UNEARTHING A GEN IN AYUTTHAYA

       My several trips to Thailand's old capital over the years have always been disappionting. Nothing could be more magical than the atmosphere of the grand ruined palaces and wats, but the mundane suroundings of my hotel a always shatters the spell. And adding to their lack of character is the fact that most hotels are located a good distance from Ayutthaya's heritage sites.
       Thankfully, on my last expedition I made a discovery to change all that. There's a new kid on the block than offers modern comforts a stone's throw from the richest history in Siam.
       Just across the road from the 290-hectare Ayutthaya Historical Park is I-Dia on the River, a boutique hotel with a perfect view of Wat Putthaisawan on the south bank of the Chao Phraya. The temple is said to have been where the founder of Ayutthaya, King Ramathibodi I, made plans for his opulents new capital.
       The hotel's tasteful mix of the old and the new reflects the strength of the Kingdom today-modern and worldly but still in touch with its historical roots.
       The first thing I noticed on arrival is the classical touch that craftsmen have lent to the hotel's hallways and rooms. I aske dthe owners where they found the wood-carvings on the front desk, the ornate hangers and mirror in my room and the chandeliers in the cafe'. Bangkok's Chatuchak weekend market came the surprising reply, though they stayed quiet on how simple flea-market finds could be polished up to something so special.
       Every element of the hotel is designed to reflect its historic surroundings."I-uKia" for example is Ayutthaya's old spelling, while the rooms are each named after a famous ruler of the kingdon. A snippet about my room's "ruler"is written on the red key chain: "Bayinnaung(Known in Portuguese as Braginoco) was the king of the Taungoo Dynasty in Burma. He was revered in the country and is best known for unifying the kingdom an dexpanding his empire to incorporate the neighbouring Shan State, Siam and Laos."
       The well leading to the hotel's tall gate uses the same type of bricks as Ayutthaya's archaeological treasures, giving the illusion that it's an extension on the ruined sites. At the entrance, a set of Benjarong jars displayed in a glass case not only shows the owners'personal passion for collecting antiques but reflects Siam'
s amcient trading history, especially with China. Each of I-uDia's eight guestrooms has an additional set of jars that were unearthed during archaeological digs in Ayutthaya.
       The cafe houses coffee-table books ranging in subject from travel to Thai history. The owners'own book on Benjarong jars in Thailand will be joining them on the shelves soon.
       I-uDia occasionally hosts inhouse cultural programmes to acquaint guests with Buddhist meditation techniques, Siamese history, antiques, yoga or traditional Thai music. During my stay, I listened to Dr Edward van Roy, an expert on the lod kingdom, give interesting insights on the city's grand palace and its rulers.