Lofty Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (2 – 5 Apr 26)

April 25, 2026 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

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.

SO/ Bangkok facade

Reception on ground floor of the hotel assisting guests

Hote Signage

Hotel lobby on the ground floor

Reception at SO/ Bangkok on level 9

The hotel reception is located on level 9

Hotel lobby has tons of seating for guests to relax

Hotel lobby seatings on level 9

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.

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.

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.

There is a cabinet at the wall in the living room of the SO/ Lofty Suite

The living room in our SO/ Lofty Suite

The comfortabled two-seater sofa in the living room

The living room is equipped with a 55" LED TV mounted on the wall above the TV cabinet

The TV has lots of channel to keep us entertained while not exploring Bangkok

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 only shelving in the wardrobe is rather difficult to access

The wardrobe has a large hanging rack but few hangers

The walk-in wardrobe in our SO/ Lofty Suite sits between the bedroom and the living room

The vanity table inside the walk-in wardrobe

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.

Looking into the bedroom of the suite from the living room

The bedroom in our SO/ Lofty Suite

The king bed in the bedroom is very comfortable to sleep on

SO/ Bangkok has a pillow menu catering to most guests' preference

The hotel fitted Thai power outlets on both bedside tables

One of the two bedside tables in the bedroom

Mini bar is fitted at the side of the bed along the walls of the walk-in wardrobe

The sliding door to the wardrobe reveals the mini bar in the bedroom

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.

Looking out in the rest of the bedroom from the bed area

The work desk is found in a corner of the bedroom next to the bathroom

There is another 55" LED TV in the bedroom and a oversized armchair for us to relax

The work desk is of a good size

View of Bangkok from the bedroom of or SO/ Lofty Suite

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.

The bathroom seen from the bedroom

The bathroom is fitted with two large sinks but the countertop space is a little tad

Bathroom amenities

The toilet sits behind a wall in the bathroom

Bathroom amenities provided by SO/ Bangkok

The bathtub is located inside the walk-in shower cubicle

We could see into the Bangkok skyline while soaking in the oversized tub

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.

We were served welcome drink during check-in at the lounge

Welcome drinks redemmed at the poolside bar

Welcome amenities in our suite waiting for us

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.

Entrance to Red Oven where we had our breakfast

Bread station at the entrance of the restaurant

The dessert station includes ice cream

The hot food station is situated in the middle of the restaurant

The hot food and cold food stations in Red Oven

There is a noodle station that cooks Thai noodles to order

The dim sum station during breakfast

Breakfast at Red Oven

The breakfast crowd at Red Oven

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.

Reception outside the Club Signature Lounge

The lounge is adorned by a large fashion painting

The main lounge area

There are dining tables further into the lounge that cater to larger groups

More dining tables at the back of the lounge

There are more dining tables at the back of the lounge

Club Signature lounge has a playful vibe

The food station in Club Signature Lounge

View of the city from the balcony of Club Signature Lounge

There is a balcony at the Club Signature Lounge

The balcony at the Club Signature Lounge

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.

The swimming pool at SO/ Bangkok overlooks the city skyline and Lumpini Park

The swimming pool at SO/ Bangkok is located on level 10

A jacuzzi in one corner of the swimming pool deck

There is a sunken seating area at the poolside bar

There are plenty of sundeck chairs at the pool, but most of these are under the shade

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.

The cardio machines in the gym are placed in front of the window facing the pool

The gym is also equipped with strength training machines

There is free weight area in the gym

There is a studio in the gym at SO/ Bangkok

More strength training machines hidden in a corner of the gym next to the studio

The studio seems to have been repurposed for core training

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).

[Accommodation Review] – Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort (Presidential Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (18 – 20 Jul 25)

August 2, 2025August 2, 2025 / kktong76 / 1 Comment

Location

Despite being located in the heart of Bangkok, Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort’s location is somewhat remote. We did not spot any restaurants or convenience shops near the resort, but only one Starbucks in the BDMS Wellness Centre, which is connected to the hotel by a linked corridor. However, the nearest shopping and restaurants are housed in the Central Embassy shopping mall, which is approximately 5 minutes from the resort on foot. The nearest BTS station, Phloen Chit, is about 6 minutes walk from the resort. The resort offers an hourly shuttle service to the BTS station, operating from 9 am to 9 pm. Phloen Chit BTS station is about two stops from the Siam shopping area, and two stops away from Terminal 21. In addition to taking the BTS, taking a boat is also a popular mode of transportation in Bangkok. Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort is situated next to the canal, with the Saphan Wittayu Pier just a 2-minute walk away, allowing us to commute by riverboat to the Siam shopping area.

The reception at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

There is a manned counter for ACCOR members, which are becoming rare in ACCOR properties

The reception at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

The lobby of Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

The Tuktuk in the lobby of the resort gave it a Thai identity

The shuttle schedule provided by Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort to Chit Lom BTS station

The shuttle that took us from the resort to the BTS station

The Suite

The Presidential Suite is the one-of-a-kind suite in Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort. With 164㎡ of real estate, the suite is the biggest room the resort offers. In addition to the living room, bedroom, and bathroom, the suite is also fitted with a dining room, a study, and a pantry.

Layout of the Presidential Suite at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort (*not drawn to scale*)

Entryway

Behind the double-leaved main door lies a relatively large space dedicated to the entryway to the suite. Other than the two large gold-leaf art sculptures installed here, there are no other furnishings in the entryway, which makes it feel somewhat bare. The entrance to the powder room is also located at the entryway.

The entryway to our Presidential Suite at Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

The artpieces in the entryway

The entryway is rather large and introduced to us the size of the suite

Powder Room

Sandwiched between the powder room and the entryway is an area dedicated to a walk-in wardrobe, hidden behind four wooden panels. Here we found only hanging racks. I find it odd that the resort has designated a space for the wardrobe, yet no hangers are provided here. In countries with four distinct seasons, this space would make sense, but in Bangkok, where it is practically summer all year round (except for a few months of the rainy season), this space felt redundant. Another door separates the walk-in wardrobe from the entryway. Beyond this door lies the powder room, where only a porcelain throne is placed by the wall. A single sink with ample countertop space, along with a set of bathroom amenities, is situated by the wall next to the toilet.

There is a wardrobe between the entryway and the powder room that does not seem to serve any purpose

The powder room in the Presidential Suite is rather large and only houses a toilet and a sink

Living Room

The biggest area in the Presidential Suite at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort is dedicated to the living room. The living room features not one, but two seating areas, positioned side by side. The moment we entered the living room from the entryway, a feature glass table topped with pots of arranged fresh flowers welcomed us. I thought these fresh flowers and the living plants dotted around the Presidential Suite gave guests a welcoming sense. The entryway is not situated in the centre of the parquet flooring living room; rather, it is designed on the side of the living room. The seating area near the entryway features a three-seater couch and two accompanying two-seater sofas, accompanied by a large coffee table. This first seating area is positioned to face the dining room and is a great place for the suite’s occupants to host their friends.

We were welcomed by a flower arrangement on a glass table the moment we stepped into the living room of the Presidential Suite

The first seating area in the Presidential Suite features a three-seater couch and a couple of two-seater couches

The first seating area and its matching coffee table faces the dining room

The live flower arrangement adds a nice touch to the suite

The artpieces by the doors to the dining room where we also found some fitness gears

An elongated glass-top table, ornate with horse artworks, formed a separation between the two seating areas. The second seating area is placed to face the entrance to the bedroom. Decked with another three-seater sofa as a centrepiece and two single-seat armchairs, this seating area seems to suggest its dedication to being an entertainment area. The second sofa area is placed to face the” 55” flatscreen TV placed on a gold-painted wooden TV console, meant for occupants of the suite to enjoy entertainment from the numerous local and international channels on the TV screen. Apart from serving as a placeholder for the TV, I found the TV console to be very functional, with ample storage space for us to put away our shopping. The entire living room is tastefully designed, featuring a good blend of earthy elements and a luxurious vibe.

The second seating area further into the living room of the Presidential Suite at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

The second area in the living room is furnished with a three-seater couch and two matching armchairs with the same coffee table as the first seating area

Artwork on the table between the two seating areas in the living room of the Presidential Suite

The living room is equipped with a 55"LED TV at the second seating area of the living room

The entertainment menu on the 55" LED TV in the living room

Dining Room and Pantry

A white double-leaved sliding door segregates the dining room from the living room in the Presidential Suite at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort. The dining room is furnished with an elongated dining table with chairs that can accommodate up to eight guests. The artworks installed in the dining room brought life to the otherwise monotonous decor here.

The dining area is furished with an eight-seater dining table

The dining room in the Presidential Suite is small but functional and the artpieces in this room makes the dining room look luxurious

The dining room looking out into the living room of the Presidential Suite

The Presidential Suite also features a small pantry equipped with two cabinets that run the entire length on either side. These cabinets provided us with more storage space. It is on one of these cabinets that a Nespresso machine and a kettle call home. Rather than a typical mini fridge, a mid-sized full fridge with a freezer, stocked with non-alcoholic beverages, was installed in the pantry. Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort treats its Presidential Suite guests to a one-time complimentary drink and snacks, which are available in the fridge and on the countertop, respectively.

The pantry in the Presidential Suite has another exit

The pantry is equipped with a Nespresso machine and decked with tea bags for guests to enjoy

The pantry is fited with a full fridge

There is also a microwave machine on one of the two cabinets here

The resort also prepared a set of complimentary snacks for us to enjoy

The fridge is fully stocked with complimentary drinks

The Study

Next to the second seating area in the living room is a space carved out as the study of the suite. Surrounded by walls painted white, with a shelf of metallic and glass vases installed, the large work desk in the study provided a space for us to work. I like how the work desk is positioned to face the balconies opposite it, where we could occasionally look out into the greenery when our eyes grew tired of staring at the computer. The only flaw in the study is the placement of the two power outlets underneath the work desk, which can be quite a hassle to access for charging our laptops.

Bedroom

The space allocated to the bedroom in the Presidential Suite is also quite generous, about ⅔ the size of the living room. The ample space in the bedroom allowed the resort to furnish it with a sofa set, the first thing we came across after passing through the entrance to the bedroom. The sofa area in the bedroom is furnished with a grey fabric two-seater sofa and two single armchairs. Together with a glass top coffee table, facing the TV, the seating area gave us an alternate space to relax in and receive entertainment from the 55″ LED TV.

The seating area in the bedroom is furnished with a two-seater sofa and a couple of armchairs

The seating area in the bedroom faces the other 55" LED TV in the Presidential Suite

The many local and international programmes on the TV

Beyond the sofa area, a slender marble-top table seemingly segregates the entertainment area from the rest of the bedroom. The sleeping area features a large king bed positioned against the wall, inviting its occupants to rest in it. The king bed is very comfortable and provides us with excellent sleep quality every single night. To ensure its guests have a good night’s sleep, the resort offers a wide selection of pillows to suit every need. The sleep quality is further enhanced by the iHome speaker placed on one of the two bedside tables, which plays soothing music, helping us fall asleep more quickly. Speaking of the bedside tables, we welcomed the large three-drawer bedside tables, which provided us with plenty of space to store our belongings. Each bedside table is equipped with two international power outlets and two USB-A ports, allowing us to charge our mobile devices. Despite being placed to face the TV, I thought the distance from the bed to the TV was a bit too far, making it somewhat difficult to watch TV on the bed. I suppose the resort intends to relax one’s mind, rather than stimulate it, which could impact sleep quality.

The king bed in the bedroom is very comfortable to sleep on

The bedside tables by the king bed are fairly sizable and offers us plenty of storage space

View of the bedroom from the king bed

The TV is a tad too far from the bed, making watching it somewhat difficult

Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort decorated the king bed with rose petals to welcome us

The king bed in the bedroom of the Presidential Suite

The resort offers 10 different types of pillows in their pillow menu

The artpiece on the table between the king bed and the seating area in the bedroom of the Presidential Suite

Bathroom & Walk-in Wardrobe

The wardrobe in the Presidential Suite at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort is located in a small room between the bedroom and the bathroom, creating a walk-in wardrobe effect. This part of the suite features two double-panel wardrobes and a single-panel wardrobe, providing ample space to store our clothes. Of these wardrobes, only one is fitted with a hanging rack. It is in this wardrobe that we found the in-room safe sitting on top of a two-tier cabinet. The other features are shelves and drawers that increase the number of items we can stow in the wardrobes. Like most hotels, the number of hangers provided by the resort was a bit few, but I am sure the resort will be happy to provide us with more if we request it. A small high table sits at the end of this room, where the resort places additional bath towels.

