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Bangkok site inspections - FS, St. Regis, The Siam

Bangkok site inspections - FS, St. Regis, The Siam

Old Oct 11, 2014, 2:25 pm
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Bangkok site inspections - FS, St. Regis, The Siam

I was last in Bangkok in 2007… see my site inspections from that trip here. Last trip I stayed at The Peninsula on the river; this time I wanted to experience the downtown area. I did not visit the MO or the Peninsula, but JessicaO did stay at the MO and will report on her stay.


Four Seasons Bangkok

We were guests for three nights at the FS Bangkok. The best luxury value in downtown Bangkok, the Four Seasons was originally built 31 years ago as a Peninsula. Its lobby resembles the Peninsula Hong Kong and features beautiful hand-painted ceilings and an amazing mural on the grand staircase. Branded as a Regent shortly after it opened, the hotel became a FS following the purchase of the Regent chain by Four Seasons.

Four Seasons has the largest footprint of any hotel in Bangkok, the hotel’s central wing flanked by two wings built around courtyards. With a total of 354 rooms, it is larger than most FS properties. Lead-in Deluxe rooms are better proportioned than those at the neighboring St. Regis; they are a bit wider with better closet space. Deluxe View rooms are identical in size and layout but feature views of the Sports Club. Being an older hotel, however, bathrooms are not as as up-to-date. Deluxe rooms have just a single vanity, bathtub, step-in shower, and toilet (not in a WC). The single vanity should not be an issue if you're on business traveling alone.

The hotel has recently been renovated; guest rooms are styled with dark wood, textured wall treatments, and decorative panels behind the beds, all of which creates an attractive Asian feel. Rooms are decorated in one of two color schemes, red/orange/yellow and purple/green/yellow, both of which I found attractive.

Beginning with the Jr. Suite category, bathrooms have dual vanities and a separate WC.

Executive Suites are larger than Jr. Suite with 1.5 baths and a door between the bedroom and living room. This level and above enjoy Club privileges.

For a real WOW, consider the Jim Thompson Suite (named after silk designer Jim Thompson). A 2 BR Suite on the 8th floor overlooking the Sports Club, this suite has British Colonial styling — painted wooden ceilings and walls — creating a very residential feel. I am told that this is Hillary’s favorite suite.

The hotel has a great restaurant - Spice Market, a spa, and a very large outdoor pool; Cabana rooms have direct access to the pool area.


St. Regis Bangkok

Right next door to the Four Seasons, the St. Regis Bankok is a new hotel, just 3 1/2 years old (having opened April 1, 2011). It is an example of St. Regis’s “Glass House” style (contemporary) as opposed to the “Metropolitan Manor” style (think of the formal elegance of St. Regis New York). St. Regis Bangkok is a modern hotel with a quite attractive contemporary elegance. White marble floors, black with white-veined marble accents, and grey silk wall paneling all contribute to an atmosphere I’d enjoy making home for a few days.

The front door leads to a public lobby with entrances to two restaurants and a brand new lounge. Zuma, a Japanese restaurant, is decorated with a Zen feel and the aroma of the charcoal robata grill fills the air. Jojo, an Italian restaurant, is also beautifully decorated; we enjoyed dinner there with GM Holger Jakobs — Claire enjoyed her breast of duck and my fish was moist, light, and flavorful … a most excellent dinner, even in our jet-lagged condition.

An elevator takes guests to the main lobby on the 12th floor from which a second bank of elevators provides access to the 227 guest rooms and suites which occupy floors 16-24. There are additional restaurants and lounges on the 12th floor, including Viu, an all-day restaurant with a homey “open kitchen” feel; this is where Virtuoso guests will enjoy the breakfast buffet. “Viu” refers to the view enjoyed by guests in the hotel — a panorama of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club across the street with its private golf course, fields for rugby and soccer, tennis courts, and even horse racing on the second Sunday of each month.

