SO/ Bangkok
Sep 25, 2012, 8:25 pm
#46
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia
Programs: Accor Diamond, Qantas Platinum
Posts: 485
well YMMV. I stayed there in june, booked a So Comfy room and got a So Comfy room, albeit a corner room. Put a request for a Water themed room in my booking, but "just" got an Earth themed room. No further benefits given. I was sligthly disappointed.
The concept of breakfast might be innovative, but for me, old fashioned guy as I am
, it was quite irritating in the beginning.
Definately can confirm that the staff was truely helpful and friendly
Anyway I'll give them another try next year, though I just booked a So Suite for a nice rate.
The concept of breakfast might be innovative, but for me, old fashioned guy as I am
, it was quite irritating in the beginning.Definately can confirm that the staff was truely helpful and friendly
Anyway I'll give them another try next year, though I just booked a So Suite for a nice rate.
Sep 29, 2012, 4:03 pm
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,921
review of Sofitel So BKK
I just completed a 4-night stay at Sofitel So BKK, so I’m pleased to post here a detailed review (sorry for this long post !). After several nice stays at the Sofitel Silom (really liked this hotel and was « devastated » when the transformation into a Pullman was announced on this forum 
), I hesitated between booking at the So or at the Sofitel Sukhumvit but decided finally to try the So. I had an excellent stay and definitely recommend this hotel, but there are some room for improvements, as detailed below.
Booking
I booked a So Comfy room with view on Lumphini park. Among the rates proposed, there was one which was « special offer to discover our new Club Signature », which I choose.
As you may know, the hotel interiors have been worked on by famous world designers and the rooms have 4 different themes based on elements : wood, earth, water and metal. The week before my arrival, I sent a pm on FT to the « Sofitel So Bangkok » member (who posted in this thread) to enquire about the different elements (because you cannot actually choose this on Accor web site during the booking process). After several days without response
(disappointing but not surprising as they did not post anything in this thread for several months now), I sent the same question by e-mail to the hotel. I got a prompt response asking me about my preference. I didn’t really had prefs but indicated my 1st and 2nd choices and they replied saying that they have booked me an « earth element » room (which was my 2nd choice in the e-mail sent).
Arrival / check-in
I read on Trip Advisor before coming that the taxis and tuk-tuk didn’t know this hotel and this is true. This is surprising as it is located at the corner of 2 important and well-known streets (Rama IV and Sathorn) but you’d better have the phone number of the hotel with you for the cab driver to call them and have directions. The hotel is located right in front of the nice Lumphini park, and Lumphini metro station is conveniently located at the foot of the hotel.
The main lobby is located on the 9th floor but there is a pre-check-in in the lobby on ground floor. My booking was checked there and as I had booked a room with Club Signature access, I was immediately accompanied to the 25th floor where the club is.
For those of you who are expecting a hotel in the same style as the Silom one, it is not. There is no « Thai/Asian » touch. It is more what I could call an « international design » hotel, very modern and of course very nice. But if they could add a little « Thai touch » like some orchids, that would be nice (we are in Thailand, no ?). The staff uniforms were designed by Christian Lacroix. Some are nice, some are…specials (well, for fashion it’s a question of taste !).
Check-in formalities were quickly done in the Club lounge while drinking an espresso and a fruit juice
. Outside the usual breakfast and happy hour drinks/cocktails in the evening, club benefits include a free 30-min foot massage at the spa, a one day-metro pass, 2 complimentary clothes pressing per day. Upgrade : I don’t think any room upgrade was granted, but I’ll come back on this later. I was also given the drink voucher, but with Club access, this was not so useful. I was also given an invitation for a welcome party for new guests at the main hotel bar the same evening.
So I was accompagnied in my « earth element room ». All blue (you could have thought that the blue colour was for the water element but it’s not). Nice corner room with splendid view on Lumphini park and Bangkok skyline. Large bathroom with bath tub and separate shower. Espresso machine. Mini-mac computer system on TV (everything is done through the TV : obtaining wifi codes, restaurant menus, ordering room service, list of services offered in the hotel, etc). But…I was not feeling so enthusiastic with the room, due to some « psychedelic » painting on the dark blue walls and the bathroom having no separation with the room corridor (felt « strange »).
