- Singapore Airlines Business Class LAX-NRT-SIN
- Review: SilverKris Lounge at SIN
- Singapore Airlines Business Class SIN-BKK
- Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok
- Conrad Bangkok
- InterContinental Koh Samui
- Conrad Koh Samui Part 1 (Check-in and Room)
- Conrad Koh Samui Part 2 (Breakfast and Resort)
After a taxi ride that cost about $20 from BKK airport, my friend and I arrived at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit hotel. I knew I’d be arriving at around 10am after a relatively long route (LAX-NRT-SIN-BKK), so I bit the bullet and decided to book the night before just to ensure I’d have breakfast and a room ready on arrival after the long journey there.
I booked the hotel, which is under The Luxury Collection brand of SPG, using Starpoints at a cost of 10K per night. As a Platinum member I’m able to get upgraded to suites if available during check-in, but since I stayed with SPG 50 nights the previous year I also received 10 Suite Night Awards to use. I applied 3 of them to my 3 nights at this hotel.
There’s various kinds of suites at this hotel and luckily my upgrade cleared for the one I wanted: I got the suite that has 2 Queen beds, 2 full bathrooms, a walk-in closet, and of course the family room. There was also a fruit basket and note waiting for me in my room. I love hotel elite status!
Upgrading using my Suite Night Awards to the Grande Deluxe Suite also came with some added perks that I was notified of at check-in, including full butler service:
- Coffee/Tea every day.
- 2 pieces of laundry/pressing per day.
- Packing and unpacking of luggage (!).
- Shoe shining.
- Full breakfast (also a Platinum option here).
- Daily replenishment of fruit.
- Evening cocktails.
- Free local calls.
- Free internet (free for Platinums).
What a list of perks! I can honestly say this is the best list of upgrades/benefits that I can recall from any Suite Night Award upgrade. I was too afraid to try the luggage packing/unpacking option, but I’m sure it would have been fun to watch. Unfortunately I was so busy in Bangkok that I only used the breakfast and free cocktails benefit from the above list (in addition to the internet of course).
The room was on the 26th floor on the side opposite Sukhumvit road. There would have been a decent view if there wasn’t so much smog, but there was a good view of the hotel’s pool below. I didn’t have a chance to visit it, but friends have told me that it’s a great hotel pool.
The beds were pretty comfortable but standard. There was a desk and a TV in both the bedroom and living room. The walk-in closet had a large safe inside and plenty of room for clothes.
The two bathrooms were key. It doesn’t matter whether you’re traveling with family or friends…when there’s 2+ people on a vacation, there’s wasted time because of the bathroom situation. Each bathroom was about identical and had its own shower and bath tub. The amenities were standard for Sheraton hotels. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of with the bathrooms was the tile color – it was aqua blue/green, which didn’t really match the rest of the room’s décor.
Where this hotel shines is the breakfast buffet. My suite upgrade included breakfast, but I could have selected it as my Platinum amenity as well. If you’re staying here, the breakfast is totally worth it. There’s a full omelet bar, Western options, Asian options, Mediterranean options, and a fruit cutting station. The food was always fresh and delicious, and really helped make this stay awesome. It’s one of my more memorable hotel breakfasts.
Yes, Bangkok has cheap street food all around. But when I’m starting off my day on the road, one that usually includes a full day of activities, I like to load up on breakfast. Having something so convenient and delicious was awesome, and the friend I was traveling with said it was his favorite hotel breakfast by far. Buying the breakfast separately would cost somewhere between $40-$50 per person.
The other great part about this hotel is the location. You’re right in the middle of Sukhumvit road, where there’s tons of people walking around and lots of street vendors to buy “spa treatments” (you know what I mean) and knockoff goods from. There’s also the MRT line just outside the hotel (there’s actually a walkway that connects the hotel to the platform, which is just above the street). It’s a cheap, fast, and convenient way to get around the city…although taxis are pretty darn cheap also. Just keep in mind that traffic is horrendous!
Would I stay here again? Absolutely! I generally like to try other hotels in the area, which is part of the reason why I switched over to the Conrad for the next 2 nights, but I liked this hotel so much that I wouldn’t mind giving up trying a new hotel so I can stay at this one again the next time I’m in Bangkok. I highly recommend this hotel, especially for Platinum guests!
Up next…the Conrad Bangkok!
Thanks for doing this review. When I showed this hotel to the SO, it was described as not so nice from pics on Flyertalk. Even with all the positive reviews. Your pics are so much better, even if not staying in a suite. But, I had to cancel our trip because SO was diagnosed 3 weeks prior to departure with congestive heart failure. Hopefully we will be able to do the trip next May.
Sorry to hear that! I definitely recommend this hotel for your next stay in Bangkok.
Too bad you missed the rooftop pool as it’s probably the best feature of this hotel. It’s set in a tropical garden atmosphere and they pipe in music into the water. As for the room, from your pictures they look fairly plain and the furniture is like so late last century. It was hip and new at the turn of the century when this hotel opened but is starting to look seriously dated now. The public spaces are still very plush and the location is hard to beat but for the prices charged, the rooms need a refresh.
As for he food, yes, the Orchid Cafe buffet is always nice for any meal but thre hotter food outlets, Rossini for Italian and Basil for Thai are only average and very pricey. Much better food options outside the hotel. In addition , the plethora of streetwalkers outside the hotel at nite is pretty tacky, but that’s Bangkok for you.
I loved this hotel – the service was really great and I felt spoiled here! Agree with Jonnie – the rooftop pool was nice! I may have stayed in a newer room because the furniture and renovations in my room felt really nice and modern.