Extreme Hotels in Bangkok

Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok

Hotel | "Shangri-La Hotel"

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The Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok- one of the most luxurious five-star hotels in town - successfully manages to match the challenge implied by its name. The hotel is a bit too far from the main shopping centers in town, but the Tha Sathon pier offers access to the Chao Praya River ferries and the nearby Saphan Taksin Skytrain station offers a superb access to downtown Bangkok. The Skytrain is the fastest way to move in central Bangkok during the day and Silom - the main business distric...Read More

The Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok- one of the most luxurious five-star hotels in town - successfully manages to match the challenge implied by its name.

The hotel is a bit too far from the main shopping centers in town, but the Tha Sathon pier offers access to the Chao Praya River ferries and the nearby Saphan Taksin Skytrain station offers a superb access to downtown Bangkok. The Skytrain is the fastest way to move in central Bangkok during the day and Silom - the main business district in town - is just minutes away. Despite the neighbor metropolis, the hotel manages to impart a sense of deep tranquility due to the lush tropical gardens around it and the nearby Chao Praya River.

The most economic deal here begins at $175 per night at the main wing (not including 17.70% tax), which is a bargain considering the quality and quantity of the facilities and luxury provided. It is very hard to surprise with the list of the rooms features: a mini-bar and refrigerator, coffee and tea making facilities, air-conditioning, color television with satellite, cables and in-house movies, high-speed broadband internet access, IDD telephone, an electronic safe deposit box, music channels and an overwhelming bathroom with luxurious bathrobes. But it is not that what makes the place worthwhile since most of the three-stars and up hotels in town provide the same facilities; the point is the top-quality of each one of these items. While checking-in it is recommended to ask if the internet services are included in the room's price since not all the offers include it.

It is possible to improve the basic deal just by adding twenty dollars, and get a clear view of the Chao Praya riverside and the two swimming pools next to it. A further upscale, choosing a $220 deal results in a room at the Krungthep Wing, with a gorgeous balcony, a Thai Massage by the pool and a buffet breakfast.

Other services which are not related to the room taken are: same-day laundry and valet service, a shopping arcade, a shuttle service to the central business district, a limousine service, a travel agency and a 24-hour clinic. The hotel spa is superb and has a Chinese style orientation (using ancient healing traditions of China and the Himalayas according to the staff): a refreshing change from the usual Thai Massage in Bangkok.

Nine bars and restaurants complete the picture. They include Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Italian cuisine. It is impossible to sample them all in a short visit; the Riverside Lounge proved to be an excellent choice for me, with an excellent service and a complex menu which included cocktails, coffee, pastries and light meals to be consumed while enjoying the extraordinary views of the Chao Praya River.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 1, 2007

Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok
89 Soi Wat Suan Plu New Road Bangrak
Bangkok, Thailand 10500
662-236-7777

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The Oriental Bangkok

Hotel | "The Oriental"

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The Oriental is considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, yet the prices of the rooms begin at just $289 for the regular rooms. However, the luxury package begins at $1299 per night - not including the many extras available. Even for the not-wealthy traveler this is a golden opportunity to enjoy Thai luxury at least for one night; few world-class hotels are priced so modestly. The hotel is next to the Chao Phrya River and not very far from the main shopping centers in Bangkok, especially from the Silom business district. A few blocks to the...Read More

The Oriental is considered to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, yet the prices of the rooms begin at just $289 for the regular rooms. However, the luxury package begins at $1299 per night - not including the many extras available. Even for the not-wealthy traveler this is a golden opportunity to enjoy Thai luxury at least for one night; few world-class hotels are priced so modestly.

The hotel is next to the Chao Phrya River and not very far from the main shopping centers in Bangkok, especially from the Silom business district. A few blocks to the south, just after crossing the Shangri-La Hotel, are the Tha Sathon pier of the Chao Praya River ferries and the Saphan Taksin Skytrain station in its vicinity offers a superb access to downtown Bangkok. The Oriental is well over one hundred years old and hides behind an unpresumptuous structure; entering, the guest is transferred into a world of comfort, opulence and pure joy.

The rooms are sumptuous - the Thai silk flows in them as water in the nearby Chao Praya - and include a private butler service, a luxurious desk with built-in Internet plugs, a fax machine and printer on request, three IDD telephones with two lines, air-conditioning and humidity control, a color TV with in-house movies, cables and satellite services, a solid safe, a bathrobe and slippers, and an incredible Bose music system including a CD library. A well-stocked mini bar is complemented by fresh fruits and flowers. Some rooms have a separate bathtub and walk-in shower while others combine them; it is worthwhile to inquire at the reception before signing in. Not all the rooms in the Garden Wing have river views, but at the reception this point can be clarified in advance.

The restaurants and bars are unique in Bangkok and are worth a visit even if not staying at the hotel. There are ten options to choose from: Thai, French and Chinese are the main cuisines present; Italian ice-cream, a live jazz bar and the Author's Lounge, which capitalizes on the impressive list of authors who visited the hotel, complete the picture and create an irresistible mix. In a visit too short for trying them all, I opted for Ciao, an Italian restaurant by the riverside and under the stars, in which only the gondolas were missing to make the illusion complete.

