From Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, taking the Grab Car Premium costs me around THB 580 (~$17) and the ride took about 45 minutes with a bit of city traffic. The Conrad Bangkok is located in the All Seasons Place Complex which houses offices, apartments and a small shopping mall. This places the hotel near the Phloen Chit Skytrain Station, and about a block away from The Athenee hotel managed by Marriott.
Check in was quite slow as the front desk agent searched for the room availability as I was reserved into a King room. Key cards provided by the front desk was plain and unassuming. A tip is for Diamond guests to check in at the Executive Lounge where there was nicer Conrad keycards to be had, for those who collect keycards.
Room No: 3002 Category: Executive Twin Room
We proceeded first to our room located on a high floor on the 30th floor with the Executive Lounge located on the 29th floor. Our luggage was promptly delivered by the bell boy, so that was definitely good for a start. First impressions of the room was that it was nice but feels standard compared to other hotel rooms I have stayed in Bangkok. Perhaps it was because Bangkok does have plenty of good upscale hotels to choose from.
There was a bathroom with separate tub and shower area on the left side of the room. However the washbasin was not very nice to use as water will drop into the countertop and flow to the floor. The bathroom also feature a full length window that opens out to the bedroom, though it does have a window blind that can be operated from inside the bathroom. The freestanding bathtub is placed next to the window for guests staying alone to be able to soak in the tub and watch the TV.
On the other side of the bathroom, there was a shower stall fully enclosed with glass doors and a toilet with a built-in bidet. The shower area is fitted with both a handheld shower head and a rainshower, which is a bare minimum for an upscale hotel bathroom.
Conrad also offers several different bath amenities, though the default seems to be the Mandarin scent by Shanghai Tang in Asia.
Across from the bathroom in the foyer was a closet with a sliding door fitted with mirrors. A small minibar console with storage shelving was located next to the closet. Moving on to the bedroom, it was furnished with 2 double beds but they are quite small compared to the ones found in North America. What was nice was they came with large pillows and like many premium hotels, there was a pillow menu placed on the middle bedside table.
While the space for the beds was reduced, there was a nice sitting area by the window with a small modular sofa and an armchair. The small side table located here is where the hotel will leave amenities or where guests could have breakfast in the room. On this stay, the amenity was just 2 items of fruit.
Across from the bed, there was an elliptical desk with a comfortable Herman Miller work chair. There was also a very spacious ledge where large luggage can be placed conveniently, with the flatscreen TV found above it.
Being located on a high floor, the room was bright in the day and it was easy to adjust the daylight entering since the curtains can be electronically controlled. The view from the bedroom was not bad as it faces Wireless Road where the buildings are mainly lower since it houses several embassies.
Like every stay in a Conrad, there would be small plus toys placed on the bed during turndown. The plush in the Conrad Bangkok was a mini elephant covered in Thai silk.
Executive Lounge
Lounge access is given to Hilton Diamond members and Executive floor guests and it is located on the 29th floor offering similar great views of the city. There was a separate reception area for Executive floor guests and Diamond members here but at night the counter might not be manned.
Aside from the buffet counter, where breakfast and evening snacks would typically be laid out at, there was a diverse array of seating options from cosy sofas by the window to proper dining chairs and tables. There was also a bar area with tables where guests could unwind with a drink.
The Executive Lounge was not just designed for dining in mind since the numerous seating configurations made it a nice space to enjoy a book or just to simply spend the afternoon reading magazines.
There was a computer and printer in one section of the lounge so guests can get work done inside this lounge as well.
Breakfast in the Executive Lounge
The buffet area hosts the food served for breakfast and evening snacks, both of which are complimentary for Hilton Diamond members and Executive Floor guests. The buffet console and island occupies a substantial floor space of the lounge and there was a good variety of food offered.
Starting with the most basic Continental breakfast selections, there was croissants, toast and a nice selection of Danish pastries along with flavored muffins. A variety of cereals options were placed in steel containers on the buffet console.
Cold dishes like cold cut platters with capers, ham and fresh vegetables complete the Continental breakfast offerings.
Common cheeses
Other commonly served breakfast items like pork bacon, sausages, potatoes and boiled eggs are served on the buffet as well.