The wardrobe area in the Presidential Suite sits between the bedroom and the bathroom

The suite features two double-panel wardrobes and one single-panel wardrobe

One of the double-panel wardrobes has open shelves and drawers fitted that increases its storage capacity

The other double-panel wardrobe is mainly fitted with hanging racks and is where in-room safe is housed

The bathroom lies beyond a doorless entrance and is decked with the typical yellow marble floorings typically found in most 5-star hotels. The bathroom felt narrow due to its design. Instead of having a huge space, the placement of the bathroom features centres around this corridor with the large jacuzzi bathtub at the end of the corridor. Due to the size of the jacuzzi tub, it took a considerable amount of time for us to fill it with water. The resort fitted two sinks in the bathroom, but due to the design, these sinks are placed apart from each other. With the amenities the resort placed on the countertop, I find little space left for us to place our toiletries here. The toilet and walk-in shower are housed in spacious cubicles opposite the sinks, located on the left side of the corridor. The toilet is positioned near the entrance of the bathroom, and the shower is closer to the bathtub. The walk-in shower has only a rain shower head installed, and the lack of a ledge makes it challenging to place our dental kits and facial washes. I also thought the lack of any hooks in the bathroom was one of its major design flaws.

The walk-in shower in the bathroom has only a rainfall shower head with very good water pressure

The toilet in the bathroom

The sinks in the bathroom of the Presidential Suite

One of the two sinks in the bathroom which has limited countertop space

Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort provided its guests with Yuni bath amenities that has a critrus scent

The bathroom is fitted with an oversized jacuzzi tub that takes forever to fill up

Balconies

The Presidential Suite features a total of six balconies, with three located in the living room, two in the bedroom, and one in the dining room. These balconies are not interconnected, and although the space afforded at the balconies is not large, it is sufficient for the suite’s occupants to step out and enjoy the views of the pool. Since these balconies are not large, they are not furnished with any furniture.

Service

The service at the resort was top-notch. The moment we arrived, the bellboy greeted us at the front of the hotel. He took care of our luggage, escorted us to the dedicated counter for ACCOR members at the reception, and handed us over to his colleague Menz. We were warmly welcomed by Menz, who acknowledged our loyalty status with the hotel chain. Menz was very welcoming and processed our check-in efficiently. He was very thorough in introducing the hotel and its facilities, including the privileges that came with our booking, as well as my friend’s loyalty status. Menz also arranged for our luggage to be delivered to our suite. Menz would greet us with a very friendly “sawadee”, accompanied by the widest smile anyone could muster, and address us by our first names whenever we walked past the reception. The other staff members at the reception were equally friendly and would always smile and greet us whenever we walked past.

Welcome amenities the resort prepared in the suite to welcome us

Wefie with the friendly Menz

We felt honoured and appreciated when the Room Director, Wiyada, personally came and welcomed us. Together with Menz, we were escorted to our room and introduced to the Presidential Suite, which included privileges such as a complimentary minibar and drinks. Along the way, through our conversation with Wiyada, we discovered that the resort would go to great lengths to customise each stay to suit the needs of its guests. The resort already arranged the firmer pillows that we requested before we arrived in the suite. Wiyada also encouraged us to contact the reception if we needed anything else.

Then there is Peach from the concierge team, who always greeted us whenever we bumped into him at the front door. He always wore a sincere smile and would always be the first to greet us. I interacted with Emma at the reception when I forgot to bring my keycard. When we inquired about the status of our late check-out, Emma was able to accommodate us and even gave us an additional 30 minutes of buffer time. She also took the initiative to update the keycard to expire at 4 pm so we would not be inconvenienced.

We were warmly greeted by Sky at the lounge on the ground floor when we visited for evening cocktail. Sky was very personable and patiently introduced the drink options and the food served during the evening cocktail. She was seen patrolling the floor often and also checked if we needed another drink upon spotting our empty glasses. There is no flaw in service that we detect during our stay with Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok. Every staff member, from the reception desk to the breakfast restaurant, lounge, and even the housekeeping staff, was very sincere and welcoming, truly amplifying the warmth and hospitality that Thais are famous for.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ Nourish

Breakfast is served at Nourish restaurant, located on the lower ground level, daily from 6 am to 10:30 am during weekdays and 6 am to 11 am on weekends. There are plenty of options served during breakfast, including items from continental and English breakfast to local dishes like grilled pork and soup noodles. There is also a great selection of fruits and salads offered during breakfast. As the resort promotes wellness, the breakfast served has healthier elements such as the use of brown rice and multi-grain bread. Nourish also offers detox and healthier, freshly squeezed fruit juices that aid digestion. The breakfast served was hearty, nutritious and delicious, without sacrificing taste. There are minor menu changes for both days we dined during breakfast.

Nourish is an open restaurant located on lower ground level of the resort

The main buffet area where most of the food for breakfast can be found

Some of the Western options for breakfast at Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

The bread station is located in another section next to the main buffet stations

This cart serves local noodles that changes menu everyday

The congee station is fully decked with condiments during breakfast

Executive Club Lounge Privilege @ Bittersweet

Although Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort does not have a dedicated lounge room for its suite guests, the resort carved out a section from the Bittersweet bar on the ground floor opposite the reception as lounge space. As suite guests, we were able to walk into Bittersweet anytime from 10:30 am to 11 pm for drinks. The lounge also serves afternoon tea from 3 pm to 5 pm and evening cocktails from 5 pm to 7 pm. Alcoholic beverages were served to guests during the evening cocktail hour. We only managed to visit the lounge during the evening cocktail. The variety of the evening cocktail was limited, but the food served was both delicious and nutritious. Despite being located near the reception and the main lobby, we could still find serenity at the lounge during evening cocktail time.

The Bittersweet bar is located in the lobby opposite the reception

The Executive Club Lounge sign is hidden inside the lounge

This part of the lounge is very quiet and perfect for relaxing and chilling

Some of the food on offer during evening cocktail

Evening cocktail drinks menu

The food served during evening cocktail are healthy too

Swimming Pool

The resort features a large free-form saltwater swimming pool, located on the lower ground floor just outside the Nourish restaurant. Nestled in a garden, the swimming pool resembles an oasis amid a concrete jungle, surrounded by tall buildings and green vegetation. The pool is of a good size, allowing guests to swim a decent number of laps, while catering for children to play safely in it. There is no shortage of sundeck chairs surrounding the swimming pool, which was mostly empty during our stay. Despite being surrounded by tall buildings, one can still find a spot to get a dose of vitamin D. In addition to the main pool, the swimming pool features a small section that has been carved out, housing the jacuzzi facilities.

The swimming pool at Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort faces the facade of the resort

There is a small jacuzzi pool within the main pool

There are plenty of sundeck chairs around at the swimming pool

Gym

Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort features a well-equipped gym located on the lower ground floor, adjacent to the Nourish Restaurant. There is a good mix of machines for cardio and strength workouts. The treadmills and elliptical machines, positioned by the floor-to-ceiling glass that looks out into the garden outside the gym, along with the stationary bikes, allowed guests to perform cardio workouts. The gym is also equipped with numerous strength training machines for guests to work out every major muscle group. There is also a section dedicated to free weight training. The gym at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok is also equipped with a small studio where the resort organises 30-minute group fitness classes throughout the day for guests to join. As part of the suite benefit, these classes were available to us at no charge.

Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort has a sizeable gym that has both cardio and strength training machines

There is also a studio in the gym for group exercise classes

Some of the cardio machines in the gym

The gym at Movenpick BDMS Wellness Resort

Overall

We were quite surprised with our stay at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok. For the many times we visited Bangkok, I wondered how we could have missed this gem in the heart of the capital of the Land of Smiles. Staying here felt tranquil and peaceful. Despite not having many shops outside the resort, major shopping malls and the BTS station are a mere 5-minute walk from the resort. The Presidential Suite is spacious, well-appointed, and comfortable. The sleep quality on the king bed is excellent, which kept us feeling refreshed every morning. The biggest plus of staying is its people. The service rendered by the staff was top-notch, and it felt they went all out to ensure we had a good time staying with Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok. I am blown away by the level of service and the well-appointed room that I had my next Bangkok trip booked with Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok.

[Accommodation Review] – VIE Hotel Bangkok (Grand Duplex 2-Bedroom Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (9 – 12 Aug 24)

September 28, 2024September 28, 2024 / kktong76 / 1 Comment

VIE Hotel Bangkok seen from the BTS platform

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.

The vanity desk In the bedroom

I am pleasantly surprised to find a mini fridge at the end of the vanity desk

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.

The staff served us a welcome drink during our check-in

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.

View of Bangkok from our Grand Duplex Suite

[Accommodation Review] – VIE Hotel Bangkok (Grand Duplex Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (9 – 14 Mar 23)

April 9, 2023 / kktong76 / 1 Comment

Location

VIE Hotel Bangkok is in a very convenient location and just one BTS stop away from the heart of Bangkok in the Siam area. Most shopping malls near the Siam area are about 7 mins on foot, and the shopping malls at Pratunam are about 10 mins from the hotel. The nearest BTS station is right at the doorstep of VIE Hotel Bangkok, a mere 2 mins walk from the hotel lobby, providing guests with an excellent connection to the rest of Bangkok via BTS. Furthermore, there is no lack of 24-hour convenient shops near the hotel, with the nearest located just across the road from the hotel.

The Grand Duplex Suite

We checked into the spacious Grand Duplex Suite with a total floor area of 145m2 shared among two storeys of living space. The upper floor of the two-bedroom Grand Duplex Suite mainly houses a bedroom of the same layout and size as that on the lower floor.

Entryway

The Thai wooden theme of the Grand Duplex Suite at VIE Hotel Bangkok is immediately felt in the suite’s entryway. The small area immediately at the main entrance to the suite is tastefully furnished with a high wooden table, allowing us to place small items such as our keycard. In addition, a single potted plant and the two Thai fabric paintings bring life to this otherwise dull part of the suite. Other than looking pretty, welcoming guests into the Grand Duplex Suite, the entryway is also functional, with cabinetry allowing us to put away our shoes neatly without making the entryway look messy.

Located in the entryway is a powder room. The functional powder room is only furnished with a toilet giving occupants of the suite an additional avenue of avoiding fighting to use the toilet. It also provides the convenience of visiting the loo before heading out to explore Bangkok, other than not having to transverse up the flight of stairs to use the toilet while chilling out in the living room of the Grand Suite.

Living Room

The end of the entryway led us to an expansive living room with a high ceiling spanning the two storeys in the Suite. The high ceiling makes the large Grand Duplex Suite look even more spacious. Sitting in the centre of the living room are not one but two beige-coloured five-seater couches, with one facing a cabinet wall that stretches across the two levels in the Suite. The couches are comfortable to laze on while we watch the variety of local and international channels on the large 55″ LED TV. Other than being home to a large LED TV, the cabinet wall is tastefully decorated by VIE Hotel Bangkok with ornaments (along with some fake books) that reinforce the Thai theme in the Suite. A large dark brown wooden coffee table sits in the centre of the couches, and the TV gives us another alternate venue to dine while watching the TV.

Sitting next to the couch area of the Grand Duplex Suite is the minibar area. Instead of having only one minibar counter, VIE Hotel Bangkok furnished the minibar area with a dark brown wooden kitchen island that provided heaps of storage space. The mini fridge and a microwave oven are located on the kitchen island. Tucked by the wall is another minibar countertop space, where a Nespresso machine, electric kettle, capsules, and teabags can be found. I like the inclusion of a kitchen sink here at the countertop, which is very convenient for us to fill up the water in the Nespresso machine and the kettle. In addition, there is more storage space on the countertop space for us to stow away our stuff.

