Come to the Mae Nam Carnival!

Come to the Mae Nam Carnival!

New Year's Eve at Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside lights up the year's biggest night at a price that's right

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE

Let's face it, when it comes to New Year's Eve partying and fireworks in Bangkok, the riverside is pretty irresistible. The only trouble is that to catch the show, you either have to pay for the privilege of attending one of the gala parties at a fabulous five star hotel or join the hoypoloi crush under bridges, around pontoons, up on the bridges, or at a friend's condo, anywhere you can find a shaky perch.

However, there is a happy medium, has been for three-four years. And it's been getting better and better.

We are talking, of course, about Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside, the four-star hotel which can be found midway between Chatrium and Asiatique, about 1km along Charoenkrung from Taksin BTS and served by its own regular ferry service.

This may come as a shock to some but it boasts the longest riverside terrace of them all. Not only that but the view is what the word "sweeping" was invented to describe. You can see all the way up to the pre-Wat Arun bend upstream and all the way down stream to the magnificent Rama IX bridge and beyond.

This is particularly apropos on New Year's Eve because it puts guests in ringside seats for fireworks at no fewer than eight top class hotels, all famous for their rapturous fireworks in their own rights.

And indeed – you read it here first – those very same riverine caravanserais have formed a conspiracy, well an "arrangement" actually, to coordinate their displays altogether for the good of all gawpers (that's us!).

Calling themselves The Riverside Partnership they've agreed to stagger the timing of their displays so nobody clashes and guests at all the hotels get much more than they bargained for.

Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside's affable GM of four remarkable years during which the hotel has aspired to and reached new heights of charisma on the river, Klaus Sennik, told me so himself.

BTW, the partnership of friendly competitors has also produced Riverside Dining Experience, collating the myriad dining possibilities they offer into a special offer from 12-21 December 2014 (more details from Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside and the other hotels you already know).

But we digress. What is more to the point is Ramada Plaza Bangkok Menam Riverside's New Year's Eve celebration and firework viewing credentials. On the latter point, in the past year alone millions of baht have been lavished on paving, fencing and shaping said stretch of river frontage to give it a style worthy of its natural advantages.

We're talking the ultimate al fresco chillout space where your surrounds are as commodious as the vista is glorious.

There's an upper deck now with its own food and drink service point where overnight guests can enjoy their breakfast seated at minimalist al fresco tables beneath colourful parasols.

However, on said party night the main action will be on the lower terrace at river level which you access through Terrace@72 Restaurant & Bar, with its own remarkable river view, on which the food and beverage arrangements are centred, though they will be so extensive that some of the several live cooking stations will of necessity spill onto the terrace as well. Fortunately, there is plenty of room for everything and everyone.

Yes, indeed, it's going to be quite a party.

"Everyone will be in carnival fancy dress and all the guests will get a party pack," says Klaus. "There'll be delicious international dishes indoors and outdoors thanks to our very talented Chef Anurak Khoononyang  and his team and as for the entertainment, we've got a top 10-piece band to get everybody dancing, as well as glamorous dance shows with six ladies and a surprise countdown."

Taking pride of place on the long, long buffet line will be prime seafood, from Alaskan king crab to fines de clairs oysters, and scallops to rock lobster and king prawns and more, alongside some of the leanest and meanest roasted ribeye beef imaginable.

Chef Anurak is accomplished indeed so that besides pan-fried foie gras, you can also enjoy the wickedly rich delicacy in one of his signature dishes. Here he creates especially for New Year a truly gourmet "confit de canard" pate out of layers of foie gras, chicken confit and parma ham and serves with walnut butter sauce and slightly sweet, slightly spicy red onion compote. It's to-die-for. Also don't miss chef's signature pan-fried Hokkaido scallops with saffron cream and crispy bacon. Plus multinational cuisines, including the contributions of not one but two specialist Indian chefs, not to mention special selections of French and Italian cheeses and tons more.

And all for Bt5,500 net adults. (50% off for children 5-12 years).

20% discount for early booking & payment before December 20, 2014

Starts 18.00 hrs! Finishes who knows when?


THE TERRACE@72 BUFFET RESTAURANT.  Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok. Charoenkrung Road Tel. 02 688 1000.

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