Based on the location of the Chaophya Park Hotel, the closest MRT underground station is Ratchada, only 2 or 3 minutes walk away.

The Hotel at a Glance

The hotel’s entrance features landscaped gardens surrounding a Thai-style pavilion. The large area in front of the hotel is used as a car park, and the outer appearance of the hotel is that of a large 17 storey building.

As we walk into the hotel’s exceptionally spacious lobby, we notice that its interior design may be compared to a spice that blends a variety of cultures, such as Thai, Chinese and Western, which when combined are both beautiful and classically stylish. The lobby area is grand, quiet and peaceful. After further exploring the lobby floor, we also find a restaurant and cafe serving food and drinks.

The spacious hotel lobby.

Front Reception Area

Free Internet Access

On one side of the lobby area is Big Gido’s Coffee Corner, which is linked to the Internet Corner, a fond favourite of guests, as here they are offered free, unlimited use of the Internet. They may use it for as long as they wish, free of charge.

Big Gido ’s Coffee Corner

Free Internet Corner

A Wine Connoisseur’s Heaven

As we walk towards the other side, there is a different, livelier atmosphere, perhaps due to its interior design. The first place we visit is the hotel’s Lobby Lounge, which offers various types of beverage, particularly imported wine from various locations such as Spain, Italy, Chile, California and France. Certainly not to be missed is the musical entertainment at 7pm, provided by a pianist for the enjoyment of guests.

Lobby Lounge

Introducing the Park Café

After walking inside, we see the Park Café, which is a very large restaurant, and seats 300 guests according to restaurant staff. Guests reserving rooms with breakfast included dine here, and are served an American-style buffet. The Park Cafe is usually open from 6am to 10am, but dishes are prepared at 5am in order to cater to guests who may wish to take breakfast a little earlier. An international buffet is served for lunch.

Park Cafe Restaurant

Accommodation

After fully exploring the lobby floor, it’s now time to investigate the accommodation. The Chaophya Park Hotel offers a very large number of rooms, 402 in total.

The Superior Room

The Superior rooms are located from the 4^th to 7^th floors, and are the least expensive in the hotel. Many rooms are available to guests, offering standard in-room amenities, such as a television, mini-bar, fruit set, marble work desk, living room set, personal safe and so on. Both Superior and Deluxe rooms feature the same interior design.

Deluxe Room

However, guests reserving the Deluxe are provided a few extra amenities; namely the flower basket, bathrobe, slippers and coffee-making facilities, as well as various bathroom accessories. In addition, Deluxe rooms are situated on higher floors, from the 8^th to the 11^th, affording better views of the city than Superior rooms. As a result, room rates are higher.

The Deluxe bathroom looks fine and elegant, as the hotel emphasizes the use of marble as a major component in the design. Even the shelves and tissue-holders are made of marble; only the wash-basin area is made of granite. The bathroom is spacious, divided into bath and shower areas, and should not fail to please guests. Bathroom amenities include a hair dryer and telephone.

Bathtub and Marble tissue-holders.

Shower Cubicle

The Business Deluxe, a Worthwhile Relaxation Experience

For guests who prefer accommodation with a panoramic city view, obviously the higher the floor, the more stunning the experience. It is therefore no surprise that the next room type we visit is of higher quality and more expensive than the Deluxe. This type of room is exclusive to the 12^th and 14^th floors, and is called the “Business Deluxe”. The attraction of this room lies in its location on the hotel’s highest floors, offering clear, panoramic views of the city. The atmosphere is especially romantic in the evenings. In-room amenities include dining table, coffee-making and bedding sets which seem to be of a higher quality, in keeping with the more expensive room rate. As many as six pillows are provided: bed pillows, cushions and bolsters. A DVD player is also supplied.

Business Deluxe Bathroom

The Suites

If guests require a luxurious room offering a view from the highest point in the hotel, we would recommend the Suite. With a total area of 74sq.m., the Suite is divided into a bedroom and living room, with extra coffee-making facilities on offer. The living room consists of a sofa, armchairs, dining set for four, and 32″ television.

Suite Room

The Suite features bathrooms in both the bedroom and the living room, the size of which is no different to those in other room types. They differ only in terms of the quality and design of their bathroom accessories and the large jacuzzi, which is exclusive to the Suite.

Suite Bathroom

The bathroom situated inside the bedroom.

Jacuzzi and The bathroom situated inside the living room, but without a shower area.

Facilities

We have tried to find out what most satisfies guests about the hotel apart from its accommodation, and have come to the conclusion that it must be the hotel’s wide variety of facilities, which are able to fulfil the needs of all types of guest.

Swimming Pool

Outdoor Swimming Pool

We now proceed to the hotel’s swimming pool. The pool-side area is very spacious, especially the ample surrounding walkway. The pool itself is quite large, and protrudes out of the building, so that it is bathed in sunlight, no doubt pleasing guests who enjoy sunbathing. Most guests prefer to swim in the afternoon, when the pool becomes gradually more crowded until the evening. We would advise guests who would like to experience a quieter environment to arrive in the morning.

Fitness Room

Inside the building on the same floor is the fitness room, which also provides a sauna for guests to relax in after their exercise. The fitness room is large and offers an exceptionally wide selection of equipment to choose from. Near the entrance to the fitness room, we also find yoga and aerobic dance rooms, which are only open on selected days.

Restaurants

Upon returning to the 1^st floor, we find two restaurants: the Garden Court and the Mori Grill Japanese restaurant. The Garden Court is one of Bangkok’s most renowned restaurants, serving Cantonese cuisine. Recommended dishes include Dim Sum and Shark’s Fin Soup. The restaurant is open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, and from 6pm to 10.30pm. The 1^st floor is also the venue of conference and seminar rooms for business travellers.

Travellers looking for a Bali-style spa need look no further than the Tranthip building opposite the hotel, which offers relaxation facilities such as a Bali-style spa and massage. In addition, there is also the Kao Tom Buffet, which serves a night buffet of Chinese-style soft-boiled rice, popular with Asian tourists. The restaurant is frequented by a regular clientele of hotel guests and the general public, and is open from 6pm to 2am.

Driving Range

However, if you feel bored and wish to relax in the hotel instead of exploring outside, why not find a different activity for a change of scenery? The hotel owns a driving range not far away, and also offers a taxi service from the hotel.

We must bring our visit to the Chaophya Park Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Chaophya Park Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information. If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

The ModernThailand.com team has returned to Silom Road once again. This time, we have the opportunity to visit the Unico Grand Silom Hotel which, with its height of around 20 storeys and its road-side location, is considered another large-scale hotel in the Silom district.

Viewed from the front, the Unico Grand Silom Hotel looks narrow…

…but from the side it looks long and wide.

The front of the Unico Grand Silom Hotel, which is used as an entrance for guests as well as a drop-off point for vehicles, resembles a tunnel.

Three hotel shops are located on the right-hand side as we walk towards the hotel: a beauty shop…

a tour operator…

and a tailor’s.

Lobby Area

The hotel lobby provides a pleasing and relaxed atmosphere. The reception area is designed in a modern style, with beautiful glittering shades of yellow and gold.

Non Smoking Area

Smoking Area

The lobby floor also features the Lobby Bar, a small establishment serving wine and cocktails. Nearby is the Business Centre, which offers travellers Internet access in a comfortable atmosphere, subject to a service charge.

Lobby Bar

Business Centre

However, free Internet access is available in some room types. Which ones? Let’s find out. Before anything else, I’d like to provide some general information. The hotel offers a total of 215 rooms, located on the 7^th to the 18^th floors. Each room type features its own unique style of interior design.

The Executive

With an area of up to 40sq.m., the Executive room offers guests comfort and value, as is fully equipped with in-room amenities similar to those found in serviced apartments. The room is designed so that the bedroom area is separate to the living room and kitchenette area. The interior decor of the Executive is quite satisfactory, but its real advantages are its spaciousness, in-room amenities, availability, and reasonable price. This room type would be suitable for families and long-stay guests.

