Plaza Athénée Bangkok, A Royal Méridien Hotel

This review is for our fourth stay at this awesome property and is dedicated to a friend who loves this hotel. We booked a King Deluxe room for THB 3,600++ (about $142 ai) and was upgraded upon check-in to Deluxe Suite but we had to wait for its occupant at the time (another Platinum) who had a late check-out of 8 PM. Because they were fully booked, they couldn't offer me a room to wait at until our suite was ready. Our hotel at the time was the SGS which agreed to keep us until 8 PM including benefits as a complimentary late check out. Finally our suite was ready and we moved in at around 9 PM.

Room: As indicated above the room was a deluxe one bedroom suite # 1901 many floors below the Le Royal Club lounge which is on the 26th floor. This suite was very beautiful, well-appointed, and spacious with 86 SQM and great views of Wireless Rd. on one side and Ratchaprasong on the other. Large windows allowing plenty of light into this wonderful suite. Good size bathroom with a huge tub, a separate shower, and sink. The suite was clean and comfortable with one flat screen TV in the living room and another in the bedroom. The living room consisted of two couches, a coffee table, and an office desk with matching chair. The king bed was very comfortable and plush in the bedroom plus there was a little "day bed" by the window, and a makeup table with its chair. There was another bathroom at the suite's vestibule with sink and commode only. Another friend says that staying at this suite is like staying at a friend's condo.

Service: Excellent and attentive service by Le Royal Club, housekeeping and other staff members. Some minor issues with check-in as we made to wait until 9 PM for accommodations but that was not their fault as they were fully booked. Turn down and additional housekeeping service was performed daily. Taxis were hailed promptly by the porter on demand 24/7. We requested a baby crib for our toddler son and one was delivered promptly.

Le Royal Club Lounge: Located on the 26th floor is very charming as its style (setup and furniture) evokes the feeling of Indo-china circa 1930. Good size with several rooms to accommodate privacy. Small computer room with 3 terminals are available to guests. Children are allowed in the lounge. Alcohol is complimentary during happy hour and several premium brands (such as 18 year single malt Scotch) were served. Decent food offerings in addition to beverages during high tea time and cocktail hours.

Food: Breakfast was at the Rain Tree Café on the ground floor served between 5:30-10:30 AM. Offering full buffet breakfast including omelet/eggs station, noodles station, waffles, pancakes, pastries, Thai, Asian and Japanese soups and entrees, fruits, cereals, yogurts, etc. in addition to hot beverages. Dinning at the French restaurant Reflexions on the third floor was a great experience. We had a dinner one night and it was the first time I tried frog legs ... they really do taste like chicken! They play silent-era B&W flicks on one of their high walls. Great service and excellent food. We also had dinner several times at the seafood buffet at the Rain Tree Café. In addition to great quality of food, it was a bargain to eat there. Many other food outlets at this hotel that we did not try such as Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurants.

Location: Excellent location right in the heart of Bangkok at Embassy Row (Wireless Road) and very close to Phloenchit skytrain station (BTS). Taxis are plentiful in Bangkok and for a mere $3-5 you could be transported to any point in Bangkok from this hotel. Sukhumvit, Chilom and Siam shopping areas are within walking distance. 7-11, grocery stores, Starbucks, etc, are also very close.

Swimming Pool & Spa: This property contains a very nice pool area and garden in Thai setting. There is a pool bar. The Spa is located at the floor above the pool.

Overall, very nice and friendly property which I consider as one of the best in Bangkok and I have stayed at many five-star properties in Bangkok. See our photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalboz/sets/72157621936814163

Thank you for this good review and the pictures!

It seems i will try this hotel next time in Bkk also...

Greetings Mark

As always Kalboz- great report. Also this hotel serves Illy espresso by the pool- which is a nice benefit.

Kalboz, great photos and report! I stayed in the same type of suite as yours too. This is a good hotel, but I prefer Le Meridien's decor better. I prefer more contemporary design, so I usually book LM even though sometimes PA rate is more competitive.

LM does have a very nice decor- however the location of the PA is probably better for many people.