Dining Area

A large dining table is between the two-storey high floor-to-ceiling window and the couch. Despite being furnished with only four dining chairs, the table is large enough to sit at least six comfortably. The inclusion of the dining table enables us to take away many of the delicious Thai street food or order from Grab food to dine comfortably in our suite.

Bedrooms

The Grand Duplex Suite comes with two bedrooms. Both bedrooms’ designs and fittings are identical, with one located on the lower floor just after the entryway and the other on the top floor. A waist-height chest of drawers with three large drawers was the first thing we saw when we opened the doors to the bedroom. The height of this chest of drawers is perfect for placing our luggage and, at the same time, provides us additional storage area for smaller clothing items. The main bedroom area is on the left from this chest of drawers, while the bathroom is on the right. The wooden Thai theme in the living room continues into both bedrooms. A large king bed resting by the wall and a beige cushioned headboard look inviting. The king bed is very comfortable to sleep on, providing excellent sleep quality. I find the four pillows on the king bed a tad too soft. Fortunately, there is a pillow menu that one had to request from VIE Hotel Bangkok, which we could request firmer pillows. Other than the two reading lights fitted on the headboard, two additional lamps are on the two bedside tables. The side tables are large enough for us to place our mobile devices despite being equipped with a lap, a phone or an alarm clock. However, I thought the placement of the power outlets by the bedside tables was flawed. These outlets are inaccessible as they are located behind the table we had to pull out to use them.

There are two wardrobes in each of the two bedrooms, one beside the bed and the other opposite. The wooden wardrobes do not come with any additional drawers. They are suitable for us to hang our six days’ worth of clothing. However, the lack of drawers inside the wardrobes meant we had to stow our smaller clothing items in the chest of drawers by the bedroom door. A dressing table that doubles up as a work desk is fitted opposite the king bed, which we mainly used to stow the stuff we bought while shopping. The presence of power outlets at the desk also meant we could only charge our lifestyle devices on the desk. I like to keep my stuff out of sight, but I find the absence of drawers means we have to leave our stuff on the desk. We were quite surprised to find mini fridges under the work desk in both bedrooms. The mini fridge is handy for occupants on the second level as it means we do not need to go down whenever we want a chill drink. Mounted by the wall above the end of the work desk is a 43″ LED TV that faces the king bed. This LED TV provided us with the same entertainment options as that in the living room.

As the bedroom is relatively spacious, instead of leaving the space near the floor-to-ceiling empty, VIE Hotel Bangkok furnished this space with armchairs, a small coffee table, and a floor lamp. I guess the hotel intends for this spot to be allocated as a space for reading while sipping a cup of coffee or tea or even for guests to look out into the Bangkok skyline. We merely use the armchairs to place our bags.

Bathrooms

Similar to the bedrooms, the two ensuite bathrooms located inside the bedrooms are identical. Separated by two panels of frosted glass, the yellow marble-clad bathrooms scream luxury. The bathroom has a large sink countertop fitted with two sinks that prevented guests from fighting each other for the priority of using the sinks. The entire wall by the sink is fitted with a mirror, eliminating whatever claustrophobic feeling one might get (as if anyone will suffer from claustrophobia with the size of this bathroom). There are two sizeable walk-in stalls opposite the sinks. The stall next to the entrance to the bathroom is designated as the walk-in shower. Although the walk-in shower is fitted with both regular and rain shower heads, I used the regular shower head most of the time as the rain shower suffers from reduced pressure. The other walk-in further into the bathroom houses the toilet. Instead of a standard bathtub, VIE Hotel Bangkok equips both bathrooms with a jacuzzi tub. I find the jet pressure in the jacuzzi tub jet to be quite powerful, which is excellent for a hydro massage while soaking in the sizeable tub.

Work Desk Area

Despite having a dresser table that also doubles up as a work desk inside each of the two bedrooms in the Grand Duplex Suite at VIE Hotel Bangkok, the hotel also allocated a space on the second level of the suite for a work desk outside the bedroom, overlooking the lower level of the suite. The dark brown work desk, consistent with the dark brown Thai-inspired theme throughout the Grand Duplex Suite, is fairly large and has three drawers that provide additional storage space for us to stow away files and printouts. The two power outlets at the work desk gave us the convenience of charging our laptops so that we could continue working looking out at either the lower level of the suite or out into the skyline of Bangkok through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the suite. The absence of a desk lamp did not bother me as there is sufficient illumination from the ceiling lights in this part of the suite. A large cabinet is furnished at the work desk area, giving us additional option for storage.

Service

This is my third time staying with VIE Hotel Bangkok. I find the service during my previous experience at the hotel inconsistent. However, it was not the case when we were at the hotel this time. We found the service to be constantly impeccable service from every staff we met during our stay with them. The excellent service was already felt when we contacted the hotel regarding our booking and privilege as a Diamond member. The email responses from the reservation staff – Jazz and Jeng, were always fast. Both Jazz and Jeng understood our needs and requirements and provided non-SOP answers to our questions.

Jenny assisted us during check-in. Jenny showered us with the warmth the Thais were famously known for. While Jenny was processing our check-in, things seemed to run like clockwork. The other staff at the reception (I did not manage to get her name) immediately disappeared into the room at the back of the reception and re-emerged with welcome drinks to cool us from the humid Bangkok climate. Not only was Jenny meticulous in giving us all the information that we needed, such as meal times and where the nearest BTS station was, but she also noted that the mini fridge would be empty and gave us additional welcome drink vouchers for us to use daily throughout our stay at the hotel. The hotel handled our air-conditioning issue very well. The air-con in the suite that we were assigned initially did not work. The hotel got some engineers to fix the issue, but we faced leaking from the air-con. We approached Jenny at the reception and requested a change in the room. We were immediately assigned another suite after the duty manager personally checked the condition of the suite before they sent a porter to help us with the shifting.

We found the staff at reception were always welcoming whenever we walked past them. We have always been greeted with the Thai Wai and the biggest smile anyone when we walked past them. The bellboy at the main door is always seen running towards the door to open the door for us. Similarly, the staff at La VIE restaurant were terrific. We were always greeted with a warm smile from them every morning we were at the restaurant for breakfast. In addition, staff at La VIE were observant and diligent in patrolling the restaurant grounds to ensure empty plates were cleared, and food was always topped up.

Hotel Facilities

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool at VIE Hotel Bangkok is located on level 10. There are two ways to access the swimming pool: via the gym at level 11 or from the lift in the separate building in front of the hotel. Despite the rooftop swimming pool being a tad small with limited sundeck chairs available, it still allows guests to swim a decent few laps. Fortunately, few people used the pool throughout the six days we stayed in the hotel. The swimming pool at VIE Hotel Bangkok is an excellent place for those looking for a great spot for suntanning as there are no structures around to block out the sun.

Gym

The gym at VIE Hotel Bangkok, located on level 11 of the leading hotel building, is a commercially operated gym under the WE Signature Fitness Club banner. The gym is very well equipped with free weights and machines that enable guests for full body workouts with machines that work out different muscle groups. Besides strength training machines, the gym is equipped with numerous cardio training equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines. On top of the machines, the gym has a small group fitness studio running numerous exercise classes, from yoga to MMA. However, guests at VIE Hotel Bangkok would have to pay additional fees to join these group exercise classes.

Breakfast at La VIE Bistronomy

Breakfast is served at La VIE Bistronomy restaurant on level 10 of the hotel daily—a good mix of Asian, Thai and Western options for breakfast. The breakfast served was delicious, and I particularly liked the big and puffy croissants, and the hashbrowns served daily were crispy. Food was being topped up constantly by the diligent staff at the restaurant, ensuring all food options were available to guests. I applaud the hotel’s effort to create daily changes to the breakfast. Most hotels attempt to create a particular form of menu changes where the food options are repeated every other day. This is not the case in VIE Hotel Bangkok; we did not see any changed items repeated throughout the six days we dined at La VIE Bistronomy during breakfast.

Cocktails and Canapés at Piano Bar

VIE Hotel Bangkok serves cocktails and canapés from 3 pm to 5 pm daily at the Piano Bar for guests staying in Executive Suite or higher categories. The Piano Bar is located on the hotel’s ground floor, next to the reception. There is a limited list of beverages, from cocktails to mocktails to soft drinks, that guests can enjoy with the canapés, which are topped up constantly. In addition, each day, there is a selection of about eight Thai-fusion finger food items with a good mix of sweet and savoury items for guests. Similar to breakfast, the canapés menu was changed daily.

Overall

We had a pleasant stay at VIE Hotel Bangkok. The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok with numerous shopping malls under 10 mins walk from the hotel. The proximity to the BTS is a bonus for us to explore Bangkok. The Grand Duplex Suite is spacious and very comfortable, and the bedding provided us with excellent sleep quality. The service we experienced was impeccable. The staff were always welcoming. This is the best experience we had with VIE Hotel Bangkok compared to our previous experience.

[Accommodation Review] Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel (Opera Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (13 – 17 May 22)

June 11, 2022August 7, 2022 / kktong76 / 2 Comments

The Location

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel sits along the main artillery road in Bangkok – Sukhumvit Road, which leads towards the city centre. The hotel is located about 5 mins walk from Terminal 21 Shopping Mall, and there are numerous food and shopping options surrounding the hotel. Despite not being situated in the heart of Bangkok, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit is wedged between two BTS stations – Nana and Asok stations, and both are around 5 mins walk from the hotel, making exploring the city of Bangkok via public transport a breeze. Although the two stations are equidistance from the hotel, I prefer to walk to Asok station (despite being one station further to central Bangkok than Nana station) via the covered walkway with a direct link to the hotel that sheltered us from the hot sun in Bangkok. Besides the BTS, the hotel is also very well located within 6 mins walk to Sukhumvit MRT station, which gives us the additional choice of transport for exploring Bangkok.

The Opera Suite

We originally booked the Prestige Suite and were given an upgrade to one of the three Opera Suites upon checking in due to my friend’s Diamond status with Accor. The 104m² Opera Suite is spacious and decorated with both Thai elements and French themes in different parts of the suite. I like the small balcony attached to the suite, which gave us a spot to look out into the Bangkok skyline around the Asok area.

Living Room

The entirety of the living room unfolds before our eyes from the entryway the moment we enter the suite, where we get our first glimpse of the spaciousness of the suite. The wooden floorings and the dark brown dining table graced the Opera Suite at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel with a sense of cosiness. The huge dining table furnished with four chairs sits near the entrance of the Opera Suite, providing ample space for the occupants to feast. Besides this for dining, we mostly used this table to place the things we bought. A marble-laid powder room next to the entrance to the suite provided us with additional toilet facilities, which also prevented the awkwardness of guests of the occupants of the Opera Suite having to bash through the bedroom to use the toilet.

Large dining table with four leather-clad chairs

The lounge area, located after the dining table, occupies most of the space in the living room. I like how Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel only furnishes the Opera Suite with practical furniture instead of over cluttering the space, giving the suite a sense of spaciousness and certainly more space for its occupants to move around. The lounge area is furnished with one five-seater couch, an armchair and an ottoman-like chair. I also find the dark brown wooden coffee table the right size and not unnecessarily large. The LED TV mounted by the wall seems to be a tad too small for the size of the living room. There are numerous channels (over 50 channels) on the TV catering to international guests. I find the TV channels boring as there are limited English channels on the TV (they do not even have Discovery Channel and the only National Geographic channel is in Thai). Most of the channels on the TV in Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel are in the Thai language, and a few more are in various European and Asia languages.

The lounge area in the living room of the Opera Suite is very spacious

View of the entire living room of the Opera Suite in Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel

The TV in the Opera Suite looks a tad small for the suite

The large ottoman serves as a chair and a space for us to put away our stuff

The mini bar is placed inside the Thai-style wooden cabinet under the TV. The mini-fridge, well-stocked with overpriced drinks and snacks (as with most hotels), is hidden in the right-most cabinet. While cups, glasses, and tea are found on the left cabinet. The hotel uses the Illy espresso machine and provides Opera Suite quests with three capsules per day, and I find it weird that the hotel charges THB150 per capsule for extra capsules. However, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel is generous with providing drinking water, placing them in strategic spots throughout the suite.

