Month: April 2026

[Accommodation Review] – SO/ Bangkok (SO/ Lofty Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (2 – 5 Apr 26)

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Location

SO/ Bangkok is located in the heart of Bangkok, opposite the famed Lumpini Park, the largest park in downtown Bangkok. There are a couple of shopping malls near the hotel. One Bangkok, the larger of the two, is diagonally opposite the hotel with shopping and food options. In terms of 24-hour convenience shops, there are two 7-Elevens within a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Despite its central location, SO/ Bangkok is only connected by the MRT and some bus services. To access the BTS, we need to catch the MRT for one stop and change to the BTS at Si Lom. For visitors who are using the BTS to visit the sights or shop in central Bangkok, where the BTS is the only way to get to these sights, they would find SO/ Bangkok a tad cumbersome to get around. There are not many sights, other than Chinatown, that the MRT connects. The MRT also connected us to shopping areas like Patpong and Terminal 21.

The SO/ Lofty Suite (Water Element)

We originally booked the SO/ One Bedroom Suite, the second-lowest-tiered suite in the hotel. To our surprise, SO/ Bangkok gave us a two-tier upgrade to the SO/ Lofty, the second-highest tiered suite in the hotel. The 99㎡ water-themed SO/ Lofty Suite is one of the four elemental themes on which the hotel designed its rooms. For those who prefer the higher floor, water-themed rooms sit on the top few levels of the hotel.

Layout of the Water Element SO/ Lofty Suite that we stayed in

Entryway

The entryway in the SO/ Lofty Suite is not furnished with any furniture that would otherwise make it easier for guests to take off their shoes. Instead, the plain entryway was designed to be a thoroughfare for guests between the living room and the entrance to the suite. As an introduction to the suite, we were given a glimpse of the dark grey colour scheme used to represent the claim and sophistication of the water element. The designer uses the dark tone and soothing shades of grey to enhance the panoramic city views.

The entryway of our SO/ Lofty Suite

Powder Room

The power room is situated opposite the main entrance to the SO/ Lofty Suite. The stone colour theme at the entryway flowed into the powder room. The light shade of grey on the wall of the powder room complements the darker shade used in the tile, which is one of the ways the designer of the suite uses to create a calm atmosphere. The powder room is only fitted with a toilet and a large sink, and given the space allocated to this room, the sense of calmness also comes from the spaciousness. To reinforce the water theme, SO/ Bangkok hangs a picture of a water ripple in grey tones above the porcelain throne.

The powder room in the SO/ Lofty Suite

Living Room

The shades of grey used in the powder room are replicated in the living room. Here, the lighter stone grey wall colour, together with the darker near black grey used in the tiles of the floor, created a darker interior. It is here where we could really see what the designer meant by letting the bright bustling city be the centre of attention. The darker tones in the living room focus our attention on the bright colours in the City of Angels. The colour used in the living room is slightly more from wooden tones in the TV console and the cabinets at the side of the living room (which we welcomed the abundance of storage here), to the sand coloured floor lamp sited next to the floor to ceiling window quietly provides warm illumination to the living room at night, to the light grey coloured two seater European size sofa. Despite an increase in the variety of colours used, everything flows in harmony. The two-seater fabric sofa, which is sufficient to seat three or even four adults comfortably, is the centrepiece of this part of the suite. Sitting by the walls and facing the 55” LED TV mounted onto the wall opposite, the sofa is where we relax while watching the multiple entertainment options from the TV, from international cable channels to local TV shows. There is something to occupy every age group sitting on the sofa. The larger hourglass-shaped side table functions as more than an ornamental piece. When nothing is placed on top of it, it is an art piece that gives some life in the living room, but when used, it can also function as an additional table area for us to stow our shopping. The single armchair, in the same tone as the sofa, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, provides guests of the SO/ Lofty suite with additional sitting space for hosting.

Bedroom

Perhaps the only space in this water element, the SO/ Lofty Suite, that took a departure from the dark tone is the wardrobe in the bed area. Instead of having a dark tone, this part of the suite is laid with natural wood colour, which seems to be for practical reasons. As there were no views in this part of the site, the lighter colour tones used here allow guests to perform functions that are allocated to this part of the suite better. I like how SO/ Bangkok designed a walk-in wardrobe in the bedroom of the suite, with a sliding door that gave the separation between the wardrobe and the bedroom. The wardrobe space employs an open design fitted with only hanging racks. Other than the ledge below the hanging racks, which we used to place our luggage and the oversized drawer below, we found a lack of shelving for us to stow our smaller clothing items. Shelving space is limited to the two built into the wall of the wardrobe, of which one is used to house the in-room safe. While we still have the other shelving to use, I find it awkward and difficult to access. Fortunately, SO/ Bangkok furnished the vanity table inside the walk-in wardrobe, which we used to place our smaller clothing items on.

The sleeping area occupies the rest of the space allocated to the bedroom. The bedroom past the king bed continued the dark grey tones we saw in the living room. Differing from the living room, instead of having grey walls, the bedroom is decked with the same dark marble tiles on the floors and the walls, with only the ceiling painted in the same grey tones as those we saw on the walls of the living room to accentuate the focus on the colour of the city skyline. The king bed is very comfortable to sleep on, with a good selection of pillow options from the pillow menu that SO/ Bangkok pampers its guests to choose from; we woke up feeling refreshed every day. SO/ Bangkok did not use your traditional wooden bedside tables with drawers; in their place were white tables that stood guard on either side of the bed. Unlike the traditional bedside tables, these tables did not come with any drawers, but were sufficiently sized for us to place our lifestyle devices to charge overnight. SO/ Bangkok cleverly fitted the minibar into the suite on the wall just outside the walk-in wardrobe, next to the king bed. The minibar is only visible when the door to the walk-in wardrobe is closed. Despite taking up a small footprint in the suite, the mini bar has everything that makes it a full-functioning mini bar. It houses a Nespresso machine, a kettle and a mini fridge that is stocked with complimentary drinks that are replenished daily. I do, however, find the usage of the coffee machine a little difficult. Due to the space allocated, I would have to pull the machine to the edge of the shelf for the insertion of a coffee pod.

The king bed faces the quadrant floor-to-ceiling windows that curve towards the bed, giving us views of the city from our bed. There is a fairly large space between the windows and the bed. This is where the hotel filled the void with a circular armchair and a small coffee table. This grey fabric chosen for this armchair complemented the dark grey palette used by the designer, continuing the sophistication and calm vibe we had seen in the other parts of the suite. The armchair is very comfortable to sit on, allowing us to laze, focusing our attention on the bustling city. Another 55” LED TV is placed just a little shy of the window facing the king bed. A small work desk facing the city skyline is fitted in one corner of the bedroom, with the power outlets fitted on the ledge beside the work desk. This is a perfect spot for guests to do some work. The ledge also gave us additional space to place things like documents.

Bathroom

The bathroom was allocated a good amount of space. The massive wooden sliding door separates the bedroom from the other bedroom. Right in front of the sliding door sits a dual sink. For a sink of this size, I thought the countertop space was a tad limited due to the larger-sized sinks the hotel used in the SO/ Lofty Suite. After placing a large amenities box in the centre of the sink, we were left with little space to stow our toiletries. Other than insufficient countertop space, we also found a lack of hanging spaces. There is only one hook in the bathroom, which limits the number of clothes we can hang here. The issue became more pronounced when we needed a space to hang our bath towels to dry for the next day, and at the same time, our clothes when we took a shower. More often than not, we found water splashing out of the sink due to the force from the sink, if we were not careful with turning the water from the tap to the “right” amount of pressure. SO/ Bangkok fitted the porcelain throne on the left side of the sink countertop, behind a shallow wall. There are no doors to segregate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom. The walk-in shower took up the bulk of the area in the bathroom, located to the right of the sink next to the floor-to-ceiling window. I like how the hotel placed the massive round bathtub (by the window) inside the walk-in shower. This allowed us to head straight for the shower after taking a relaxing soak, looking out into the skyline of Bangkok. The bathtub took a while for the water to fill up, partly due to the oversized bathtub and partly due to the weak water pressure.

Service

The service we received in SO/ Bangkok was nothing short of excellence. From the moment we stepped out of our ride from the airport, to the check-in process and the daily interactions with staff members of the hotel, we were made to feel welcome. Everyone we bumped into wore smiles and portrayed the warmth that the Thais were famously known for. The great service started during our arrival at SO/ Bangkok, where we were greeted by the porter at the driveway. As we were talking to the driver of our airport transfer, our luggage was already taken care of by the porter who escorted us to the concierge to confirm our check-in. As we booked to stay in a suite, the porter escorted us to the lounge for checking in, and introduced the locations of the various facilities in the hotel along the way. The porter handed us over to his lounge colleagues, who assisted with our check-in. At the lounge, we were shown to a seat, and the lounge staff disappeared into action, leaving us with welcome drinks while she processed our check-in. Before long, our check-in was completed, and we were on our way to our suite, where the porter had already placed our luggage. That is what I called service! With a well-oiled team working behind the scenes to ensure our stay was seamless, starting from our check-in process.