Executive room

Double Room

Living Area

Pantry Area

City View

Executive Bathroom

The Executive Superior

The sample Executive Superior that we visit is a twin bed room, featuring two single beds. This room type features only bedroom and living room areas, but its attraction lies in its contemporary interior design. The use of modern Japanese sliding doors in a central position to separate the bedroom and living room areas, a feature exclusive to the Executive Superior, makes the room seem more private. The various in-room accessories are in a new and good condition, and the extra amenities of the mini home theatre, free Internet access, bathrobe and slippers are also made available.

Executive Superior Room

Twin Room

Living Area

Bathroom in the Executive Superior

The Executive Deluxe

Due to its recent refurbishment, this room type’s interior decor is more modern and stylish than that of other types. Its in-room accessories are in a new and appealing condition, and the room is divided into bedroom and living room areas. Its amenities are the same as those offered in the Executive Superior.

Living Area

Doulble Room

Living Area

City View

Although the Executive Deluxe bathroom is a little diminutive in size, it has an excellent interior design. We learn that the bathroom has impressed former guests, especially the Sexy Window, a clear glass window enabling guests in the bathroom to see outside.

Bathroom in the Executive Deluxe

Junior Suite

We believe that anyone entering the Junior Suite will be impressed and surprised by the sweet and gentle fragrance emanating from within. Besides freshening the room, it also encourages us and the hotel staff to spend a little time discovering its source: the essential oils in the spa. With an area as great as 80sq.m., the room is divided into bedroom and living room areas. The living room consists of a kitchenette, living area and bathroom. The in-room amenities are comprehensive, although Internet access is not offered. This room type is located on the upper floors of the hotel, offering city views from the windows and balconies. The room rates are not very expensive, and are appropriate for its name, ‘Junior’. It may be compared to staying in a one bedroom suite in real privacy and comfort.

The Junior Suite

Double Room

The Balcony

City View

Kitchenette

An essential oils container.

The Junior Suite bathroom is quite spacious, divided into bath and shower cubicle areas. However, its interior design is not one of its strengths, as it is rather simple and plain.

Facilities

The Unico Grand Silom not only offers quality accommodation, but its facilities are also an attraction we would like to recommend to travellers who have the opportunity to stay here. The 19^th floor is the site of the fitness room, with a wide variety of fitness equipment on offer, such as treadmills and weight-training equipment. Guests may use the fitness room at no extra charge, and also receive close supervision by a trainer, although the steam room and sauna are subject to a service charge. The fitness room is open from 11am to 10pm.

The Swimming Pool and 360° Panoramic City Views on the Roof-Deck.

Moving on from the 19^th floor, the stairs take us up to the hotel’s roof-deck, which features both a swimming pool and the Sky Garden Restaurant, which offers 360°panoramic city views. The atmosphere is clear and very suitable for relaxation, but unfortunately we have visited at the wrong time, as at midday it is blazing hot and the sun is so strong that is almost burns our skin, turning it honey-coloured. Sunbathers, however, would no doubt enjoy the early afternoon sun. Overall, the swimming pool is quite large and includes adult and children’s sections. I’m afraid there is a dearth of sunbeds, certainly an insufficient number to cater to demand from guests. The pool is open from 10am to 11pm.

And so we escape the heat of the pool area to the shade of the Sky Garden Restaurant, one of the highlights of the hotel. Guests enjoy the cuisine and live music on offer here, soaking up the evening atmosphere. The Sky Garden is open from 6pm to midnight. As we have mentioned before, we have arrived at the wrong time. If it were a little later, we would be able to behold a stunning evening view of the city, which would have been very romantic.

The Maple Leaf Restaurant

In addition, the 2^nd floor is home to the Maple Leaf Restaurant, serving a buffet breakfast from 6am to 10am. Lunch features a Thai, Japanese or European a la carte menu, and a selection of international wines which guests may sample at their leisure. Travellers will no doubt already be aware that Thai cuisine is popular and renowned worldwide, so we will end our visit to the Unico Grand Silom by assuming the role of volunteer tasters. We choose to have Thai food cooked by a Thai chef, and the dishes are so delicious and full-flavoured that we are compelled to recommend them: the Fried Fish Fillet with Sweet and Sour Sauce and the Red Curry with Roasted Duck. They are slightly spicy, and free from any unpleasant meaty odours.

We must bring our visit to the Unico Grand Silom Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Unico Grand Silom Hoteland hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information. If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

Getting to the hotel

The ModernThailand.com team’s visit to the Narai Hotel in Silom marks the first time that we have had the opportunity to travel to Chong Nonsi station, and we were baffled for a moment as to which exit to choose. So we tried to figure it out by consulting the station map.

Based on the hotel’s location on the map, we should take Exit 3.

Take Exit 3, and descend the stairs on the right.

Walk straight on until you reach the windmill crossroads. Turn left at this intersection, and now we are on Silom Road.

The Tourist Information Centre is located a little beyond the corner.

A noticeable landmark on this road is the Sofitel Silom Hotel, situated on the opposite side of the road. The closer we get to this hotel, the nearer we are to the Narai Hotel.

This area up towards the end of Silom and Surawong roads is renowned for its precious stones, so both tourists and businesspeople enjoy browsing the various jewellery shops.

The Hotel at a Glance

The Narai Hotel, viewed from afar.

A side-view of the hotel.

In summary, it takes us approximately 10 minutes to walk to the Narai Hotel.

Considering the hotel’s outer appearance at a glance (the front of which looks narrow, and is only 12 storeys high), we wouldn’t believe that it would offer as many as 477 rooms, but from the side, where the building looks wide and long, it is evident that this is in fact a very large-scale hotel.

The Lobby

As we step inside, we are astonished by the lobby’s unique interior design.

From the door front, walk down the long pathway to the front reception area, situated on the left-hand side.

The rest area sports a circular design, similar to the head of the letter ‘P’.

Overview of the lobby, with its beautiful interior design and elegant atmosphere.

Accommodation

The hotel’s accommodation is located on the 2nd to the 12th floors, and every room type that we visit is popular with guests. Both economy rooms and medium-budget rooms are available. Standard Room is the most budget room type, however, if guestes pay a little extra, they will be compensated with a room in a newer and better condition, with a modern interior design which greatly enriches the atmosphere of relaxation, such as the Superior and Deluxe. All three types of accommodation, however, seem to be equal in terms of room size, offering an area of 28sq.m., and also feature free Hi-speed Internet access. For a hotel in a central business district, this fulfils the needs of business travellers perfectly.

The Standard Room

Another one of the hotel’s strengths is the unique interior design of each room type. The Standard, for example, offers interior decor with a touch of the olden days and a classic style, and is also the only type of room which is still carpeted. However, it won’t be too long before this room type is also renovated so that it looks more modern, replacing the carpet with parquet wooden flooring. The Standard features both double and twin beds to choose from, and its windows afford a view over the city which will vary in beauty depending on the floor. The Standard rooms are located on the lower and mid-level floors, the highest being the 11th. If travellers happen to reserve a connecting room, the hotel will locate you on this floor, but the 11th floor contains smoking rooms, and may thereby not be suitable for families with children.

Standard room and available facilities within the room.

Twin Room

City view from the window.

The bedroom looks quite satisfactory, in terms of its reasonable size, interior decor and cleanliness. The bathroom offers a bath and hair-dryer.

Standard bath room

The Superior Room

From the Standard room, let’s continue to the Superior, the interior design of which is noticeably different. It’s as if we’ve stepped into a totally different hotel. The Superior is designed in a modern style, blended with Japanese art, which makes its interior colourful and lively. The room’s parquet flooring makes the room look spotlessly clean. Perhaps it is because this room type has recently been refurbished that everything looks so good. The window offers a clear city view, as most rooms are situated on the upper floors. For this room type, both double and twin beds are offered for guests to choose from. Connecting rooms are also available on the 3rd, 4th and 8th floors, the smoking and non-smoking rooms being located on different floors. This is the most common room type.

Let’s move on to the bathroom, which features an interior design unique to the Superior room. The bathroom provides a bath and hair-dryer.