All Virtuoso guests will enjoy an upgrade at booking from Deluxe to Grand Deluxe — “grand” referring not to size but the frontal view of the Sports Club across the street. Being on the 16th floor and above, the view of the Sports Club is totally unobstructed and quite interesting. Rooms are generously sized with King (or Queen Queen) bedding and a desk and seating area in front of the windows. Bathrooms are everything you would expect with dual vanities, soaking tub, step-in rain shower, and WC. The richness of the materials and variety of colors, textures, and patterns all contribute to an aesthetically pleasing environment. Rooms range from 45 - 47 sqm; my one critique is that the room we were able to see (# 1704) seemed a bit “long and narrow” to me.

For a WOW, book a Caroline Astor Corner Suite, quite a value. Entering a large living room, the Suite provides an impressive Master Bedroom with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the view of the Sports Club. Even the soaking tub has the same commanding view. Each Caroline Astor Corner Suite has an available Queen-Queen second bedroom, making a great 2 BR Suite.

St. Regis has an attractive, small outdoor pool, a well equipped gym, and a Elemis spa. This new hotel is a real winner in the heart of downtown Bangkok.


The Siam

The takeaway — The Siam feels like an Aman resort without the minimalism. Open for two years, it has just 28 suites and 11 Pool Villas. Room layout resembles Aman rooms with the same horizontal symmetry, but both the styling of guest rooms and the decoration of the resort (I would call it French Colonial) is filled with interesting and attractive details. Guestrooms have one-of-a-kind antiques, and the owner’s collection of memorabilia is displayed throughout the resort — everything from Ming vases to antique typewriters to photographic equipment from many decades ago.

But this is only half of the story. GM Jason Friedman (who has previously worked both with Aman and FS Tented Camp) is utterly passionate about The Siam and Bangkok. Jason will gladly sit down with guests and help them plan their stay. Here’s his own description:
Our location is distinctive because you can access most points of interest by foot, Siam Boat or short tuk-tuk ride. Bangkok’s Old Town, Historic District and Riverside have some of the Kingdom’s finest restaurants, markets, artists, galleries, shopping, temples, neighborhoods and architecture - most of which are off the tourist track. Slow travel is the norm here where the journey is just as important as the destination.
Lead-in Siam Suites are a large 80 sqm. The doorway leads directly into the living room with the sofa, centered against the front wall of the suite, facing a flat screen tv (a non-Aman element). Moving into the bedroom, the King bed is centered in the room facing an even larger flatscreen TV. The desk and workspace are behind a short room divider at the foot of the bed. The bathroom is beyond the bedroom and equipped with a soaking tub centered against the far wall, two vanities, step-in shower, and WC.

Siam Suites upgrade to Riverview Suites, 25% larger at 100 sqm and with a different floor plan. The living area is at the far end of the room to take advantage of the river view.

There are eleven Pool Villas, each featuring a private plunge pools in its courtyard. Their interior space of the villas is on two levels, the living room on the lower level and the bedroom on the higher level.

In addition to a wonderful restaurant (we enjoyed our lunch immensely), The Siam has a spa, fully equipped gym (with a small boxing ring!), a beautiful pool, a library anda business center, and a screening room (a living room like setting in which small groups can watch movies on a large projection screen).
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Old Oct 11, 2014, 3:16 pm
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Jason Friedman makes the Siam, IMO, and is the sole reason I changed my reservation from the St. Regis to the Siam.

Can't to see him again!
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 12:21 am
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Thanks David for the reviews^

The Four Seasons is a fantastic hotel, and I think its front desk/concierge team is by far the best in town. I like all categories from Jr. Suite (formerly Premier Room) and above, but in particular I enjoy the Cabanas and the Deluxe Suites, which are stunning.

I have been in the Rajadamri Suite, which is beautiful but much too large for single or double occupancy. It would be perfect for a dignitary or anyone traveling with a large entourage of staff, as it has large living rooms and a dining room with a very large table.