The lounge staff were always very welcoming whenever I popped into the lounge for a smoke or a drink. We were greeted with the widest smile by Georgia and were always offered drinks. Whether ordering a drink to have it in the lounge or to go for our enjoyment in our suite, nothing seemed too troublesome for the lounge staff. The lounge staff always made us feel welcome at the lounge and would put down their work and give us their full attention. The staff at the Red Oven were welcoming as well. At the entrance during breakfast, we were always greeted by a cheerful staff member with a warm smile while confirming our room number and showing us to our seats. The staff at the Red Oven were always on their toes, attending to guests’ requests. They were very efficient in clearing the used plates on the tables. I had not seen any used plates being left at the table for more than 5 minutes.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ Red Oven

Breakfast is served at the Red Oven restaurant, located on the 7th floor of the hotel. The Red Oven Restaurant serves up a good spread for breakfast, from Western to Asian to Thai cuisine. We were already spoiled for choices just on pastries alone, where the hotel serves a larger variety of bread from the usual suspects to croissants and au pain chocolat, together with a large variety of spreads and jams. For cold food options, the hotel offered cold cuts, smoked ham and salmon, as well as a large variety of salads. While the hot food options were a choice between sausages, bacon and eggs from the Western options, as well as dim sum and sushi from the Asian menu. There is even a small number of Thai dishes in the hot food buffet line. I find it interesting that SO/ Bangkok has a station during breakfast where Thai noodle soup is made to order. For drinks, other than the usual coffee, tea, juices, SO/ Bangkok also serves a wide variety of fruits available for breakfast that provide guests with a hearty and all-around nutrition during the most important meal of the day. There is even ice cream served during breakfast. Despite the spread of food, the menu for breakfast stayed the same throughout the three days of our stay with SO/ Bangkok.

Club Signature

Club Signature is the Executive Lounge in SO/ Bangkok, nestled on the 25th floor of the hotel building. The Club Signature boasts bold colour schemes with a hint of retro vibe seen in the decor and the choice of furniture. Due to the high ceilings in the main area of the lounge and the balcony that looks out into Lumpini Park, Club Signature felt airy and spacious. The fore lounge has an inviting and cosy vibe with the sofa and a handful of dining tables catering for two, furnished here. Walking into this part of the lounge felt like walking into the living room of a house. There is some outdoor furniture in the balcony that invites guests to relax while looking out into the lungs of Bangkok – Lumpini Park. It felt liberating sitting here and looking out into the city. The back part of the lounge is mainly furnished with dining tables, and is where the retro and funky vibe is most pronounced. Here, the colour choice in the decor is more vibrant and bold. Most of the dining tables here cater for two pax, arranged in front of the floor-to-ceiling window that allows guests to look out into the city. There is a handful of seating that caters to larger groups, in a sofa setting. Club Signature welcomes guests at any time of the day for a drink. But it also caters for afternoon tea and evening cocktails, where guests are treated to finger food to enjoy with the drinks. Guests who want a quieter breakfast experience can pop up to the Club Signature during breakfast hours. The breakfast spread is certainly smaller compared to the Red Oven Restaurant.

Swimming Pool

SO/ Bangkok has a beautiful infinity pool that overlooks the Lumpini Park. Perched on the 10th floor of the hotel and looking out of the park, swimming in the lap pool felt like swimming in the sky amidst the greenery below the hotel. The swimming pool is large enough for guests to get some decent laps, and a small, separate jacuzzi pool at the end of the pool on the sundeck for guests to relax. In terms of sundeck chairs, about 1/3 of the poolside space is cordoned off for poolside bistrol, leaving 2/3 of the space for sundeck chairs. Despite not being blocked by vegetation, suntanning in the morning can be challenging. The swimming pool will only receive sunlight in the afternoon due to its orientation. It doesn’t help that only a handful of sundeck chairs are arranged in the sun, with the majority of them hiding under the shade. The orientation of the hotel also meant the pool can be quite cold when swimming in the morning.

SO/ Fit Gym

The gym in SO/ Bangkok is located on the 10th floor in front of the swimming pool. For a gym of this size, I thought the number of pieces of equipment and the range of workouts that can be done in the gym were rather limited. For cardio workouts, the gym is equipped with three ellipticals and treadmills, and four stationary bikes facing the swimming pool, allowing only a limited number of guests to use at any one time. Other than the free weights at the end of the gym, guests who wanted to do some strength training were limited to a couple of back machines, two leg machines, and a functional workout machine. I was rather surprised to find a small studio inside the gym.

Overall

We had a great stay at SO/ Bangkok. The Water Element SO/ Lofty Suite was well-appointed, and the sleep quality on the king bed left us feeling refreshed every day. The service at the hotel was nothing short of impeccable. All the staff whom we bumped into are always wearing their smiles and making guests feel welcome. It felt as though no request was too small, and the staff at the hotel always responded to requests with great efficiency. The location of the hotel is an issue as it is not served by any BTS (where most shopping and sights are located along the BTS lines), but via the MRT. It took us a while to get used to having the MRT as our primary mode of transport (we always used the BTS as the primary means of getting around Bangkok).

[Airline Review] – Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 (TG404)/(TG409) – Royal Silk Class, SIN-BKK (2 Apr 26)/BKK – SIN (5 Apr 26)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment
The Thai Airways A350-900 that we took between Singapore and Bangkok

At the Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Check-in

Thai Airways used to depart from Changi Airport Terminal 1, and passengers flying in Royal Silk Class were invited to check in at the SATS Premier Check-in Lounge, where we were invited to a sit-down check-in process with direct access to immigration. Since COVID, the airlines have removed the sit-down check-in experience. The airline shifted its departures to Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 in February 2025, with five check-in counters in Row 8 on the right side of the terminal check-in hall. This shift also allows the airline to use the self-service check-in kiosks in the front part of the row. The nearest entrance to the Thai Airways check-in counters is Door 6 of the terminal building. There was a long queue at the economy class check-in counter (termed as assistance). Thai Airways has two other lines at the airport, one for Business Class passengers and another for Star Alliance Gold members. There was no queue at the time of our arrival in these two lines. Thai Airways has one counter for Business Class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members. The ground staff checking us in came across as impatient. There were no smiles from her, nor did she bother to establish rapport. She took a while to complete our check-in, did not even bother to give us information about the lounge that we could use or the boarding gate and time. She merely placed our passports and boarding passes on the counter table.

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge

Thai Airways used to operate its own lounges when it departed from Terminal 1. The airlines closed its Royal Orchid Lounge in 2023 and has been using a contracted lounge since. With its move to Terminal 2, passengers flying in Royal Silk Class were invited to use the contracted SATS Premier Lounge in Terminal 2 (as printed on the boarding pass). Being a contracted lounge, SATS Premier Lounge is always crowded as it has to cater to airlines and lounge access pass holders. Fortunately, as Thai Airways is a member of Star Alliance, we were able to use the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 2. I was pleasantly surprised to find a newly renovated SilverKris Lounge. There was much hype over social media about the renovation of the First Class Lounge, but not much was mentioned about the renovation done to the SilverKris Business Lounge. The moment we approached the lounge, the eagle-eyed staff took the initiative to approach us instead of waiting for us at the entrance of the lounge. The newly renovated lounge felt more polished and relaxing. The walnut brown seen in the wooden walls and the light grey carpeting accentuated the relaxing vibe past the staffed counters at the entrance of the lounge, a row of leather armchairs with marble top side tables lined up the corridor that leads to the main part of the lounge. SilverKris Lounge at Terminal 2 is equipped with 10 shower rooms next to the toilet across its entrance. There is a counter which I guess passengers can approach the staff to get a queue number during busy times. As the lounge was not crowded at the time of our visit, we could just walk into any of the empty shower rooms. The newly renovated shower rooms, decked in light grey marbles, felt luxurious and spacious. There is a toilet facility in every shower room, on top of the walk-in shower cubicle fitted with both a rain shower and a regular shower head. I liked how the airlines fitted a small stone table in the shower rooms, catering to passengers with carry-on baggage.

Turning left from the corridor from the entrance, we came to the main part of the lounge. Singapore Airlines furnished the left side of this corridor with the same armchairs, arranged in groups of four, catering to families or larger groups, as those we had seen by the entrance of the lounge. This corridor extended all the way to the back of the lounge, where the buffet line is located. On the right of this corridor, we spotted dining tables, arranged to seat four at each table. The space just shy of the buffet line is also furnished with more dining tables, forming the main dining area in the lounge. Singapore Airlines dedicated the sizeable area next to the main dining area as the lounging area, mainly decked with armchairs. The natural lighting streamed from the frosted glass, making this area feel bright and less claustrophobic. A handful of dining tables are also found in this part of the lounge that can seat up to six. Overall, the renovated lounge is refreshing, comfortable and relaxing.