Hotel facilities
- swimming pool: very nice, on the 10th floor, facing Lumphini park and the skyline (same view as from my room). Not huge but large enough and larger than the Silom one.
- fitness room : facing pool and view. Didn’t have time to use it (lack of time is always a good excuse as I clearly preferred to relax at the pool
).
- Spa : on 11th floor just above the pool. You can enjoy your massage looking at the breathtaking view on Bangkok skyline. The 30 min-free foot massage offered as a Club lounge benefit is definitely a nice touch ^.
Welcome party
Free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were served. I met with the director of the hotel who asked me my impressions about the hotel and if I was happy with my room. Although I could clearly have stayed in the earth room, he understood I was not « in my element » (that’s his own words). I told him also I was platinum and he immediately said that I had surely been upgraded. I said that I was not so sure about that. He then told me that if I had club access while having booked a So Comfy room, I had been upgraded due to the Club access. This was wrong , as I had booked the room with Club access. So as a whole it’s not clear if I received an upgrade or not (I can be wrong but I don’t think so). But anyway, the director asked imediately one of the front desk staff to give me a room in another element. They proposed me a wood element room and I was clearly preferring it. So well managed ^.
Club lounge
I liked the athmosphere. Excellent staff who is really caring about the clients (it’s the case for all staff I interacted with in this hotel, but especially those working at the lounge). Happy hour for drinks was from 5 to 7 pm. The lounge manager (called « guru » on her business card) showed me the water and metal rooms : very nice and probably the nicest ones. Next time I return there, I’ll probably take a water element room.
Restaurants
The hotel has 2 restaurants in addition to the Club lounge :
- the main buffet restaurant (red oven) : excellent quality for price (full buffet for 1200 THB at dinner). This is also the restaurant for breakfast, if you don’t take it in the lounge.
- the « chic » restaurant on the highest floor : nice decor and attentive service but hugely overpriced (see also below).
What I did not like / to be improved
- my dinner the 1st evening at the « chic » restaurant : I took some pork (« black pig ») for the main course and was served what I can call 3 pieces of fat
. I mean that, once you remove the fat, there was almost nothing to eat. I complain to the waiter to say it was unacceptable to serve for 2000 THB such a main course. They offered me a dessert as a compensation ^.
- despite the hotel is new, some equipments/furniture are already showing their age : the sink in my bathroom was in a porous material and so had some stained part which gave a dirty-like look. This is not acceptable in such an hotel and when you think it’s open for less than 6 months.
- as a platinum member, they put in my room the 1st evening a nice tray with cakes, fruits and a bottle of red wine. This evening, I only ate some cakes and kept the fruits for the other days, but everything (except the wine) was removed the following day. Too bad and hard to understand why.
- no turndown service the 3rd night. They probably forgot me (but this is no big deal of course)
- the swimming pool was privatized my last day (a Saturday) in the afternoon for a « hotel public relation event ». OK, it was not fully privatized as they told me I could go in, but there were so many people without any room + very loud techno music, I litteraly ran away
. I therefore went to the lounge and I told the attendant I was not happy about this (I was expecting so much a last swim after a hot day in town). I don’t think it is normal that the hotel guests cannot use the hotel facilities they paid for. The lounge manager (guru) apologized and called her supervisor to explain the situation. She came back saying that he will come shortly to discuss with me (which he did). And also that they were offering me the transportation to the airport with the (very nice) hotel limousine .
So as a whole, I had a very good stay. There are some things that can be/need to be improved and I’m sure they will (I have sent an e-mail to the hotel director listing the good and less good points). What is sure is that the staff is really caring about customers, because every time I have reported a problem, they have promptly reacted in a very professional way.
I will definitely return there without hesitation. Maybe I’ll give also a try to the Sukhumvit one to make my definitive choice between those 2 Sofitel.
), I hesitated between booking at the So or at the Sofitel Sukhumvit but decided finally to try the So. I had an excellent stay and definitely recommend this hotel, but there are some room for improvements, as detailed below.Booking
I booked a So Comfy room with view on Lumphini park. Among the rates proposed, there was one which was « special offer to discover our new Club Signature », which I choose.
