Positioned by the banks of the legendary Chao Phraya River, the prestigious Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok is a majestic beacon in the bustling City of Angels. While the rest of Bangkok, as a megacity, seems to get busier by the day, we were glad to have found a verdant oasis that has stood through time but has still retained much of its charm. Read more…
Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok lies,as mentioned, by the Chao Phraya River. While the busy stretch of Sukhumvit is within easy reach, the hotel is in a less hectic neighborhood, more cultural and quaint. Aside from famous landmarks, the Wat Pho and Wat Arun, the hotel is also across the river from Thonburi, which is a trove of stories and memories from the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.
The hotel stresses that it’s the only one linked to the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station, thus giving leisure and business travelers access to practically the rest of the city. While it does have its own pier, it’s also near Sathorn Pier, where public and tourist boats load passengers bound for destinations by the river, such as Khao San Road and Asiatique the Riverfront.
We arrived at the hotel middle of the afternoon to check-in, and we were welcomed into its stately, stark lobby. A friendly Thai front officer informed us that our room wasn’t ready yet, so he was upgrading us to a Deluxe Balcony room. It was our lucky day, indeed.
At 42 square meters, our room was indubitably spacious. But what instantly drew us in was the private balcony that afforded sweeping vistas of Bangkok’s busiest waterway.
Regally decorated and laid out carefully, the room features a deeply oriental motif—a confluence of Siamese and Asian touches expressed elegantly along with a red, gold, and neutral color scheme. Ambient yellow lighting adds comfort and coziness to the room.
A king-sized bed is fitted with quality linens and complemented by hypoallergenic pillows. Of course, the bed didn’t fall below our standards—it was luxurious and comfortably firm.
The room’s conveniences also include a handsome full-sized executive desk, a Samsung LED TV with DVD player and A/V controls, a minibar, coffee and tea making facilities, electronic safe, ample power points, and bedside controls for the lighting and the curtains. Elegant in marble, the spotless bathroom, meanwhile, comes stocked with a suite of deluxe amenities.
We had our breakfasts at NEXT2 Café, a buffet restaurant that serves a truly five-star spread consisting of Western, Asian, and Thai specialties. With its delicious food and wonderful outdoor dining area facing the river, it’s no wonder that it is top-rated on TripAdvisor.
Because my schedule for the that particular trip to Bangkok was rather light, I was able to roam around the hotel premises. I must say, it’s like a city of its own.
For starters, it lies on an almost three-hectare land with a quarter-mile river frontage—the longest for any hotel by the Chao Phraya. It has two connected towers, the Shangri-La Wing, where we stayed, and the smaller Krung Thep Wing—combined these house 802 rooms.
Facilities include a big fitness center with Jacuzzi and sauna, executive lounges, an award-winning spa, fish feeding areas, rooftop tennis and squash courts, a beauty parlor, a tailor, its own boat service and pier, and two beautiful garden swimming pools, on top of its numerous MICE facilities: meeting and conference rooms, and a grand ballroom. The hotel’s extensive offerings cement its stature as one of Bangkok’s grandest.
Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok is also the home of nine well-regarded restaurants and bars, including Horizon Cruise, where guests can savor a buffet aboard a yacht, and the Lobby Lounge, which mixes up an array of specialty cocktails.
To sum, Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok will always stand mightily as one of the city’s most prestigious with its opulent rooms, comprehensive facilities, topnotch service, quality dining, and overall grandness and beauty. This riverside oasis is the perfect city retreat—easily accessible but situated at a safe distance from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL BANGKOK
Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road, Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand
Telephone: +66 2 236 7777
Email: slbk@shangri-la.com
Website: www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila
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