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Even before I got off the plane, I knew I’d made a good choice just the thought of having someone standing outside arrivals with my name on a card was a comfort. Icy water, cool towel and air conditioned town car are a welcome relief when arriving in a still steamy Bangkok past midnight. The near-empty streets of downtown whiz by and in just minutes, a traditional welcome garland of sweet jasmine is in my hand.

Thai silks, white lotus and exquisite Asian art slip by as I’m shepherded to my suite for check-in. Formalities are accompanied by an immensely refreshing lemon grass, chamomile and lime iced tea. A plate of outrageous lipstick-pink dragon fruit arrives. The interminable, depleting flight has ended and my rejuvenation has begun.

And rejuvenation is my goal. I have great hopes that this three-night layover can make up for weeks of lousy time management. We blame jet lag, but the truth is leaving town hard work. I’m fried by the time I drag to the departures lounge. This time I’m letting Banyan Tree pick up the pieces and get me travel ready - cut my hair, do my nails, maybe even shape me up.

One of Banyan Tree’s exotic villa retreats on a remote tropical island would have done, but it’s the rare international flight that connects from my home in San Francisco through the Maldives for India. Banyan Tree has, however, graciously brought the intimacy, service and much of the serenity of its island escapes to Bangkok’s business district.

Soaring sixty stories above Lumpini Park, this silver building echoes the art deco style. A hole where midsections of the 51st and 52nd floors might have been, is an urban beach. A pool, Jacuzzi, poolside bar and plenty of sun loungers spread round the terrace. All the way up by its arched rooftop, Banyan Tree Bangkok continues to make use of the open air and its aerial views with the outdoor restaurant and bar, Vertigo.

Gazing around my club floor suite is also a bit ethereal. Soft lights cast a golden glow on the etchings of old Siam, the teak and the orchids. Slouching on the sofa piled high with silk cushions, I stare far into the Bangkok night. For now, I ignore the executive-sized teak desk with office factotums from personalized stationery to high speed Internet access at the ready.
Selecting a gold silk robe from ample closets, I slip into the marble-clad bathroom. Two scrubs, designed to get me out of the city and under a banyan tree, await. The Rejuvenation Salt Polish with orange and grapefruit oils added to lavender and geranium flowers comes with instructions. First, draw a warm bath in the deep marble tub. Next, splash about in the separate marble shower, apply the scrub and rinse. Back in the tub, soak until the leaves of a banyan tree dance overhead or at least until the buzz of airplanes subsides. Hopefully, this will begin the necessary reparations for the ylang ylang and rosewood Romance Scrub to be useful.

Thai villagers dance a drama written by King Rama II in the painting above my vast bed. I fancy myself somewhat of a bed connoisseur and even sans fine art overhead, this is a fine bed. Support that gives where you do, ultra smooth, cool linens and pillows prolific. I’d consider carrying the softest one home if I were not just beginning my trip.

Nibbling on the house-made chocolates, I discover why a baby turtle bean bag shares my bed. Turtles are a Banyan Tree thing. Unless instructed otherwise, each day a dollar is added to  the bill, matched and donated to their Green Imperative Fund. It works saving turtles, coral reefs and untouched Asian rainforests, helping kids through school and keeping cottage crafts alive - never mind the women who make them. Body and conscience thus salved, I sleep beyond noon the next day.

After breakfast in bed, I venture out, not actually outside, mind you, just to see what Banyan Tree has wrought in urban Bangkok. Quite a lot, although it never feels that way. The low ceilings of the main lobby cradle intimate spaces along with ancient Asian and modern art. A carved horse halts near the stone face of a Buddha that hangs above an oblong pool of white lotus. The same face, rendered in a modern painting, that sits above vases of orchids. Green and white flower arrangements, one about the size of a baby elephant, heighten the feel of tropical splendor.

A banyan tree rules over a pond of golden carp, where orchids grow among the garden’s ferns. A glass wall, two stories tall, lets this serene scene grace both the lobby and to Rom Sai, the all-day dining room where buffets of delicacies from around the world make irresistible pickings.

Floors 50 to 58 comprise the Banyan Tree Club with its own lounge, sky deck, Jacuzzi and current pool. Priority spa facilities are for Club level guests, so spa reservations need not be procured before one leaves home. The Club Lounge with its own concierge, good snacky foods, intriguing magazines and wide views keeps me lounging until nearly sundown.

Way up on top, at the highest point in the city, I borrow the African custom and order a sundowner. I savor Mediterranean tapas and take in the lighting of Bangkok a spectacular day’s end.

Two more days of the same, interspersed with spa and beauty treatments, makes my Bangkok layover into an idyllic makeover. My frayed traveler’s body is de-cramped, de-foliated and re-moisturized, my frazzled soul is calmed and the frizzy ends have disappeared from my hair.

Look out world, here I come.

By Kate Crawford, October  2003

LINKS WITH ATTITUDE

• The Banyan Tree's web site.