Is This the Most Spectacular IHG Hotel? Inside the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort

I usually manage expectations when it comes to visiting my dream hotels, but I couldn’t hide my excitement as this hotel stay, which had been at the top of my bucket list for 2 straight years, approached: the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort.

Designed by architect Bill Bensley (he also designed the Siam Bangkok, which is next on my list), this train-themed IHG property is set amid lush, exotic jungle foliage in rural Thailand, a short drive from Khao Yai National Park.

Here’s my family’s review of the one-of-a-kind InterContinental Khao Yai Resort. Joy and wonder are emotions that adults often don’t get to experience much because of the pressures of everyday life, but this hotel inspires them in everyone — kids and grown-ups alike.

Booking the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort With Cash or Points

Before I get into my experience, I’ll run through the logistics. For this stay, it’s mostly about earning — and double-dipping.

I spent about $500 per night on my prepaid 3-night stay, which included breakfast for 3 people. I booked directly through IHG.com using my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, which gets me 26x points on IHG stays, so I earned 39,000 IHG One Rewards points for my stay.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The perfect card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Platinum Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.

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IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

The perfect card for IHG fans, offering a free night every year, automatic Platinum Elite status, and your fourth night free on award stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

140,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$700

Annual Fee

$99

APR

19.24% - 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you regularly visit IHG hotels throughout the year, then the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is probably a perfect card to have in your wallet.

The IHG Premier card offers a great bundle of perks and benefits, including automatic Platinum elite status, an annual free night certificate, and travel protections.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 26x points per $1 on IHG stays
• 5x points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $99 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable points

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Card Highlights

• Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy an Anniversary Free Night at IHG^® Hotels & Resorts. Plus, enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay.
• Earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Earn 5 points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Automatic Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier cardmember
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck^® or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card
• IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental^®, Crowne Plaza^®, Kimpton^®, EVEN^® Hotels, Hotel Indigo^® & Holiday Inn^®
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24% - 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

If I’d held the $0-annual-fee IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, I could have earned 17x IHG One Rewards points and benefited from IHG Silver status.

But you won’t see me downgrading my card anytime soon: I get IHG Platinum status as a perk of the IHG Premier card, where perks easily outweigh the annual fee. Benefits for IHG Platinum status holders at the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort included late checkout, a room upgrade (that pool villa was well worth the card’s $99 annual fee), and 20% off food and drinks during my stay.

Points rates were about 70,000 per night, but I was fresh out of IHG One Rewards points at the time of booking. However, depending on the season, rates start as low as $300 or 50,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Here’s where things get even better: I booked this stay on Black Friday by clicking through to IHG.com via Rakuten, earning 15x Amex Membership Rewards points (I link my Rakuten account to Amex). This means I’ll earn around 22,000 Amex Membership Rewards points for the stay.

In total, I earned 41x points during my stay (including IHG One Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards points), which is an excellent return on my spending.

1. The Train Theme Is Unlike Any Hotel I’ve Visited

A train-themed hotel could have easily been cheesy or felt like a theme park, but the rail theme at the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort was stylish and serene, with train-inspired rooms tucked behind plants and trees. Refurbished train cars were even turned into hotel rooms hidden along weaving, tree-lined pathways.

The experience started the moment my husband, young son, and I arrived at the lobby, which is modeled after the former Pak Chong railway station, with vintage elements that inspire nostalgia, such as old-school suitcases, an original stationmaster bell (I think my son rang it about 50 times), and a train counter as the check-in desk.

The hotel features a few types of rooms, but the main 2 differences are that some rooms are in larger buildings and styled to resemble vintage train cars (many of these overlook the property’s lakes). Others are heritage train cars, which are former train cars refurbished into hotel rooms.

The first night, the hotel was full (I realized I had booked our stay during a major Thai holiday), but thanks to my IHG Platinum status, we were upgraded on the second night of our 3-night stay from a lakeview villa to a lakeview pool villa.

Both rooms were absolutely stunning, and I felt lucky I had the opportunity to enjoy 2 different room experiences.

The first one was sans pool but with absolutely magical lake views (even from the shower) and a blue-and-white theme. Upon walking in, there was a small toilet “compartment,” followed by a “railcar” where I could put my suitcase, access the safe, and hang up my clothes. There was also a vanity area with a sink and a marble-clad shower with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake.

To the left was another “train car” with a king-size bed, a vintage telephone, and passenger benches that converted into a bed for my son. Behind, sliding doors opened onto a gorgeous patio with a sofa, table, and an antique stove that was actually the minifridge. The entire space was incredibly charming, and my whole family was obsessed with the room.

I didn’t think it could get any better until I saw the pool villa room, which was designed exactly the same, except it was black and white and had a small pool overlooking the jungle flora, accessible via a glass door in the shower area.

Despite being themed, the rooms were comfortable, quiet, and welcoming. Nothing about the train theme detracted from the enjoyment and comfort of the stay; it only enhanced them. We spent hours in the pool and many hours playing Uno on our patio.