However, there is more; the hotel is famous for its Oriental Spa which offers an experience which is most probably unique in a worldwide scale and it is widely recognized as one of the best and most beautiful in the world. In a bold move, the hotel has placed the spa across the Chao Praya River in a traditional, teak-wood Thai house and transfers its guest immediately to another, better, world. A haven of tranquility, the place offers many relaxation treatments performed by professionals in luxurious suites; it is open daily from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 1, 2007

The Oriental Bangkok
48 ORIENTAL AVE
Bangkok, Thailand
66-26599000

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Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok

Hotel | "Holiday Inn Silom"

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Slightly less expensive than its exclusive neighbors (the Oriental and the Shangri-La) the Holiday Inn Silom offers an attractive compromise between lush luxury, a superb location amidst a major commercial and shopping area of Bangkok and reasonable prices. The Surasak Skytrain station provides easy access to other attractions in downtown Bangkok. The Chao Praya River is a few minutes away and from there it is possible to take long-boat trips to the ...Read More

Slightly less expensive than its exclusive neighbors (the Oriental and the Shangri-La) the Holiday Inn Silom offers an attractive compromise between lush luxury, a superb location amidst a major commercial and shopping area of Bangkok and reasonable prices. The Surasak Skytrain station provides easy access to other attractions in downtown Bangkok. The Chao Praya River is a few minutes away and from there it is possible to take long-boat trips to the Grand Palace and other attractions in Bangkok.

The best way of describing the room I got would be: "It had everything." I was on one of the lower floors, so there wasn't much of a view, but the room facilities more than compensated for that; I didn't want to leave the room during my short stay there. There were good communication services, though I didn't manage to connect to the internet from the room with my wireless; the television included cables and in-house movies. A nice touch was the copy of the Bangkok Post placed in the room. The mini-bar was well-equipped but rather expensive. Other services included a swimming pool on the sixth floor and a health club next to it.

As it happened to me in other Thai hotels, my staying alone seemed to be an incomprehensible event to the staff. I didn't expect hearing insinuations and offers at such a luxurious hotel, but it happened. At least my sharp, negative answer was respected; nonetheless, the event created an unpleasant, negative aspect to an otherwise positive experience.

Thailand featuring one of the world's leading cuisines, I find it hard to understand the proliferation of foreign restaurants in Bangkok. Yet, that's the reality and even at the Holiday Inn Silom, only one of the restaurants - the Thai Pavilion (next to the lobby) served local dishes. Other options for whole meals were the buffet meals at the Window on Silom and Indian meals at the Tandoor. A coffee shop attractively named Orchid Lounge and the Cheers Pub completed the list. I chose to dine at the Thai Pavilion. The sumptuous elegance of the place and the traditional Thai dances performed during the evenings were expected, so I tried ignoring them while deciding on a dish able to test their kitchen. Tom Yam Kung, a leading dish in the Thai cuisine, was my choice. Deviations from the original and the chef's creativity could be easily assessed with such a dish. The spicy soup arrived in a classical Thai heater and was obviously prepared from the freshest and finest ingredients. My choice turned out to be a correct one; it was one of the finest dishes I ever sampled in Thailand. I was so pleased that I forgot all my thoughts about a traditional Thai dinner and ended the meal with a steaming cup of excellent espresso. Luckily, my viciously decadent sidestep was overlooked by the staff.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 16, 2007

Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok
981 Silmon Road
Bangkok, Thailand 10500
+66 (2) 238-4300

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Merry V

Hotel

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This journal is a quest for extremes, the most expensive and the cheapest hotels in Bangkok meeting together in one journal. Researching for the bottom side, I got cold feet and didn't dare renting a room offered for B100 - they were located far from Khaosan Road and next to a filthy water canal - nor the dormitory beds which were available for eighty baht (slightly over two dollars).Name IntricaciesFinally, I chose a place just behind the Chana Songkram Temple with the intriguing name of Merry V. The location was superb, two minutes by foot from the noisy Khaosan Ro...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 5, 2008

Merry V
18-20 Phra Athit Rd
Bangkok, Thailand 02280-3315

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Baan Sabai Guest House

Hotel | "Baan Sabai"

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LocationThe Chana Songkram Temple is at the western side of Khaosan Road; surrounding it is Soi Rambuttri, where many of the cheapest guesthouses are. Without explaining the idiosyncrasies of the Thai addressing system, I will just mention that many of the addresses on this road appear as being on Soi Rongmai, Thanon Chaofa and Soi Chana Songkram; despite that, walking around the temple is a safe way to find Baan Sabai.Baan Sabai is at walking distance from the Grand Palace, the ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 5, 2008

Baan Sabai Guest House
12 Soi Rongmai
Bangkok, Thailand
(02) 629 1599

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Bangkok Journals

Extreme Hotels in Bangkok

Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok

The Oriental Bangkok

Holiday Inn Silom Bangkok

Merry V

Baan Sabai Guest House

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