As you may know, the hotel interiors have been worked on by famous world designers and the rooms have 4 different themes based on elements : wood, earth, water and metal. The week before my arrival, I sent a pm on FT to the « Sofitel So Bangkok » member (who posted in this thread) to enquire about the different elements (because you cannot actually choose this on Accor web site during the booking process). After several days without response
(disappointing but not surprising as they did not post anything in this thread for several months now), I sent the same question by e-mail to the hotel. I got a prompt response asking me about my preference. I didn’t really had prefs but indicated my 1st and 2nd choices and they replied saying that they have booked me an « earth element » room (which was my 2nd choice in the e-mail sent).Arrival / check-in
I read on Trip Advisor before coming that the taxis and tuk-tuk didn’t know this hotel and this is true. This is surprising as it is located at the corner of 2 important and well-known streets (Rama IV and Sathorn) but you’d better have the phone number of the hotel with you for the cab driver to call them and have directions. The hotel is located right in front of the nice Lumphini park, and Lumphini metro station is conveniently located at the foot of the hotel.
The main lobby is located on the 9th floor but there is a pre-check-in in the lobby on ground floor. My booking was checked there and as I had booked a room with Club Signature access, I was immediately accompanied to the 25th floor where the club is.
For those of you who are expecting a hotel in the same style as the Silom one, it is not. There is no « Thai/Asian » touch. It is more what I could call an « international design » hotel, very modern and of course very nice. But if they could add a little « Thai touch » like some orchids, that would be nice (we are in Thailand, no ?). The staff uniforms were designed by Christian Lacroix. Some are nice, some are…specials (well, for fashion it’s a question of taste !).
Check-in formalities were quickly done in the Club lounge while drinking an espresso and a fruit juice
. Outside the usual breakfast and happy hour drinks/cocktails in the evening, club benefits include a free 30-min foot massage at the spa, a one day-metro pass, 2 complimentary clothes pressing per day. Upgrade : I don’t think any room upgrade was granted, but I’ll come back on this later. I was also given the drink voucher, but with Club access, this was not so useful. I was also given an invitation for a welcome party for new guests at the main hotel bar the same evening.So I was accompagnied in my « earth element room ». All blue (you could have thought that the blue colour was for the water element but it’s not). Nice corner room with splendid view on Lumphini park and Bangkok skyline. Large bathroom with bath tub and separate shower. Espresso machine. Mini-mac computer system on TV (everything is done through the TV : obtaining wifi codes, restaurant menus, ordering room service, list of services offered in the hotel, etc). But…I was not feeling so enthusiastic with the room, due to some « psychedelic » painting on the dark blue walls and the bathroom having no separation with the room corridor (felt « strange »).
Hotel facilities
- swimming pool: very nice, on the 10th floor, facing Lumphini park and the skyline (same view as from my room). Not huge but large enough and larger than the Silom one.
- fitness room : facing pool and view. Didn’t have time to use it (lack of time is always a good excuse as I clearly preferred to relax at the pool
).- Spa : on 11th floor just above the pool. You can enjoy your massage looking at the breathtaking view on Bangkok skyline
. The 30 min-free foot massage offered as a Club lounge benefit is definitely a nice touch ^.Welcome party
Free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were served. I met with the director of the hotel who asked me my impressions about the hotel and if I was happy with my room. Although I could clearly have stayed in the earth room, he understood I was not « in my element » (that’s his own words). I told him also I was platinum and he immediately said that I had surely been upgraded. I said that I was not so sure about that. He then told me that if I had club access while having booked a So Comfy room, I had been upgraded due to the Club access. This was wrong , as I had booked the room with Club access. So as a whole it’s not clear if I received an upgrade or not (I can be wrong but I don’t think so). But anyway, the director asked imediately one of the front desk staff to give me a room in another element. They proposed me a wood element room and I was clearly preferring it. So well managed ^.
Club lounge
I liked the athmosphere. Excellent staff who is really caring about the clients (it’s the case for all staff I interacted with in this hotel, but especially those working at the lounge). Happy hour for drinks was from 5 to 7 pm. The lounge manager (called « guru » on her business card) showed me the water and metal rooms : very nice and probably the nicest ones. Next time I return there, I’ll probably take a water element room.
