilet paper monkeys!
ReplyDeleteThere weren't any windows, so it was a bit spooky at night in the complete darkness with the monkeys staring at us.
DeleteI love your hotel in Thailand, I really want to visit there now! My story, in which I cannot name names, or locations.... This hotel advertised suites, each with a HUGE feather bed, and a jacuzzi in every room. All true. My room had a bed that looked like it had a dead body lying in it, as the feathers had all been piled up in a line down the center, and the jacuzzi was smack-dab in the middle of the room. (fyi, no shower or tub in the bathroom) It had a hand-held nozzle that you could pull out and use to shower, and that was sort of a problem, because it also didn't have a shower curtain. If you aimed your shower head the wrong way, you would completely soak the bed, or room. Another issue was the large window next to the tub that overlooked the nearby subdivision, and when I closed the drapes, they fell down. I couldn't get them to reattach so I put a chair on the table, and hung the curtain over it for a small margin of privacy. Since all rooms have a jacuzzi, and it is a very small building, during all hours of the day and night, your room would be vibrating while others ran the jets in their tubs. (ie 2:00am...etc) All decor throughout was cutesy gingerbread, teddy bears, and lacey floral. Overwhelming.... Breakfast was served by an elderly person who used a walker to bring the coffee carafe to your table. I'll let you form your own image of that. I stayed one night, and had to transfer elsewhere. My staff (previous employment), stuck it out, and we came home with funny stories. So if you like super soft feather beds, window coverings on the ground floor that will not stay closed, and the drone of a jacuzzi lulling you to sleep, then I have the place for you. (Don't get me started on the time staff and I checked in, (different hotel, different place),and then reassembled after seeing our rooms, to discuss how we didn't feel safe, and immediately checked right back out. Even the desk clerk said she wouldn't stay there either!) Ah, fond memories....and luckily no photos.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like a nightmare! Especially having to climb on a chair on a table to reattach the curtains. And how strange that there wasn't a shower or tub, just a jacuzzi.
DeleteThat's something you would normally only find in Vegas. What a wild place. I would definitely stay there. I wonder if there was a Star Trek themed room...?
ReplyDeleteI don't think there was a Star Trek themed room. If there had been, I would have been very tempted to stay in it.
DeleteIt would sure be fun to stay there. Weirdness, in a good way, works for me. The paintings on the wall look like the sloth from Ice Age and one of the ape from Tarzan is there too.
ReplyDeleteGood weird always works for me too :-)
DeleteWow, that hotel is indeed quirky! I love the boat with the bed and the monkey holding his nose. So funny!
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of fun staying in it. The last thing I expected to find in our travels in Thailand.
DeleteWhat an amazing place! If I ever go back to Northern Thailand, I would stay here. When I was there, many years ago, I only slept in the cheapest backpacker places I could find. Not anymore... (I think). Since we traveled with our own homes the last decade, I don't have too many hotel stories.
ReplyDeleteLiesbet @ Roaming About
We slept in a lot of dives on our trip through Thailand, so this was definitely one of the nicer places.
DeleteHow fun. I would have loved staying there. So fun.
ReplyDeleteI've stayed in lots of nice places. Can't think of one that was as fun as yours though.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
It was very fun indeed :-_
DeleteQuirky and overflowing with character!
ReplyDeleteThe office entrance definitely indicates that you're in for a treat. That nautical-themed room was perfect for you.
You lead such an interesting and varied lifestyle, Ellen.
Plenty of story ideas waiting to develop.
I've definitely got lots of ideas, they just don't fare so well when it comes to execution :-(
DeleteI'm not sure I could sleep in that room although the monkey is pretty cute. The best room I ever slept in was in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. The room wasn't exceptioanal but the ocean was right outside the sliding glass door and all night long I could hear the waves.
ReplyDeleteIt's so relaxing to fall asleep to the noise of the ocean. That sounds like a lovely place to stay.
DeleteVery funny! But I'm with the commenters who think they'd have nightmares.....
ReplyDeleteFortunately, I had a very pleasant night :-)
DeleteWhat a thrilling adventure. Loved the room, well, minus the monkeys, I'm not fond of monkeys. LOL
ReplyDeleteWe've had a few hotels that were interesting, but the one my boys remember was in the mountains of Colorado. The weather turned so quickly (fog so thick you couldn't see, and icy roads. We had to pull off the road and wait until morning. I found this old, old creepy hotel, the boys loved it! :)
You were lucky to have found a place to stay. I don't know if I'd like a old, creepy hotel, but I can see why the boys would have thought it was a great adventure.
DeleteWow! Now I want to go there. I've always wanted to go to Thailand anyway. Next month, I'm moving to China, so at least I'll be in that part of the world. Maybe it will finally happen.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting that you're moving to China! You should definitely see if you can get to Thailand at some point. So much fun.
DeleteI never get to travel due to finances, so no stories to tell. What an exciting adventure!!! I would love to sleep in a boat! :)
ReplyDeleteSleeping on boats can be a lot of fun :-)
DeleteWow, what a unique & fun-looking hotel! That parking garage is crazy ... and love the gorilla holding his nose!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to visit Thailand someday!
I stayed at the Red Rose Hotel in Okinawa. It wasn't that nice.
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