A Thai-influenced cabinet that houses the minibar

The mini-fridge is well stocked with drinks

A large glass-top work desk sits in one corner of the living room by the floor-to-ceiling window, farthest away from the main entrance to the Opera Suite. The chair with the work desk is comfortable enough for guests to work for hours. I like that Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel furnishes an armchair with a small side table in the other corner, opposite the work desk. This armchair provides guests with a place to read a book or chill while looking out into the Bangkok skyline.

A sizeable work desk sits in the living room of the Opera Suite

The work desk and armchair in the living room

Balcony

The Opera Suite is one of the few rooms in Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel that comes with a balcony. While the balcony is not a large space, it is a great spot that we used to look out into the Bangkok skyline. The balcony has two large chairs and a table, but we find the chairs to be a little dirty to sit on.

View of Bangkok skyline from the balcony during the day

Bedroom

The bedroom of the Opera Suite in Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel is decorated with French elements, from the carpet to the bedside lamps. The bedroom occupies about 1/3 of the space in the Opera Suite, and the large king bed immediately caught my attention as I entered the bedroom. The sleep quality on the king bed is excellent, together with the firm mattress and pillows that the hotel provides, taking away the fatigue from exploring Bangkok, leaving me refreshed the next day to explore the city. In addition, the powerful air conditioner in the suite contributes to the comfort, which took away the brutal Bangkok heat. However, I thought the available space on bedside tables was limited; despite being a fairly large table, the bulk of the table is taken up by the large bedside lamps and the telephone, which hardly works. Fortunately, the drawers at the bedside tables provided me with storage space for smaller items. In front of the king bed is a small sofa we can use to watch TV. However, we mainly use this bed foot bench to put our bags on.

The left bedside table is less cluttered and offers more space

Another LED TV is mounted on the wall opposite the king bed, which allows us to watch whatever we find entertaining on the channels in bed. This LED TV is the same size as that found in the living room of the Opera Suite, but the TV seems of the right size due to the size of the bedroom and the distance between the TV and the bed. The TV has the same entertainment options as that in the living room. An empty cabinet sits below the TV, providing additional space to put away our shopping from Bangkok.

The TV in the bedroom has the same channels as that in the living room of the Opera Suite.

The Opera Suite has three large wardrobes, ideally positioned outside the bedroom’s bathroom entrance. There are plentiful areas for us to stow away our clothing, and I think there are no problems with these wardrobes swallowing up to two weeks worth of clothes that guests might bring with them. In addition, the drawers in one wardrobe provided additional storage space for small clothing items. Here, we found the in-room safe, securely safekeeping our valuable items.

The wardrobes in the Opera Suite are strategically placed outside the bathroom.

Bathroom

The Opera Suite bathroom screams luxury, using marbles from the floors to the sink counters. The first thing we saw when we opened the double-panelled doors to the bathroom was the oversized countertop with a double sink. I like the space at the sink countertop; despite the space occupied by bathroom amenities provided by the hotel, there is still space for us to put away the toiletries we brought for this trip. The additional drawer below the sinks allows us to put away our toilet bags. Extra towels are neatly folded inside the cabinets on either side of the drawer.

The sink and countertop in the bathroom of the Opera Suite

The toilet and the other walk-in shower cubicles are located to the left of the sink. Beyond the glass doors is the porcelain throne in one cubicle and the shower equipped with rain and regular shower heads. The space at the walk-in shower is large enough for us to place our facial wash and glass with our toothpaste without feeling cramped. Sofitel Bangkok provides the luxurious French brand – Balmain shower amenities to guests of the Opera Suite.

The toilet and shower cubicles in the bathroom

The highlight of the Opera Suite at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel is the bathtub. The round bathtub is buried into the raised marble platform. Despite looking large, the practical space in the bathtub is rather small. Soaking in the bathtub allowed me to watch TV from the smaller TV mounted onto the wall or look out into the Bangkok skyline at the Asok area through the ceiling windows. Unfortunately, the remote for the TV was nowhere to be found in the suite at the time of our check-in. So we had to call the operator to request the TV remote.

The seemingly large bathtub in the bathroom of the Opera Suite

The bathtub may seem large, but there is a lot of wasted space in the design of the tub

Service

The Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel staff makes us feel welcome when we step out of the cab from the airport. The staff at the front door sprung into action like clockwork, opening the cab doors for us and unloading our luggage while another staff ushered us to the reception for our check-in. The queue at the reception was very light and was served by Ted, the duty manager, who processed our check-in efficiently and struck up a conversation with us on our visit to Bangkok. Ted acknowledged my friend’s Diamond status with Accor and accorded us an upgrade to the next category room. He took the effort to meticulously went through the details such as the timing and location for breakfast, the timing for afternoon tea and evening cocktail at Club Millésime lounge, and the location of the fitness facilities. Ted even provided information on the ideal way to the nearest BTS station.

Every staff we met at the hotel made us feel welcomed, displaying the warmth the Thais are so famously known for. When we were at the pool, the only staff operating the pool area brought us some drinks when we were settled into our sundeck chairs. The housekeeping staff brought us the items we requested with the biggest smile. The staff at Voilà! greeted us with the warmest smile every morning we popped by for breakfast. Finally, the Club Millésime lounge staff took care of us when we were at the lounge for afternoon tea. They took the time to introduce the food available and kept a distance, being ready to jump in to assist us so that we could enjoy the quiet afternoon tea.

I approached Diamond, one of the duty managers, to notify her of some issues with the suite and table arrangement issues at Voilà! during breakfast before we head out to explore Bangkok. Diamond listened with empathy, immediately addressed our concerns, and got the issues fixed when we returned to the hotel in the evening. The service at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel was impeccable, and every staff took very well care of us at the hotel.

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel has a dedicated counter for Accor Members.

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel provided me with a surprise birthday cake on top of the welcome fruit and chocolate.

Hotel Facilities

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool in Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel is located on the 9th floor of the hotel. The pentagon-shaped swimming pool is excellent for hotel guests to do decent laps while holidaying in Bangkok. Perhaps due to the hot Bangkok climate, the water temperature in the salted pool felt just nice. I find dipping in the pool refreshing and is very effective in cooling off under the hot Bangkok sun. No trees or tall buildings surround the hotel so one can get a great tan anytime in the day. The swimming pool is very quiet at the time of my stay. Thus the number of sundeck chairs seems abundant. Thanks to the hotel’s mattress lying over the chairs, I find tanning on the sundeck chairs very comfortable. The chairs are so comfortable that I fell asleep while tanning. There are several cabanas around the pool, catering for families or couples who want to laze in the comfortable cabanas.

There is a small wading pool in the pool area

SoFit Gym

The resident gym – SoFit Gym, is located on the 9th floor in Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel. The gym is rather sizeable and well-equipped with machines that allow guests to perform total body workouts. Strength conditioning machines work every part of the major muscle group in the body, and different cardio machines like treadmills, static bikes, and elliptical machines. In addition, there are areas in the SoFit gym dedicated to free weight and yoga training. A staff manning the gym, ready to provide any workout advice while keeping the gym spick and span.

Club Millésime

Guests staying in the Opera Suite are entitled to access the Club Millésime lounge, occupying the entire 31st floor of the hotel. The lounge has three areas- the dining area, the lounge area and an office area. The dining area occupies about half the lounge area, mainly furnished with two to four guests dining tables. The lounge area is mainly furnished with sofa seats giving this area a very comfortable vibe and feels perfect for guests to spend their time reading a book. There is even a bar counter in the lounge area, which is not manned on our visit. However, staff patrolled the lounge area, ready to assist guests. Between the dining and the lounge area is a small office area. A few workstations and a printer cater to guests who had to work during their stay in the hotel.

The dining area at Club Millésime lounge

An abundance of sofas characterises the lounge area

Due to the pandemic measures, the Club Millésime lounge is only open during afternoon tea and evening cocking at 2.30 pm and 5 pm, respectively, where finger food and desserts are made available on a variety of alcoholic non-alcoholic drinks. We visited the lounge only during the afternoon tea and were warmly welcomed by the lounge staff when we stepped out of the elevator. The staff introduced us to the food before showing us to the seat of our choice. Besides a handful of choices for the savoury dishes, most of the food is desserts. The food is delicious and is certainly effective in filling up our stomachs.

There is an extensive choice of pastries at the Club Millésime lounge during afternoon tea.

Breakfast at Voilà!

Buffet-style breakfast is served at Voilà! Restaurant taking up the entire 2nd storey of the hotel. There are options for western, Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisines for breakfast. A variety of bread is situated in another part of the restaurant, far from the main food section. Here we found a small chilled cheese room. The food tasted great with a slight variation on different days.

The breakfast menu at Voilà! is quite extensive

Overall

We had a pleasant four-night stay in the Opera Suite at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel. The suite is large and comfortable and has everything found in a home. I particularly like the large dining table, which allows us to consume the take-aways and provides additional space. The sleep quality on the king bed is excellent, and we had no trouble falling asleep every night. The facilities in the hotel are very well maintained, we particularly like the swimming pool on level 9. The service rendered by the staff at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel makes our stay even more pleasant. We were immediately met with welcoming staff at the reception, and whenever we requested items, it did not take the staff too long to send them to our Opera Suite. The hotel’s location is excellent, making it a great base for exploring Bangkok and an ideal place to rest for anyone visiting Bangkok.

[Accommodation Review] – VIE Hotel Bangkok (Deluxe Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (14 – 18 Nov 19)

December 21, 2019January 30, 2024 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Vie Hotel Bangkok is situated in downtown Bangkok, a mere one station via the BTS away from the central Siam area where shopping malls such as MBK, Siam Paragon, and Central World are located. The hotel is less than 5 mins walk from the nearest BTS Station – Ratchathewi, making exploring Bangkok on BTS very easy. There are several 24-hour convenient shops in the vicinity, however, they are all located on the opposite side of the main road, which is accessible via the overhead bridge at the BTS station.

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Vie Hotel facade

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Vie Hotel Lobby and Reception

The Suite

My friend and I had stayed in the Executive Suite back in May 2019 (read about it here), this time around we checked out the Deluxe Suite in Vie Hotel Bangkok. The Deluxe Suite has a massive floor area of 76m², which is slightly smaller than the 81m² Executive Suite.

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Suites in Vie Hotel Bangkok

Living Room

The living room occupies approximately half the floor area of the Deluxe Suite. It is the first room in the suite that guests will come into contact when entering the suite. The Living Room has an earthy colour scheme ranging from the furniture to the wooden flooring used. The wooden flooring gives the suite a unique rustic character. A work desk sits in one corner to the right of the entrance to the Deluxe Suite in Vie Hotel Bangkok. The placement of the work desk in the Living Room of the Suite is not at all obstructive to guests’ movement in the massive living room. The work desk is large enough for guests to do some decent work on, but the lack of power outlet at the desk area means guests would have to remove the plug of the desk lamp to charge their laptops. The Living Room is sufficiently illuminated to render the desk lamp redundant. An electric kettle and a Nespresso Machine is found on the glass shelf behind the work desk. I was hesitant in placing anything on the glass shelving as it looks rather fragile. I thought having a wooden shelf would be a much better choice.

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The large work desk in the Living Room of the Deluxe Suite in Vie Hotel Bangkok

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Water kettle and Nespresso Machine on the shelf behind the work desk

Further into the Living Room, past the work desk, guests would find themselves at the lounge area of the Living Room. The lounge area is furnished with two large-sized sofas, which are very comfortable to sit on while watching the numerous local and international channels Vie Hotel has on the large flat-screen TV. The use of mahogany colour on the sofas and the carpet, as well as the curtain, complements the earthy theme in the Living Room very well. Coupled with the use of yellow lights, the Living Room in the Deluxe Suite feels very cosy and comfortable. A large wooden coffee table sits in between the two sofas, allowing guests to enjoy drinks from the minibar while watching shows on the TV.