Restaurants
The hotel has 2 restaurants in addition to the Club lounge :
- the main buffet restaurant (red oven) : excellent quality for price (full buffet for 1200 THB at dinner). This is also the restaurant for breakfast, if you don’t take it in the lounge.
- the « chic » restaurant on the highest floor : nice decor and attentive service but hugely overpriced (see also below).
What I did not like / to be improved
- my dinner the 1st evening at the « chic » restaurant : I took some pork (« black pig ») for the main course and was served what I can call 3 pieces of fat
. I mean that, once you remove the fat, there was almost nothing to eat. I complain to the waiter to say it was unacceptable to serve for 2000 THB such a main course. They offered me a dessert as a compensation ^.- despite the hotel is new, some equipments/furniture are already showing their age : the sink in my bathroom was in a porous material and so had some stained part which gave a dirty-like look. This is not acceptable in such an hotel and when you think it’s open for less than 6 months
.- as a platinum member, they put in my room the 1st evening a nice tray with cakes, fruits and a bottle of red wine. This evening, I only ate some cakes and kept the fruits for the other days, but everything (except the wine) was removed the following day. Too bad and hard to understand why.
- no turndown service the 3rd night. They probably forgot me (but this is no big deal of course)
- the swimming pool was privatized my last day (a Saturday) in the afternoon for a « hotel public relation event ». OK, it was not fully privatized as they told me I could go in, but there were so many people without any room + very loud techno music, I litteraly ran away
. I therefore went to the lounge and I told the attendant I was not happy about this (I was expecting so much a last swim after a hot day in town). I don’t think it is normal that the hotel guests cannot use the hotel facilities they paid for. The lounge manager (guru) apologized and called her supervisor to explain the situation. She came back saying that he will come shortly to discuss with me (which he did). And also that they were offering me the transportation to the airport with the (very nice) hotel limousine . So as a whole, I had a very good stay
. There are some things that can be/need to be improved and I’m sure they will (I have sent an e-mail to the hotel director listing the good and less good points). What is sure is that the staff is really caring about customers, because every time I have reported a problem, they have promptly reacted in a very professional way.I will definitely return there without hesitation. Maybe I’ll give also a try to the Sukhumvit one to make my definitive choice between those 2 Sofitel.
Sep 30, 2012, 1:09 am
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,921
thank you
Some people may like that (I hope for them !)
Some people may like that (I hope for them !)
Sep 30, 2012, 1:23 am
#51
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,586
As always an excellent and thoughtful review Goldorak ^
It sounds like a good choice with typical Accor problems (upgrade uncertainty) and some typical Bangkok problems (private events getting in the way of hotel guests). Both could easily be resolved by management. The latter is a real gripe of mine. When staying at a hotel I don't want to be shoved aside in favour of fashionistas partying hard. The MGallery Muse across Lumpini Park is a serial offender in this regard.
How did you consider the value of your stay?
It sounds like a good choice with typical Accor problems (upgrade uncertainty) and some typical Bangkok problems (private events getting in the way of hotel guests). Both could easily be resolved by management. The latter is a real gripe of mine. When staying at a hotel I don't want to be shoved aside in favour of fashionistas partying hard. The MGallery Muse across Lumpini Park is a serial offender in this regard.
How did you consider the value of your stay?
Sep 30, 2012, 4:33 am
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,921
As always an excellent and thoughtful review Goldorak ^
It sounds like a good choice with typical Accor problems (upgrade uncertainty) and some typical Bangkok problems (private events getting in the way of hotel guests). Both could easily be resolved by management. The latter is a real gripe of mine. When staying at a hotel I don't want to be shoved aside in favour of fashionistas partying hard. The MGallery Muse across Lumpini Park is a serial offender in this regard.
How did you consider the value of your stay?
It sounds like a good choice with typical Accor problems (upgrade uncertainty) and some typical Bangkok problems (private events getting in the way of hotel guests). Both could easily be resolved by management. The latter is a real gripe of mine. When staying at a hotel I don't want to be shoved aside in favour of fashionistas partying hard. The MGallery Muse across Lumpini Park is a serial offender in this regard.
