Centara Hotels & Resorts last week prepared for the “soft opening” of the Centara Grand Phratamnak Resort, its second property in Pattaya, with a Buddhist blessing ceremony.
General Manager Dominique Ronge hosted the Oct. 7 ceremony at the 165-room Pratamnak Soi 5 hotel. The “Keun Baan Mai” service held to bless the new structure and its inhabitants was administered by nine monks from Chong Lom Temple who chanted in Pali while holding white “sai sin” string. Buddhists believe the monks’ voices reverberate through the string and bring good luck to anything and anyone within range of the waves.
Dominique Ronge (center) GM of the Centara Grand Pratamnak Resort Pattaya, along with Chananchida Wongsa-ard (center, left), Sales and PR manager of the Centara Grand Resort and Spa and other staff take part in the blessing ceremony of the Centara Grand Phratamnak Resort Pattaya.
After the prayers, the monks blessed the guests by sprinkling lustral water upon them, followed by lunch offered by the hotel.
The Centara Grand Phratamnak Resort is the second of three Grand-label properties planned by the hotel chain. The third, the Centara Grand Modus Resort on Naklua Soi 12 is scheduled to open Dec. 1.
The Pratamnak Hill property offers suites and family residences stocked with electronic amenities. The halls were built with modern tile and the ceilings are well-decorated. The reception area and the Oceana all-day dining restaurant carry an underwater motif, decorated with shells, paintings of waves and saltwater aquariums stocked with sharks. Furnishings are from Fendi in Italy.