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The two sofas in the lounge area of the Living Room are arranged in an L-shape configuration

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The sofas are very comfortable to sit on

Opposite the two sofas is a large TV, mounted on the wall between the two wooden doors leading into the Bedroom. There are numerous channels for guests to keep themselves occupied in the suite. I find the cabinet below the TV very useful to stow away my shopping whilst in Bangkok. The minibar fridge is hidden in the cabinet to the left of the left door into the bedroom. Vie Hotels provides complimentary minibar items such as soft drinks, juices and some snacks in the fridge, which are topped up daily during housekeeping, for guests staying in the deluxe suite.

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The TV in the Living Room of the Deluxe Suite is mounted between the two doors leading to the Bedroom

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View of the TV from the sofa in the Living Room

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Night view of Bangkok from the Living Room window

Bedroom

Access into the Bedroom of the Deluxe Suite in Vie Hotel Bangkok is via one of the two wooden doors on either side of the TV in the Living Room. The earthy theme in the suite flows into the Bedroom. A King size bed sits in the middle of the Bedroom, tucked on the wall. The King bed is very comfortable to sleep in and provided me with excellent quality of sleep, leaving me feeling fully charged to explore the hectic streets of Bangkok the next day. The pillows are a tad too soft for my liking, however, this is overcome by the extensive pillow menu that Vie Hotel was thoughtful enough to include where I found a pillow to my liking. Opposite the King Bed is another TV mounted on the wall between the two doors. This TV has the same channel choices as that found in the Living Room.

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Comfortable King bed in the Bedroom of the Deluxe Suite in Vie Hotel Bangkok

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Vie Hotel Bangkok has an extensive pillow menu for their guests

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TV in the Bedroom

The wardrobes in the Deluxe Suite is placed next to the King Bed, comprising a large two-panelled door and a one-panelled door. I find the walking space beside the King Bed a tad limited when the wardrobe doors are opened. The space in the wardrobe is quite generous, capable of swallowing one week’s worth of clothing. There are limited hangers in the wardrobe, but the hotel is happy to bring more when requested. Inside the bigger wardrobe, a two-tiered open shelf provides additional space for guests to put away-smaller items. It is here where the in-room safe is placed for guests to safe keep their valuables. The storage space in a smaller wardrobe is rather limited. Due to only one door, guests cannot utilise the entire wardrobe space as it can be difficult to reach. An iron and ironing board is stored inside the smaller wardrobe. There is a three-tiered drawer placed next to the entrance to the bathroom, providing more storage space for guests. We utilised the top of this drawer as a ledge to place our luggage on.

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Main wardrobe in the Bedroom

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A smaller wardrobe which I find a tad difficult to access

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Luggage ledge on top of a three-tier drawer by the entrance to the Bathroom

Bathroom

Access to the bathroom is possible only from the Bedroom. The beige coloured marble bathroom has an elegant and contemporary feel in its decor. A large bathtub sits to the left of the entrance. I do find the filling up water from the tap takes more time than using the showerhead. Opposite the bathtub is two cubicles, one containing the walk-in shower that is equipped with both a regular shower head and a rainfall showerhead; whilst the other cubicle next to the sink contains the toilet. Unlike the Executive Suite that I have stayed in a few months ago, there are two sinks in the bathroom. There is a plentiful storage area on the sink countertop for guests to stow their toiletries.

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Large bathtub by the entrance to the bathroom

: Walk-in Shower

: Toilet in the bathroom

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Dual sink in the bathroom with generous countertop space

Service

The service at Vie Hotel Bangkok was nothing short of impeccable. At the time of our arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff at the door and our luggage was promptly taken care of by these diligent staff, who brought our luggage to our suites while another staff processed our check-in. We met with Tong, the front desk staff, who accord my friend the Silver Status with Accor Hotels from our booking records. Tong immediately invited us to the sit-down counter while he processed our check-in, and at the same time gotten his colleagues to prepare five glasses of welcome drinks for our party of five. He went on to explain the ingredients of the drink that we were served. On top of that, Tong also presented us with welcome drink vouchers, which we can utilise at the bar on the ground floor anytime during our stay at Vie Hotel. We did not have to wait for too long for Tong to complete processing our check-in, who also brought us to our suites and explained to us the features in the suite. We would get greetings from Tong whenever we see him on duty at the front desk during our stay at Vie Hotel Bangkok.

We interacted most with the staff at La VIE Bistronomy, where we had our breakfast, during our stay at the hotel. Every morning, without fail, the staff would greet us with the warmest smile. We met Jiw on a few occasions during breakfast. Jiw always greeted us with smiles, she even remembered our preference for beverage every single morning and would bring us Thai Milk Tea (we ordered once during breakfast) after our meals. Jiw took well care of us during breakfast, always asking how we find the food at La VIE Bistronomy.

We first met Beer at the La VIE Bistronomy during breakfast, who greeted us at the door and showed us to our seat in the restaurant. She managed to get us seats that are close to the buffet area and introduced some of the food that is available for breakfast. Beer would be checked with us how we find the food when she was clearing the empty plates on our table. We bumped into Beer again in the lobby when we were leaving for the airport. We raised the concern to Beer that we might not have time to utilise the welcome drink voucher. Beer assured us that we still have time and signal that she will buy us some time by helping us our luggage into our arranged transport. We managed to get some drinks at the lobby before departing for the airport, thanks to Beer who bought us some time.

The service in the Vie Hotel Bangkok is generally impeccable. We were always greeted with smiles from the staff at the reception whenever we walk past. Our suites were always immaculately cleaned up the housekeeping staff who ensured that we always have a clean suite to return to after a day’s exploring on the streets of Bangkok.

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Vie Hotel provides Tuk Tuk Service to major shopping malls nearby

Facilities in the Hotel

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool at Vie Hotel Bangkok is located on the rooftop of another building, linked via a bridge between the two buildings. The rooftop infinity pool is a tad small but still allow guests to do some decent laps to burn off some calories from the feasting in the streets of Bangkok. There is a small jacuzzi area in the pool near to the bar. The swimming pool is only accessible via the gym in the hotel.

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Walkway to the swimming pool

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A small rooftop infinity pool

Gym

The Gym at Vie Hotel Bangkok is a fully functional gym that is fully equipped with numerous workout machines such as bikes, stepper machines, treadmills, and weights machines. There is a free weight area in the gym where guests can do some serious workouts. The Gym also holds workout classes for its members, however, guests of the hotel who wanted to join these classes are required to pay for them.

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Entrance to WE Gym in Vie Hotel Bangkok

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WE gym is a fully functional gym like one of those paying gyms

Breakfast

Breakfast at Vie Hotel Bangkok is served at the La VIE Bistronomy Restaurant, located on the 11th floor of the hotel. There is a good mix of local and international choices for guests of the hotel. There are minor adjustments to the menu daily, mainly at the cook to order local dishes bar. There are some freshly squeezed juices served at La VIE Bistronomy during breakfast. The food is delicious but can feel repetitive as the adjustments to the menu is rather minor. Nonetheless, the breakfast at Vie Hotel Bangkok does the job of energising guests so they have the energy to explore the streets of Bangkok.

Overall

We had a fantastic stay at Vie Hotel Bangkok. I find the size of the Deluxe Suite is of the right size, not too big and not too small. The Suite is very comfortable to stay in and the sleep quality on the king bed is excellent. The location of Vie Hotel Bangkok is also a major plus point as it is next to the BTS station and just a mere one stop away from the shopping malls in Siam area. The staff at the hotel provided excellent service who were always seen with smiles across their faces whenever we bumped into them.

[Accommodation Review] – Dusit D2 (Studio Suite), Chiang Mai, Thailand (9 – 12 Nov 17)

November 19, 2017August 16, 2020 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Dusit D2 Chiang Mai is located just outside the East of the Old City of Chiang Mai, within 15 min walk to the eastern Tha Phae Gate. The hotel’s location is nearby 2-night markets in the vicinity. Dusit D2 Chiang Mai is 2 min walk from the Night Bazaar and 5 min walk from the Night Market. It is 10 min away from the Ping River. However, the hotel is rather far from shopping malls in the city such as Maya Lifestyle Shopping Mall and Central Festival Chiang Mai. One point to note, Central Festival Chiang Mai offers shuttle bus service that stops by Dusit D2 Chiang Mai at scheduled timing.

Dusit D2 Chiang Mai Signage

Hotel Facade

Dusit D2 Chiang Mai Reception

The Suite

There are 2 types of suites in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai, namely Studio Suite and the larger D’Suite. I stayed in the Studio Suite which has a total room size of 64㎡ . The Studio Suite in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai has 3 sections to the suite, namely Living Room, Bedroom, and Bathroom.

Living Room

Entering the suite in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai, the minibar is hidden in the wooden cabinet to the right of the main entrance. Here is where one would find the mini-fridge, electric kettle and glasses. Opposite the minibar, a door leads to the walk-in wardrobe, which is also linked to the bathroom (more about the walk-in wardrobe later). Further into the little corridor from the main entrance, the suite opens up to a spacious living room. The decoration in the living room is contemporary yet exudes a Thai flavour, The choice of colour in the suite is also in line with the familiar bright orange we have seen in the hotel lobby, extending the vibrant and energetic spirit into the suite. The furnishings in the living are stylish yet functional. A large work desk, tucked into the wall of the living room on the right side, extends from the hidden minibar to the midpoint in the living room. This large work desk serves as an alternate space for me to put my things onto. There are a few power sockets on the wall, which makes it an excellent place to work and to charge my lifestyle devices.

Entrance to Dusit D2 Chiang Mai Studio Suite

The mini bar is tucked inside the cabinet next to the main entrance to the suite

Work desk with plenty of space

A small table built into the wall next to the work desk functions as extra space which is perfect for me to place my shopping. A curved couch, capable of sitting 4 persons wraps around the corner of the living room to the wall separating the living room from the bedroom. At the end of the couch is where one would find complimentary beverages such as coffee, tea and bottled water with a coffee machine nicely tucked in the corner of the living room. A couple of wall lights on either side of the wall, in front of the large panel window that looks out into Doi Suthep, provides additional lighting in the living room of the suite. Across the curved couch is a large LED TV mounted onto the angled wall, which is perfectly angled for watching TV. A small glass top coffee table is placed between the TV and the couch. There is a single seat orange couch chair placed at the corner of the living room, providing the additional seat for guests to entertain their guests. The entire living room did not feel cramp and has loads of space to move around, as the furniture is arranged flushed to the wall around the living room.

The couch in the living room with a glass top coffee table

Coffee and tea area

Living room in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai Studio Suite

TV in the living room

View of Doi Suthep from the suite

Bedroom

A large wooden sliding door serves as the entrance to the bedroom from the living room. The bedroom is also heavily decorated with a Thai theme, together with the bright orange colour theme that is seen throughout Dusit D2 Chiang Mai. The bedroom feels cosy due to the colour scheme used and the lighting, making the entire bedroom feels very comfortable visually. Entering the bedroom, a wooden-framed king bed sits in the centre of the room. The height of the bed is a tad high, nonetheless, the sleep quality is excellent on the bed. However, I find the pillows too soft to my liking. On either side of the bed are bedside tables, but only the table nearer to the window has power sockets. Tucked by the large window panel on the right side of the bed is a couch, perfect for watching the TV in the bedroom or just for relaxing and enjoy the views of the mountain from the bedroom. Opposite the king bed, mounted on the wall, is a small TV. Despite the placement of this TV is a little off, guests are still able to watch the TV from the comforts of the king bed.

