InterContinental Khao Yai Resort - The Thai Resort that Breathes New Life into Vintage Railway Cars

In the rolling hills beyond Bangkok's concrete sprawl, a whimsical hotel has turned abandoned train cars into a luxurious escape three hours north of Bangkok.

As the capital's endless urban landscape finally gives way to undulating hills and thick jungle, something unexpected appears through a curtain of towering trees: the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, where decommissioned railway carriages have been transformed into some of Thailand's most distinctive hotel suites.

The 100-acre property surrounds several artificial lakes and features thousands of planted trees, transforming what was once agricultural land into a lush sanctuary. Its location places you within easy reach of Khao Yai National Park, Thailand's oldest nature reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site where elephants, gibbons, and hornbills roam free.

Opened in 2022, this quirky passion project from acclaimed designer Bill Bensley reimagines Thailand's railway history as immersive accommodation.

Bensley, known for theatrical hotels that tell stories, has crafted a complete fictional universe around these salvaged carriages, inventing characters and backstories that blur the line between history and fantasy.

The resort blends historical fact with creative fiction, presenting itself as the passion project of a made-up train conductor "Khun Somsak," who supposedly used his life savings to commission the hotel's Rama V-era architecture.

Standard rooms in the main buildings haven't been left out of the fantasy – they feature railway-inspired touches like overhead luggage storage, sliding cabin doors, and windows that mimic the rhythm of passing landscapes.

Modeled after train cabins with clerestory ceilings and pleather lounge booths, they have either black-and-white paneling with monochrome marble bathrooms or all-teak interiors with painted jungle scenes visible through trompe l'oeil windows.

Heritage Railcars

The suites housed in these upcycled carriages present an intriguing spatial challenge, measuring just 2.5 meters wide but extending up to 30 meters in length.

Despite these unusual dimensions, they've been cleverly converted into comfortable living spaces with marble-clad shower cabins, ceiling-mounted luggage racks, and raised platform beds at each end.

The premium suites occupy genuine upcycled carriages, each decorated according to different international rail routes with distinctive textiles, carvings, and color schemes reflecting various Asian destinations like Laos or Cambodia.

Most open onto shaded patios with outdoor roll-top tubs, while a select few add private swimming pools.

A spa, "Back on Track," has been ingeniously fitted into another carriage, which in some sections remains partly entwined with ficus tree roots – the designers chose to preserve rather than remove this natural takeover, creating a striking visual metaphor for the intersection of human creation and jungle reclamation.

For families, the appeal is obvious. Some rooms feature bunk beds, and the kids' club (yes, inside another railway carriage) offers board games, LEGO, and daily activities like lakeside treasure hunts and Thai dancing classes.

The dining venues continue the transportation theme. The main restaurant resembles a vintage station cafeteria with retro furnishings and bright colors, serving northeastern Thai specialties alongside international options.

For evening cocktails, a bar occupying another converted carriage channels the mysterious glamour of "Murder on the Orient Express" with velvet upholstery and mood lighting.