You Can Stay in an Upcycled Historic Railcar at This Thai Resort — Read Our Review

On arrival, guests at Thailand’s InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, three hours northeast of Bangkok, are ushered into an old-school ticket booth where a stationmaster (really, a front desk agent) rings a bell to announce the occasion.

The train station-turned-check-in desk is adorned with railway memorabilia: vintage trunks, retired bells, and even a bunk setup that wouldn’t be out of place on an overnight sleeper car. As a longtime transportation enthusiast, I flashed back to a time in my childhood when I lined up model train cars on the living room floor.

While the “Khao Yai Station” at the hotel’s entrance is fictional, it’s steeped in tradition. In Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province, rail once thrived. That kind of nostalgia inspired famed American designer Bill Bensley in his vision for creating InterContinental Khao Yai. For Bensley, one particular experience as a college-aged tour guide on the coast-to-coast Canadian Pacific Railroad stuck with him decades later.

This property — and many others under the Bensley portfolio — is about reincarnating memories. “I love the idea of conjuring romanticism,” he told me. Thanks to Bensley, whose unique designs convey a sense of childlike wonder, forget what you know about cookie-cutter InterContinental hotels. This is certainly not the staid, business-focused brand of yore.

The hotel takes inspiration from the railcars used in Thailand during King Rama V’s reign in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when train travel here was in its heyday. Many public spaces — along with 19 rooms and suites — are upcycled heritage rail carriages, each representing a different train voyage around the world.

Passionate about intertwining storytelling with restoration (and preservation), Bensley recovered railcars from all over Thailand. Some had been left unused for over 50 years.

Read on for Travel + Leisure’s full review of the train-themed InterContinental Khao Yai.

The Rooms 

Each of the 64 rooms and suites has a different aesthetic — from Murder on the Orient Express vibes to rich reds and bright greens — so don’t expect any two rooms to look entirely alike. While the stars of the show are the 19 upcycled railway carriage suites, even the standard rooms, spread across three green-trimmed white buildings circling a lake, deliver a railway-like aesthetic.

My 1,200-square-foot suite, a full-length train car with an outdoor space, transported me to an era of old-world glamour. Dark wood tones, ornate crown moldings, and splashes of mustard yellow for added panache complemented rich paneling skillfully crafted to emulate original carriage windows. Scenic wallpapers and ambient backlights evoke the sense of rolling countryside vistas. In each railcar, delicate bespoke fabrics from local silk company Jim Thompson further add to the sense of Thai history.

If the idea of waking up in a 20th-century train car sounds questionable, all the modern niceties of a luxury hotel room were present — including plush bedding and a rainfall shower with bath amenities from Byredo. My Heritage Railcar suite, and 11 others, also have private plunge pools and outdoor showers or bathtubs.

Food and Drink

When it comes to local Thai eats, Somying’s Kitchen is the hotel’s main restaurant. The focus here is on farm-to-table regional specialties. The highlight: somying saab, a deceptively simple whole grilled chicken with spicy papaya salad korat style (a unique version with pickled field crab, dried shrimp, and fermented Thai anchovy juice). On the side, order the refreshing pomelo salad with grilled prawns and coconut-oil essence for some balance of flavors.

For a touch of fine French dining, there’s Poirot, a dimly-lit and elegant dining car, and Papillion Bar, a timeless bar car with classic French cocktails. I loved the attention to detail in both of these spaces. “KYS” initials (for Khao Yai Station) are adorned everywhere, and it’s almost an Easter-egg hunt to spot them, from the dishware to the cutlery and more.

Wander to the Tea Carriage railcar on the lake's edge to find swans in the distance. The idyllic view complements the property’s coffee drink, a house blend of Thai-origin coffee with rice milk and mint-and-caramel syrup. Think of it as a Thai twist on an otherwise classic British afternoon tea setup.

Activities and Experiences

Since you’re staying in Khao Yai, one of the best things to do in the area is to visit the namesake national park. The property offers safari-like excursions, complete with a guide and a stop for a local lunch. The nearest park entrance is a 30-minute drive from the hotel, with treks that range in difficulty, snaking through jungles and waterfalls.

On the resort grounds, the main pool offers a reprieve from oppressively hot Thai days, and a shaded path surrounding Swan Lake is the ideal spot for a post-dinner stroll.

The Spa

For train lovers, the onsite spa is housed in two upcycled cars, complete with separate changing rooms and showers. There are Thai massages and facials along with a traditional healing treatment harnessing the cleansing properties of ginger and plai root (and providing a level of zen I didn’t know I needed). Best of all, it was just pretty darn cool to be getting a spa treatment on a train.

Family-friendly Offerings

Again, this is a train hotel, so family-friendly is a natural part of the offering. Some rooms also feature bunk beds, while the kids' club (also in a train car) has various games, toys, and more. There’s a daily schedule of activities, from Thai dance classes to treasure hunts.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Khao Yai is a naturally hilly region, and the property, while fully paved, does have quite a few elevation changes. There are six rooms accessible by wheelchair, but not all may comply with American ADA standards. As for sustainability, most of the food is local to the region, and it doesn’t hurt that decommissioned railway cars have been upcycled into rooms, restaurants, and other public spaces.

Location

The hotel is in a picturesque setting, about 30 minutes outside a UNESCO World Heritage Site (and Thailand’s oldest national park, Khao Yai). And although it’s just a three-hour drive from Bangkok, the setting feels tranquil, a world away from the bustle of the metropolis.

While a couple of adjacent condominium buildings by the hotel’s developer spoil the jungle-like aura a bit, the property still feels relatively remote. Remember that while Khao Yai’s rolling hills and wineries (yes, Thai wine is a thing) provide a pastoral feel, it’s not easy to get around this region without your own set of wheels.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay 

Base-level rooms in the main building at the InterContinental Khao Yai are relatively affordable, with rates as low as $190 or 32,000 IHG One Rewards points per night. Heritage railcar suites and villas are priced around $350 to start.