The buffet line is located at the back of the lounge, where we found cold food selection at the counters by the walls, and hot food options with a good mix of local cuisines laid out on the island. There is a small counter at the side of the buffet area, serving the must-try made-to-order Singapore Airlines Laksa. The beverage stations are located next to the dining area before the buffet line.

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Check-in

Thai Airways dedicated the entire Row A to their Premium Passengers, with a bulk of the row set aside for their Royal Silk Class passengers, and a small corner carved out for their First Class passengers. Despite having the whole row of counters, only three were open for processing check-ins. Although there is only one passenger ahead of us, we had to wait a little while for our turn to check in. The ground staff was very friendly and processed our check-in efficiently. Other than the boarding time, she also recommended the nearest lounge that we could use while waiting for our flight. One benefit of flying Thai Airways Royal Silk Class is access to the fast-track immigration lane, located in the same area as their Royal Silk Class check-in counters. This fast-track immigration usually sees few passengers and is also open to passengers flying Business Class on other airlines. Despite being at a busy time when we arrived at the airport, we were through immigration in under 5 minutes.

Royal Orchid Lounge (Concourse D)

The Thai Airways Lounge is the default lounge that the signs point to after clearing the fast track security and immigration at the back of Thai Airways check-in counters at Row A. There is an escalator that leads to the lower floor of the airside after immigration. A couple of ground staff at the reception welcomed us with the typical Thai warmth. From there, there are two lounges, the older Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge on the left and the newer and bigger Royal Orchid Lounge on the right. There are two entrances to the Royal Orchid Lounge, one after the escalator at the fast-track immigration and the other faces Concourse D. From the fast-track entrance, a bar counter where we could order cocktails and mocktails from welcomed us. The presence of green walls and the bright lighting made the lounge feel airy and spacious. The natural wood element seen in most Thai designs and the signature Thai Airways purple are the primary colours used to decorate the lounge. Most parts of the lounge are furnished with lounger armchairs that are dotted in front of the multiple green walls, with two dining areas found next to the buffet lines. There are lots of lounge seats spread across the lounge, mainly on the left side of the lounge, by the windows. The light purple and mustard yellow armchairs and the accompanying side tables made relaxing with a beverage here comfortable.

The Royal Orchid Lounge has two dining areas, one at the fast-track entrance and one near the Concourse D entrance. The dining area near the fast-track entrance is furnished with a number of round dining tables, where we had no problems finding seats. The buffet line at this entrance offered mainly Thai dishes with a small selection of vegetarian options at the hot food line next to the dining area. Desserts and beverages are found on the counters behind the hot food counters. The other pocket of dining area is near the Concourse D entrance, after the toilet and shower rooms. There seem to be more food options here, with a kitchen island filled with salads and fruits, and another with light snacks. The hot food section is found on the counters against the wall, offering similar Thai food options. There is an à la minute food counter here where chefs serve food cooked to order. The Shrimp Tom Yum Ramen was delicious with a generous amount of shrimp.

The shower facilities are situated in the middle part of the lounge, between the two dining areas. To use the shower rooms, I approached the staff at the reception outside the toilet, who ushered me to the next available shower room. The shower room was spacious and screamed of luxury. Other than the usual sink and walk-in shower, the shower room is also equipped with a toilet and, most importantly, racks for us to stow our carry-on baggage.

The Aircraft

Thai Airways flies six flights between Singapore and Bangkok daily, using a mix of B787-8, A350-900, their refurbished A320-200 aircraft, and their new A321neo. We flew in the A350-900 for this trip. Thai Airways has three configurations for this type of aircraft, and we got the v.1 of this aircraft featuring their signature Stelia Solstys seats that are also installed in most of Thai Airways’ long-haul aircraft.

Thai Airways A350-900 livery
Thai Airways safety card

Cabin

Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class cabin incorporated Thai design elements as seen in the heavy use of natural wood finishing. The wood element is seen the moment we step onboard the aircraft, where the galley floor is laid in wood panelling. This wood element flows into the Royal Silk Class cabin in the form of the side table, parts of the seat shell, and the seat pocket. Purple is the colour element used by Thai Airways, derived from the Thai orchid, which symbolises tropical beauty and a blend of modern elegance with traditional Thai culture. The cabin is decked in shades of purple to reflect the brand identity of the airline, as seen in the seats, seat shells, and carpet. There is even a large purple orchid motif on the bulkhead at the back of the Royal Silk Class cabin. The large windows used on the Thai Airways A350-900 let in a lot of natural light, which made the cabin look spacious and enhanced the purple hues used in the cabin, despite housing 32 seats at the front of the aircraft. The bright and airy vibe in the Royal Silk Class cabin is accentuated by the white colour used in the bulkhead and parts of the seat shell.

There are three lavatories serving all 32 passengers in Royal Silk Class, with one located up front and two between the Royal Silk Class cabin and the Economy Class cabin. These lavatories are pretty much standard-sized, but the mirrors used here made it feel larger than it actually is. Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class lavatories are located in front of the cabin. The wooden panelling on the floor and the sink not only pays homage to the Thai design element, but it also makes the lavatory feel premium. I like how the sink in the lavatories feels large, thanks to its rectangular, deep sink design. Thai Airways stocked their Royal Silk Class lavatories with house brand Eau de toilette and hand lotions. However, dental kits were stocked only on the morning SIN-BKK flight and not on our afternoon return flight.

Seat Features

Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class cabin is fitted with 32 seats arranged in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration across eight rows. These seats have a pitch of 60″ and measure 20″ wide, and are the narrowest Royal Silk Class seats the airline has. Despite not being installed with a side door (or panel), these Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class seats offer a good amount of privacy, with the high shell back design that somewhat hides passengers, especially those sitting next to the window. Like most Business Class seats, these seats come in three preset modes – the upright, flatbed and the lounge mode, which can be converted with a touch of one of the nine seat control buttons located at the side table. In upright mode, the seats felt comfortable thanks to their thick padding and the fabric used in the seats. Another button reclined the seat 180°, converting it into a flatbed. In bed mode, the seat also felt comfortable. My favourite mode is the mode in between, which I termed the “lounge mode”. I was able to get comfortable and relaxed in the angled seat back and the seat positioned closer to the ottoman for us to rest ur feet on. To ensure passengers get more comfortable in these Royal Silk Class seats, four of the eight seat control buttons allowed us to adjust the angle of seat recline and calf rest, and the position of the upper and lower lumbar support. With such versatility, I was able to find a position of the seat that made me feel comfortable. The other two buttons adjust the reading light and the light at the side table.

The storage situation in the Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class cabin is a bit of a let-down. There is only one deep cubby under the inside armrest of the seat for us to stow our stuff. This cubby is ideal only to stow “taller” items such as a thin book or iPads. The deep design does not allow us to stow smaller items such as our mobile phones, charging cables and passports as fishing them out would be challenging. The only other place we can stow our stuff is on the side table. However, this side table cannot be used for stowage during taxi, take-off and landing. The space under the footwell is another storage place which we can use to stow our carry-on. The seat pocket in the Royal Silk Class seats is found next to the headrest. However, due to the rigid design and the awkward position, I find storing anything here challenging.

The seat table in Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class seats is stowed on the seat shell in front, secured with a ledge. The table is of a good size, which gave us sufficient space to dine on or work on our tablets or laptops. I like how the seat table can be swivelled for us to exit the seat without putting it away in its stowage position. The side table in the seat not only serves as a cocktail table, but we were also able to use it for stowing at cruising altitude, keeping our stuff within reach. To keep our devices juiced up, Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class seats are fitted with two USB-A charging ports under the personal TV. But I find the charging speed on these USB-A ports to be slow. There is an additional international power outlet at the seat. In addition to the overhead reading light, Thai Airways installed another reading light at the headrest of the seat.

Inflight Entertainment

Thai Airways A350-900 v.1 Royal Silk Class seats are fitted with a 16″ touchscreen personal TV. The picture quality on the personal TV is good, but it can be a tad reflective when the window shades are left open in the day. The touchscreen function on the PTV is very responsive, giving us the option of selecting our entertainment options directly on the TV. The IFE controller, stowed above the armrest, is very intuitive to use. Designed to resemble a PSP handheld device, entertainment options can be selected via the touchscreen panel. The IFE controller also switches on the overhead reading light and has a service button designed into it. The noise-cancelling headphones supplied by Thai Airways in the Royal Silk Class are comfortable to wear for a prolonged period of time and are very effective in blocking out ambient sound. However, the headphone protectors had a very bad fit on the headphones. My protectors keep falling out on both legs of the flight. The Thai Airways IFE is stocked with a large library of entertainment options, from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to movies of yesteryear to TV serials. We found a good range of genres to occupy our 2-hour flight. There is even a menu of Thai movies to keep us occupied. The Thai Airways A350-900 aircraft is equipped with Wi-Fi offering a 60-minute complimentary internet to Business Class passengers, accessible with the Wi-Fi code printed on our boarding passes. However, as the Wi-Fi code was not printed on our outbound boarding pass, we only had internet access on our inbound flight. The internet speed offered is only sufficient for social media browsing and chatting.