How did you consider the value of your stay?
For the pool party pb, I explained to the assistant manager who came to discuss with me that it was unacceptable. I can accept the fact that there is no room for me because at the moment I go there all chairs are occupied by hotel guests (OK, I'll come back later), but I cannot accept that the facility is fully used for some private event (when this facility is unique in the hotel, which is the case here). I think he understood my point but there's no guarantee of course that they will take this into account.
For the value for money, well I'm a little bit "polluted" by the unbeatable quality-to-price ratio we had in ex-Sofitel Silom. But, with the promotion I had for the opening of club signature, I consider it good, as long as you avoid the overpriced top floor restaurant. Without promotion, let's see the fares first
Sep 30, 2012, 8:05 am
#53
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HAJ
Programs: Lufthansa FTL, HHonors Gold, Le Club Accorhotels Platinum
Posts: 677
If you don't mind I share my opinion:
- The hotel is nice and I really like the rooms
- Platinum recognition is mediocre at best
- There's a lot of hype surrounding the Sofitel So right now, which attracts the young and beautiful and Bangkoks HiSo's, so you better expect some more "hotel public relation events"
They now they have a high quality product which is well in demand right now. And it reflects in their rates. If you want to get a (standard) room with breakfast for 2 persons you have to pay at least 6.000 THB now.
At that rate imho there are many better options within Bangkok. The hotel is nice but "the bang for your buck" is hardly better than average (if at all).
YMMV
- The hotel is nice and I really like the rooms
- Platinum recognition is mediocre at best
- There's a lot of hype surrounding the Sofitel So right now, which attracts the young and beautiful and Bangkoks HiSo's, so you better expect some more "hotel public relation events"
They now they have a high quality product which is well in demand right now. And it reflects in their rates. If you want to get a (standard) room with breakfast for 2 persons you have to pay at least 6.000 THB now.
At that rate imho there are many better options within Bangkok. The hotel is nice but "the bang for your buck" is hardly better than average (if at all).
YMMV
Last edited by olisch; Sep 30, 2012 at 8:30 am
Sep 30, 2012, 8:12 am
#54
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HAJ
Programs: Lufthansa FTL, HHonors Gold, Le Club Accorhotels Platinum
Posts: 677
While waiting for my taxi I chatted a little bit with the guy at door and asked him about his new uniform. He explained to me that it's a mixture of ancient thai styles and modern european styles (whatever that might be
). To my question whether the uniform is comfortable to waer, he just smiled at me and replied: I can adapt I more I think about it the more I question myself why I booked a suite at Sofitel So for next stay in Bangkok. As long as you (or better I) expect to much, you (I) won't be too disappointed. Still that might be a poor return for my 10.000 THB rate.
Sep 30, 2012, 8:57 am
#56
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HAJ
Programs: Lufthansa FTL, HHonors Gold, Le Club Accorhotels Platinum
Posts: 677
I got a corner room, but unfortunately no upgrade to Club Level (not really a big deal, because back in june the Club Signature hadn't opened yet).
Still got some fruits and a bottle of red wine (which was definately a nice gesture but useless for me though I don't drink any alcohol)
Still got some fruits and a bottle of red wine (which was definately a nice gesture but useless for me though I don't drink any alcohol)
Oct 15, 2012, 12:46 am
#57
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SNA/LAX
Programs: Hertz PC, Hilton DMD, IHG Spire Amb, Bonvoy Titanium Elite & WoH Globalist
Posts: 8,076
Mrs. Kalboz thought that the earth element room (the blue one) was very playful and charming with its prehistoric motif paintings mimicking Issan caves with curving walls, door archways, and blue walls:
More photos of this awesome property can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalboz/...th/8085512552/
More photos of this awesome property can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalboz/...th/8085512552/
Oct 18, 2012, 7:59 pm
#60
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SNA/LAX
Programs: Hertz PC, Hilton DMD, IHG Spire Amb, Bonvoy Titanium Elite & WoH Globalist
Posts: 8,076
I didn't stay there ... I was busy doing my Marriott MegaBonus stays between the JW and the Renaissance to earn the 3 free nights. We just went to the Sofitel So for a tour of the facility and were nicely received.