I agree that the Jim Thompson suite is very nice, and it is a perfect two bedroom option for familiea with children. For myself, I would rather have a Deluxe suite though.

Spice Market has the best Thai food I have had at any hotel restaurant in BKK, and my Thai friends agree. F&B is excellent throughout the hotel, and the World Gourmet Festival is not to be missed (I was just there in late August).

Last edited by MikeFromTokyo; Oct 12, 2014 at 12:28 am
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 9:07 am
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Originally Posted by MikeFromTokyo
Thanks David for the reviews^

The Four Seasons is a fantastic hotel, and I think its front desk/concierge team is by far the best in town. I like all categories from Jr. Suite (formerly Premier Room) and above, but in particular I enjoy the Cabanas and the Deluxe Suites, which are stunning.

I have been in the Rajadamri Suite, which is beautiful but much too large for single or double occupancy. It would be perfect for a dignitary or anyone traveling with a large entourage of staff, as it has large living rooms and a dining room with a very large table.

I agree that the Jim Thompson suite is very nice, and it is a perfect two bedroom option for familiea with children. For myself, I would rather have a Deluxe suite though.

Spice Market has the best Thai food I have had at any hotel restaurant in BKK, and my Thai friends agree. F&B is excellent throughout the hotel, and the World Gourmet Festival is not to be missed (I was just there in late August).
No doubt hard product + soft product is top tier. But...location? Is the area too..financial centered? From what I've heard from both this property and the StR - while its nice they're near the rail - they aren't in the most unique part of town..
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 9:22 am
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Thanks for that, DavidO. I've been to Bangkok more often than I care to remember, usually as a 2-3 day stopover to somewhere else, but nowadays I avoid it if at all possible. I've stayed at the Oriental, the Shangri-La and the Regent/Four Seasons but my favourite in the city has always been the Hilton-then-Swissotel at Nai Lert Park. The garden, landscaping and pool are without equal in the city and while the rooms are perhaps on the small side the public areas are spectacular. Great value, too.
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 9:40 am
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Thanks for that, DavidO. I've been to Bangkok more often than I care to remember, usually as a 2-3 day stopover to somewhere else, but nowadays I avoid it if at all possible. I've stayed at the Oriental, the Shangri-La and the Regent/Four Seasons but my favourite in the city has always been the Hilton-then-Swissotel at Nai Lert Park. The garden, landscaping and pool are without equal in the city and while the rooms are perhaps on the small side the public areas are spectacular. Great value, too.
Interesting comment Re: Nai Lert.

The non-lux (i.e. solid 4*) properties don't get enough love on here. For example, I hear great things Re: Sofitel So, SPG props, and the Conrad...
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 10:57 am
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Originally Posted by pricesquire
No doubt hard product + soft product is top tier. But...location? Is the area too..financial centered? From what I've heard from both this property and the StR - while its nice they're near the rail - they aren't in the most unique part of town..
I spend 30~50 hotel nights in BKK per year mostly split between the Peninsula, FS, and Grand Hyatt Erawan (spa cottages). Anyone who spends a good deal of time in Bangkok knows that there is an advantage to a central location if one wants to go shopping, out to dinner, or has meetings to attend.

Of course, for most stays I prefer to be on the river at Pen or MO. I just wish the service there were as good as it is at the Four Seasons.

Last edited by MikeFromTokyo; Oct 12, 2014 at 11:19 am
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 11:30 am
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Originally Posted by MikeFromTokyo
I spend 30~50 hotel nights in BKK per year mostly split between the Peninsula, FS, and Grand Hyatt Erawan (spa cottages). Anyone who spends a good deal of time in Bangkok knows that there is an advantage to a central location if one wants to go shopping, out to dinner, or has meetings to attend.

