Location

VIE Hotel Bangkok is conveniently located at the edge of the heart of Bangkok, within a 5-minute walk to the shopping malls in the Siam area and about 10 minutes from the Platinum shopping mall area. The convenience of the hotel’s location is greatly enhanced by the BTS station right at the hotel’s doorstep, allowing us to explore the other parts of Bangkok easily. There are several eateries nearby the hotel, with the nearest Co-Co Walk just below the hotel. Despite having three convenient stores within minutes’ walk from VIE Hotel Bangkok, I found accessing these stores inconvenient as they are located across the main road from the hotel. We had to take the overhead bridge to get to these stores.

The Suite

The Grand Duplex Suite in VIE Hotel Bangkok is a 2-bedroom suite with one bedroom on the upper floor and the other on the lower floor. It has an impressive 145㎡ of real estate space and is perched on the top floor of the hotel. The Grand Duplex Suite was recently given a refurbishment earlier this year.

Entryway

The entryway is the first area we came to from the main entrance to the 2-bedroom Grand Duplex Suite. We could immediately feel the contemporary Thai-influenced decor exuding throughout the suite from the entryway. The suite uses a lot of bold colours and natural wooden materials, radiating warmth and class. The entryway is only furnished with a tall wooden table, perfect for placing our shopping and small items. We were able to use the space under the wooden table to place our shoes.

Powder Room

The Grand Duplex Suite’s powder room is located in the entryway. This room, decked in marble and furnished with a porcelain throne and a small sink, is the suite’s half bathroom. I like how VIE Hotel Bangkok decided to include a powder room at the entryway, which allows us to use it before we head out and also allows visitors of the occupants to use it without having to bash into the bedrooms.

Living Room

At the end of the entry is the main living area, which includes the Living room, dining area, and a small pantry.

Pantry

The first thing that caught my eye was the pantry sitting to the side of the lounging area in the living room of the Grand Duplex Suite. The pantry is essentially a large countertop fitted by the wall next to the staircase leading to the second level of the suite. It houses a Nespresso coffee machine, an electric kettle and bottles of water, which are replenished daily. A kitchen sink sits at the end of the pantry countertop, perfect for us to wash our cups. In addition to the pantry countertop, the pantry area also houses a kitchen island between the pantry countertop by the wall and the lounging area. This kitchen island houses a microwave and one of the three mini fridges in the suite. I applauded the inclusion of this kitchen island, which not only gave us additional storage space in the suite but also provided us with an additional place to charge our mobile devices with the power outlets installed.

Lounging Area

The lounging area houses a bright red carpet and a couple of sofas. The three-seater light brown coloured leather sofa is placed facing the TV and is capable of sitting four adults comfortably. The cushions on this sofa bring a homely vibe. Placed beside the leather sofa, next to the floor-to-ceiling window is another sofa. This sand-coloured fabric sofa comfortably increased the sitting capacity by another three to four adults, making it excellent for a small gathering of friends in the lounging area. A brown coffee table is placed in the centre of the lounging area, and we find ourselves using it to place our drinks and snacks while obtaining entertainment on the large flatscreen TV. The Thai decorations displayed on the shelving of the light brown and sand-coloured two-storey high cabinet where the TV was placed enhanced the Thai theme in the suite. A third couch in the living room of the Grand Duplex Suite sits by the staircase after the pantry area. Despite further increasing the sitting capacity in the suite, I find the placement of this couch out of place.

Dining Area

The dining area occupies the space behind the lounging area. Furnished with a large solid wooden table and four matching dining chairs, it not only allowed us to consume the food we packed from the roadside stalls on the streets of Bangkok, but this table was also a great place to gather and chit-chat.

Antechamber

There is an antechamber on the second floor of the Grand Duplex Suite, a small area before the entrance to the bedroom on the upper level. This is where VIE Hotel Bangkok fitted a study desk that looks out into the living room on the lower level. I like the placement of this study table, which maximises the space usage but also allows guests working on it to look out into the skyline of Bangkok City through the floor-to-ceiling window. There are some power outlets installed in the work desk that allow guests to keep their laptops charged while working. These power outlets also gave us additional spots to charge up our lifestyle devices. A large brown cabinet is fitted onto the wall by the staircase on the antechamber, giving us additional space to stow our stuff.

Bedrooms

The two bedrooms in the Grand Duplex Suite, one on the upper and the other on the lower levels, have identical layouts and decor. Entering the bedroom, a dresser cum luggage rack sit behind the double-panelled wooden doors. I like how the hotel maximises the storage space for its guests by designing a three-drawer dresser under the luggage rack. The bedroom proper lies to the left of the luggage rack area. The Thai-influenced decor is especially pronounced in the bedroom, mainly decked in wooden furnishes with bright colours, and the warm light creates a golden hue effect. The king bed sits by a large sand-coloured velvet headboard, offered us an excellent sleep quality. A couple of bedside tables stand guard on either side of the king bed, fitted with a single drawer and provide additional space for storage. The bedside lamps placed on these bedside tables added to the sophistication of the vibe in the bedroom. Despite placing a phone, lamp and clock, I still find sufficient space to charge my mobile phone using the power outlet fitted on the wall.