May, the kind staffer at the front desk, immediately recognized my interest in the property, and when I asked her if I could tour one of the heritage rail cars, she made it happen.

Although I think the villa rooms were probably more versatile (clearly, the railcar rooms adhere to the original style of the space — you can’t make them any wider!), the heritage rail cars were renovated elegantly, with gilded gold sinks, king-size beds, and private outdoor bathtubs overlooking the jungle overgrowth.

2. I Discovered Thailand’s Natural Beauty Here

The hotel’s dense tropical setting is also what makes this place so special.

Throughout the hotel grounds, I enjoyed many beautiful plants and trees, and the property also featured a welcoming pool area and a few lakes. I used the hotel’s free bikes to ride around the lakes. There was a yoga deck overlooking the lake, and swans and Koi fish lapped the waters.

Although you can find many critters on the hotel’s paths (think lizards, giant pill millipedes, peacocks, and white squirrels), I didn’t find a single mosquito or bug in my room, which was amazing — I enjoyed the jungle setting without bug bites or unwanted visitors.

It was incredibly peaceful to cruise around the lakes on bikes, admire the swans, and simply take in the beauty of it all. Short bursts of evening rain made the setting even more magical; there’s nothing like a night swim in the muggy jungle during a rainstorm, or falling asleep in my train car to the pitter-patter of jungle drops.

3. It’s Extremely Family-Friendly

The hotel had plenty to do for adults, but it definitely kept my kid enthralled by the setting throughout our stay.

With actual train cars dotting the resort, a well-stocked kids club inside a train car, a swimming pool, swans gliding along the lakes, kid-size and adult bikes for guests, a house of real rabbits, and kiddie-themed activities like treasure hunts and koi feeding, this hotel stay created lasting memories for my son.

The train-themed rooms were special and memorable for kids, too. My son was obsessed with his train bed, and I was even able to rope off his sleeping quarters with curtains on all sides.

Any child, even one who’s not super into trains, would find magic and wonder within the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort’s rainforest setting and unique amenities.

4. There’s Plenty To Do Without Leaving the Resort

The hotel was far from the nearest major town, so walking to restaurants and shops wasn’t really an option. However, I knew this when I booked the hotel, so I organized our 3-night stay with enough time to enjoy the resort itself and also booked a safari at Khao Yai National Park through the hotel.

After researching and comparing prices, I decided to go with the hotel’s Tour Package A, which included round-trip transportation, a private tour and hike through Khao Yai National Park, lunch, and the hope of spotting wild elephants.

Unfortunately, the park was crowded due to the Thai holiday, and the elephants were hiding, but we had an incredible guide, Tata, who took us on a memorable hike through the park’s muddy trails. There, we saw monkeys, deer, giant lizards, and various snakes, including a viper. I was thrilled with the tour and grateful to the hotel for handling the logistics.

Back at the hotel, we saw that it also featured the French Papillon Bar, the Poirot Restaurant, and a tea carriage, all housed in refurbished train cars. The spa carriage was also part of a train. There was a small gym and a little tram you could ride around on to explore the resort (golf carts could also take you around the resort).

There was also a pool bar and Somying’s Kitchen restaurant, both of which stuck to the train theme. The daily breakfast offered a wide range of Western and Asian dishes, as well as fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juices.

I loved the breakfast, and we had dinner at Somying’s Kitchen — mainly Thai food, which was excellent and had an ample kids menu (my son happily ate chicken, pork, noodles, and rice without ever asking for a nugget or hamburger).

We also had lunch and snacks at the pool bar. I also recommend GranMonte wine from the nearby GranMonte winery. My favorite dish was the hot basil minced pork with rice, and my husband was partial to the shrimp pad Thai.

5. It’s Close to Bangkok but Feels Far From the Crowds

The Khao Yai area and the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort are about a 3-hour drive from Bangkok, depending on traffic. I found affordable transfers (around $90 each way) for my family in a comfortable SUV using Kiwitaxi.

The route to the hotel was fairly easy (no crazy winding roads or off-road terrain), yet the area felt devoid of foreign travelers and delightfully undiscovered. Most of the hotel guests were Thai, enjoying a holiday weekend away from Bangkok.

Although I saw some European travelers at Khao Yai National Park, it still felt like a destination that people outside of Thailand don’t know about yet — sort of like what Chiang Mai was decades back. There aren’t many destinations like this left, so head there soon before everyone finds out.

Hot Tip:

The InterContinental Khao Yai Resort was high on my hotel bucket list for 2026, and I’m so glad I made it there. Keeping a hotel bucket list serves as travel inspiration and can motivate you to save hotel points to visit the hotels on your list.

Final Thoughts

My stay at the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort was one of the most exciting and enjoyable hotel stays I’ve ever had — and I’ve stayed in hundreds of hotels across the globe. The property’s beautiful jungle setting and uniquely designed railway-themed rooms made the hotel unlike any other — a memorable experience for my entire family (and I’ll definitely return).

If you’re in the market for a unique hotel stay in a stunning and underrated location, add the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort to your hotel bucket list.