B-Lay Tong – new place to stay and party in Patong
Minimalist architecture and maximalist views: The pool at B-Lay Tong.
Over the past couple of years, Patong has been shifting gradually away from its image as the centre of down-and-dirty vacationing into something rather more chic. That’s not to say you can’t get down and very dirty if you want to – but there’s no longer the sense that that’s the only thing to do there and that, basically, if you go to Patong that’s what you have to do.
Just the place for a summit meeting - the dining table in the B-Lay Tong Presidential Suite
Now there is a rising number of chic places to go to. Places where you might have to think a bit further than flipflops, Singha T-shirt and shorts with 17 pockets. Places where you might actually feel out of place if you don’t dress up a bit.
Names in Patong that come to mind include Club Lime, Climax, BYD Lofts or White Box. Now there’s another to put on your list and in the back of your mind: Beat Club at the new 123-room B-Lay Tong Resort, at the north end of Patong Beach. It’s just opposite the Novotel, close to the junction of the beach road and Phra Barami Rd.
Beat Club is ready – it’s just not operating full-on yet. It can, however, be booked for private parties, taking advantage of the high-tech sound system and neon-lit bar; call K. Tik at +66 (0) 76 344 999.
The resort opened quietly in March, and will have its official opening in the next few months – it’s not yet certain just when, but before the next “high” season. In the meantime everything is ready – two restaurants serving Mediterranean and Thai food, an oyster and sushi bar, the lobby bar and the pool bar, along with a library and fitness room. In-room facilities include audio system, LCD TV with satellite reception, and WiFi or LAN connection for Internet. Free.
Following the trend away from Thai temple-style roofs and a great deal of ornate woodwork, the exterior design of B-Lay Tong is starkly rectangular, with dark grey dressed concrete surfaces. Indoors, things are slick, chic minimalist with dark shades contrasting with splashes of bright colour. In the rooms, the opposite prevails, with bright white being dominant.
Beat Club - not fully open yet, but bring your private dancers for a private party.
The resort is owned by B-Resort Group of Bangkok, and is managed by the InVision Group, headed by former Marriott exec Kevin Beauvais, whose portfolio now includes such chic inns as Zeavola in Phuket along with Villa Maroc on Pranburi Beach, and Glow and Swiss Park in Bangkok. The GM of B-Lay Tong will be Daniel Meury, formerly boss of The Chedi in Phuket.
Room rates until October 31 this year run from B4,900 a night for a Superior Garden View Room to 46,900 for the Presidential Suite with its two bedrooms and enormous living/dining area, sprawling over a total of 145 sqm.
Expect B-Lay Tong to be mentioned soon by the cognoscenti in the same breath as, say, Twin Palms on Surin Beach. For more info and current special rates visit the website here.
