Bangkok and buzz are two words that go very well together. The city is an exciting chaos of people, places and things. To balance out the eccentric madness you need a place where you can really kick your feet up and feel at home. The Shangri-La Bangkok is one of the cities most respected hotels and with attractive rates and additional perks we gave it a spin, plus the river views never hurt…
The Property…
Set along the Chao Praya, near other top hotels such as the Penninsula you arrive at the Shangri La to find a welcoming large scale hotel. You’ll go through a metal detector to get in, but that’s pretty much par for the course in many Bangkok locals.
The entrance hall is totally grand. It’s large, it’s marble, there are flowers everywhere and check in is easy to find. We paid roughly $240 for a suite and club lounge access, which by western standards was a solid value for money and were directed to our room while a porter took our luggage. As club lounge guests, we were also treated to the largest breakfast buffet ever seen featuring everything you’ve ever wanted for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
The Room, A Club Suite…
First impression of the room: wow, it’s large. For a mid level suite the room was fantastic in size. There was a living room, a corridor convenient for storing luggage, an extra large bathroom and a cozy bedroom.
Shangri La Living Room #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
The living room offered incredible river views (shown later), some fresh fruit for refreshment and both hard wired and wireless internet with sufficient speed.
After a night flight and an early AM arrival it was all about the bed. Though all the rooms had a bit of a dated feel to them (carpets, fixtures) the lighting and ambiance was very attractive and the bedding very cozy.
Shangri La Bedroom #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
After a few mere minutes of checking in to see what was going on in the world it was off to bed for a quick morning nap. The blinds were perfect and allowed us full darkness for a solid sleep and the complimentary large bottled water jugs (positioned bedside) was a very nice touch.
If you want to feel like a star in a big hotel, get a suite. The bathroom in this particular Shangri La room was massive, with a jacuzzi tub, shower, and ample sink space. You could almost get lost in there…
Shangri La Bathroom #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
As someone who prefers a shower that beats them with pressure, the shower was epic. No time for a dip in the tub, but it’s a nice option.
One of the best elements of a great suite is a dedicated space for luggage. I hate losing a sitting area to my luggage or clothes, so having a dresser and an otherwise unused space to rest some big cases is much appreciated.
The Facilities + Club Lounge…
The room, though a bit dated, was very nice, but the real value here came in the form of the club lounge. Positioned on the top floor the space was contemporary with traditional leanings and incredibly well spaced. There were endless corridors to hide, conduct business or sip cocktails. Free cocktails…
Before the extensive evening canapés and cocktails time was due to start, we positioned ourself in the corner of the lounge with the best view of the Chao Phraya river. Countless people gave us the stare as they realized we had the best seat in the house with no plans to vacate as long as the free drinks and food continued to flow! Cocktails, wine and beer were all free, as were delectable regional and international bites…
Told ya! The location of the hotel makes for unforgettable Bangkok views and an utterly perfect place to watch the sunset. On this particular occasion we were lucky enough, after a day of gorgeous weather, to witness an incredible lightning storm, which our time lapse (below) captured in incredible detail.
If We Had To Be Picky + Final Thoughts…
Are there newer and better hotels in Bangkok? I am going to say yes. Was the value for money on our particular dates excellent? After a minimum of six delectable Singapore Slings and a few wonderful canapés I must say yes.
The Siam is regarded as the new stunner, the Banyan Tree is famous for its roof deck, the St Regis is supposedly lovely, the Peninsula is theoretically similarly stately and aged, but this was an excellent option and one that I can recommend if the price point is right. It’s a great option IF you grab a club lounge room…