Of course, for most stays I prefer to be on the river at Pen or MO. I just wish the service there were as good as it is at the Four Seasons.
Gotcha. Thanks!
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 3:45 pm
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Originally Posted by pricesquire
The non-lux (i.e. solid 4*) properties don't get enough love on here. For example, I hear great things Re: Sofitel So, SPG props, and the Conrad...
SPG and Hilton have their own forums on FT. Sofitel is such a mish-mash they hardly factor in most markets as anything memorable.
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 6:22 pm
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Originally Posted by ABG
SPG and Hilton have their own forums on FT. Sofitel is such a mish-mash they hardly factor in most markets as anything memorable.
I agree; that said, the St. Regis is discussed on here, and that's in it's own forum as well.

I consistently hear good things about the Conrad FWIW
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Old Oct 12, 2014, 10:08 pm
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Originally Posted by pricesquire
I agree; that said, the St. Regis is discussed on here, and that's in it's own forum as well.

I consistently hear good things about the Conrad FWIW
While by all accounts nice properties, Conrad and So Sofitel aren't at the same level as the properties discussed here. Frankly, in my opinioin, St. Regis isn't either. I would love to live in the residences on the upper floors, but for hotel stays I will always choose the Four Seasons next door.

St. Regis could make a lot of sense for spg platinum members, who would likely get suite upgrades even if booking standard rooms.

Last edited by MikeFromTokyo; Oct 13, 2014 at 4:50 am
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Old Oct 13, 2014, 4:33 am
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Originally Posted by MikeFromTokyo
Thanks David for the reviews^

The Four Seasons is a fantastic hotel, and I think its front desk/concierge team is by far the best in town.
+1 on both counts (Thanks to DavidO and to the excellent hotel management and guest services teams).
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Old Oct 13, 2014, 9:56 am
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Bangkok site inspections - FS, St. Regis, The Siam

loved the four seasons earlier in the year when we were there.I thought their club lounge was great,no shortage of local beer always iced for us and extremely friendly staff, always addressing you by name,I will be back
I didn't know there are other restaurants in the St Regis next door,we should have went up.
In terms of location, out the door and a short walk to the right and you are in an upscale shopping street with a large shopping centre across the road.
To the left,a slightly longer walk and you are in the heart of a more authentic street market and Thai bar scene.
So yes this is IMHO a good location.
We visited the Pen and the mandarin oriental but felt them a tad out of the way.
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Old Oct 13, 2014, 5:35 pm
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After a couple of stays, I really find the Four Seasons BKK a bit 'meh'. The staff and service is generally. good, of course, but the look is rather dated, the pool often has too many children making noise, and the breakfast area can be hectic and overrun (least impressive aspect of the property, IMO).

Maybe it comes down to personal taste, but the FS really isn't even close to my go-to in Bangkok. Even some of the decidedly mid-range places do some things much better (such as breakfast at both Le Meridien Bangkok and the Metropolitan).
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Old Oct 13, 2014, 9:55 pm
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Originally Posted by makin'miles
After a couple of stays, I really find the Four Seasons BKK a bit 'meh'. The staff and service is generally. good, of course, but the look is rather dated, the pool often has too many children making noise, and the breakfast area can be hectic and overrun (least impressive aspect of the property, IMO).

Maybe it comes down to personal taste, but the FS really isn't even close to my go-to in Bangkok. Even some of the decidedly mid-range places do some things much better (such as breakfast at both Le Meridien Bangkok and the Metropolitan).
I have never had breakfast downstairs, always room service or executive club. I find breakfast there quite good, but then again a lot of Bangkok hotels as you say have wonderful breakfast spreads.

Cooked to order hot items in the executive club are a plus.

While it is not a new hotel, I feel it has aged well. I love the teak wood and the Thai artwork in the rooms and suites, as well as the public spaces. The floral arrangements in the lobby are beautiful, and for me the entire hotel exudes elegance.

The front desk and concierge team, management, and many other staff members really embody the Four Seasons ethic. The level of caring and personalized service I received on a recent stay was extraordinary.
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