Superior bath room

The Deluxe Room

The Deluxe offers many other attractions apart from its modern interior. For example, it offers a city view from the hotel’s highest point, and also provides a very private atmosphere of relaxation, as the Deluxe is located on the 12th floor, the hotel’s top floor. Accommodation on this floor is exclusively non-smoking, and rooms are prepared with double beds and LCD Plasma televisions, also exclusive to the Deluxe room.

Double room

Plasma TV and other facilities.

The glass window displayed enables the bedroom to be seen from the bathroom.

City View

The Deluxe room’s bathroom seems to offer guests more space than the previous two types of bathroom; this is because it only contains a shower.

The Sexy Window, offering a view to the bedroom.

shower cubicle

Facilities

The accommodation alone should be enough to greatly impress guests, but after visiting the hotel facilities, we must say that they are the most impressive feature of the hotel, and represent great value for money. On the hotel’s 2nd floor, we discover a variety of facilities provided free of charge.

The Fitness Room

We start with the fitness room, which we can’t help wondering why is so brightly-coloured. It looks quite different to fitness rooms in other hotels we’ve visited. In fact, the colour scheme creates a lively atmosphere which seems to encourage us to exercise, and a trainer is also made available to provide guests with close supervision and advice. The fitness room has a capacity of around 20 guests.

The Fitness Centre

The Swimming Pool

The swimming pool is situated not far from the fitness centre. Just open the door and step outside on the 2nd floor, and you will discover the sizable outdoor pool, which will not fail to please guests who enjoy swimming.

The Swimming Pool

Sunbathers may choose a place to enjoy the sun at their own convenience, either around the open-air pool……or in a private area surrounded by lush vegetation. Availability of sunbeds is not an issue at this hotel, as they are certainly sufficient in number to cater to the demand from guests.

The pool also features a pool-side bar serving beverages and ice-cream.

The Business Centre

Business Centre (includes a small meeting room and free internet access)

Now we think we have found the answer as to why the Narai is so popular.

We will end our trip to the Narai Hotel by visiting its various restaurants. We would also like you to notice the unique and stylish interior design of each restaurant.

Rabiang Thong

The Rabiang Thong serves an international buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and seats around 330 guests. Guests reserving rooms with breakfast will dine here from 6.30am to 10.00am.

The Rabieng Tong Restaurant

The seating on the balcony outside the restaurant is surely the source of its name, the ‘Rabiang Thong’, or ‘Golden Terrace’.

Laksmi Suki Buffet

The Laksmi Suki Buffet serves a sukiyaki buffet using selected fresh and clean ingredients. Salad bar, desserts and beverages are also available, and this restaurant has a capacity of approximately 160 guests.

Peperoni

The Peperoni is an Italian restaurant serving pizza and pasta, and seats around 112 guests.

Scenery Lounge

Relax in comfort with a selection of international wine. The Scenery Lounge has a capacity of around 80 guests, and is open from 11am to 1am.

We must bring our visit to the Narai Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Narai Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information. If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

With a slogan like ’a world of your own in the heart of the city’, the ModernThailand.com team could not resist the urge to visit the Silom Serene.

Getting to The Hotel

After travelling to Sala Daeng BTS station, take Exit 2, descend the stairs on the right and proceed straight along Silom Road, taking note of the CP Tower landmark.

In front of the hotel.

On the way, we looked for the sign for Silom Soi 3, and it was not long before we found it. Walk just 100m into the side-street, and you will discover the Silom Serene Hotel, located on the left-hand side. In all, it must have taken us around 8 minutes to walk this distance.

The Hotel a Grance

The hotel’s outer appearance is of a small, 8 storey building, situated at the beginning of Silom Road, a centre for business and tourism which is full of office buildings, financial institutions, large malls, international restaurants, nightlife spots and various types of entertainment venue.

The Lobby

As the Silom Serene is a small hotel, the lobby area seems rather compact, yet is adequate and comfortable for guests. The seating provided for guests is particularly impressive, as it is adjacent to a lush garden, visible through the glass.

Front Reception

Reception Area

The Garden View, visible from the guest reception area.

Facilities

A combination of its natural, beautifully-landscaped design and our thirst for knowledge lead us to walk out for a touch of real nature. As a result, we find that many other facilities also surround this area.

The Outdoor Swimming Pool and the Jacuzzi Pool

One of these is the outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi. Although the pool may seem small, it is beautifully-designed and offers a natural atmosphere. If we didn’t have to visit other parts of the hotel, we would have liked to take a seat here for a while.

The Fitness Centre

The fitness room offers a variety of different types of exercise equipment, such as treadmills and weight-training equipment, all of which is in good and new condition. The fitness room has a capacity of not more than 10 guests.

The Steam Room

Stream Room

Also there is a steam room, separated into men’s and women’s sections. All of these facilities are offered with free of charge.

The Business Center

Wi-fi Internet access is also available, albeit subject to a service charge. Just contact the Business Centre to request registration. In addition, the Lobby Lounge TV and library are also provided for guests. In the future, this area will be used for meeting rooms, requested by popular demand; most of the guests here are business travellers.

The Accommodation

As soon as we see the sweet smiles of the hotel staff from the distance, we know that visiting the accommodation will be a positive experience. We are sure that this will be the highlight of the hotel. The hotel rooms are located from the 2nd to the 8th floors, and there are a total of 86 rooms. The best views are offered from the same side as the swimming pool, whereas those from rooms adjacent to the road are more ordinary. The hotel has installed double-glazed windows, which helps to prevent the annoyance of exterior noise. Guests wishing to relax in a peaceful and quiet environment will no doubt be pleased to hear this. Prior to our visit to the Silom Serene, the hotel had started refurbishing the hotel rooms, so that they look more modern and offer more comfort to guests. Subject to refurbishment, every room type will offer laminated flooring instead of carpets in the interests of improved sanitation, and a 32″ LCD TV as standard.

In future, rooms will be refurbished to resemble the picture below.

Therefore, what we are about to describe is the present condition of the room, which has been refurbished in part, but not in its entirety, since renovations are carried out part by part in order to limit the disturbance to resident guests.

The Deluxe Room

The Deluxe is the most common room type, and is designed in a modern style, with a faint hint of the classic. What especially impresses us is the balanced arrangement of furniture within the room’s 30sq.m. area, making it seem spacious and open.

Deluxe room and available facilities within the room.

Moreover, the laminated flooring also helps to prevent the build-up of dust, ensuring the room looks clean and is free from damp odours. However, I’m not sure whether the Deluxe’s bathroom, tiled in emerald, will impress guests as much as it has us. The bathroom is a reasonable size: not too large, but beautifully-decorated with a fresh atmosphere.

Deluxe Bathroom

The 1 Bedoom Suite

The next room type we visit is especially suited to long-stay guests. With an area of 60sq.m., the 1 Bedroom Suite may be divided into a bedroom and living room. The bedroom contains a King Size bed with DVD player, and the living room features a kitchenette, living area and work desk. The interior decor is identical in all room types, which differ only in terms of size and extra amenities.

1 bedroom suite and available facilities within the room.

The living room and work area.

Kitchenette in the living room

The 1 Bedroom Suite’s bathroom varies to that of other room types in that it is larger and separated into bath and shower areas.

Bathroom in the 1 Bedroom Suite

The hotel’s connecting rooms link the 1 Bedroom Suite to the Deluxe (only twin beds are provided). Therefore, guests requiring a connecting room must reserve a 1 Bedroom Suite and a Deluxe Room. Don’t forget to note this down in the “Other Requests” box of the Booking Form.

The Ormthong restaurant

Our tour of the accommodation has now come to an end, but one matter still remains to be discussed:the Ormthong restaurant, which is located on the lobby floor and serves a buffet breakfast from 5.30am to 10.30am. Lunch is served from an a la carte menu, and recommended dishes include traditional Thai cuisine, such as Traditional Crispy Pancake and Deep Fried Chicken with Kaffer Lime Leaves, but particularly pleasing to foreign visitors are the Chicken Green Curry, Massaman Curry and Sweet and Sour Deep Fried Pork (or Chicken) with Fried Cashew Nuts.

Inside the Aom-Chom Restaurant

Non smoking area

We must bring our visit to the Silom Serene Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for travellers looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Silom Serene Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information. If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

The ModernThailand.com team invites travellers to visit the Emerald Hotel, one of the most popular for both leisure and business tourists.

