It was a relaxing evening when I wandered down the pristine Wong Amat beach. The Sun sank over North Pattaya's horizon and the azure skies began to turn pink and orange as a brisk sea wind swept through. This looked to be a reward for vacationers staying at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
Just a 90-minute drive from Bangkok, this resort is encircled by a ring of cafés, restaurants, bars and shopping malls, yet it's still a favourite refuge for families looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and spend quality time enjoying leisure activities against a beautiful backdrop of white sand beach.
Design and Facility
With the Lost World theme, this 5-star resort is built to resemble a deep jungle and its decor reminded me of a fun adventure in Zuma Deluxe, my favourite action-puzzle game in which the player blasts magical balls from a stone frog during a treasure quest.
Facing the beach, two 19-storey buildings look like a colossal stone cliff rising from a strait in the Gulf of Thailand, while the Lost World-themed water park with a free-form swimming pool is in the middle of the mysterious rainforest, with a network of waterslides transporting treasure hunters to explore a meandering lazy river and Monsoon Island.
The Lost World Adventure Land is the latest addition to the property. It provides new inventive attractions to ramp up your excitement such as the SkyRider, which will allow families to dip and swoop into the air, or the SkyTrail, which will put your athletic talents to the test by allowing you to cross one of two obstacle courses.
A three-storey playground is filled with thrilling fast slides, a trampoline zone, a raft game and a digging pit where young archaeologists can learn how to excavate dinosaur bones, while the Cave Zone provides family-friendly entertainment, including a programme of soft-play kids' cinema screening, wooden toys and a ground of soft Lego. Art and craft programmes as well as cooking classes are also available to young people.
Spa Cenvaree is located in a coastal village and offers a wide selection of traditional aromatherapy and therapeutic massages and Vichy treatments together with a pedicure and manicure salon and meditation pavilion to soothe your soul. Alternatively, you may burn calories at a fully-equipped fitness centre and tennis courts during the day.
Sporting a contemporary Thai-style decor, this seaside resort offers 555 rooms and suites with sizes ranging from 42m² to 360m². Each room features a furnished balcony or expansive terrace overlooking the lush garden and ocean.
My Room
I spent a night in a 42m² Club Mirage Premium Deluxe Ocean View room with oak-shaded wood and leather furnishings allowing me to fantasise about camping in a deep jungle and sleeping in an exotic tree house.
My comfortable room was fitted out with a flat screen TV with satellite channels and a DVD player to keep guests entertained as well as a work station, a small living space and a private balcony from which guests can enjoy a spectacular view of the sea and sunset.
A mini bar corner provides coffee- and tea-making facilities and a closet contains slippers, a safety box and a laundry set. The complimentary Wi-Fi connection was stable, however there were only a few plug outlets accessible, making charging smartphones and tablets at the same time problematic. The see-through bathroom is modest but big enough to house a bathtub, a sink counter with all amenities, a separate shower and toilet.
Here, I took advantage of the Club Mirage programme, which is only available to customers staying in Club Mirage rooms and suites. I escaped the crowds in the morning by having an Early Riser Continental Breakfast in a private club lounge from 7am to 10.30am.
I also had access to the Zulu Family Club during the day and could replenish my energy with midday soup, afternoon tea, a pre-dinner cocktail and a variety of teas, coffees, soft drinks and fruit juices.
Other benefits include complimentary laundry for two pieces per room per day, discount 10% on spa treatment at SpaCenvaree, complimentary use of the boardroom up to two hours per stay and free internet connection through LAN cable in the room.
Dining
With the advent of the Seafood Bonanza Buffet offer every Saturday night, the Oasis restaurant is becoming a new popular dining destination. I appreciated the broad assortment of freshly grilled seafood including blue crab, rock lobster, river prawns and squid, as well as the Oyster Bar sushi and sashimi stations, which cost 649 baht for children and 1,299 baht for adults. Another highlight is a wide section dedicated to Asian and Western sweets, which will complete your vacation experience.
Verdict
Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya is a short drive from Bangkok. It is located on the tranquil Wong Amat beach and boasts a large water park and playground, making it ideal for families to enjoy their vacation together.
The resort offers the Centara Test & Go package that starts from 8,500 baht per person for a single room and 10,000 baht for a twin room inclusive of one-way transfer from the airport, a one-night stay with breakfast, one RT-PCR test and official certificate on departure.
Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya is at 277, Naklua, Banglamung, Chon Buri, 20150. Call 038-301-234 or visit centarahotelsresorts.com.