Stayed here during a mini-mileage run (trip report to follow) in March 2011, and this property was definitely one of our favorites. Stayed in LM Chiang Rai, LM Chiang Mai, LM Bangkok, ROS and Plaza Athénée. In particular, we loved the Club Lounge and the fabulous breakfast buffet. All of the above hotels had impressive breakfast offerings and surroundings, but the actual taste of the food at PA was as though their chef was simply more skilled. Great Platinum treatment -- will definitely alternate between this at the ROS (because we love its river location) next time in Bangkok.

One of the best in Thailand. We really enjoy it.

Helpful note is the http://www.thantakit.com/ dental clinic is steps outside the front door.
Great and cheap dental care.

Note the noodle/duck soup to order cart in the back center of photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/21065622@N08/3488812128/

Kalboz,
Thanks for the great review. Stayed here back in 2009 and loved it, Great Lounge and Breakfast.

sdcarver

Noodles made to order at breakfast - Raintree Cafe

Awesome review Kalboz! Thanks for the great memories!
We stayed in mid-2009 at this fabulous hotel, we remember, outstanding service, great cocktails, supremely comfortable room on the Royal Club Floor, excellent hotel! Let's only hope Starwood does continue the Royal Meridien tradition, not many Royal Meridien properties left after they had overtaken the LM chain a few years back.

Love the expansive lounge and offerings, the location on Wireless road is a real boon for the hotel, excellent in every sense. Hope to stay there again!

The Lounge is beautiful indeed, we also remember the wonderful breakfast and the service! Thanks Kalboz for the great memories!

Thanks! Great Memories!

sdcarver

Agree that the Breakfast is wonderful and so to is the Lounge. Gym was a bit small, but I liked the swimming pool.

It has been awhile we have stayed at the Plaza Athenee - A Royal Meridien Hotel in Bangkok but I would like to share our views with all MP'ers!

Because the property is a timeless and beautiful hotel of the highest order in our books with a location on Wireless Road which cannot be beaten by many other fine hotels in this magnificent and magical city.

First Impressions: A beautiful and gleaming tower, arrived by taxi, have been taken care of straight from the beginning, a large and impressive lobby with a massive marbe layout and wonderful staircase plus chandeliers.

Welcome: Check-in was efficient and we had been ushered to the Royal Club Lounge in the lobby. Received a welcome drink and our luggage was already on the room so far we remember it.

Our Room: Most beautiful in every way, from stunning views, Thai details, a beautiful large bed with soft linen, excellent views all around from up here incl. the Baiyoke 2 Tower, the of now highest building in the Kingdom. This will surely change in the future as newer and even higher towers are pursued. Btw. a visit to the 84th floor Baiyoke 2 Tower's Observation deck is a must in it's own right! Spectacular!

Our Bathroom: A beautiful bathroom, we had a wonderful bathtub, all the essentials incl. bath amenities with Le Meridien's own branded Basil // Lime range at the time.

Club Lounge: The Royal Club is huge, wonderfully furnished and offers some great views, books, magazines and superb service too. Breakfast is served in the Cafe downstairs, there we sampled items from the famous chef Jean Georges Vongerichten, his signature dishes for the Le Meridien chain. So far we remember, the breakfast can be described as one of the best we ever had, interestingly, the same fantastic choice we had also enjoyed at the Le Meridien in Kuala Lumpur. The Royal Club offers also afternoon tea, full service, drinks all day, snacks all day, internet, business services, happy hour with a full array of warm // cold dishes and alcoholic // non-alcoholic drinks.

Location: As earlier mentioned the location cannot be beaten by many hotels, beside the Conrad which is one of the neighbours. We love Wireless Road, a great location, a beautiful street, near everything from Sukhumvit Road, Embassies, businesses, temples and shops of course! Bangkok is a beautiful city! The City of Life!

Overall: I ache to stay here again as does my better half, we really love this hotel, one of the more traditional Le Meridien offerings but it is a Royal Meridien, a special designation for special hotels within the Le Meridien brand, today there are not many Royal offerings anymore around the world within the Starwood family. We received great services, had a Mercedes Limousine to Suvarnabhumi Airport, free water, loved the Royal Club, had some cocktails at the Glaz Bar, no typo, it is written with z! Have seen the outdoor pool and the views from up there, gorgeous and enjoyed the location so much as the beautiful breakfast and least not forget our wonderful room with all the amenities we could ever need. Would we return? In a heartbeat or even faster!

