Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, what a great find.
Bangkok is a city I love, perhaps my favorite city in the world. Since Thailand's borders have [...]
Thailand
Bangkok is a city I love, perhaps my favorite city in the world. Since Thailand's borders have reopened I have been lucky enough to pass through these parts 3 times. The last one in February when the city lights were still partially off. This time, however, everything shines (almost) as brightly as before.
In this article:
Last time I stayed in three hotels in the Marriott group: W Hotel, Westin Grande Sukhumvit and Aloft, that is, one luxury, one intermediate, and one entry-level facility.
The best bonuses
Something similar to what I did on this trip, but aiming for three hotels in the Hilton group-Waldorf Astoria, Doubletree, and Hilton Suckhumvit.
Reservation
The idea was simple: one night at the Doubletree and one night at the Hilton-the two facilities are literally attached to each other. I booked, of course, through the official channels to get the benefits and accumulate the points.
The cost of one night for a basic room in this hotel started at 4900 thb, just under 140€. I however I always invest a few extra euros to book the X2 fare, the one that, for a little extra, allows you to accumulate twice as many base points per stay.
It is a cost that is added to the room, But it is the absolute cheapest way to buy points. In addition, the rate in this case is fully cancellable up to the day before arrival without penalty.
The cost in points started at 37k Hilton Honors per night, a suboptimal conversion even if you put in even the fifth night for free.
Location
As the name suggests, this hotel is located in the district of Sukhumvit, one of the most central and the one where the BTS runs, which allows people to get around quickly while avoiding the hellish traffic of the Thai capital.
We are in the S0i 24 area, far from the Soi famous for the city's nightlife and exaggerated. Here we are in one of the most transforming areas of the city after the Bang Rak district, where MahaNakhon, the iconic 78-story skyscraper, is located.
Here Thailand is mixed with a little bit of Ireland and especially a lot of Japan. It is one of the most colorful areas of the city, not like Chinatown, but neither is there the chaos that there is in the Chinese district. BTS Phrom Phong bus stop is a 3-minute walk away and around there are lots of hotels such as the Hyatt Place, the Mercure, the Ibis and precisely the Doubletree. In the area there are shopping malls, all kinds of restaurants, and of course you can breathe the Bangkok air.
Check-in
This hotel is connected by a passageway with the Doubletree, guests can safely mix and use cross-services since the two facilities are under the same ownership and management.
So after checking out of the hotel famous for the chocolate cookie, I walked two minutes to get inside this hotel.
Obviously these are two structures that are not comparable, although sometimes they have very similar prices. My advice is dispassionate: For a few tens of euros, this hotel is much better than the Doubletree. I would say its competitor is the brand new Marriott Surawongse.
Quick and stress-free check-in during which the attendant informed me that, thanks to my status, I had been upgraded: from a basic room to a Premium Deluxe Executive. Double room upgrade with a savings of about 1200 bath per night, or almost 30€.
PS the difference between a Deluxe Executive room and a Premium Deluxe Executive room is only in the fact that guests in the latter type of room will have an evening pass of room service.
An art gallery
The hotel hosts art exhibits; during my stay there was an exhibit being held by an artist with Down syndrome. But there are artworks throughout the facility.
I really like the artistic approach with these statues scattered around the hotel that are so reminiscent of the figures of women painted by Botero. They are everywhere.
In the lobby, rooms, and pool.
The room
My room was on the 20th floor with a view of the city, the hotel is oriented differently than the Doubletree, and I must say that these rooms have a better view, although the one in this neighborhood is not the best skyline Bangkok has to offer.
Large room with huge window, lots of light during the day and beautiful views at night.
Very generously sized king size bed and excellent quality. These chains have their mattresses, toppers, and sheets produced on an ad hoc basis and are a certainty. Products so good that they are also sold to the public at crazy, slightly discounted prices For those with the status. In room mega ordinance screen, stocked mini-bar. Very comfortable desk for smartworking, and from which I worked a couple of hours. Armchair for relaxing under the window light. Everything really in perfect Hilton style with that right addition of Thai approach.