King bed in the bedroom

One of the bedside table in the bedroom

Couch inside the bedroom

Couch and a small TV in the bedroom

Bathroom

Dusit D2 Chiang Mai Studio Suite has a large bathroom. The bathroom is accessible from the bedroom and the living room. Entering the bathroom from the bedroom, a shower cubicle sits opposite the door. The only regular shower head is found in the shower cubicle, however, the pressure from the showerhead is great. The sink is located next to the shower cubicle where one can find ample space to put additional toiletries on the sink countertop. To the right of the sink, tucked into the corner of the bathroom is where the toilet is located. Opposite the sink, next to the large panel window that looks out into the bedroom is the bathtub. The bathtub seems to be tucked in a corner, making getting in and out of the bathtub difficult. I appreciate the window panel as it allows guests to watch TV from the bathtub. The sound from the TV in the bedroom is also piped into the bathroom, making it ideal to watch TV while relaxing in the bathtub. Dusit D2 Chiang Mai provides their house brand bath amenities, which is both of good quality and feels luxurious.

Shower cubicle in the bathroom

Sink in the bathroom

The toilet is located beside the sink area

The bathtub is placed next to a large window that looks into the bedroom

Bathroom amenities

Dusit D2 uses their in-house brand bath amenities which feels luxurious

Bathroom Amenities

Walk-in Wardrobe

The walk-in wardrobe is found in between the bathroom and the living room. Dusit D2 Chiang Mai employs an open concept for their walk-in wardrobe. Other than the 2 doors accessing the wardrobe, there are no wardrobe doors. The wardrobe space is large, allowing guests to change up after their shower. Next to the door to the bathroom, is where a 3 tiered drawer is located. These drawers provided additional storage space for small personal items. On top of the drawer is the in-room safe. A large ledge for guests to put their luggage on is located opposite the wardrobe.

Walk-in wardrobe where we stow our luggage

Wardrobe in the suite

There are places to put one’s luggage in the walk-in wardrobe

Club Lounge

The Club Lounge in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai is located on level 7 of the hotel. There are armchairs for smaller groups and several dining tables capable of sitting up to 6 guests for larger groups. Guests staying in Club rooms and suites can check-in and out from the Club Lounge. Guests can walk in during the opening hours for complimentary drinks. Hors-d’oeuvre is served every evening in the Club lounge, where guests staying a club room and suites in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai can enjoy. The selection for Hors-d’oevure in the Club Lounge is, however, limited.

Sitting area in the club lounge

Hors d’oevure served in the evening

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai is located on level 1M. The freeform swimming pool is a little small but is still capable of letting guests swim a few laps in. There is a limited number of suntan chairs in the pool area.

The free-form swimming pool is rather small

Gym

D:Fit is the gym in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai. The gym is located on the 10th floor of the hotel, with the entire floor dedicated to the gym. There are standard treadmills and elliptical machines in the gym. which allows guests to do a decent workout. There are also some weight machines in the gym. There is a steam room inside the toilet in the gym.

Entrance to D:Fit, the gym in the Dusit D2 Chiang Mai

Gym in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai

The gym is well equipped with exercise machines

Weight area in the gym

Soi Cafe

The package that we booked includes breakfast and dinner. Both meals are served in Soi Cafe, located on the ground floor, next to the lift lobby in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai. Similar to many hotels, buffet breakfast was served in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai. Breakfast includes both oriental and western options, such as porridge, salad, bread to name a few. There is also a small selection of Thai food available during breakfast. There is a hot counter which prepares eggs, chicken noodles, pancakes and waffles that are prepared a la minute. Food on offer during breakfast is fresh and delicious. There are some variations in the breakfast served daily.

Soi Cafe signage

Cold bar in Soi Cafe during breakfast

There are cooked food which changes every day during breakfast

The cooking station where noodles and eggs are cooked a la minute

Dinner was served in Soi Cafe as well. During our first night there, we were given options of Thai cuisine (fish in black pepper sauce) and western cuisine (chicken steak). We opted for Thai cuisine. The food was delicious and flavourful. During the subsequent 2 nights, instead of set dinner, Dusit D2 Chiang Mai offered us seafood buffet dinner. There was a good spread of food during dinner service. Cold dishes are placed in the centre of the restaurant, with options such as sea snails, cockles, cold soba shots and salads made available to guests. There is a section where guests can choose from a range of raw meats such as pork, pork ribs, chicken, salmon and dory fish, where the chefs will barbecue for guests. There are also cooked sections with fried rice, noodles, pizza available. As with breakfast, there is a minor variation during dinner service to the cooked food. The food on offer was delicious, with the right amount of flavouring to them.

Thai set dinner that we had on the first night

Cooked food served during buffet dinner

Cold bar during dinner where calms and sea snails are served on top of many other dishes

Barbecue station with numerous options

Cooked food options

Pizzas as part of the buffet dinner

Desserts are tasty

Service

The service we received in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai is impeccable. Every staff who we came across displayed the nature of the Thais that we have all came to know about, hospitable and warm. They seem to go all out to ensure we feel comfortable in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai and our requests are being met with. The excellent service came weeks before we even departed for Chiang Mai when I coordinated with the hotel via email. The reservation supervisor, Panatsaya, was very prompt in her replies and assured us that our requests are being captured. As the package we booked comes with return airport transfer and a vehicle for us to use for 8 hours, Panatsaya was able to quickly coordinated our requests and our flight details to arrange for the drivers to pick us up. During her absence, the coordination continued with her colleagues, Preenan and Pennapa. We were being picked up by the hotel staff the moment we walked out of the restricted area in Chiang Mai airport upon our arrival.

The staff at the main entrance, Young, welcomed us and quickly unloaded our luggage when we reached the hotel. By the time we were done with the check-in procedures and proceeded to our suites, our luggage was already waiting for us in our suites. When Young saw us heading out and helped us hail a taxi. He helped us translate to the cabby on our destination and even ensured that we were not overcharged. Young is always very welcoming and gave us the warmest smile whenever we bumped into him at the entrance to the hotel. Young drove us to the airport during our departure and refused to let us handle our luggage. At the airport, he even took the initiative to help us get trolleys and loaded our luggage onto them.

The staffs at Soi Cafe did a tremendous job in making us feel welcome. Phet showed us to tour table on the first night we had dinner. She was welcoming and made us feel like VIP. We requested for warm water from Phet during our dinner. 2 nights later, we met Phet again at Soi Cafe. After showing us to our table, she asked if we prefer to have warm water. Such observant and taking the extra mile in remembering our preference, despite being 2 days ago goes to show that the level of service rendered by Phet was impeccable. I don’t even remember what I had eaten the night before, let alone expecting Phet to remember our preference for small items such as water. I was pleasantly surprised by Phet.

Poy is another staff working in Soi Cafe in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai. We would see her every morning during breakfast service, standing at the entrance to the restaurant welcoming guests. I am glad to find that we only have to mention our room number on the first day during breakfast and Poy took the effort to remember our room numbers. During subsequent days, Poy did not even ask our room numbers and showed us to our table without delay. As one of the members of our group is a vegetarian due to religious reasons, I requested to Poy if the kitchen was able to prepare some vegetarian meal for my friend. To my surprise, instead of rejecting us, Poy got the kitchen to whip up a vegetarian meal and even checked if my friend likes the taste. Subsequent mornings during breakfast, Poy would sit us at a table and quickly went into the kitchen to place the vegetarian meal order without us reminding her. She would never fail to check if the meal was sufficient for my friend.

Puchong is another staff working at Soi Cafe. During one of the dinner service, Puchong showed us around on the food options for the buffet dinner. He recommended us to try out the barbecue ala minute and would help us take our order and brought the cooked food to us. Puchong even took the initiative to bring us some sauces which he had recommended us to try with which food. Indeed, the sauces did make the food taste better (not as though the food is not good enough). Puchong would always check on us and ensured that empty plates are cleared and our water is being topped up.

There are still many unsung heroes, who either work in the background (such as the housekeepers) or whose name I did not manage to get. They made us feel welcomed in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai and portrayed the traits of Thais that the world has come to know of. I have travelled to Thailand many times a year and this is the first time I experienced the warmness and hospitality of the Thai people in Thailand.

A very nice touch in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai. The housekeeper would place a different souvenir every day for guests to bring home

Welcome drink served in the bar at Dusit D2 Chiang Mai

Overall

I highly recommend one to come to stay in Dusit D2 Chiang Mai should one visits this Northen Thailand City. The Studio Suite in the hotel is very spacious and comfortable. The design of the suite is functional and the infusion of Thai elements and contemporary decor makes the suite feel very cosy. The location of Dusit D2 Chiang Mai is excellent to explore the daily night markets and the rest of Chiang Mai. What left a good impression on us was the impeccable service. Every staff member truly embraced customer-centric and displayed the hospitality and the warmness that the Thais came to be known about. The staffs always saw with a smile and are very welcoming. I would come back to Dusit D2 Chiang Mai the next time I return to the city.

[Accommodation Review] – Anantara Baan Rajprasong (2 Bedroom Superior Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (21 – 23 Jul 17)

August 5, 2017August 8, 2020 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Anantara Baan Rajprasong is a service apartment under the Anantara group, a Thai hotel chain group. The location of Anantara Baan Rajprasong is very central, located next to Lumpini Park. It is within 10 mins walk from the famed Erawan Shrine and within 15 mins walk from Central World. 2 BTS stations provide excellent accessibility to the service apartment. The nearer Ratchadamri BTS station is 5 mins walk from the service apartment. This BTS station is one stop from Patpong and also one station away from Siam Interchange Station, where Siam Square and Siam Paragon is located.

Hotel Signage

The facade of the hotel

Fountain at the entrance of the hotel

Reception in the hotel lobby

Hotel lobby

The Suite

Kitchen

We checked into the 127㎡ 2 bedroom suite in Anantara Bann Rajprasong. Entering the main door to the corner suite, the kitchen to the suite is located to the right of the entrance to the suite. The kitchen is well equipped with a stove, a microwave oven and a full-size fridge, allowing guests to do some cooking. There are utensils and cutlery, together with dinner wares for 4 stowed in the various cabinets in the kitchen area. There is a coffee machine as well as an electric kettle placed on the countertop of the kitchen area. A washing machine is also found under the sink in the kitchen area.

Fully equipped kitchen in the suite

The kitchen in Anantara Baan Rajprasong is furnished with a full-sized fridge

The kitchen area in the suite. This door leads to the bathroom in the second bedroom

The kitchen is well equipped that it allows guests to do some cooking in the suite

Kitchen washing gears, that also comes with detergent for the washing machine

Minibar amenities with complimentary water, coffee and tea

Living Room

Further into the suite, pass the kitchen area is where the living room is located. Just behind the counter that separates the kitchen from the living room is a small dining table with 2 chairs. I particularly find it weird that only 2 chairs are furnished despite the suite being a 2 bedroom suite and can accommodate 4 adults. Further into the suite is where one can find the lounge area, decked with a 3 seater L-shape couch that faces the 42″ LED TV. There is no lack of international channels being played on the TV. The TV is placed on top of the TV console that stretches to the end of the room, extending into the work desk tucked by the wall of the living room. A little further into the suite, is where the balcony of the living room is located. The balcony is furnished with 2 chairs and a table, which makes it a great place to hang out. The view from the balcony here is not that great as it faces an office building.

Dining table for 2 pax only in the suite

The couch in the living room of the suite

TV console and work desk in the living room of the suite

Air conditioner controls in the suite

The balcony in the living room is furnished with 2 chairs and a small table for guests to chill out

Bedrooms

Master Bedroom

The bedrooms are located on either side of the living room. To the left of the living room, from the main entrance is where the Master Bedroom is located. The Master bedroom is significantly larger than in the second bedroom. The Master bedroom is furnished with a super king-size bed, that can sleep 3 adults comfortably. The king bed is placed by the wall, next to the entrance to the bedroom. A couple of side tables are placed on either side of the bed. To the right of the entrance to the Master bedroom is where a couple of wardrobes are located. These large wardrobes provide ample space for guests to store their clothing. There is an in-room safe placed inside the wardrobe next to the make-up table. The make-up table is placed on the left corner of the bedroom, with a large mirror and a chair, the make-up table provides space for guests to place their cosmetics on. At the other corner, to the right side of the king bed is where the TV placed on the console is located. The placement of the TV console and the make-up table provides ample space for guests to walk inside the Master bedroom. The King bed is placed opposite a floor to ceiling window, allowing guests to lie on the king bed and peep into the scenery outside the room. The balcony in the Master bedroom is the biggest in the entire suite. The balcony wraps around the parameter of the bedroom and provides a great view of the swimming pool below.