Getting to the hotel

The Emerald Hotel’s location on the main road, approximately 150m from Huay Khwang station, is very convenient for travellers using the MRT underground. After alighting the train at Huay Khwang, take Exit 3 and proceed directly to the hotel. A wealth of entertainment venues is situated near the hotel.

The gardens and parking area in front of the hotel.

The Hotel at a Glance

The area at the front of the hotel is used as a guest car park, and is landscaped as a striking, lush garden with trees and plants of all sizes. The hotel is divided into two buildings: the Atrium Wing, which is 14 storeys high and situated at the front, and the Emerald Wing, which is newer and located to the rear.

The front of the hotel.

The view of the hotel from the front is deceptive, and makes us feel that it is only a medium-scale hotel, but after moving from the front to the side, we are able to see clearly its considerable width and length, as well as the height of the Emerald Wing, which stands 28 storeys high and makes the hotel look even more prominent. This is another large-scale hotel in the Ratchada district, offering 619 rooms in total.

The hotel’s lobby entrance.

The Lobby

The word “lobby” may be insufficient to describe the place in which we are standing, as it is so spacious and high that we are able to see the hotel’s top floor from inside. To be more accurate, is should be called an “atrium”. With its airy and comfortable atmosphere, this is a place where you can relax and fill your lungs with air. The central square section of the atrium is designed as the Lobby Lounge, and is the first spot that travellers will notice upon entering the hotel. Guests walking into the lounge may be captivated by the clear capsule objects moving between the hotel floors. We are alluding, of course, to the elevators at the front of the atrium, the only place in the hotel which offers these beautifully-designed, striking glass elevators. No doubt guests will be eager to try using them.

The position from which the top floor of the Atrium Wing may be seen from the lobby.

The glass elevators in the lobby area.

Check in reception front.

Cake Shop

The Coffee Shop, which is large and seats around 350 guests. Those reserving rooms with breakfast will be served an American buffet breakfast here from 6am to 10.30am. A buffet lunch is also served between 11.30am and 14.30pm, and a soft-boiled rice buffet between 6pm and 12am.

The Accommodation

Now it’s time we visited the hotel rooms. All types of accommodation feature hi-speed Internet access for guests requiring the service and wireless Internet access is provided throughout the building, subject to a service charge.

As it happens, we find ourselves in the Atrium Wing at the moment, so let’s take the lift and visit the accommodation on offer in this building first. The Atrium Wing provides a total of 322 rooms. The most popular rooms in this wing are the Superior and Deluxe rooms and the Junior and Executive suites.

If you require a low cost, good value room, please read on

As soon as we exit the lift, the hotel staff member invites us to visit the most common type of room, exclusive to this wing. The Superior rooms number 184 in total and offer the lowest room rates available in the hotel. With an area of 33sq.m., the Superior offers a classic design and in-room amenities suitable for both business and leisure travellers.

Superior room

The rooms are impeccably clean, and those on the higher floors also offer a clear view of the city. This room type is located on the 5^th to 10^th floors, but almost half of the rooms are on the inside of the building, offering views of the courtyard.

Superior Bathroom

The feature of the Superior bathroom which most pleases guests is its spacious area and marble interior decor.

The advantage of the Deluxe is the spacious size of its bathroom

To those guests who are not satisfied by the size of the Superior, we would recommend the Deluxe. Situated in the Emerald Wing, the Deluxe boasts an area of 40sq.m. and should provide sufficient space for 2 to 3 guests to stay in comfort. The Deluxe rooms are longer than they are wide, in new condition and feature amenities that will please both business and leisure travellers. As far as we could tell, all the hotel rooms are designed in a classic style.

Deluxe Room

Deluxe Bathroom

The Deluxe bathroom is very spacious. In fact, with a bathroom as large as this, it should really be called the ‘Bathroom Suite’.

To honeymooners, we would like to recommend the Junior Suite.

After visiting the Deluxe, we feel that its area and in-room amenities should be ample for guests, but may lack a little in terms of romantic atmosphere. If guests would like this type of ambience, they should try the Junior Suite, exclusive to the Atrium Wing.

Junior Suite

With a total area of 65sq.m., the Junior Suite is divided into a bedroom and living room, equipped with identical in-room amenities: a television, work desk and direct line phone. Furthermore, the living room features a larger mini-bar than is available in standard rooms, a dining room set and long sofa for relaxation. All Junior Suite rooms offer a window view of the courtyard, and it is rumoured are most admired by honeymooners.

Bathroom in the Junior Suite

The bathroom of the Junior Suite features the same design as that of the Deluxe, only differing in respect of its colour scheme.

The Executive Suite

Finally, we will visit the Executive Suite. The special features of this room type are its spacious area of 75sq.m.; its position in the corner of the building, which offers a city view from both the bedroom and living room; its elegant interior design; and its good quality and comprehensive amenities.

Executive Suite in the Atrium Wing

Facilities in the room

On the subject of the bathroom, we can guarantee its spaciousness, divided into bath and shower areas.

Emerald Wing Executive Suites

If guests happen to reserve this room type, but end up staying in a room that seems in excess of 75sq.m., they may count themselves lucky that the hotel also offers Executive Suites in the Emerald Wing, as guests may enjoy an extra 15sq.m. as a result.

When we enters the bathroom, we are amazed by its spaciousness and luxurious design. The bathroom in this room type is designed in cloudy white marble, differing to that of the Atrium Wing, and looks exceptionally clean. We are able to summarize then, that apart from the bathroom, there is no difference between the bedroom, living room and various in-room amenities of this room type in either wing. The Executive Suite may be regarded as one of the highlights of the hotel.

Bathroom in the Executive Suite , The Emeral Wing

The Emerald Wing: a centre for the hotel’s facilities

The Emerald Wing does not merely provide accommodation, but also acts as a centre for the hotel’s various appealing facilities. If we were to describe all of the facilities, you would surely fall asleep reading about them, so we shall only present the highlights.

The Swimming Pool

We start on the 15th floor of this wing. Immediately as we walk out of the building, we behold the swimming pool, which is quite large in size and designed in the style of a resort pool in order to provide a fresh atmosphere while also offering the opportunity to admire a view of the cityscape. The area is well-ventilated by a constant gentle breeze, so we are inclined to stay a while and enjoy the view. Sunbeds line the walkway, and a pool-side bar also offers refreshments. The swimming pool’s opening hours are from 7am to 8pm.

Facilities for Health-lovers

Let’s move on to the hotel’s health club, located on the 11th floor. This floor serves as a centre for indoor sports for both health and recreation purposes, such as the snooker room, squash court, sauna and steam room, and especially the jacuzzi room, which offers both hot and cold water jacuzzis. All of the facilities mentioned here, however, are subject to a service charge, although free services are also on offer if you would prefer. Just walk up to the next floor and you will find a large fitness club, divided into treadmill and weight-lifting equipment sections. It is rumoured that the hotel’s aerobic dance room is very popular with guests, especially for practising yoga. The Heath Club provides trainers to offer close supervision. If you have the chance, try out the service. It’s open from 6.30am to 10pm.

The treadmill exercise room.

The weights room.

The hot water jacuzzi.

The cold water jacuzzi.

The aerobic dance room.

Snooker room.

Emerald Spa, offering an atmosphere of genuine relaxation

For guests who prefer to sit, lie down and find someone to alleviate their aches and pains, walking down to the 10^th floor would be a wise decision, as here you will find Emerald Spa.

Emerald Spa invites guests to experience its atmosphere of genuine relaxation, like a restful night’s sleep. It is as quiet and dark as the night, and any guest visiting cannot help but be bewitched into sleepy drowsiness. In this respect, the spa’s unique interior design must be praised.

Either side of the walkway that we use to visit the various rooms is decorated with dark purple lamps, which shine dimly throughout the corridor. We are also able to detect the subtle fragrance of petals. The rooms offer a genuinely quiet ambience, attractive interior decor as well as real spaciousness and comfort. The spa provides Thai traditional massage, treatment, and oil and foot massage rooms.

