I just completed two stays over a few nights here, and both stays were a total debacle. I think they are really struggling with the high occupancy levels. Having stayed half a dozen times in the past and the Athenee having been my favourite property in Bangkok, I put aside some of the recent critical reviews in this thread, but both stays I left feeling disappointed with the experience.

My first stay was under the Test & Go program with transfers from BKK. I chose the Athenee as it appeared to be one of the few properties guaranteeing a 2 hour turnaround time on the PCR test as I wanted to maximise my time exploring Bangkok. Upon arriving at the property I was told by the bellboy who greeted me that my results may actually take 3 or 4 hours and that I would receive a call once the hotel receives the results. I was disappointed to hear they weren’t honouring the 2 hour guarantee they advertising online, but was even more disappointed after sitting in my room for 4 hours having still received no call. On calling the front desk I was told that my results arrived hours ago and that I should have been emailed directly by the hospital, which was incongruent with what I had been previously explained. I was requested to head to the lobby to finalise my check-in, and on arriving I was asked for my passport and other documents which I wasn’t aware I was meant to bring as they had a copy of these as a part of Test & Go and they didn’t mention it on the phone. There seems to be a breakdown in communication, which was surprising as I thought the property would have the Test & Go process down to a science by now.

From there, the stay didn’t improve. No welcome amenity or welcome note offered, no room upgrade. The TV remote control and the LED make-up mirror in the room had both run out of batteries and didn’t work. The once glorious happy hour at the club lounge has turned into an overflowing zoo. The wait time for the elevators was monumental – but it did give me an opportunity to try out the seats positioned at the room floors’ lift wells. I enjoyed the quality and variety of the buffet breakfast at Rain Tree despite some recent posts on here – although I noted that the freshly cut cured meats have gone, no fresh coconuts on display, and I’m fairly sure they used to have a variety of juice shot concoctions and Yakults available, but now there is only the juice bar making mixes to order.

On my second stay, I booked a Athenee suite with a king bed. At check-in upon being handed the room key I was informed that there were no suites available with a king bed but I had been given “a large bed and a smaller bed”, and that I should be satisfied with it after taking a look. After taking a look I was certainly not satisfied, and after a brief quarrel back at reception they were able to find a suite with a king bed as booked, but was only available later in the evening if I wanted it.

The rate, at THB 12,500/night, offered the same value back as hotel credits, which I planned to use on a couple of massages and spa treatments for my partner and me at the spa. But to my consternation the spa was allegedly completely booked out for the entirety of my stay. With little interest in spending the credit at the property’s restaurants (I’m a sucker for Bangkok street food), I enquired if I could use the credit at the gift store “Gallery”. Reception said yes, as long as it’s hotel-related items, but ultimately this only included Athenee-branded items – even the Thann products for sale were not in scope for credit use.

In the end, I used some credit on a couple of Athenee branded bag tags – which were promised to be delivered to my room but never arrived, requiring further follow-ups at check-out while my taxi to the airport was waiting – and on a high/afternoon tea at “the Bakery”, which took an hour to show up after my arrival despite making a booking 24-hours beforehand.

On check out day, my key card stopped working twice, but continued to work in the elevator, so I would get all the way to the room before being denied entry requiring me to head back down to the lobby, which was quite a lengthy affair with the elevator wait times. My laundry never arrived by my 15:00 check out despite promises it would be back in time when handing it over and also following up on its status on the morning of checkout.

With suite rates at the LM of less than a third of the cost of the Athenee, unlimited sparkling wine and a dedicated area at breakfast and a spacious happy hour, I felt like a real chump wasting my time at the Athenee in what was otherwise a rather lovely and stress-free trip to Bangkok. I can’t wait to see Thailand continuing to open up after a horrid 2 years – but I won’t be back to the Athenee.