King bed in the master bedroom. The TV console is nicely tucked in a corner so not to obstruct the view outside from the bed

Dressing table

TV console in the master bedroom

Wardrobe in the master bedroom

Another wardrobe in the master bedroom with in-room safe

A large balcony in the master bedroom that wraps around the perimeter of the room

Second Bedroom

To the right of the living room, from the main entrance, is where the second bedroom is located. The second bedroom is significantly smaller than then Master bedroom and there is limited walking space in the second bedroom. Furnished with 2 super single bed with a bedside table between the 2 beds, the second bedroom feels a lot more cluttered compared to the Master bedroom. Opposite the beds here is where a third TV placed onto the cabinet that stretches the entire length of the second bedroom is located. There is another makeup desk at the end of the cabinet with a large mirror hung onto the wall, next to the entrance to the balcony in the bedroom. The cabinet provides ample storage space in the second bedroom. There are 2 small wardrobes placed on either side of the entrance to the bathroom here. There is also another in-room safe being placed inside the wardrobe. The balcony here is the smallest in the entire suite and it is not furnished with any furniture.

2 super single beds in the second bedroom

TV console and dressing table in the second bedroom

The wardrobe is a lot smaller than that in the master bedroom.

Wardrobe in the second bedroom with in-room safe

Wardrobe in the second bedroom

The bedside table is placed between the 2 beds in the second bedroom

Bathroom

Master Bathroom

What I like about the 2 bedroom suite in Anantara Baan Rajprasong is there are 2 bathrooms inside both the bedrooms. The bathroom in the Master bedroom is very big. The walk-in shower, enclosed in a glass cubicle is tucked in one corner of the bathroom, with the toilet bowl opposite the entrance to the bathroom. To the left of the entrance is where one can find the sink area, which does provide sufficient space for guests to stow their toiletries. A huge bathtub is placed on the right of the entrance to the bathroom. Anantara Baan Rajprasong provides 3 types of bath salts, each with different healing properties for guests to soak in. Anantara Baan Rajprasong does not provide toothbrush as part of their bathroom amenities.

Walk-in shower and toilet in the master bathroom

Sink in the master bathroom

A large bathtub only found in the master bathroom

Second Bathroom

The bathroom in the second bedroom is a lot smaller as compared to that in the Master bedroom. Unlike the bathroom in the Master bedroom, the bathroom here does not have a bathtub. Entering this bathroom, the first thing one would see is the walk-in shower. Compared to that in the Master bedroom, the walk-in shower in this bathroom is bigger. The toilet bowl is located to the left of the bathroom, while the sink area is located to the right of the entrance to this bathroom. A second entrance in this bathroom leads to the kitchen.

Sink area in the second bathroom, exactly the same as the one found in the master bathroom

Toilet with bidet

The walk-in shower in the second bathroom is bigger than the one found in the master bathroom

Swimming Pool

Anantara Bann Rajprasong features a freeform swimming pool located on the 3rd floor of the hotel. The swimming pool is fun for both adults and children. For the adults, the swimming pool allows guests to get a decent swim. For the children, the freeform pool is a great place to play in the water. There is a wading pool that is separated from the main pool for the children. There are plenty of floats around at the swimming pool for both adults and children. There is no lack of suntan chairs around the swimming pool. There are more of these chairs on the second level of the pool, allowing sun tanners to get a great tan. Inside the toilet by the pool, guests can enjoy the sauna and steam room facilities. The swimming pool is a great place for guests to escape the heat in Bangkok, however, the water temperature can be a tad too cold for some.

View of the swimming pool from the balcony in the suite

There are 2 sections to the swimming pool, the smaller wading pool in the foreground and the main swimming pool in the back

The freeform pool is located on level 3 in Anantara Baan Rajprasong

Floats are provided in the pool area for patrons to use

Sauna inside the toilet at the swimming pool

A steam room inside the toilet at the swimming pool

Gym

Located next to the swimming pool is where a small gym can be found. Despite its small size, the gym still allows guests to get a decent workout. Treadmills, stationary bicycles and weights can be found inside the gym.

The gym is located next to the swimming pool on level 3 in Anantara Baan Rajprasong

A small gym which has the basic equipment for guests to do a decent workout

Inside the gym in Anantara Baan Rajprasong

Breakfast

As I booked my stay directly on the Anantara website, the hotel gives guests a choice of opting for complimentary breakfast or 1-day BTS ticket. We opted for breakfast. The breakfast is served in the Coffee Club located on the first floor of the hotel. The hotel does not provide a buffet for breakfast, instead, we were given an option to choose from the various breakfast sets from the menu. The breakfast was decent, sufficient to fill guests for the start of their day exploring Bangkok.

The Coffee Club on the ground floor behind the reception where breakfast is served daily

Fruits were served as part of the breakfast set

One of the choices of the breakfast set

Service

The good service started even before our stay in Anantara Baan Rajprasong. I emailed the hotel several times to make arrangements for our stay, the staffs were very prompt and replied to my emails acknowledging my requests within minutes of sending these emails.

Whenever we walked past the reception, the staff will never fail to greet us with the signature friendliness that the Thais has come to known for. During check-in and check-out, we were offered drinks and cold towels. We were warmly welcomed by Vincent and Kwan at the reception at our arrival. Their friendly smiles gave us a feeling of familiarity, very much like friends welcoming us to their homes as guests. Both Vincent and Kwan processed our check-in swiftly to ensure that we do not need to wait longer than necessary despite our arrival at the hotel earlier than the stipulated check-in timing. Vincent took the chance to find out what we wanted to see in Bangkok and was not stingy in recommending other places of attractions and how to get there by BTS. Kwan brought us to our suite, explaining the locations of the various facilities in the hotel. She also took the time to explain the features of the suite to us and assured us we could call the reception at any time if we needed help.

The bellboys in the hotel were excellent in service as well. They promptly helped us unload our luggage from the cab and brought our luggage to the suite without any delay. These very observant members of the hotel never failed to open the door for us whenever we enter or leave the hotel lobby. They took great care of our luggage when we were out spending our last few hours in Bangkok and ensured that the cabby took us to the correct airport in Bangkok. The bellboys were never stingy with their smiles and “wais” whenever we walked past them.

The exemplary service was also received by members of the housekeeping team. As I had requested for a baby cot and baby bathtub, shortly after our luggage was being brought to our suite, a member of the housekeeping team knocked on our door and brought us the baby bathtub. He also explained that he will be bringing up the baby cot soon upon confirming that we indeed requested for one. The housekeeping staff even checked with us if everything in the suite was fine and informed us to notify them at any time should we need anything else.

Welcome tropical fruits are found in the suite adds to the thoughtfulness of the hotel

Towel origami found in the Master bedroom is a delightful sight when we enter the room

Overall

I had a wonderful stay in Anantara Baan Rajprasong Bangkok. The suite was terrific and well-appointed to provide us with a comfortable stay during our time in Bangkok. The air-conditioning was very powerful to dispel the heat in Bangkok during the time of our visit. The bedrooms were functional and the beds provided us with excellent sleep quality, ensuring that we wake up afresh the next day. The freeform pool ensured that children can have fun and was decent for adult patrons to swim their laps. The service provided by the staff is top-notch, making us feel welcomed and we were treated with smiles and “wais” by the staff. I would highly recommend for visitors to Bangkok for this hotel, given its central location and the excellent hardware and heartware.

[Accommodation Review] – Aloft Bangkok (Stylish Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (27 Feb – 1 Mar 17)

March 29, 2017August 17, 2020 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Signage of Aloft Hotel at the entrance

Location

Aloft Sukhumvit 11 is located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 and within 5 mins walk from Nana BTS station. Nana is one stop away from Terminal 21 Shopping Mall and 3 stops away from Central World. There are a couple of 24-hour convenient shops along Soi 11 from the hotel. The hotel is along the street where pubs are located, making it a great place to stay for guests who pubs.

The Suite

I checked into the Stylish Suite in Aloft Bangkok. There are 2 types of suites in Aloft Bangkok, Savvy and Stylish Suite. The expansive Stylish Suite has a total floor space of 62㎡, spreading across the living room, the bedroom and the bathroom.

Living Room

Entering the main entrance to the suite, the living room is the first room that greets guests. A door on the right of the entrance is a door that leads into the bathroom. Directly in front of the main door to the suite sits a round table with 4 chairs. This forms the dining room to the suite. A little further into the suite, round the corner, the suite opens up into the living room with a couch and a coffee table facing the flat-screen TV sitting on a TV console. The mini bar area is built into the wall on the left of the living room, where one can find the fridge nicely tucked away inside a cabinet. On top of the cabinet are a coffee maker and an electric kettle together with some reading materials stowed on the shelving on top of the coffee maker. The right wall features 2 large windows that allow sufficient natural light to shine into the living room of the suite. The suite seems lack of maintenance. The light bulbs in the living room seem to have blown and the door to the bedroom was dislodged.

Dining table in the living room

The couch in the living room with a coffee table between the couch and the TV. The light bulbs in this suite don’t seem to work

Mini fridge (drinks are chargeable)

Minibar area and a rack with reading materials on top

The door to the bedroom seem dislodged

Bedroom

Through a sliding room, I entered the bedroom of the suite. Sitting in the middle of the bedroom is a King-size bed, placed by the wall that separates the bedroom from the bathroom. The sleep quality of the king bed is excellent, which provided me with a great sleep throughout the night. I am not a fan of soft pillows, and I find the pillows in Aloft Bangkok’s Stylish Suite to be just nice for my liking. The bed is facing another flat-screen TV that is mounted on the wall, between yet another 2 large panel windows. The spacious bedroom has a bedside table on either side of the bed that comes with power sockets on both sides for guests to charge their lifestyle devices. Next to the wall-mounted TV, along the wall that separates the bedroom from the living is where a small work desk is located. There is a panel on the wall that allows guests to plug in their laptops to the TV between yet another 2 power sockets. The bedroom looks a little bare as there are no furnishings on the other end of the bedroom. The door to the bathroom is found near to the door into the bedroom.

King bed in the bedroom

Flat-screen mounted on the wall facing the king bed

Work desk in the bedroom

Bathroom

Passing through the door to the bathroom, guests will be delighted with the size of the bathroom. Stretching the entire length of the bathroom, the expansive bathroom does not feel cramp. At the furthest end of the bathroom, sits a large bathtub with Jacuzzi jets. Next to the bathtub are 2 cubicles, one being the walk-in shower and another being the toilet. The clever use of glass enclosing these 2 cubicles makes the already large bathroom appear even more spacious. Opposite the door to the bathroom from the bedroom, are a couple of his and hers sink with plenty of countertop space for guests to stow their additional toiletries.

A huge bathroom in the Stylish Suite of Aloft Bangkok

Large Jacuzzi bathtub

Walk-in shower cubicle

Aloft Bangkok uses Bliss bath amenities

Toilet cubicle

His and hers sink in the bathroom

I like the design of incorporating the closet space as part of the bathroom, which provides not only convenience for guests to dress after a shower, it also makes the entire bathroom bigger. The closet space includes a wardrobe, which is capable of taking up to 1 week’s clothing for 2 guests and 6-tiered cabinet space with the lower 2 being drawers. This cabinet space provides a lot of storage for guests. The in-room safe is located on the middle shelf space here. Opposite the wardrobe is a couple of ledges for guests to put their luggage on. The other door to the bathroom is located next to the ledges for luggage, which is positioned next to the main entrance to the suite.

The wardrobe is located in the bathroom

Decent closet space in the suite

Ledges where guests can put their luggage on

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in Crave Restaurant located on level 8 of the Aloft Bangkok. There is a wide selection of Thai and western cuisines for breakfast. The food is delicious and filled me up sufficiently with the energy to explore the streets of Bangkok. There is even an egg station, where the chef would cook up a variety of ways to cook eggs, according to the liking of guests. There are juices and a selection of coffees from cappuccino to lattes to brewed coffee. Guests would have to specify latte or cappuccino to be served those, otherwise, the waiting staff will serve brewed coffee.