Treatment Room

Thai Massage Room

The foot massage room.

Daiichi Japanese Restaurant

Finally, as we reach the end of our tour, we would like to invite travellers to visit two restaurants popular with guests, starting with the Daiichi Japanese Restaurant. The main fare on offer here is the Japanese-style buffet and various interesting sushi and barbecue dishes. Guests wishing to try Thai-style seafood or Western cuisine will be pleased to hear that some dishes are on offer in the buffet. In addition, a la carte menus are also available, wherein guests are charged per dish.

Guests may choose to be seated in an open-air environment or in a private room, and only the a la carte menu is available at dinner time.

Yok Chinese Restaurant

Still on the second floor, next we will visit the Yok Chinese Restaurant, where the dim sum buffet is popular with most guests. Shark’s fin soup, Peking duck and many other dishes may be recommended from the a la carte menu. The restaurant is divided into a dining room for general guests, with a capacity of approximately 220 seats, and a total of 11 VIP dining rooms. All rooms are designed in an oriental style, and the restaurant opens for lunch and dinner.

The guest dining room.

VIP Room

We must bring our visit to the Emerald Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our
review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok.
Most importantly, we would like to thank the Emerald Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

We would like to invite you to visit a hotel located between Nana and Phloen Chit BTS sky-train stations, the Majestic Grande. In the morning, we travelled by BTS sky-train to Nana station. Before we set out, we had received information from guests regarding which sky-train station would be most convenient to use and nearest to the hotel. Two stations were suggested: Nana and Phloen Chit.

The road in front of the hotel is full of taxis awaiting guests.

The Surrounding Area

At a little past 10am, we arrived at Sukhumvit Soi 2, the location of the hotel. The surroundings are really quiet: there are no busy crowds and no shops, tour operators or restaurants as there are in other side-streets we have visited, apart from the large Phloen Chit Centre department store located on the right-hand side as we enter the street. The road is not wide, especially when there are cars parked on the side, making it look even narrower. After walking a distance of around 300m, we arrived at the hotel. If we consider the location of the hotel and calculate the time taken to walk from Nana BTS sky-train station, it would be around 10 minutes, a relatively long time. Therefore, we would recommend guests to use Phloen Chit station, which is nearer the hotel, a walking distance of only 5 minutes.

In front of the hotel.

In front of the hotel.

The Hotel at a Glance

From the exterior, the hotel looks new and is designed in a modern style, standing 25 storeys high. The hotel’s interior decor is contemporary, a perfect blend of modern and Thai styles. The oriental tones of orange, gold and red complement the design, whether it be the gold of the ring-shaped ceiling lamps; the genuine gold-plated fountain walls; or the yellows and reds of the orchids arranged in vases, which are majestic, in keeping with hotel’s name. If you look closely, you will notice that the orchid is the symbol of this hotel.

Tables and chairs in the lobby area prepared for guests. Every evening a pianist provides musical entertainment.

Front Reception

Lobby Louge

Genuine gold-plating on the rear wall of the fountain.

Regarding the hotel’s size, I’d like you to visualise a rectangle, since it seems longer than it is wide. Besides looking luxurious and stylish, it also looks very clean.

The Accommodation

Before visiting the various different types of room in the hotel, the staff provided some basic information about the accommodation. The hotel offers 251 rooms, divided into two sections: the standard floors, from the 8^th to the 19^th, and the executive floors, offering deluxe accommodation at a higher price, from the 20^th to the 24^th. The Grande Wonder Suites are situated on the hotel’s top floor, the 25^th. There are only eight rooms of this type, considered the highlight of the hotel. The first type of room we visited on the 17^th floor was the Grande Superior. Since this room type provides an area of only 28sq.m., it was designed to cater to guests staying in groups of two. Inside the room is a plethora of well-arranged in-room amenities.

The rooms on each side of the hotel offer different views. From accommodation at the front of the hotel, guests are offered good views of both the city and nearby hotels, but rooms at the rear offer views of the toll way, which is a beautiful sight in the evening due to the colourful lights of the moving vehicles.

The Grand Superior rooom

The real advantage of the Grand Superior is in its price. There are a sufficient number of rooms for guests, but they are only suitable for those staying alone or in groups of two. We have heard guests complain about small room sizes, which may be in part due to the difference in size between Asian and European guests. For those who would prefer greater comfort and space, we would recommend the Grand Premiere. In terms of amenities, the Grand Premiere is no different to the Grande Superior, but what guests should consider is the price, which is slightly more expensive, since it boasts an area of 35sq.m. However, guests travelling in groups of three may find that they are able to cut costs significantly by staying in this type of room.

King-size bed in the Grande Superior.

In-room amenities.

Large work desk.

The Grand Superior Bathrooom

The bathrooms are rather limited in size, but are clean and offer new, appealing amenities which look clean and of high quality. The bathroom also provides a hair-dryer.

The Grande Superior Bathroom

The Grand Deluxe rooom

If money is no issue, the Grande Deluxe Room is able to provide comfort for many types of guests, whether travelling as families, groups of three, businesspeople, elderly tourists or long-stay guests. The in-room amenities in this larger room include a DVD player, sofa, and 34″ TV, all set in an area of 40sq.m.

Grand Deluxe room

Facilities in Grand Deluxe room

Relaxing sofa.

View from the Grand Deluxe room window

The Grand Deluxe Bathrooom

The interior decor of the bathroom is the same as that of the Grand Superior, but it’s larger and divided into bath and shower cubicle sections.

The two type of flooring

The rooms we have visited today would interest the majority of travellers, and are located on the standard floors. What is especially interesting about the accommodation on the standard floors is that rooms are furnished with two types of flooring: parquet wooden flooring is used for the area surrounding the bed while granite is used for outer areas.

At a glance, this seems in keeping with the design concept of accommodation here, but in fact the hotel has also considered the issue of health. When we wake up in the morning, our bodies are unable to adjust immediately to the temperature of stone or tiled flooring, so providing a wooden surface for our feet to touch first helps our bodies to acclimatise. In addition, the windows are double-glazed to block out annoying noises from outside the building.

To comment on the in-room security system, apart from the personal safe, the hotel also provides a double lock mechanism on the door: both a keycard system and an inside lock. This helps to increase security for guests.

Another interesting feature we have been informed of is that guests are able to access the Internet either in their rooms or at various points throughout the hotel using a wireless internet system. If guests would like to use this service, they may register and request a user name and password at the Business Centre, located on the 7th floor.

The Swimming Pool

We must end our tour of the hotel rooms here, and proceed to the 7^th floor, which encompasses all of the hotel’s facilities. Let’s begin with the swimming pool. The most outstanding feature of the pool must be the beauty of its carvings, whether it be the elephant sculpture, the orchid wall-carvings or various other areas which enhance the relaxation experience for guests. Guests may also use the whirl bath. Overall, it is a resort-style pool, albeit a little smaller in size.

Swimming pool

Swimming pool

Other Facilities

Another facility which is very appealing, and should be especially recommended for guests who like to exercise, is the fitness room, which offers a wide variety of modern, good-quality exercise equipment.

Fitness Room

The hotel’s Business Centre consists of small conference rooms with a capacity of around 15 guests. Another highlight of the hotel popular with guests is its relaxation facilities, especially the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, which are provided free of charge, with the exception of the massage services, which guests must purchase as a package.

Steam Room and Jacuzzi

The Dine@7 restaurant

Something that really can’t be missed is the Dine@7 restaurant, which is used both as a coffee shop and international buffet service for three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The buffet breakfast is served from 6am to 10.30am. The restaurant offers a pleasing selection of cuisine, especially Thai fare, as its chef is very well-known. Every 3 days, the hotel changes the menu so that it does not become too repetitive or tedious.

The Dine@7 restaurant

The restaurant looks very spacious, and is able to seat around 80. Outside the restaurant and beside the swimming pool, there is also an open-air terrace for the enjoyment of guests.