Usually only found in the main floor breakfast restaurants, it was surprising to find an egg station in the lounge where chefs would prepare eggs cooked to your liking.
Another interesting dish on the buffet was a fish ball on skewer which is a local snack in many South-east Asian nations.
There was a variety of steamed dim sum items that was very delicious to have for breakfast as well. These includes traditional BBQ pork buns, siew mai (pork dumplings) and steamed egg custards placed in bowls.
Classic Asian breakfast like fried rice and fried bee hoon was provided on the buffet.
Sweet options for breakfast in the lounge include classic items like pancakes and French toast. An assortment of jams and condiments can be found beside this section to go along with white toast. Individual small portions of yogurt and muesli was also available for diners.
Finally there was a good variety of sliced fruits and selections includes watermelon, melon, pineapples, and tropical fruits like papaya and starfruit. The extensive fruit selection extends to the juice bar as other mix fruit juices like passion fruit and guava was available. Two types of orange juice was even supplied, one being Valencia orange, another being tangerine orange.
However, we did not partake in any evening snacks during our short stay in the Conrad as our trip to Bangkok was primarily to enjoy the fantastic food Bangkok has to offer. Thus this review will not include the dishes offered in the Executive Lounge for the happy hour.
Breakfast in the Restaurant
As indicated, Hilton Diamond and Executive floor guests could have the option of having their breakfast in the main restaurant located on the second floor. While the breakfast buffet in the lounge was adequate, the main restaurant breakfast buffet was even more extensive and features some additional stations. Since most of the other dishes have already been showcased in the Executive Lounge section of this review, I would only touch upon the dishes not offered in the lounge. Highlighted dishes includes freshly prepared sushi rolls, Thai style spicy pomelo salad and mango salad found on the cold food section.
Another traditional dish like soybean milk and fried dough fritters common in Chinese hotels can also be found in the restaurant since both are traditionally enjoyed amongst South-east Asians for breakfast.
Hot items in the buffet that was not available include Thai chicken skewers, more variety of stir-fried vegetables like pumpkin and kidney beans.
A made-to-order noodle station can also be found in the restaurant, and it is a favourite amongst Asian guests, including myself. There was a variety of ingredients and different types of noodles to choose from.
Fruit choices were also a bit different in the main restaurant with more tropical fruit choices like cut guava and fresh passion fruit. All things considered, there was a wider selection of Thai and Asian dishes in the main restaurant. Thus if guests wants more local and Asian flavours, they should head down for breakfast rather than having it in the lounge.
Fitness Facilities and Swimming Pool
Facilities for hotel guests are located on the 7th floor . There is a common reception for the pool, gym and spa. The fitness center seems to be managed by a company called Bodyworx and it has a complete set of equipments. By the entryway, there was plenty of treadmills facing the windows that overlook the garden and outdoor pool. There is even a sofa for guests to rest in between their exercise routine.
Swimming pool is located outdoor and the space is reasonably nice with a bar and plenty of lounge chairs. There was even a separate kids section that has a dipping pool. While the outdoor pool is as nice as it gets for a city hotel, Bangkok has plenty of hotels with large outdoor pools.
Other Facilities
Located on the 7th floor as well is the spa and sauna facilities, complete with massage rooms, though with Bangkok being home to plenty of spa areas, we did not try any massage here.
Besides the second floor restaurant where breakfast is also served at, guests will find another Chinese restaurant in the hotel. There is also an additional bar open to public along with the poolside terrace cafe.
In addition, the All Seasons Complex has a free shuttle bus to Phloen Chit departing every 15 minutes until 9pm. However this shuttle is shared with occupants and tenants of the complex so it is open to the public, meaning the bus can get crowded in the peak hours. Otherwise the location is not very good for access to public transport like the BTS in Bangkok, as the hotel entrance takes a longer walk from the BTS station.
Final Word
During our stay, the luggage service was prompt but otherwise room service in the hotel was terrible as the call to reception took a long time to be picked up and it did not just occur once. As such, there are inconsistencies in the service here.
The Conrad in Bangkok is definitely not the best Conrad, and compared to my stay at The Athenee which is just one block away from the Conrad, I enjoyed my stay there better. While there is little to fault this Conrad, it would not be my first choice of upscale hotels when I am redeeming or earning points.
QUIRROW 