Breakfast is served in Crave Restaurant on level 8

Entrance to Crave Restaurant

Crave Restaurant

Breakfast is served in Crave Restaurant

Swimming Pool

The Swimming pool is located on level 10 of Aloft Bangkok. The infinity pool is rather small but sufficient for one to do a few decent laps in. There are several sunbeds for guests to tan on. There is also a wading pool for junior guests to cool off the hot climate of Bangkok.

The swimming pool is located on level 10 of the hotel

Service

Service in Aloft Bangkok is mostly good. My first interaction with the staff in Aloft Bangkok starts when the friendly bellboy assisted me with my luggage the moment I alighted from the cab. They took great care of my luggage so that I do not have to lug it up the flight of the staircase into the lobby of the hotel.

The staffs at the reception were a gem in the hotel. I felt welcome immediately with my first interaction with the lady who processed my check-in. The lady greeted me with the signature Thai “wai”, is always wearing a smile. She checked me in swiftly and gotten another staff to help me with my luggage to my suite.

Staffs at the reception took a lot of initiative to help me resolve my damaged luggage issue with the airlines. They provided me with excellent advice and took the initiative to help me call the airlines and the luggage repair company. One of them even used his mobile phone and took pictures of my luggage in case I hadn’t done that. The staff have gone above and beyond his call of duty to help me resolve my luggage issue.

The service at Crave restaurant was a stark difference from that at the reception area. The service was mediocre with staffs appearing to be not interested in providing good service. The staff at the door did not have a smile on her face and was seen talking to her colleagues most of the time. Empty plates on the table were not cleared until I had to stack 3 plates than would someone come to clear the plate. The chef at the egg station seems to be in a foul mood on both mornings when I was at Crave for breakfast.

Overall

The expansive suite has a lot of space for guests. The suite is huge and the sleep quality on the bed is excellent. I had a comfortable stay in the suite. The service is generally positive with the staffs at the reception area providing the best service. These staffs were always seen smiling and went their way to help me. The service rendered by the staff at Crave Restaurant was mediocre, however, this did not deter me from returning to the hotel.

[Accommodation Review] – Mayfair Bangkok – Marriott Executive Apartments (2 Bedroom Suite), Bangkok, Thailand (9 – 11 Dec 16)

December 19, 2016May 11, 2018 / kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Mayfair Bangkok is a serviced apartment managed by Marriott Group. The Aparthotel is centrally located in downtown Bangkok, about 7 mins walk to Chit Lom BTS Station. The famous Erawan Shrine, is around 12 mins by foot from the hotel. Siam Square and Siam Paragon is reachable 20 mins by foot from the hotel. There is another BTS station, Ratchadamri Station, which is located behind the hotel. However due to no direct link to the main road from the hotel, to access Ratchadamri Station, one would have to walk one big loop to reach that station. There are two 7-Elevens along the road where Mayfair Bangkok is located, one being around 2 mins walk from the hotel.

Hotel signage at night

Hotel facade

Hotel lobby

Christmas is in the air

The Suite

I checked into the 100m² bedroom apartment suite. As the property mainly consist of Apartments, the suite has everything one would need for long term stay. The suite design is modern and does not lack comfort and gives me a sense of cosiness. The air-conditioning is powerful and is sufficient to cool me down in the midst of the humid weather of Bangkok.

Entrance to Mayfair Bangkok 2-bedroom suite

The view from the living room isn’t that great. It faces an office building

Living Room

A dining table with chairs for four is the first thing that I saw when I entered the suite. It is a small area sharing the same space as the living room. Tucked nicely in one corner of the suite, the dining table does not feel out of the place. Behind the dining table is a cabinet with both functional storage space and aesthetics, with a traditional Thai flavour on the design. The living room is furnished with a maroon 3-seater L-shaped couch and a couple of square chairs at the side, surrounding the relatively large coffee table. The TV console is well positioned directly opposite the couch, allowing guests to watch the TV either on the couch or at the dining table. The space in the living room is sufficient for up to four pax to lounge around.

Dining table with chairs for four

The living room is a great place to chill

Kitchen

Next to the living room is the kitchen, separated by a kitchen counter which also doubles up as storage space for your daily shopping or food. The kitchen is fully equipped with over, stove, microwave oven a dishwasher as well as a large full fridge. The kitchen is also fully furnished with cutlery and dining set for four. On top of that, there are also cooking utensils such as pots and pans, kitchen scissors and knife neatly stored inside the cabinets in the kitchen area. The kitchen also comes with a sink for guests who chose to wash their dishes after using them. Neatly tucked in the corner is where a set of six mugs and a coffee machine can be found. The electric kettle is found on the kitchen countertop that separates the kitchen area from the living room.

Fully equipped kitchen

The kitchen comes with a full fridge and is so well equipped that guests can cook in the kitchen

The washer and dishwasher are placed in the kitchen area

Master Bedroom

Further in the room are the bedrooms. Furthest into the suite is where the Master Bedroom is located. From the entrance to the bedroom, a maroon armchair with a footrest immediately caught my eye. This chair is placed in a corner of the room, that does not sacrifice walking space. I welcome the small coffee table beside the armchair as it provides space for one to lounge in the chair drinking a cup of coffee or tea. On the right of the entrance to the Master Bedroom is where one can find the King Bed. The King bed is placed facing the ceiling to floor window, giving one a sense of spaciousness, other than allowing its occupants to look out into the streets of Bangkok. As one would expect, there are a couple of bedside tables on either side of the King Bed. The King bed is very comfortable and provided me with quality sleep throughout the night, the bed is large enough to sleep three adults. Furthest to the corner of the room is a work desk, where one can find the only power socket outlets in the room, tucked in one corner. For those who prefer to have their lifestyle devices by their side while sleeping would find this arrange a tad inconvenient. The TV in the Master Bedroom is placed on top of this work desk, angled to face the TV.

Master bedroom in the 2-bedroom suite of Mayfair Bangkok

A nice comfy king bed that provided me with a great night sleep. The placement of the TV is rather weird

View from the master bedroom

To the left of the entrance to the Master Bedroom, one can find the wardrobe space. There are no lack of space for guests to store their clothing in the three wardrobes found in this room. The in room safe is also found stored inside one of these wardrobes. The Master Bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, accessible from opposite the wardrobe area.

There are tons of wardrobe space in the master bedroom

In room safe is found inside one of the three wardrobes in the master bedroom

More storage space in the wardrobes in the master bedroom

Second Bedroom

The second Bedroom is the first room on the right that guests would find while walking towards the Master Bedroom. This room is a lot smaller than the Master Bedroom. Despite its size, it is also well furnished with one queen bed, which also provides excellent sleep quality. There are also bedside tables found on either side of the bed. The work desk cum makeup table is located opposite the queen bed, next to a set of two wardrobes which are rather sizable. There is a smaller TV placed on top of the workdesk/makeup table. As the table is rather long, despite having the TV there are still space for one to stow their makeup kits. There is also a floor to ceiling window just next to the queen bed.

Queen bed in the smaller second bedroom. It feels rather cosy in here

Despite its small size, the second bedroom is still very well furnished with a TV, a dressing cum work table and a 2-panel wardrobe

Bathroom

There are two bathrooms in this Mayfair Bangkok 2-bedroom apartment. One of the bathrooms is located inside the Master Bedroom. This is the bigger of the two bathrooms. What caught my eyes as I enter this bathroom is the bathtub, placed at one end, next to the sink area. The Bathtub is rather small and shallow, but does the job of providing one with a good soak. The sink area is next to the door. There is only one sink, sitting on the marble laid counter top. It is rather roomy at the sink area for guests to place additional toiletries. Opposite the sink area, and in a rather weird place is the toilet bowl. When one open the door to the bathroom, the toilet bowl looks somewhat hidden behind the door. There is also a walk-in shower that comes with a rainshower head and a regular shower head, separated by a glass door, which segregates the wet and the dry area.

The marble counter top at the sink adds a sense of classiness to the bathroom. The bathtub is only available in the bathroom inside the master bedroom

Walk-in shower and toilet bowl. The toilet bowl is hidden behind the door to the bathroom when opened

The walk-in shower in the master bedroom has both a rain shower head and a regular shower head

The second bathroom is simpler in fixtures compared to the one in the Master Bedroom. What is missing in this bathroom is the bathtub. However I find the layout in this bathroom is better. The toilet bowl is opposite the entrance, unlike the one in the Master Bedroom. There is also a walk-in shower with only the regular shower head in here. Similar to the one in the Master Bedroom, I like the idea of separating wet and dry area. There are also plenty space at the sink for guests to put their toiletries on.

The second bathroom is simpler in its fixtures, it does not come with a bathtub. However it gets the job done

Only regular shower head in the second bathroom

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in the restaurant on level 2. There is a wide selection of food for guests to choose for breakfast. Other than the usual continental and american breakfasts, there are also a small selection catering to local and even an Indian section. I noticed that the menu changed slightly on the both days I went for breakfast. I thought this change in menu is a thoughtful gesture on the hotel part to give guests more variety in choices.

Breakfast is served in the restaurant on level 2

There is a wide selection of food for breakfast. Menu for breakfast changes slightly each day

More food being served for breakfast

Swimming Pool

The Swimming pool is located on 25th floor of the hotel building. The covered salt water swimming pool allows guests to swimming even during inclement weather. However guests who want to get a tan during their swim will be disappointed. There is also a Jacuzzi area inside the swimming pool.

The covered swimming pool on level 25

There is a jacuzzi in the swimming pool

Sauna is found in the changing room where the swimming pool is located

Gym

The gym is located on 26th floor, which is accessible via a flight of stairs from the swimming pool. The lift does not service the level where the gym is located. The 24-hour gym is equipped with treadmills, stepper machines and stationary cycles. There are also several weight machines in the gym. There is a gym for children outside the entrance to the gym. The lack of equipment makes this area look more like a play area for children than a gym.

A small but well equipped gym

More weight machines in the gym

A small gym for children (looks more like a play room than a gym)

Service

I received very good service throughout my stay in Mayfair Bangkok. Staffs are warm and welcoming and seemed to take it upon them to ensure that guests are well taken care off. The great service started the moment I walked in to the main doors of the hotel, where staffs will always eager to open the door for guests, followed by a “wai” (the traditional Thai greeting gesture) greeting guests at the same time. The staff at the door are so attentive that I find it challenging for an opportunity to open the door myself. Service I received from the staffs at the reception is by no means lacking. They tried their best to ensure that my requests are being met. As I arrived ahead of the check-in timing, the staffs apologized for not having the suite ready for us. We left our luggage with the concierge and returned later to check into our room. To my surprise, the staff had already brought our luggage up to the suite. Whenever I walk pass the reception, there are no lack of “wai” and greetings. Checking out is done promptly as well.

The service at the restaurant were great as well. I ordered egg from the egg station and indicated that I would return to collect the egg at a later timing. Instead of letting the egg sitting on the table turning cold, the staff brought it to my table. It is evident that the staff at the restaurant not only displayed customer centric behaviour, she was also observant in taking note of the table I was seated at. Empty plates are also cleared promptly and there are not situations where I returned to a table of uncleared plates.

Reception area

Afterthought

For the price I booked for the 2-bedroom suite, I find the hotel to be of great value, given its location and the size of the suite. One would expect to pay at least 10% more for other hotels in the vicinity, moreover the rate that I paid comes with breakfast for four. The suite has sufficient living space for four persons comfortably, and the fully equipped kitchen is a bonus for guests who prefer to pack food back to the hotel for consumption. The excellent service I received during my stay adds to the enjoyment of my stay at the hotel. Despite not having tuk-tuk service to ferry guests to the nearest BTS (some of the hotels in the vicinity offers that service), I do not find this a bother as the BTS station is not exactly that far away from the hotel. I would recommend this hotel to those whom plan to visit Bangkok.