The Dine@7 restaurant

The Sacz restaurant

Finally, we will mention the Sacz restaurant, also considered a highlight of the hotel. The Sacz is an Italian-style restaurant situated on the hotel’s ground floor, with Mediterranean-style interior design and a purple theme. The restaurant is airy, comfortable and quite large. For those looking for a romantic atmosphere, we recommend you try dining here between the hours of 8pm to 10pm. There is live jazz music which the staff says is very popular with guests, and the restaurant is famed for its blend of Thai and Italian cuisine. I would especially recommend the pumpkin soup and fish steak, which we tried today as part of our meal.

The Sacz restaurant

We must bring our visit to The Majestic Grande Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank The Majestic Grande Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

ModernThailand.com has had the opportunity to visit many hotels in the Sukhumvit area on many occasions. Apart from favourable reviews from guests, we also consider the location of accommodation that we choose to recommend in terms of how convenient it is and how long it takes to walk to the nearest sky-train station. Most hotels in the Sukhumvit area are located on side roads, while only a few are situated on the main road, most of which are expensive high-end hotels. Therefore, travellers may be better advised to choose somewhere on a side-street, not far from the main road or the sky-train station. However, if you would really like to stay on the main road, the S15 Sukhumvit Hotel can be a very good choice for guests. The room prices are very good value when compared to other hotels located on the main road.

The Surrounding Area

It took us less than 5 minutes to walk from Asok BTS sky-train station to the hotel, which is situated on the corner of Sukhumit Soi 15. Based on its location, we can guarantee that the hotel is in the heart of the shopping district, both in terms of large department stores and the various stalls lining both sides of the road. The various side-streets provide a proliferation of nightlife venues. For the renowned and well-known spots, you will need to walk onwards past the Asok crossroads to Sukhumvit Soi 21 or Soi Cowboy. This area also offers a wide selection of cuisine to choose from, both in terms of air-conditioned high-end restaurants and open air restaurants offering quite reasonable prices.

In front of the hotel.

The Hotel Lobby

The S15 Sukhumvit Hotel is a small boutique-style hotel only around 8 storeys high. From the outside, the hotel looks more like an office building, but the interior is more interesting. This hotel must be the first place we’ve visited that really offers creative works of art and sculpture, reflected by the various articles used to decorate the lobby, whether it be the furniture, Thai lotus flower arrangements in vases, decorative lamps or soft and warm toned lighting. Wherever you look, everything displays artistry, even the waste bins next to the lifts or the vases in the bathrooms.

Front Reception

Hotel Lobby

Lobby Lounge

Lobby Lounge

The Accommodation

Now we would like to see the hotel rooms. We visited 3 types of room: the S Deluxe, S Junior Suite and S Suite, located on the 3^rd to 7^th floors. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are situated on different floors; all non-smoking rooms are located on the 5^th floor. When I heard this, I have to say that the arrangement made a lot of sense, since it offers options to guests with different preferences. This way, smokers do not become an annoyance to other guests, especially those travelling in family groups.

S Deluxe

The first room we visited was the S Deluxe, which is easy on the wallet and the most common type of room in the hotel. The S Deluxe has an area of 30sq.m., and the standard in-room amenities include a 32″ LCD TV, DVD player, minibar, direct line telephone, desk, personal safe and so on. This type of room is not very large, but would be suitable for guests travelling in groups of 2. King-size beds are prepared in double rooms, whereas two Queen-size beds are provided for twin rooms.

S Deluxe rooom

S Deluxe rooom

S Junior Suite

The next type of room we visited was the S Junior Suite, which is slightly more expensive and offers guests the additional comfort of a larger area of 35sq.m., as well as a small living area with a sofa bed which may be used as an extra bed if necessary.

S Junior Suite

Living area in S Junior Suite

S Suite

Finally, we end with the S Suite, which offers an area as large as 50sq.m. This is enough to make anyone say ‘Wow!’, as it provides complete comfort. The room is divided into 1 bedroom and 1 living room, and the in-room amenities only differ to those of the S Junior Suite in respect of the size of the living room and 42″ TV.

S Suite

Living area in S Suite

In general, the design and interior decor of each type of room is very similar. Appropriate lighting is provided, but is not too bright, making rooms look soft and suitable for relaxation while also creating a romantic ambience. On the subject of amenities, all items are new and some have a chic design. In addition, travellers may use the Wi-Fi Internet service free of charge in all room types.

To digress a little, while we were walking from floor to floor, we noticed mounted photographs on either side of the corridor, each of which illustrated the beauty and value of historical sites and Thai history. We also learned that these photos were the work of the owner of this hotel.

The walkway is decorated with photos taken by the hotel owner.

The Bathrooms

The highlight of the accommodation in this hotel would have to be the bathrooms, since they are extremely large and really well-designed. The bath and shower occupy two equal sections of the same area, which also includes a transparent shower guard. Staff members added that most guests are very impressed when they see the bathrooms in this hotel. The interior decor is very well-designed.

S Deluxe Bathroom

S Junior Suite Bathroom

S Suite Bathroom

The Facilities

The hotel’s facilities are limited by its size. First we popped into the spa, which consists of 4 rooms in all, divided into treatment and Thai massage rooms. Opening hours are from 10am to 10pm.

The Spa room

The Spa room

Then, we visited the fitness centre, which is a small exercise room able to cater to around 4-5 guests at any one time, with opening hours from 6am to 11pm. To guests wishing to use a swimming pool, we are afraid to say that after exploring extensively, we can confirm that there is no swimming pool in this hotel.

Fitness Room

If you would like to use the Internet in the Business Centre, you must go to the mezzanine floor, where there is free access for guests available from 7am to 11pm.

The business centre with free internet access.

The Mezzanine Café

Finally, we will introduce the Mezzanine Café, the hotel’s only restaurant. Guests who reserve rooms with breakfast included will dine in this cafe, which is open from 6am to 11am.

The Mezzanine Café

We must bring our visit to the S15 Sukhumvit Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the S15 Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

The Windsor Suite is situated some distance away from the tourist traps of Sukhumvit Road, while the various shopping, restaurant and entertainment venues are still within a few minutes walk, as are Asok BTS sky-train and Sukhumvit MRT underground stations. The Windsor Suite Hotel is therefore an interesting option for travellers requiring real peace and quiet. The ModernThailand.com team invites all readers to join us as we visit the Windsor Suite Hotel to find out why it is popular with so many travellers.

Getting to the hotel

Travellers using the BTS sky-train should choose Exit No.6 out of Asok station, and follow the walkway to the Exchange Tower, where there is a stairway leading out of the station. The Windsor Suite Hotel is around 8 to 10 minutes walk from here. The distance from the main road to the hotel is short, not more than 100m.

In front of the hotel.

The hotel is conveniently located, opening onto Soi 20 at the front, and Sukhumvit Soi 18 at the rear, a shortcut to the BTS station. If you don’t wish to spend more than 8 minutes walking, try the route we have suggested.

The Hotel at a Glance

When you reach the front of the hotel, you will find that it is divided into two buildings. The wing on the left-hand side, which is around 9 storeys high and looks a little older, is the Garden Wing.

Garden Wing

Suite Wing

The prominent building in front is called the Suite Wing and boasts a modern and stylish design which naturally gives rise to comparisons with the other wing. Apart from being used as the central building for the reception of guests, the Suite Wing is also the location of the suite accommodation, as well as various hotel facilities.

The Lobby

When we enter the hotel, what surprises us the most is the grand and spacious atrium, large enough to cast our eyes around without hindrance. The ceiling is high, making the lobby seem relaxing and airy. It is almost unnecessary to use lighting in this area, as the walls and the central roof section are made from glass, and an adequate amount of natural sunlight is allowed to shine through. The central square section of the lobby is used as the Lobby Lounge, which is designed to give guests the feeling that they are relaxing among natural surroundings, decorated with sculptures and carvings.

Lobby Lounge

Lobby Lounge

The Garden Wing

We only have a little time to admire the lobby, as it’s now time to tour the accommodation. The first type of accommodation to visit is the Grand Deluxe rooms, situated in the Garden Wing. Before anything else, we should mention that the ground floor of the Garden Wing building looks significantly different to the exterior since the hotel has been renovated, both in terms of the hotel lobby and the Internet centre. As a result, the interior decor and various facilities look modern and new. In the main, guests who value privacy choose to use services here (Garden Wing), as it’s fairly quiet and not busy.

