Banyan Tree Bangkok

Banyan Tree Bangkok

"Why book? This five-star, all-suite hotel in Bangkok's Sathorn/Silom district offers a sleek executive lounge for business travelers, a sumptuous spa for vacationers, and a spectacular rooftop bar with 360-degree views of Bangkok for everyone in between.Set the scene With some of the largest rooms in Bangkok, the hotel attracts travelers that appreciate the finer things in life. Upon check-in, we observed lovey-faced honeymooners canoodling in the lounges, business executives in dark, tailored suits making Very Important Calls in the lobby, and an enormous Indian family with more luggage than a baggage claim blocking the elevators. While there are few amenities for babies and toddlers, we did notice a few well-heeled families traveling with children in grade school.The backstory Owned by Singaporean multinational hospitality brand Banyan Tree Holdings Limited, the high-rise hotel opened in 2002. Though some of the design choices feel a little dated now (the pinwheel carpeting designed to mask stains, for example), it’s timelessly chic from a business traveler’s POV. Nothing feels particularly worse for the wear, and some rooms—like the two-bedroom suites—have been recently renovated.The rooms Bigger than some New York City apartments, the guest suites range from 474 square feet for an Oasis Retreat room with one king bed up to 1,540 square feet for a two-bedroom suite designed to accommodate families or friends. Suites include a large desk for working remotely and long, dramatic settees; spacious bathrooms with rainfall showers, deep soaking tubs, double vanities, and Japanese-style toilets; and kitchenettes with minibars and espresso machines. Depending on what you book, guests may be treated to free-flowing beer and evening canapés in the Club Lounge, as well as limited laundering and garment-pressing services. While all rooms include incense sticks and candle-lit diffusers, there’s also a special Spa Sanctuary Retreat with unlimited in-suite spa services, including as many 60- and 90-minute massages as a guest can handle. The design of all rooms, from the smallest single to the Presidential Suite, are clean and minimalist with a smooth, masculine edge (think dark leather furnishings, padded wall panels, and dagger-like objets d'art that wouldn’t look out of place in a weapons museum). Rates start at $150 per night.Food and drink Decadent seafood platters and grilled steak are the things to order at Banyan Tree Bangkok’s rooftop restaurant Vertigo. (There are vegetarian options, too, including a three-course set.) If you just want a drink, that’s perfectly fine too: Moon Bar, located on the 61st floor, serves some Thai-inspired cocktails (try the purple Khor lik Nung featuring Saneha Thai gin, Asian vermouth, pineapple-honey shrub, and lime). Given the view, it’s no wonder this is a hit with the Instagram and TikTok set; the night we visited, we spotted Australian, French, Spanish, Slovak, and Korean tourists all taking selfies with the glittering city as their backdrop.The spa Banyan Tree as a company is known for its exceptional spas and this one is no different. From the crystalline bamboo art installation to the opulent Thai textiles smoothed across padded massage beds, it spares no attention to detail. Most treatments take their cues from Thai, Chinese, Indonesia, and Indian traditions and include a calming foot bath and herbal refreshments. If you’re not sure where to begin, consider a muscle-melting Thai massage followed by a refreshing kaffir lime body scrub. The neighborhood/area It’s located in the Sathon/Silom neighborhood, a central business district with numerous embassies, schools, office buildings, hotels, and restaurants. It’s walkable to sprawling Lumpini Park, one of the largest and best manicured green spaces in Bangkok, and a reasonable tuk-tuk ride away from the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and other big tourist draws. Just under 22 miles from Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK), bank on a taxi ride taking anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.The service Hotel is attentive without being overbearing, always two steps ahead in terms of anticipating what guests want or need. This is particularly true of the hushed and reverent service we experienced in the 19th-floor Executive Lounge, a lovely respite from the chaos in the streets below. From cold towels and lemongrass tea upon arrival to breakfast bags packed up and ready to go for guests with red-eye flights, the workers make every guest feel like the King of Siam. Accessibility The hotel offers handicap-accessible rooms, as well as ramps and elevators in every public space except for the Saffron Sky Garden and Vertigo rooftop. Anything left to mention? Though you may think clubby bars are not for you, Banyan’s rooftop boîte is a must-see. Yes, the cocktails are pricey by Bangkok standards. Yes, you will feel underdressed when you get an eyeful of the beautiful people who flock here. But the phenomenal 360-degree views of the city make it all worth it." - Ashlea Halpern