Meal

Due to the short flight time between Singapore and Bangkok, instead of serving our meal course by course, the meal was served all at one go. Thai Airways offered three meal options on both legs of the flight.

SIN-BKK

Thai Airways served their Royal Silk Class passengers two appetisers. I thought the Tiger Prawn with Smoked Duck was a tad tough, but the overall flavour profile was good. The Pommery mustard did not come across as overpowering and complemented the dish well. The other appetiser on the plate was the Foie Gras, which I only took a bite from as I am not a Foie Gras person. The Foie Gras has a buttery but gamey aftertaste. Out of the three options of main course from the in-flight menu: chicken with jasmine rice, braised beef with wine sauce, and prawn with salty egg yolk, I opted for the Chicken Breast with Garlic Chilli Sauce. The chicken was a little tough, but the sauce was flavourful with a hint of spiciness that goes very well with the Jasmine Rice. The dessert comes in two separate bowls, one with the cheese platter and the other with the Mango Creme Brûlée Tart, which was sweet and refreshing.

BKK-SIN

For this leg of the flight, we were served crab meat and salmon tartare as the appetiser. The crunchy roll had more of a vegetable taste rather than the taste of crab or salmon. Nonetheless, the appetiser tasted fresh. The three options for the main course on this flight comprise Duck Breast with Red Curry, Beef Fillet with XO Sauce and Pan Seared Turbot. I opted for the Turbot, which was well seasoned and moist. The Tarragon Shallot Cream Sauce tasted a little thick and heavy, but it goes very well with the fish. Despite being fried, the fingerling potato was saggy due to a prolonged period of mixing with the sauce. However, the paprika powder packs a punch to the otherwise plain potato. It is a pity that the amount of paprika powder scattered on the potato was insufficient. Like our outbound flight, we were served with two desserts. As I am not a cheese person, I skipped the cheese platter. In the other dessert bowl sit two small dessert dishes. I did not quite like the Caramel Jelly as I find it overly sweet, but I enjoyed the Mango Sticky Rice. The mangoes were sweet, while the pandan flavour used in the sticky rice was flavourful.

Service

We were very well taken care of by the cabin crew in Royal Silk Class on both legs of the flight. The cabin crew portrayed the warmth and hospitality that the Thais are famed for.

Cabin crew patiently explaining the meal options to other passengers

SIN-BKK

The service onboard this leg was nothing short of impeccable. Apart from the mandatory welcome at the door during boarding, the friendliness of the crew and the excellent service were also experienced throughout the entire 2-hour flight time. The moment I settled into my seat, another cabin crew came around with pre-departure drinks, while another came around with hot towels. The cabin crew working on my aisle introduced herself to us while taking our lunch order. I thought it was very thoughtful for her to inform us of the location of the lavatories. All the crew were very friendly, wearing their smiles throughout the flight, keeping themselves busy patrolling the cabin and clearing the tables. They were very responsive to passengers’ call buttons. The cabin crew working on my aisle constantly asked if I needed more drinks and coffee after the meal.

BKK-SIN

The crew on board this flight also made passengers feel welcome. The warmth and hospitality were immediately felt at the door when the cabin welcomed us on board with the widest smile that one can ask for. The observant cabin crew working in the galley at the front of the aircraft noticed us walking past the galley to our seats, dropped their work immediately and made way for us with a smile. We were served welcome drinks the moment we settled into our seats. When dishing out pre-departure towels, the cabin crew explained to every passenger that they were giving out cold towels due to the hot weather. I find this to be a very thoughtful touch. Cabin crews were smiling all the time when interacting with passengers. Throughout the short 2-hour flight time, the cabin crew were seen patrolling the cabin very frequently. All four cabin crew working in Business Class were seen helping each other, serving passengers with food or drink, or clearing trays for passengers. Before landing, the cabin crew would go around thanking every passenger for flying with the airline.

Afterthought

The last time I flew on Thai Airways was before the pandemic. Back then, I found the service level on both Economy and Royal Silk Class to be inconsistent. This time round, I found consistent service on both legs of the flight. The cabin crew were welcoming and sincere. Other than serving food and drinks to the passengers, these diligent cabin crew made flying with Thai Airways very pleasant. The seats looked outdated and showed signs of ageing, and storage in these Royal Silk Class seats was rather limited. However, I find them very comfortable, especially in lounge mode. They are so comfortable that I dozed off while watching movies on the IFE. The food served was of high quality and very delicious. Overall, I had a very pleasant flight on board the Thai Airways A350-900 Royal Silk Class.

Departing from Singapore Changi Airport
Flying above the clouds over the city

[Accommodation Review] – Novotel Genève Centre (Superior Suite), Geneva, Switzerland (18 – 20 Jan 26)

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Location

Novotel Genève Centre is conveniently located near Geneva train station, with a 7-minute walk to the station or a 7-minute bus ride (due to the bus using a longer route). The area between the hotel and the train station felt a little complicated, especially at night (we later found out from one of the hotel staff that this part of the city is the red light district). Having said that, walking through this area felt completely safe. There are several restaurants with a good variety of cuisines, ranging from African to Indian to French and Italian restaurants, within a 3-minute walk from the hotel. There are several supermarkets located around the hotel, with the nearest about a 3 min walk to the main street from the hotel and one more situated in the train station. The tourist sights like Lake Geneva can be reached from the Novotel Genève Centre on foot in under 10 minutes, and Geneva Old Town is slightly further, reachable in 25 minutes’ walk.

The Suite

We checked into the 50㎡ Superior Suite, the only suite category that Novotel Genève Centre offers, which has a weird layout. Not only does the suite have two entrances, one in the bedroom and the other in the living room, but it also has two fully functional bathrooms. It felt as though two rooms were reconfigured into the Superior Suite.

Layout of the Superior Suite at Novotel Genève Centre

Entryway 1

The first entryway is situated further from the lift lobby and leads into the living room of the suite. At the entryway, we found a full-length mirror and a single hook installed on the wall. This simply furnished entryway is where the entrance to the bathroom (I termed the bathroom in the living room as Bathroom 1) is. Past the entrance to the bathroom, a minibar station fully stocked with a Nesspro Machine and a kettle, as well as a mini fridge, is located. An in-room safe is located between the Nespresso Machine and the mini fridge.

Living Room

The living room took up a bulk of the real estate in the Superior Suite at Novotel Genève Centre. Originally, this room was furnished with two sofas and a chaise lounge. However, when we entered the room, we saw the sofa placed against the wall and facing the window being converted into a bed. This sofa bed comes with its own headboard and charging outlets on either side of the headboard. We managed to get the housekeeping staff to reconfigure the bed back into a sofa the next day. The second sofa in the living room is placed by the window and faces the entrance to the bedroom. This two-seater sofa can be split into two single-seater chairs.

A chaise lounger is located at the other corner of the living room, by the door to the bedroom. The brown fabric chaise lounger not only can comfortably sit three, but it can also be used as a daybed. The only coffee table in the living room is placed in front of the chaise lounger. The wardrobe in the living room opposite the chaise lounger, capable of holding at least one week’s worth of clothing, seems to suggest that the living room of the Superior Suite might have been used to be a Junior Suite. The TV in the living room is mounted on the wall facing the sofa bed, and can be tilted to face the chaise lounger or the sofa placed by the window at the end of the living room. Despite having many channels for us to choose from on the TV, only a handful of these channels are in English. Most channels are either in French or German.

Bathroom 1

There are two fully equipped bathrooms in the Superior Suite: Bathroom 1 in the living room and Bathroom 2 in the bedroom. Entrance to Bathroom 1 is located in Entryway 1. Bathroom 1 has an elongated layout, stretching from the entrance to the suite to the living room. The space allocated to Bathroom 1 was excellent that it did not feel cramped when using the bathroom. Other than the bathtub in the left corner of the bathroom being a little on the small side, whose length occupies the entire width of the bathroom, the rest of the bathroom felt spacious. Novotel Genève Centre fitted only one sink in Bathroom 1 next to the bathtub, and there is space on both sinks for us to place our toiletries on. The toilet bowl and the European bidet were wedged between the sink and the walk-in shower, which is only fitted with a regular shower head. Even the space afforded to the semi-opened walk-in shower is sufficient to prevent any elbow war with the walls while I shower in here (unlike that of Bathroom 2). I find it weird that the bathroom in the living room is the bigger of the two bathrooms and is better equipped in terms of amenities. Only Bathroom 1 is stocked with full shower amenities, while the other bathroom lacks conditioner and bathroom amenities.