Lobby and Business Centre in the Garden wing

Grande Deluxe room

The accommodation is located on the 2^nd to 9^th floors. After visiting the Grande Deluxe Room, we feel that its strong point is its inexpensive price and 32sq.m. area, which seems quite comfortable for guests travelling in groups of two. The room looks a little out-dated and isn’t particularly eye-catching, but guests needn’t worry about damp odours or dust since parquet wooden flooring is used. Although wooden floors do not look as attractive as carpets, they are easy to clean and good for our health, as opposed to carpets which may retain dust. It may be hard to find rooms with wooden flooring in newly-opened or renovated hotels as the cost of wood is currently rising significantly. The rooms look generally very clean.

Grande Deluxe room

Grande Deluxe room

Although the bathroom is not large, the corner position of the hand basin and the shiny glazed floor and wall tiles help to create a more relaxing environment. The bathroom provides a bath and standard amenities.

Grande Deluxe Bathroom

The Suite Wing

Let’s move on to the Suite Wing, which is the real point of interest in terms of accommodation. All rooms are suites, and offer the hotel’s distinctive style of interior decor. We had the opportunity to visit two types of room in the Suite Wing: the Counselor Suite and the Minister Suite. Both types of room are located on the 15^th to 30^th floors.

The Counselor Suite

Let’s begin with the Counselor Suite. The room has an area of 45sq.m., considered very spacious. The bedroom takes up around two thirds of the total area, while the living room is somewhat smaller. Most of the amenities are located in the living room, whether it be the desk, minibar, chairs or sofa-bed, in the event that a room for three is reserved. The room is fitted with a smooth, soft carpet.

Counselor Suite

Living area in Counselor Suite

View from the Counselor Suite

The bathroom’s design is very luxurious and clean.

The Minister Suite

After this, we move on to visit the Minister Suite, which at first glance cannot easily be differentiated from the Counsellor Suite, since the only points that make the Minister Suite superior and more expensive are its 50sq.m. area and the fact that every room is positioned in a corner of the building, providing a 180 degree panorama of the city. Thus, if guests would like a room with a striking city view, we would recommend the Minister Suite.

Minister Suite

Living area in Minister Suite

View from the Minister Suite

As far as we know, Minister Suites are also available in the Garden Wing. The rooms in the Garden Wing provide parquet wooden flooring, while all those in the Suite Wing are carpeted.

The Diplomat Suite

The Diplomat Suite deserves some comment, even though we did not visit this type of room since they were all in use at the time. However, the hotel staff provided us some information regarding its in-room facilities, which are identical to those of the Counsellor Suite, although it offers a slightly smaller area of 40sq.m. The Diplomat Suites are located on the lower floors, from the 3^rd to the 10^th, whereas rooms on higher floors offer a clearer view of the cityscape. We are unable to comment on the condition inside the room or its interior design, as we have not yet visited this type of room.

Selection of room type will depend on guests’ budgets and individual preferences, but our personal choice would be the Counselor Suite, since the standard of accommodation is comparable to that of the Minister Suite while being less expensive, and also as good as the Diplomat Suite.

The swimming pool

When speaking of the various hotel facilities, we have to admit that they are comprehensive. Therefore, if travellers choose to stay here and would like better value, we would suggest using the hotel facilities, especially on the 14^th floor. We especially recommend the swimming pool, and are able to say with authority that it’s unique, especially in terms of its astonishing size, the likes of which would be hard to find in other hotels in the central Sukhumvit area.

The pool has an eye-catching resort-style design encircled by trees, making you feel as if you are relaxing in a natural environment, yet still offering a beautiful cityscape panorama. Even more extraordinary is that if you swim underwater, you will hear underwater music. Wow, fantastic!

The swimming pool

The swimming pool

On the edge of the pool is a pool bar, constructed in the form of a Thai-style pavilion to cater to guests. The pool bar is an attractive corner of the hotel in which to relax, and the swimming pool’s opening hours are from 7am to 8pm.

The swimming pool

There is also quite a large children’s pool tiled exclusively in marble in order to cater to family guests.

Other Facilities

Next up are facilities provided for health-lovers, consisting of a three room fitness centre and an aerobic dance room with a trainer to provide close supervision. When guests are tired and sweaty after their work-out, they may use the steam and sauna rooms, which are also located on this floor. I should let you know in advance that guests using the fitness centre must also pay a service charge.

Fitness Centre and Aerobic Room

Neva Spa

On the 12^th floor is the Neva Spa, another renowned facility of this hotel. The Neva Spa is large and beautifully-designed. When we walk in, we feel a high level of relaxation and privacy.

Neva Spa

Each room is spacious and airy, and not restricted in terms of size. Some of the decorations, receptacles and other items in the rooms illustrate the beauty of latter-day Thai art. Only a few interspersed sections are designed in a modern style, although as a whole, the interior decor is pleasant.

Neva Spa

The Restaurant

The hotel has three restaurants. Firstly, the Golden Palace, a Chinese restaurant located on the 2^nd floor, offers a buffet, as well as a la carte and set menus. Then there’s the Youzen, a Japanese restaurant located on the ground floor of the Garden Wing serving a buffet lunch and dinner. If guests reserve a room with buffet breakfast, however, they will dine in the Windsor Café, which is located on the ground floor of the Suite Wing and is a large restaurant seating up to 250 guests, 24 hours a day. We have taken photos of the interior of the Windsor Café, so that you may see it clearly.

Windsor Cafe

Of course, the hotel also offers other facilities standard in large hotels, such as the many conference, reception and seminar rooms in a variety of sizes catering to groups of business people and guests. Most of the conference rooms are located on the 10th to 14^th floors. They are highly favoured by guests and considered the highlight of the hotel.

We must bring our visit to the Windsor Suite Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Windsor Suite Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

After visiting many hotels in the Sukhumvit area, most that we present are medium to large in size, so this time we have decided to find a small hotel recommended by former guests. The FuramaXclusive Sukhumvit should please travellers looking for a boutique-style hotel with suitable room rates.

The surrounding area

The hotel’s location in Sukhumvit Soi 1 is not bad at all, as it lies in the Nana area, a centre for restaurants, tourism and shopping, which is particularly popular among tourists. The FuramaXclusive Sukhumvit would be an especially suitable choice for those looking for accommodation not far from Bumrungrad Hospital, as it is within 5 minutes walking distance. The walk from Phloen Chit BTS sky-train station, the nearest to the hotel, took 10 minutes according to my calculations. The hotel is located not more than 500m into the side-street, which is lined on both sides with shops of various kinds, such as minimarts, translation companies, tour operators, laundry shops and so on. However, this street isn’t as busy as Soi 3 or Soi 5, and is therefore relatively quiet in comparison.

Sukhumvit Soi 1 – relatively quiet.

Sukhumvit Soi 1

The Hotel at a Glance

The hotel’s exterior is designed in the style of a modern condominium. Its height and size are perhaps not the hotel’s strongest points, as it stands only 10 storeys high and offers only 98 rooms in total. The ground floor is designed as a shopping venue, and the lobby is on the second floor, differing to other hotels whose lobbies are located on the ground floor. Customers may use the outside stairs or elevators to access the lobby if they wish.

The hotel front

The hotel front

The Hotel Lobby

Even though the lobby seems long and narrow, and not as grand as in large hotels, its design and decorations help to create a pleasant atmosphere, especially if you sit and relax on the velvet sofas in the reception area, which give a soft and luxurious feel. Wherever you look, the hotel is sophisticated, and the lobby is an appetizer for what the hotel has to offer.

The lobby area, located on the 2nd floor.

The reception area.