An elongated vanity desk is opposite the king bed and fitted onto the wall. The slim desk is great for make-up but can double up as a work desk with a power outlet installed on the wall to provide juice for laptops. I was surprised to find a mini fridge inside the cabinet under the vanity desk. Very few hotels went the extra mile to provide such small conveniences for their guests. A TV hangs on the wall at the end of the vanity desk has the same entertainment options as that in the living room.

VIE Hotel Bangkok fitted two wardrobes in the bedroom, one next to the king bed and another opposite the bed in the vanity area. Both wardrobes have the same size; the only difference is that the one opposite the bed has an additional in-room safe. However, I find it peculiar that hangers are only placed in one wardrobe and not the other, but I am sure the hotel would provide us with more hangers if we requested them. Another thing to note is that the ironing board and iron are only found inside the wardrobe in the bedroom on the lower floor of the suite.

Bathrooms

Similar to the bedrooms in the suite, both ensuite bathrooms inside the bedrooms have identical layouts and fixtures. The bathrooms were covered with sand-coloured marble tiles, giving them a luxurious look. Sitting on the right of the bathroom is a dual sink with a large countertop, giving us sufficient space to put our toiletries despite installing two large sinks. Two glass cubicles opposite the sink area house the walk-in shower with rain and a regular shower head installed, and the toilet cubicle. I like the sizeable space allotted to the shower cubicle, but I found adjusting to the right temperature on the taps difficult. VIE Hotel Bangkok installed a sizeable bathtub at the furthest end of the bathroom. Soaking in the large, deep, seated bathtub, coupled with the bonus of the jacuzzi function, was very comfortable and took away the fatigue we accumulated out exploring the streets of Bangkok.

Service

The service we received at VIE Hotel Bangkok was impeccable. Our positive experience with the hotel started even before we arrived. Jeng, whom we did not manage to meet during our stay at the hotel, was very responsive to our questions regarding the suite we were booking. She put in the effort to enable our seamless and smooth check into our suite. The service provided by Jeng started us with a positive note on our experience at the hotel. Then there are the front desk staff at the reception counter, who were very welcoming and displayed the warmth the Thais are famously renowned for. They gave us the biggest smile one could ask for upon our arrival and processed our check-in efficiently, enabling us to gain access to our room quickly. The front desk staff would always greet us with the warmest greeting when we walked past the reception.

The porters at the main door were attentive and would rush to the door whenever they saw us walking towards the door, regardless of the time of the day (or night). They took care of our luggage when we arrived at the hotel and during our departure. The dynamic staff at La VIE restaurant, where we had breakfast, was very observant and attentive. Besides the warmth of “Sawadees” every morning we walked into the restaurant, they left no empty plates on our table and promptly cleared them. Then there is Khun Nest, who manned the pool. She was welcoming and diligent in ensuring the pool was tidied to welcome guests despite the hot and humid weather. Like the rest of the staff we met at the hotel, Khun Nest also welcomed us with the biggest Thai smile one can ask for.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ La VIE

The VIE Hotel Bangkok serves daily breakfast at La VIE restaurant on the 11th floor. The restaurant’s food area is in a corner and offers a good mix of Thai, Western, and Chinese cuisines. The food was delicious, and there was a minor change in the menu daily during breakfast. There is even a juice cart where we find all sorts of healthy juices. The hardworking staff constantly topped up the food promptly.

Afternoon Tea @ Piano Bar

Guests staying in Suites can enjoy afternoon tea at the Piano Bar on the ground floor of VIE Hotel Bangkok. The afternoon tea features bite-size canapés that are delicious and presentable. Along with the small canapé menu, the hotel also includes some dessert options. The menu for the afternoon tea changes daily. We were also treated to a menu of drinks, from cocktails to mocktails to juices, to enjoy with the afternoon tea session.

Swimming Pool

VIE Hotel Bangkok has a rooftop infinity pool at level 10, on top of a standalone building that houses the hotel’s signature Japanese restaurant. Linked by a wooden bridge from the main hotel building, the swimming pool is a perfect place to cool off from the hot climate of Bangkok. We enjoyed suntanning here as no vegetation or tall buildings blocked the sun. However, there are limited sun deck chairs at the swimming pool. The pool is large enough for one to do decent laps or for families to have fun with their children. A jacuzzi is at the end of the pool, closer to the pool bar. The hotel also thoughtfully provided floating gear for young ones to enjoy the pool.

Gym

VIE Hotel Bangkok has a large gym on level 10, occupying the entire floor space. The gym is essentially a commercial-run gym with a huge variety of equipment, from cardio to strength training machines, where guests can engage in a variety of workouts. There is a class studio where the gym conducts several group exercise classes throughout the day. Despite being a commercial gym, guests staying at VIE Hotel Bangkok can use the gym for free. However, these group exercise classes are chargeable.

Overall

We had a very good stay at VIE Hotel Bangkok. The Grand Duplex Suite is sizeable and comfortable. It felt like our home away from home, with its distinct Thai elements that decorated the suite. The king bed’s sleep quality is excellent, leaving us sufficiently rested to explore Bangkok. The service at VIE Hotel Bangkok is excellent, and every staff member we encountered was friendly and welcoming. What I liked the most about the hotel was its excellent location; with the proximity to the BTS stations, staying here allowed us to explore Bangkok easily.