Entryway 2

Weirdly, there is another entrance to the suite via the bedroom, hence a second entryway for the suite. Like the other entryway, Entryway 2 is only furnished with the wardrobe in the bedroom, and it is also home to the entrance to the Powder Room. The wardrobe has only hanging racks, which limits the amount of clothing we can stow. The limited number of hangers the hotel supplies further limits the number of clothes we can hang. Despite having a ledge above the hanging racks, we found little use for this rack. Next to the wardrobe, and facing the bedroom, is where we found the second minibar and the second in-room safe. A second Nespresso machine, an electric kettle and a second set of coffee capsules and tea bags occupy the open shelving space on top of the safe. In contrast, a second mini fridge is situated below the safe.

Powder Room

The Powder Room is a weird situation in the Superior Suite at Novotel Geneva Centre. The suite does not have a powder room per se, rather it has a toilet that is separated from the bathroom in the bedroom. The toilet is situated in the entryway next to the second entrance to the suite, akin to a powder room. However, unlike the powder room of other hotels, the powder room in the Superior Suite only houses the porcelain throne and does not have a sink. The space allotted to the powder room is rather modest, and the absence of a sink makes it inconvenient to use.

The toilet in the bedroom is housed in a separate room from the bathroom

Bedroom

A king bed is placed next to the entrance to the bedroom from the living room. The king bed was comfortable with a firm mattress, but the sleep quality on the king bed was impaired by the soft pillows that were provided. Those who prefer softer pillows might find better sleep quality on the bed than I do. The bedside tables in the bedroom are essentially two wooden planks that were wedged into the headboard of the king bed. The space afforded by these bedside tables is a little tight, which provides us with little space to place our lifestyle equipment to charge overnight. To make matters worse, the phone placed on the right bedside table took up the entire space, rendering this bedside table useless. It also doesn’t help that only one side has a power outlet, while the other only comes with two USB-A charging outlets.

Next to the entrance to the bedroom from the living room is another two-seater sofa, identical to that one in the living room by the window. I thought the sofa was useful here as we used it to place our backpack (there is limited space in the entire suite where we can place our backpacks). Next to the sofa, facing the wall, is a work desk. The already sizeable work desk that has another table top can be swivelled out to face the king bed, further increasing the available desk top area for guests to work. The power outlets are conveniently installed on the wall by the work desk, ensuring guests’ work is not disrupted by keeping their laptops juiced up. The TV, mounted onto the wall, beside the work desk and opposite the king bed, provided us with the same entertainment options as that in the living room.

Bathroom 2

The bathroom in the bedroom is the second bathroom in the Superior Suite at Novotel Genève Centre. This bathroom is smaller than Bathroom 1 in the living room, equipped with only a shower and bathing facilities. The sink lies in the centre of Bathroom 2, which only has a small countertop space on the left side. A bathtub, having the same size as the one in Bathroom 1, is located on the left of the sink, while a walk-in shower lies to the right of the sink. Due to the space allocated to Bathroom 2, the walk-in shower is smaller than that in Bathroom 1, and there are no toilet facilities in Bathroom 2. Not only is the space in Bathroom 2 reduced, but the amenities are also reduced, such as the absence of conditioners. Despite the “reduced” bathroom, I thought Bathroom 2 still functions as a full bath.

Service

Our interaction with the staff at Novotel Genève Centre was very limited, and it doesn’t help that the reception is tucked further into the lobby, with a little distance to the main entrance. This design somewhat inhibited the staff from interacting with guests. Despite our interactions with the hotel staff being limited to check-in and check-out, I found the service in the hotel to be good. They were friendly and welcoming, and processed our check-in with great efficiency. The staff were always seen with a smile and greeted us with a warm bonjour whenever we approached them. We were given detailed information by the staff who checked us in about the location of the hotel and the amenities in the hotel. When we approached the reception for an additional fan and converted the sofa bed in the living room back to a sofa, things were done efficiently. The reception staff were always seen with a smile and stood ready to render any assistance that guests might have. Even the housekeeping staff, whom we bumped into every morning, warmed up our day with a friendly greeting.

Novotel Geneva treats its guests with chocolate chip cookies as a welcome amenity in the room.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

Novotel Genève Centre has a small gym located on the Basement (-1 floor) of the hotel. The gym has a small setup with only two treadmills, two stationary bikes, a couple of strength training machines and some dumbbells. Despite its modest size, guests would still be able to do strength and cardio workouts in the gym.

Overall

Novotel Genève Centre is well situated between the train station and the old town, close to most of the sights in Geneva. I find the layout of the Superior Suite to be weird. It felt like the hotel converted a Junior Suite and a connecting Superior bedroom and called it a 1-bedroom suite. The sleep quality on the king bed was decent, and the furniture in the suite shows signs of Aging. Despite the limited interaction with the hotel staff, we felt welcomed by the friendly staff in the hotel.

[Accommodation Review] – Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre (Superior Studio with Terrace), Zurich, Switzerland (16 – 18 Jan 26)

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Location

Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre is situated north of Zurich Hauptbahnhof, approximately 7 minutes on foot from the train station and 10 minutes on foot to Zurich’s old town. As this seems to be a residential area, we did not find a lot of amenities near the hotel. There are several restaurants located next to the hotel, but they always seem to be closed whenever we walk past them. The nearest supermarkets are situated near Zurich Hauptbahnhof, which is approximately a 7-minute walk away. There is a bus stop near the hotel, but not directly in front of the hotel, which is a 3-minute walk from the hotel entrance to this bus stop. The hotel shares the same building as Ibis Styles Zurich City Centre.

The Suite

We checked into the 40㎡ Superior Studio with Terrace, which is a one-of-a-kind room in the hotel. Although it is termed a studio, the suite features a separate living room and a bedroom. The highlight of the studio is the spacious outdoor terrace that overlooks the city.

Layout of the Superior Studio with Terrace at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre

Entryway

The entryway to the Superior Studio with Terrace at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre occupies a small area of the studio suite. There is no furnishing at the entryway, and it shares the same space as the living room.

Living Room

The living room of the Superior Studio with Terrace is made up of the lounging area, the dining area and the kitchenette.

The living room of our Superior Studio with Terrace Suite, with our sofa made up into a double bed

Lounging Area

The lounging area is immediately next to the main entrance and features Scandinavian decor, with woody tones from the flooring to the sofa. The sofa, which can comfortably sit two, is placed next to the main entrance to the Superior Studio and can be converted into a bed, which would increase the capacity in the studio by an additional two guests. In fact, the sofa was converted into a double bed when we first entered the Superior Studio. Instead of a large coffee table, I like how the hotel uses small round tables that not only save space but can also double up as stools for more people to sit on. There are three such stool-tables in the living room of the Superior Studio, one placed in front of the sofa, another placed next to the sofa, and yet another placed by the floor-to-ceiling window. I thought that not furnishing a TV cabinet was a great idea, as having a TV cabinet would clutter the lounging area due to the space allocated. The TV in the lounging area is mounted on a wall, opposite the main entrance and at a corner of the living room. Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre is one of the few hotels that I have stayed in Switzerland that offered its guests more English channels. The placement of the TV with a pivoting mount allowed us to watch the TV while dining in the dining area. The living room, from the lounging area to the dining area, has a total of three floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to a French balcony. These three windows allowed lots of natural light into the living room and created an indoor-outdoor concept. They also made the elongated living room feel larger.

Dining Area & Kitchenette

The dining area & kitchenette took up about ⅓ of the living room space. Placed between the lounging area and the bedroom, the dining area is furnished with a suitably sized round table with four accompanying leathered seating dining chairs. As there are no work desks in this Superior Studio, the dining table also doubles up as a work desk. Behind the dining table is a kitchenette that has all one needs to whip up a simple meal. Other than a sink and the usual Nespresso Coffee machine and mini fridge, the kitchenette also has a two-stove induction cooker, a microwave oven and even a dishwasher. Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre also equipped its Superior Studio with a full set of dining set for four, together with pots and pans. I like how the kitchenette, despite a small footprint in the Superior Studio, was able to function as a full kitchen with the many amenities the hotel provided.

Bedroom

The bedroom is further into the Superior Studio with Terrace at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre. Instead of a wall and door, the bedroom can be isolated with the use of thick blackout curtains. The bedroom is simply furnished with a queen-size bed and two bedside tables. One of the bedside tables is mounted onto the headboard of the queen bed, while the other is a standalone cabinet. Another TV is mounted on the wall opposite the queen bed, which has the same international and local channels available as the one in the living room. Underneath the TV is a long bench fitted with a cushion, I guess to double up as a seating area in the bedroom, as well as a luggage rack. Perhaps the weakest link in the Superior Studio with Terrace at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre is the wardrobe space. The hotel fitted an open concept hanging rack that only has sufficient space for us to hang four jackets, which is grossly insufficient if the Superior Studio is maxed out with four guests. There is a deep drawer underneath the hanging rack, which gives us more storage space, given the limited space for storage in the bedroom. The enclosed cabinet next to the hanging rack also did not provide us with more storage space. Of the four tiered cabinet shelves, we were only able to use three, as one of these precious shelves is being occupied by the in-room safe.