The Accommodation

The main course can only be the accommodation. The rooms here are classified into 3 types: Superior, Deluxe and Corner. After visiting each type of room, we found that the similarity between the Superior, Deluxe and Corner rooms was their modern, elegant and stylish interior decor. All rooms offer new and appealing amenities, and are well-designed. On the subject of cleanliness, we would have to say that the rooms were spotless, and free from dampness. This kind of comfort makes us feel like we are staying in our own home. The rooms are full of amenities, like serviced apartments; for example, a 29″ TV, refrigerator, kitchenette, sofa, tea and coffee-making equipment, iron and ironing board, safe deposit box, work desk, bathrobe, hairdryer and so on, which all make the room seem very good value. There is also a small balcony from which guests may enjoy the view outside, although as far as we could see, the view is ordinary, since the hotel is not very high and located on a side-street. If you would like a better view from your window, you must choose a room at the rear of the hotel, from which you can see as far as the toll way without the obstruction of tall buildings.

The bathrooms are all the same, whether in terms of size or design. All rooms provide baths and comprehensive amenities.

The Superior bathroom

The Superior bathroom

The Superior Rooms

Now let’s explore further, and consider how the various types of room differ. One obvious difference is the varying room sizes. Superior rooms have an area of 35sq.m., and are located on the 3^rd floor to the 10^th floor, the hotel’s top floor.
The Superior room is the cheapest and most common type of room in the hotel, with 78 rooms available.

The Superior room

The Superior room

Facilities in the Superior room.

Facilities in the Superior room.

The Deluxe and Corner Rooms

Deluxe rooms have an area of 40sq.m., and are slightly more expensive, while Corner rooms are the largest with an area of 45sq.m., all of which are located in one of the corners of the hotel.
Both Deluxe and Corner rooms are located on the 3^rd to 7^th floors, and are few in number.

The Deluxe & Corner rooms

The Deluxe & Corner rooms

The Deluxe room and in-room facilities, which are the same as in the Corner room.

A window view from a room at the rear of the hotel.

If you asked us to comment on which type of room was the best and offered the most value,
we would have to say that they were all equally good, as the standard and quality of all room types is the same. However, if we consider room space, Superior rooms are more suitable for those travelling in groups of two, while the Deluxe and Corner rooms for those travelling in groups of 3 or as families.

The Facilities

If the hotel facilities were a dessert, the selection would be limited, but the service would be free. Although the facilities are few in number, and the space allocated to them restricted, the benefit of being able to use them free of charge is greatly appreciated by guests.

The first facility that we visited was the swimming pool, which was not very large but beautifully designed, offering a suitable level of privacy for relaxation. In addition, there is also a fitness room with a capacity of around 7-8 guests, a sauna and a steam room.

Jacuzzi Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool

The fitness room, with a capacity of approximately 7 to 8 guests.

The 5^th floor corridor – spotlessly clean

The La Cuisine Restaurant

We then proceeded to the 2^nd floor in search of a relaxing cold drink at the La Cuisine Restaurant, the only eatery in the hotel. The La Cuisine is open 24 hours a day and seats 60 guests. The buffet breakfast is available from 6am to noon, and the restaurant offers an excellent atmosphere and comfortable surroundings.

The La Cuisine Restaurant

The La Cuisine Restaurant

To add one final point, the free wireless Internet service may be accessed throughout the hotel,
and those who don’t bring their own laptops may rent one at the front reception on this floor.

After hearing guests’ comments about various aspects of the Manhattan Hotel,
we took the liberty of requesting the permission of the hotel to make a visit
in order to draft an article. As soon as we exited Asok BTS skytrain station,
we headed for Sukhumvit Soi 15, which took only a little over 3 minutes’ walk
to reach. The Manhattan Hotel was around 100 metres into Soi 15, and altogether
it must have taken less than 5 minutes.

The surrounding area

Those who appreciate ease of travel will be pleased to hear this,
as the hotel is situated near the main road, not far into the soi.
We didn’t see many shops near the hotel, and the atmosphere was nice
and quiet, not too busy or noisy. It wouldn’t be a bad idea at all
to stay in this area. Before stepping inside, shall we have a look
at the hotel from the outside a little? The hotel is a large, square,
well-designed and decorated building of approximately 9 storeys,
and looks as though it may have been open for quite a long time.

The hotel lobby

As soon as we enter the hotel, we find the lobby area, which in general
is quite spacious. It is divided into three sections:
the front reception, Internet centre and foot massage parlour.

Front reception area.

Guest seating in the lobby area.

Internet centre in the lobby area.

Foot massage in the lobby area.

The Restaurants

There are also two restaurants in the hotel serving guests around the clock. The Broadway
Coffee Shop is situated on the front right side of the hotel, next to the front reception,
and offers guests a buffet breakfast and general menu. The restaurant
is decorated in a simple style and is spacious, but not luxurious or eye-catching.

The Broadway Coffee Shop.

The Jin Seng Korean restaurant

The Jin Seng Korean restaurant, however, which is situated on the front
left side of the hotel, has a much better atmosphere than the Broadway Coffee
Shop, as it is decorated in a modern style and the tables and chairs are
arranged in corners, creating a feeling of privacy.

The Jin Seng Restaurant.

The Jin Seng Restaurant.

The Room

There are a total of 203 hotel rooms, located on the 3^rd to 9^th floors. Guests staying on the higher floors at the front of the hotel are lucky, as they are offered a clear view of the city, and views from rooms on the lower floors are less impressive. Superior, Executive and Deluxe rooms are generally preferred by guests, and we were very disappointed to learn that we would be unable to visit the Superior room due to lack of availability. This type of room is very
popular with guests, so we had especially wanted to make a visit.

Therefore, we only had the opportunity to visit two types of room:
the Executive and the Deluxe. However, we can sum up briefly that,
according to the hotel staff, Executive rooms are in fact Superior rooms
which have been renovated. The extra features of the Executive room
are the tea and coffee facilities, dressing gowns and bathroom slippers.
Apart from this, the Superior and Executive rooms are the same, both in
their area of 28sq.m. and their amenities. Which type of room guests choose to stay in will depend on their budget.

The Executive Room

If guests decide to stay in the Executive room in order to benefit from the newer and smarter
room and amenities, they must of course pay more. Interest in the Superior rooms lies in their
availability and very inexpensive rates. Although some features have been improved,
those features which have yet to be renovated leave something to be desired.

Executive Room

Executive Room

Let’s make a brief visit to the Executive bathroom. Guests will have to put up
with the bathroom a little, as there isn’t much room. This may be because it includes
a bathtub, which makes the area seem a little smaller.

Executive bathroom

The Deluxe room

Let’s continue to the Deluxe room. This type of room is better than we’ve seen in
other hotels, in that it features a private living room area separate from the bedroom;
in fact, it would be better if this design were called a ‘Suite’. The room size and
amenities are the same as the Executive room, but the Deluxe provides TVs both in the
bedroom and the living area. In general, the room is clean, and the various amenities
in the room are new, evidence that the room has recently been renovated.

Deluxe room

Deluxe room

Although we did not praise the interior décor in the bathroom, as it seemed a little
too simple, but if we consider the size of the bathroom, we can confirm that it is really
spacious, with easily enough room for 3 people. The bathroom provides both a shower and a
bathtub.

Deluxe Bathroom

In summary then, the Deluxe, with an area of 34 sq.m. and its in-room amenities, should
not fail to please guests, especially those travelling as families or requiring a room for
3 people. It’s a pity that this type of room is limited in number to only 2 rooms per floor,
so our advice is to make reservations well in advance.

The hotel facilities

The hotel offers quite an array of facilities. In addition to the restaurant, Internet
centre and foot massage parlour located on the ground floor, the second floor offers more
leisure facilities, such as a fitness centre, salon and massage and treatment parlour.

The fitness centre is in the same area as the Thai Massage Parlour.

Salon Room

On the 2nd floor are two more shops: a souvenir shop and a jewellery shop.

The swimming pool

The swimming pool is situated on the 3^rd floor, and is designed in a heart-shape.
Do we feel romantic when we see it? I’m afraid not, but it looks cute. The pool is
medium-sized and surrounded by small and large plants, providing a fresh and shady
atmosphere. The water is very clear and appealing.

The heart-shape swimming pool.

massage & treatment

As far as we have seen, the pride of the hotel must be the massage and treatment parlour,
which is very popular with guests, especially the foot massage and traditional Thai massage
services. The hotel staff is very proud of this, and we didn’t disagree, as merely the
atmosphere and soft aroma made us feel drowsy and start yawning.

Thai Massage