ZiZ Asia

Conrad Bangkok Review

The Conrad Hotel, Bangkok; opened in January 2003, the name continues to be synonymous with style and innovation. The Conrad Bangkok was the first hotel in Bangkok to offer WiFi access throughout and while other Bangkok hotels of the same ilk scrambled to match their standards, the Conrad Bangkok continued down the path of innovation, constantly staying one-step-ahead. Its innovative approach to the hospitality industry coupled with the services and facilities offered at the hotel earned it the title of “Best Business Hotel in Asia” (Travelweekly Asia, 2007), an award to add to its growing list of hospitality accolades.

Adding substance to their advertising mantra “The Luxury of Being Yourself”, the Conrad Bangkok was the first Bangkok hotel to take delivery of a Mercedes SLK200 sports roadster. With a 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine and barely enough storage space to stow a Gucci handbag, the Roadster is mainly used to transfer Executives with minimal hand luggage to and from Bangkok Airport (Suvarnabhumi Airport).

“It was time to upgrade our limousines” said the then General Manager of the Conrad, Mr Gregory Meadows, “When limousine transfers were first launched you were asked ‘cold towel?’. With the Conrad’s latest transfer you will be asked ‘roof up or down?’”. Mr Meadows did not elaborate on how or where that grunty engine would be exercised in Bangkok but stated instead that his objective was to ensure that guests arrived at the Conrad in a happy and relaxed state.

The Conrad’s stable of limousines and guest transport continued to innovate with the introduction of chauffeured “Easy Rider”, traffic-conquering scooters. Suited Execs ride pillion atop a 150cc engine, weaving through gridlocked traffic to reach appointments on time. Motorcycle taxis are not a new concept in Bangkok, indeed you will see the orange vests at practically every street corner. But the Conrad’s alternative, charged out at prices commensurate to the street motorcycle taxis, is more comfortable and less petrifying!

Meetings and Events are one of the Conrad’s core focus areas and their facilities are some of the best and most extensive in Bangkok. With a total capacity of 1,200 people and a choice of 28 meeting rooms the Conrad Bangkok is geared-up to host all event types from meetings to banquets and galas, conferences to exhibitions. Equipped with state of the art features including high-tech fibre optics and WiFi throughout (speeds have recently been increased to 30mbs), the meeting rooms and event spaces are incredibly versatile and are easily moulded to meet specific requirements.

The Conrad Bangkok’s innovative approach has earned it the label “a hotel with a new attitude”. It embraces function and style and attracts a certain guest profile accordingly. By no means merely an executive enclave, it is a magnet for style conscious families, couples, singles and groups. The social hives including the famed Diplomat Bar and in-house nightclub, 87-Plus, continue to draw the upper echelons of Bangkok’s socialites and well-heeled elite.

The Conrad’s intentionally avant-garde lobby is punctuated with art displays and square sofas while the colour scheme consists of rich earthy browns augmented with amber lighting and bamboo creating an arboreal quality. Seamlessly linked to the Lobby is the renowned Diplomat Bar, as popular with Bangkok residents as it is with guests and jazz aficionados as well. Choose from five restaurants within the hotel opting for classic Chinese, authentic Japanese or a variety of international fare.

Guestrooms echo the hotels colour scheme utilising natural woods to accentuate the rich, earthy colours. Contemporary Thai décor and silk drapes are incorporated into each guest room but perhaps the bath is the feature that receives most comments; a free-standing tub complete with flat screen tv and a rubber elephant! Ample space is another feature with Classic Rooms enjoying 41 square metres (436 square feet) through to the expansive Presidential Suite which occupies some 238 square metres (2,562 square feet). From most rooms, guests can enjoy breathtaking views over Bangkok’s cityscape.

The seventh floor with its landscaped rooftop garden is dedicated entirely to health, wellness, fitness, recreation and relaxation. There are two floodlit tennis courts, a jogging circuit and an outdoor pool as well as the Seasons Spa and Bodyworx Gym and while you are taking a few moments to relax by the pool attendants will periodically drop by to deliver complimentary poolside refreshments.

The Conrad is located plum in the middle of All Seasons Place, a complex hosting among other things restaurants, up-market shops, cafes and coffee shops. This is slap bang in the heart of Bangkok’s nerve centre offering easy access to all districts within the City of Angels including Sukhumvit Road, Rama IV, Sathorn and Silom to name a few. The Conrad is also within walking distance of the Skytrain (BTS) but it is a good ten minute walk and for those less familiar with Bangkok, pavements (aka sidewalks) are not her strong points and are more obstacle course than convenience.

The Conrad Bangkok is a showcase of functional modern design and a trendsetter for contemporary styling and service innovation which is faultlessly packaged in a sleek and professional manner. The Conrad Bangkok looks set to continue to retain its status as being one of the world’s most creatively original hotels and will certainly remain comfortably within the top five Bangkok business hotels.

If you haven’t experienced Conrad hospitality, the Conrad Bangkok offers an opportunity to do so at rates far lower than its sister hotels around the world.

Conrad Bangkok High Points:

• Everything about the Ambiance, Design
• The spacious, well designed guestrooms
• The service
• The image & indentity

Conrad Bangkok Low Points:
• Walk to the Skytrain – not ideal for pushchairs or wheelchairs

Address

• 87 Wireless Road,
• Phatumwan,
• Bangkok, 10330,
• Thailand

Booking & Enquiries

Contact Us at ZiZ Asia for impartial Southeast Asia Trip Plan advise & reservations at local rates.