Bathroom

The bathroom in the Superior Studio at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre comprises two rooms, the toilet and the shower room. The toilet is located in a separate room from the shower and sits right at the end of the corridor in the studio suite. Despite the modest space, the toilet does not feel cramped. There is even space in the toilet for the hotel to install a small basin with a countertop that is large enough for me to place my toiletries on. I thought the hotel was clever to put a sink here, creating a dual sink in the bathroom area. Further into the bathroom, next to the toilet, is where the shower room is situated. Sitting next to the entrance of the shower room is the other sink in the Superior Studio, placed on a slightly larger countertop compared to the one in the toilet, giving us more space for toiletries. In the corner of the shower room sits a standing walk-in shower stall, equipped with both rain and regular shower heads. Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre supplies its guests with a PRIJA combination of shampoo cum shower gel that gives off a woody scent after a shower. The only flaw in the walk-in shower is the lack of a ledge for us to place our facial wash and dental kit.

Terrace

What surprises me most is the terrace. From the picture on the hotel’s website, the terrace looked like an extension of the Superior Studio, having the same width as the studio suite. However, when we entered the terrace, we were surprised that the terrace took up the entire width of the 7th floor. In fact, we thought the size of the terrace was approximately the same size as our Superior Studio. Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre furnished the terrace with two sets of outdoor furniture. The area immediately in front of our Superior Studio is furnished with a sofa for three and another four single-seater armchairs, together with an outdoor table. There are some holders for potted plants, which were empty due to the wintry weather. The other side of the terrace is furnished with three sundeck chairs and a single armchair with a matching table. I guess this area sees more use in the summer.

Service

The service at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre is good. We were warmly welcomed by the staff during check-in, who processed our check-in with much efficiency and patiently answered our questions about the breakfast and our half-board booking. The next day, we approached the reception staff about our welcome drink, who gleefully recommended us her favourite drink. Although there are signs in the hotel lift that state housekeeping services are only available every seven days, we were pleasantly surprised to find our rooms being made up when we returned to our Superior Studio in the evening. We booked a half-board package to dine at the YUKA restaurant. The staff there appeared to be aloof initially, but they started to warm up after our initial interaction with them. Despite us having the set menu, the staff took the effort to check with the kitchen if they were able to customise the dishes for us.

Welcome amenities provided by Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre

Hotel Facilities

Gym

The hotel shares a small gym with Ibis Styles Zurich City Centre, located on the ground floor of the hotel. The gym is equipped with a limited number of cardio workout machines, with only one stationary bike, one elliptical machine, one rowing machine, and two treadmills. Guests who want to engage in strength training are limited to one strength workout machine that targets every muscle group, as well as free weights. We found a sauna in the gym at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre.

Breakfast @ YUKA

Breakfast is served at the YUKA restaurant, located on the ground floor of the hotel, adjacent to the reception. Breakfast is limited to a large selection of bread, some hard-boiled eggs, sausages and cold cuts. Despite the limited breakfast variety, the hotel still serves a hearty breakfast to fuel guests for the day before exploring Zurich.

Overall

We had a pleasant stay at Aparthotel Adagio Zurich City Centre. I liked the terrace that looked out into the streets of Zurich and the amenities in the Superior Studio. Despite being termed as a studio, the bedroom can be isolated from the living room and the bathroom, creating a one-bedroom suite. The inclusion of a kitchenette gave us the option of preparing a simple meal, and the dishwasher eliminated the need for doing the dishes. The hotel is close to Zurich Hauptbahnhof and the city centre, making exploring Zurich and its surroundings a breeze.

[Accommodation Review] – Jägerhof Hotels & Apartments (Modern 3-Bedroom Apartment), Zermatt, Switzerland (13 – 16 Jan 26)

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Location

Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments is located about a 7-minute walk from the centre of Zermatt and 15 minutes’ walk from Zermatt Bahnhof. The hotel is situated in a quiet location in town, offering stunning views of the Matterhorn. Despite its somewhat secluded location, the hotel is about a 15-minute walk to the cable car stations bound for the Matterhorn and Gornergrat. I thought the location of the hotel was ideal as we were never too far from the action in Zermatt. The hotel provides a complimentary transfer from Zermatt Bahnhof in one of its electric cars.

The Apartment

Jägerhof Hotels & Apartments offers two types of accommodations: standard hotel rooms and serviced apartments. For the serviced apartments, Jägerhof Hotels & Apartments offer apartments ranging from studios to 3-bedroom units. We checked into their 150㎡ spacious 3-bedroom apartment.

Layout of Jagerhof Hotel & Apartments 3-bedroom Apartment (Source: https://www.jaegerhofzermatt.ch/en/flats-in-zermatt-with-hotel-service/)

Entryway

The entryway to the Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments 3-bedroom apartment is the area that links the bedrooms to the living and dining room. Technically, the entryway is not furnished, but we found a wooden bench mounted onto a wooden feature wall outside Bedroom 1. This is our first look at the Scandinavian decor in the apartment, and it was a great addition for us to put on our shoes. However, we merely used this as a place to stow our backpacks. The hooks on the wooden feature wall gave us a spot to hang our outer coats without taking up space in the wardrobes in our bedrooms. The painted posters of Zermatt hanging on the wall provided some colour in an otherwise plain entryway wall.

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 1 sits right across from the entrance to the 3-bedroom apartment at Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments. This bedroom, like the rest of the apartment, is decked out in a natural Scandinavian theme, apparent in the large usage of natural wood and green colour on parts of the walls. The bedroom is not large, and the king bed in the middle of the room occupies a bulk of the real estate here. The power outlet is conveniently installed on the headboard above two-tiered open shelving bedside tables that were mounted onto the headboard of the king bed, providing us with space to charge our lifestyle devices. The two-tiered design gave us additional space to put more stuff on the bedside tables. I like how Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments installed the reading lights onto the headboard of the bed, freeing up the already tight space on the bedside tables. Across the king bed is a table mounted on the wall with a bench. This table is a little odd in its function. It does not come with a mirror to call it a vanity table, and it is not large enough to function as a work desk. However, there are power outlets here for guests to charge their lifestyle devices as well. A flatscreen TV is mounted above the table that faces the king bed, providing occupants of Bedroom 1 with entertainment in the comfort of the bed. Next to the entrance of Bedroom 1 sits a double-panel wooden wardrobe. The space afforded by this wardrobe is not large, but sufficient for us to stow a few days’ clothing. Other than the hanging rack, I like how smaller shelves are designed into the wardrobe, which increases its storage capacity. The in-room safe is tucked at the bottom of the hanging rack part of the wardrobe. The small safe only provides enough space for us to place our passports, but it is not large enough to place even an iPad. Bedroom 1 is connected via a door to the right of the table to the wrap-around balcony that extends all the way to the living room.

Bathroom 1

Bedroom 1 does not have an ensuite bathroom; bathroom 1 is situated outside, next to the bedroom. Bathroom 1 is more utilitarian than trying to create an atmosphere to impress its users. Bathroom 1 is rather compact, but it has all that is required to function as a full bathroom. The sink counter is a little on the compact side, but it still has space for its users to place their toiletries. The walk-in shower sitting in one corner of the bathroom is only fitted with one regular shower head. There is a ledge for us to place our toiletries. The porcelain throne is stationed next to the walk-in shower. Despite the compact layout, there are hooks installed here for us to hang our clothing.

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 2 is further down the entryway next to Bedroom 1 and is the largest bedroom of the three. I’d call this the Master Bedroom. Bedroom 2 also has the same Scandinavian decor as Bedroom 1, decked with natural wood furniture and a green wall. Unlike Bedroom 1, Bedroom 2 is fitted with two wardrobes, an open wardrobe at the entrance and a second double-panel wardrobe further in. The open wardrobe has only hanging racks and a shelf on top. We mainly used this wardrobe to hang our outer coats. As there is space at the bottom of this wardrobe, this is also where we place our backpacks. The second wardrobe, further into the room, is identical to that in Bedroom 1, with one side of hanging racks and the other side five shelves. We mainly used this to hang our clothes, and the shelves on the side were perfect for us to place our smaller clothing items. Similar to Bedroom 1, there is also a table next to the wardrobe, mounted onto the wall in a corner of the bedroom. As a work desk, I find this table a little tight, but the power outlet here allowed me to keep my iPad juiced up. However, we mainly used this table to stow our loose items. A TV is mounted on the wall above the table, which provides us with limited English Channel entertainment, as most of the channels are in French or German. A King bed is furnished opposite the TV. The king bed is very comfortable to sleep in, and the blanket provided kept us warm and cosy on a colder winter night. Unlike most hotels, the king bed is topped with two single-sized blankets, so we did not have to fight over a blanket. Like the bed in Bedroom 1, the two-tiered open shelving bedside tables are mounted on both sides of the king bed. With the power outlet fitted on each of these tables, we found it especially useful to charge our lifestyle devices overnight. As the bedside tables were not large, I applauded Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments for fitting the bedside lamps, which essentially are reading lights, onto the headboard of the bed. This frees up the already tight bedside table for us to put more of our stuff.