The bathroom is also very beautiful and impressive. Toilet, with Japanese toilet seat, Is separated by a smoked glass door. The rest of the bathroom is exposed with a small spa which contains a beautiful bathtub and a huge walk-in shower. All with a view of the room, if you don't like it, just pull down the curtain and you have total privacy.
The structure
The hotel is not new, but it looks it, all the common areas are perfect.
It is a 26-story tower. On the ground floor is the Mondo restaurant, on the second a second Scalini restaurant. Third and fourth floors are occupied by the reception hall, meeting rooms and executive lounge. Rooms occupy all floors up to the 24th.
On the second-to-last floor is a BEAUTIFUL room, somewhere between a presidential suite with a kitchen and a location for a reality show called The Summit.
On the top floor are the pool, gym, and a bar. The pool is not huge but poking around the other hotels in the area it is definitely the biggest, too bad the SkyLine is not yet the top in this neighborhood.
Executive Lounge
This benefit is most important to me, I appreciate it when I travel with my family but especially when I travel for work. Having an environment where I can go to work and not disturb anyone or where I can have a meal/drink with my daughter is perfect, also in terms of saving money. Getting free drinks in the lounge instead of paying 5$ for a can of Coke in the minibar.
On the day I arrived, the lounge was closed due to construction, so service was moved to the Scalini restaurant, the one where breakfast is normally served.
The lounge is operational: for breakfast, if you don't want to have it with the rest of the guests; from 3 to 4:30 p.m. for classic afternoon tea, with sweet and savory snacks; and from 5 to 7 p.m. for cocktail time.
All free, all exclusively for Diamond guests and/or those staying in Executive rooms.
We have often talked about the Gold Hilton Honors level such as the one included in the annual fee of American Express Platinum, before I became a Diamond I often booked an Executive room specifically to have access to the lounges. When traveling as a family, this investment pays off immediately with breakfast included, but it is with the ability to get drinks, juice, munch on something without having to pay anything that you really save money. If for a single person 30€ may not be worth the investment, for a family of 3 is a colossal theft from the hotel.
Since I had to work, I popped in at both tea time and what we would call aperitif time. Excellent appetizers, extremely high quality products, very well presented. Cocktails where the alcohol felt good and served with a smile by the hotel staff.
Breakfast
I admit expectations were high, because I was ready to compare the breakfast at this hotel with that of the Marriott Surawongse but it was not: there was no match between the two proposals. Marriott wins 3 to 0. There is nothing wrong or low quality here, only that there is the same offer as the Doubletree.
The buffet is set up differently, but the menu is identical. And if for a Doubletree it is a very rich and quality offering, in a Hilton one expects something better.
There is the noodle station, there is the area where they make omelets and eggs to order. In short, there is everything you expect, but there is nothing to give you that wow effect that I had in the competing hotel.
The swimming pool
As mentioned, on the 26th floor is the rooftop pool. In this case Hilton and Marriot can play for it., but Marriot always wins. The pool is not large, but - apart from the Conrad - I have not seen any hotels in Bangkok with large swimming pools.
It could not be otherwise since we are on the roof of a skyscraper. Of course the view is not of Bangkok's best skyline, but one can hardly expect everything and more. It's just too bad that the bar does not offer a real "after dinner" experience but is mainly designed to serve pool guests.
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In conclusion
Next time I pass through these parts I will visit the Millenium Hilton, a property slightly off the usual Bangkok tourist routes, which was completely renovated just before the covid. In the meantime, this is definitely the most beautiful hotel of the Hilton group in this city, below of course the unmatched Waldorf Astoria.
The price is definitely in line with other facilities, in fact it is often even considerably cheaper thanks to the group's promos.
Pro
- The structure
- The panoramic swimming pool
- The lounge
Against
- Breakfast is not wow
- Missed the evening review of the room