Here are some photos from our Flickr account of this most superb // luxurious property in the heart of the City of Life, Bangkok, enjoy and when in Bangkok, I recommend you consider the Plaza Athenee, A Royal Meridien Hotel on Wireless Road:


The Plaza Athenee - A Royal Meridien Hotel in Bangkok - Thailand - July 2009 - ( zoomed in photo ) - View out for the sign on the roof of the magnificent hotel! by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ], on Flickr

^ The sign of great hospitality in Bangkok


The Plaza Athenee - A Royal Meridien Hotel Bangkok - Thailand - July 2009 - One of the most beautiful poolscapes in Bangkok! Thai traditions with an international flair! by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ], on Flickr

^ Gorgeous Thai outdoor swimming pool, wonderful up here


The Plaza Athenee - A Royal Meridien Hotel in Bangkok - Wireless Road - July 2009! The bed is superb, large and comfortable! The white linen are a dream come true for relaxation! by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ], on Flickr

^ Fantastic bed, Royal Club Floor Room, gorgeous


The Plaza Athenee - A Royal Meridien Hotel in Bangkok - Wireless Road - July 2009! Large and Executive style with superb details, this was our writingdesk in our bedroom at this superb hotel! The class to ignite passion! by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ], on Flickr

^ Excellent writing desk, seating and presentation, wonderful


The Plaza Athenee - A Royal Meridien Hotel in Bangkok - Wireless Road - July 2009! Our view from the bedroom from the 27th floor! Floor to ceiling windows! How nice the world can be! Baiyoke II Tower in sight! by UggBoy♥UggGirl [ PHOTO // WORLD // TRAVEL ], on Flickr

^ Beautiful views of the Bangkok skyline from our room incl. the fabled Baiyoke 2 Tower which offers a splendid Observation deck on the 84th floor, highly recommended to visit and have some outstanding views from up there

Thanks for reading and a big thanks to Kalboz for his encouragement to write about our experiences in this most outstanding property in the City of Life, Bangkok! Hope you like it too?

This is my favorite property within SPG.

SGS has some advantages in terms of Plat service (on demand french press coffee comes to mind). But:

• The rate has always been cheaper than SGS, sometimes significantly.
• The Plat amenities never disappoint.
• Access to mass transit, while not as good as SGS, is a 3 minutes walk to the BTS tops. Plus it's 5 additional minutes to the subway via the BTS.
• I've never had a request/favor not taken care of.
• It feels like 'home' while I'm in Bangkok.

Sorry for the double post, but yesterday reiterated why I love the PA.

I have three stays coming up this week in Bangkok for a mini-matress run/vacation. I'll be at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit, the Sheraton Grade Sukhumvit, and the PA.

Last night I got an email from the PA asking about bed type, smoking preference, and estimated check in time. I replied and got a response in about 30 minutes confirming my choices, but not guaranteeing the requests.

I haven't heard a thing from the WSG or the SGS.

I'll report back with pics once I've completed the stay.

Just received a promo email from SPG: Free up some time for free nights in Thailand!

The lowest rate I am getting here is THB 2,867++ per night (around $110 all in) for dates in late April ... a great rate for this awesome property especially if you are a Platinum (breakfast buffet, lounge access, potential suite upgrade, etc.).

That is a phenomenal rate for a wonderful hotel!

This might appeal to non-platinum SPG members & others!

The Bangkok Plaza Athenee is offered through May 1st at wotif.com for $115/night all in (plus $5 fee per booking) including daily breakfast buffet for two guests.

Hey all - The SGS is my fave hotel in Bangkok, but I've never stayed in the PA. I love the SGS pool and the size of their rooms. I also love their service. And I especially love their breakfast (and the fact that I can eat outside and in).

But - the PA has a crazy rate via their Buy 2 get 1 free promo which would save me some coin. Does anyone have any experience with both hotels - and solely based on the things I like, would they suggest the PA over SGS. Is the breakfast at PA on par with SGS?

You can get the same rate booking direct on SPG (3665 Baht, including breakfast). Seems $2 per night cheaper booking direct - although that just may be the conversion rate.

Read the reviews here and share with us your own experiences: Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit

I checked SPG.com before posting the wotif rate and the same dates I was getting over THB 4K rate per night for the PA on SPG.com ... YMMV!

SPG Starpicks Rates of as low as THB 3K++/night for selected dates through end of May.