Bathroom 2

Unlike Bathroom 1, Bathroom 2 is located inside Bedroom 2, with its entrance located opposite the open wardrobe in the bedroom. Like the bedroom, it is also the largest of the three bathrooms. We were greeted by an oversized sink counter top at the entrance of the bathroom. Fitted with only one sink, the space afforded by this sink countertop felt larger. We were not complaining as this meant we were able to stow more toiletries on this countertop. The porcelain throne is situated behind the door to the bathroom. A bathtub is fitted at the end of the bathroom. This bathtub also doubles up as a walk-in shower. Although no ledge was installed here, we used the window sill to place our toiletries. Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments provided Absolute Nordic shampoo/body wash shower amenities, which have a hint of musky smell and left our skin feeling soft and refreshed after showering.

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 3 is a similar layout to Bedroom 1, with the exception of having an ensuite bathroom inside the bedroom. The decor is the same except that the wardrobe is now further into the bedroom, in a corner rather than by the door, which made perfect sense as the door would be in the way of the wardrobe. Like Bedrooms 1 and 2, the enclosed double-panel wardrobe has a section for a hanging rack and a slightly smaller section fitted with five shelves. The table in this bedroom is the same as those we saw in both Bedrooms 1 and 2, and the location of the TV in the bedroom is mounted on the wall above the table, facing the king bed. The king bed and the bedside tables in Bedroom 3 are exactly designed the same as those in the other two bedrooms.

Bathroom 3

Unlike Bedroom 1, Bedroom 3 has an ensuite bathroom with the entrance located next to the king bed. Bathroom 3 felt slightly larger than Bathroom 1, which had the fittings lined up in a linear fashion. Like Bathroom 1, the walk-in shower in Bathroom 3 took up the spot in a corner of the bathroom, fitted with a regular shower head. Next to the walk-in shower is the sink. Similar to Bathroom 1, the sink countertop here is tight, but it still offers sufficient space for my friends to stow their toiletries. The toilet took up the space in the other corner, opposite the entrance to the bathroom.

Living Room

The living room in the Modern 3-Bedroom Apartment at Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments is the largest space in the apartment. The Scandinavian design language is especially pronounced here with the wooden flooring, the large green wall, and natural wood furniture. Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments fitted out the living room with two three-seater sofas that are comfortable to sit on and relax while we watch TV. The mustard colour chosen for these sofas blended in with the overall colour theme very well. I like the usage of a log as a coffee table in the centre of these sofas, which, together with the moose logo and the fake moose skeletons, gave the living room a cosy and lodge vibe. The cabinets and shelves around the TV not only gave the overall Scandinavian look, but they are also functional, giving us additional space to put our stuff.

Dining and Kitchenette Area

Situated next to the living room is the open dining room and kitchenette area, segregated by the black matt tilings used for the flooring. The dining area had the Scandinavian elements, as seen in the large natural wood finished dining table that caters to six pax and matching dining chairs. We used this dining table a lot. Other than using it for dining, we mainly gathered at this table to do our work and discuss our itinerary. The placement of the dining table by the large windows not only brought in natural light in the day, but it also connected us to nature (our apartment faces the forested area of Zermatt. The overhead lighting that hangs down from the ceiling gave the dining area a modern look, which fits perfectly into the theme of the open kitchen. A couple of reindeer decorations hanging on the wall at the end of the dining and kitchenette area reinforce the natural theme in the dining area.

The kitchenette in our Modern 3-bedroom apartment at Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments is actually a full kitchen. The hotel equipped the kitchenette so well that we were able to whip up a full meal. In the centre of the kitchen counter, there is a set of four induction cookers where we used to fry eggs and bacon for breakfast. We also used this to cook the rosti that we bought from the supermarket in town, made possible with the full set of cookware and china. Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments equipped the kitchenette with a large oven, perfect for us to cook up the ribs we bought. The kitchenette is also equipped with a large full-size fridge, which is great for longer stay guests who want to eat in to save a few bucks. There are also the usual suspects, such as a toaster, a Nespresso machine and a kettle, made available in the kitchenette. Despite being fitted with a large kitchen sink for us to do the washing, Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments also equipped the kitchenette with a dishwasher, saving us the time to wash the crockery and china that we used.

Balcony

The Modern 3-bedroom apartment at Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments features a wrap-around balcony that extends from the living room to Bedroom 1. The part of the balcony outside the living room is furnished with four chairs and a table, while the part of the balcony outside Bedroom 1 is furnished with two outdoor chairs. The balcony was a perfect place for us to sit and relax in the morning with a cup of coffee while watching the golden sun rays lighting up the peak of the Matterhorn during sunrise. The balcony not only offered us the million-dollar view of the Matterhorn, but it also gave us views of the town and the two nearby mountains. We find ourselves using the balcony a lot, just chilling with the view of the Matterhorn.

Service

The service was fantastic at the hotel. I’d say the service at Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments was thoughtful. Before our arrival, I had emailed the hotel to request a train station pick-up. Despite our late arrival (after 8 pm), we were delighted to find the hotel pick-up was already at the train station waiting for us. The staff who did the pick up volunteered to carry our luggage up two flights of stairs, despite our insistence that we would do it ourselves, as our luggage was very heavy. Before we could stop him, he had already brought our luggage to our apartment building. Even with our late arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the reception staff, who processed our check-in with much efficiency. She also gave us a brief of the breakfast timing and the locations of the hotel bar and restaurant. We met with another staff at the reception the next day, requesting to top up our shower amenities. She was equally friendly and ensured our requests were being fulfilled. The staff at the restaurant were awesome as well. We dined at the restaurant for their cheese fondue, where the staff patiently explained the menu and constantly checked with us how we found the food. The housekeeping staff deserve a mention. As we were not too sure if Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments makes up rooms daily, we hung out towels back onto the towel racks in the bathrooms. We were surprised that our apartment was meticulously cleaned the next day we returned to the apartment with fresh towels in the bathrooms.

Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments arranged an electric bus to pick us up from and take us to the train station.

Overall

We had a pleasant stay in the Modern 3-Bedroom apartment at Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments. Not only was the apartment very well appointed and had everything that we needed for a comfortable stay, but it was also very cosy. We also found the apartment value for money; it is difficult to find lodging with three bedrooms and three bathrooms at this price point, and yet it offered us a direct view of the Matterhorn. The sleep quality on the king beds was excellent, leaving us recharged every night. The service at the hotel was excellent, with every staff member we met being so welcoming and friendly. I would return to Jägerhof Hotels and Apartments the next time I return to Zermatt.

[Accommodation Review] – Hotel Royal St Georges (Royal Suite), Interlaken, Switzerland (11 – 13 Jan 26)

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Location

Hotel Royal St Georges is located about an 8-minute walk from Interlaken Ost Bahnhof. The hotel sits on the street that runs through the town between Interlaken Ost Bahnhof and Interlaken West Bahnhof. There are a few restaurants and cafes around the hotel along the street, with most of the amenities, such as the supermarket (in fact, there are two), located outside Interlaken Ost Bahnhof.

The Suite

The historic Hotel Royal St Georges has two wings, the newer modern wing and the historic wing. The Royal Suite is the only suite category room in Hotel Royal St. Georges, where the hotel has several configurations of this 50㎡ suite. All of the Royal Suites are located in the historic wing of the hotel.

Layout of the Royal Suite in Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken

Entryway

The heritage of the Royal Suite can be witnessed from the entryway. From the brown carpeting to the mirror, it seems that this suite has withstood the test of time. The entryway in the Royal Suite at Hotel Royal St Georges is a short corridor in the suite that links the main entrance to the living room of the suite. I found the three hooks fitted in here, next to the entrance to the suite, very convenient for us to hang our outer coats before entering the room. The presence of these hooks also gave us a place to stow our outer coats rather than finding a space in the suite to hang them. Mounted on the wall of the entryway is a mirror that allows us to do a final appearance check before heading out. The frame of this mirror suggested that it might have been in this suite for a long time. The entrance to the only bathroom in the Royal Suite is situated in the entryway, opposite the mirror.

Bathroom

The next room closest to the main entrance to the Royal Suite at Hotel Royal St Georges is the bathroom. I find having the bathroom at the entrance is a tad weird. Maybe there are some historical occurrences that led the designers to arrange the bathroom here, or maybe the suite was renovated over the years, leading to the placement of the bathroom. I also find the detachment of the bathroom from the bedroom a tad inconvenient. The only good thing about having the bathroom here is that our friends staying in the other rooms in the hotel can use the bathroom without having to go through our bedroom when they pop by our suite for a gathering.

The bathroom in the Royal Suite at Hotel Royal St Geroges has an oddly placed connecting door to the room next door.

Unlike the entryway (or the other parts of the suite), the bathroom predominantly uses blue colour, seen in the floor tiles and the furnishings such as the toilet, the bidet and the sink. Right next to the entrance of the bathroom stood the walk-in shower. Fitted with both a rain shower and a regular shower head, the space afforded by the walk-in shower felt a little tight. The glass screen doors also felt a tad flimsy. A large, deep-seated bathtub sits across the walk-in shower. This tub has seen better times, as there are scratches visible on the tub. To our dismay, we subsequently found out that this tub is currently used as an antique display piece after checking with the hotel reception when the water is not flowing from the taps. We were informed that the hotel was not able to find the spare parts to fix the tap, and owing to a strict Swiss law, the hotel was not able to remove or replace the bathtub. A European bidet with a blue gryphon carved onto the base is found next to the bathtub. As we did not use the bidet (rather, we were not used to the European bidet), we couldn’t confirm if the bidet is working or, like the bathtub, is merely a display piece. Opposite the bidet and next to the walk-in shower, positioned the (literally) porcelain throne. Like the bidet, the toilet is also engraved with a gryphon painted in blue at its base. Fortunately, the toilet was in working order.

At the end of the bathroom, after the toilet, is a large sink that also has the head of a gryphon carved onto the base of the sink. The blue pattern on the sink top demonstrated the opulence that the original owners of the hotel placed in the decor of this Royal Suite. The opulence is also seen in the golden tap used in the sink. The biggest flaw of this bathroom is the amount of space for us to place our stuff. The sink is large, but there is not much space for us to stow our toiletries. I also found a lack of space to hang the towels after use. The only place for us to hang our towels is on the heater mounted on the wall above the toilet. The lack of hooks also meant there is no place for us to hang our clothing when we shower. Hotel Royal St Georges worked around this issue by placing a large marble top table in front of the door to the balcony in the bathroom, which I found weird to have a balcony in the bathroom. Speaking of weirdness, the other thing I found peculiar is a connecting door to the room next door, right in the bathroom. This made me wonder how many designs and redesigns this Royal Suite has gone through to arrive at this peculiar design.

Living Room

The living room is the next room that the entryway leads to in the Royal Suite. Decked in blue wallpaper and parquet flooring, and together with the patterned cornice, the living room presents a vibe of yesteryears. The furnishing is a mix of modern and historic in the living room. A side table is positioned next to the entrance of the living room from the entryway. This somewhat oversized side table is equipped with a large lamp, which brings a sense of cosiness to this space. I found the sitting situation to be a little thin in the living room. Other than a large fabric two-seater sofa that can sit three adults, placed next to the side table, the only other sitting space in the living room is a single-seater armchair opposite it. To make matters worse, instead of a regular coffee table, the living room is furnished with a small dining table in the middle of the room. The height of this table is too high to be used as a coffee table or even dining table when seated on the lounge sets, or useless as a dining table due to a lack of dining chairs.

Nestled in a corner of the living room, next to the sofa, sits a minibar table. The minibar table is sparsely equipped with a Nespresso machine and a kettle with tea cups, coffee pods and tea bags. I found it impossible to use both the kettle and the Nespresso machine at the same time, as there is only one power outlet fitted at the minibar table. The wooden table has seen better days, as it wobbles whenever we make coffee out of the Nespresso machine, giving me the impression that the legs will give way at any moment. We found a cabinet sitting in the corner opposite the minibar table. This cabinet (that we never used) could have been repurposed for some other functions, but finding a cabinet here is indeed out of place. Placed in the corner next to the bedroom is a TV cabinet. That is where we could receive entertainment from the TV positioned to face the sofa. Unless we understand French or German, there are very few channels, mainly news channels in English, that we can receive entertainment from the TV. The in-room minifridge is tucked inside a cabinet underneath the TV, stocked with chargeable drinks.

Bedroom

The heritage of the Royal Suite at Hotel Royal St Georges flowed into the bedroom with the same blue wallpaper used in the living room, and the same brown carpet seen in the entryway. The same patterned cornice design is also visible in the bedroom, while the chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room and the LED light candles on both sides of the bed, as well as the vanity table, brought some elegance of yesteryears into the room. The king bed occupied the centre of the bedroom, providing us with excellent sleep quality that kept us recharged for the next day. The wooden bedside tables furnished on both sides of the king bed provided us with limited space to stow our lifestyle devices. I found a lack of power outlets installed here for us to charge our lifestyle devices. The only place we could charge them is on the vanity table, which has only one power outlet installed. I had to use the outlet in the living room, which created some inconvenience.

Fitted onto the wall to the left of the king bed is a set of two white wardrobes. The single-panel door innermost wardrobe is fitted with shelving that allows us to stow small clothing items, while the two-panel wardrobe reveals a hanging rack that is capable of hanging at least two weeks’ worth of clothing. The Royal Suite in Hotel Royal St Georges is not furnished with a work desk. We had to rely on the vanity table in the bedroom next to the wardrobes to perform any work. The vanity table would be sizeable if not for the TV that is placed at the end of the table. As a vanity table, the large mirror with a similar design to that in the entryway allowed guests to put on makeup or style their hair. As a work desk, the power outlets installed on the wall allowed guests to keep their laptops powered up. There is another cabinet, similar to that in the living room, on the right side of the bed, occupying the corner. Here is where the hotel stores the in-room ironing equipment. We also found a wooden luggage rack by the entrance to the bedroom. However, its size is too small to hold our 28” trunk luggage, and we ended up using it to place our backpacks.

Balcony

There are technically three balconies in the Royal Suite that were assigned to us, of which two are usable. The first one is the bathroom balcony. Due to its location, we almost never use this balcony. Moreover, it is not furnished with any furniture. The other two balconies are accessible via the living room and the bedroom, respectively. These two balconies are furnished with an outdoor table and two chairs, which allowed us to relax and people-watch from the balcony. The balcony in the living room faces the main road, where we mainly used to drink coffee in the morning or just hang out and enjoy the winter breeze. The balcony in the bedroom faces the new wing of Hotel Royal St Georges. This is the largest of the three balconies. Due to its facing, we hardly use this balcony, as there are hardly any views.

Service

Service in Hotel Royal St Georges is nothing short of impeccable. The staff we met were warm and welcoming. Prior to our arrival, we received an email from the hotel offering to pick us up from the railway station. We were initially sceptical about the pick-up service, as we did not receive any reply emails from the hotel. To our surprise, the hotel staff called us to confirm our arrival timing and were present at the train station waiting for us before our arrival time. All the hotel staff we met were very friendly. The reception staff, the same guy who picked us up from the train station, processed our check-in quickly and showed us to our room. He also gave us a detailed brief on the usage of the sauna and breakfast timings. During breakfast, the staff at Brasserie St. Georges welcomed us with a smile every morning and cleared our table as soon as they spotted that the plates were empty. We visited the reception to ask about our defective bathtub. The staff took the time to explain the situation with the bathtub and offered to change our suite, which we declined. At check-out, the staff, upon knowing that we would return later in the afternoon, offered to store our luggage and send us to the train station. In the evening, the staff took care of our luggage and also brought us to the train station. He even helped us load the luggage onto the minibus and gave us tips for visiting Switzerland.

Breakfast @ Brasserie St Georges

We were pleasantly surprised that our rooms come with a complimentary breakfast. Breakfast is served at the hotel’s only restaurant – Brasserie St Georges. The spread is a typical Continental breakfast with a small section of Indian selection with rice and Indian food. The hotel served a good variety of bread, and the croissants were very fresh and crispy. There is a selection of cold cuts and salads with very fresh ham and cheese. The hotel also serves a small selection of hot food with sausages, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Though the selection of food for breakfast is small, it is hearty and certainly provides us with the fuel to explore the Jungfrau region.

Overall

The Royal Suite in Hotel Royal St Georges pays homage to the heritage of the hotel. The suite is spacious, providing us with space to gather with our friends. The sleep quality on the king bed was excellent. However, the lack of seating space in the living room and the non-functioning bathtub in the bathroom were the main flaws in the suite. Additionally, the odd placement of the bathroom was a tad inconvenient for occupants of the suite. The service provided by the staff at Hotel Royal St Georges was excellent. They were always ready to help and were never stingy with their greetings and smiles. The breakfast served at the hotel’s only restaurant had simple offerings, but they did provide a hearty meal and the much-needed energy for our sightseeing in and around Interlaken.