The W Bangkok is a unique premium hotel that has style and sass as a part of its ethos. It’s a welcome change to the city landscape.
The W Bangkok is part of the Marriott Rewards program. Be sure to read – Everything You Wanted To Know About Marriott Bonvoy.
Location
In the Silom neighborhood of Bangkok, the W hotel welcomes visitors looking for a different kind of experience. Accessible by the nearby BTS Silom line (Chong Nonsi), the property is in the middle of the city. The journey from Suvarnabhumi International Airport is about 40 minutes and should run 400 Thai baht on a metered cab with express and airport fees.
Address: 106 N Sathon Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Phone: +66 2 344 4000
Lobby Attitude
The lobby at W hotels worldwide is more like a nightclub than a high-end hotel. Well-dressed staff at reception await guests while a DJ spins the “ones and twos” with contemporary dance music. It’s loud, exciting, and makes you wonder (at least it made me wonder) if you’re cool enough to be there.
The hotel has a gift shop filled with all things “W” from beach bags to the scent they use throughout the hotel. Wall art is approached with the same kind of creativity. To reflect the property’s home in Thailand, one exhibit is comprised solely of different colored tail lights from the city’s infamous tuk tuk auto rickshaws. My 11-month old daughter and my wife joined me for this stay, and she adored the light wall.
Room
The room was standard in many ways to any other hotel room though appointed to a high level. The bathroom, however, was an outstanding feature with a modern design and excellent features. It may be reason enough to book a stay at the W Bangkok. As a non-traditional premium design hotel, the brand has named each room, this one was called “Wow.”
Desk
Many visitors to Bangkok come for pleasure but that doesn’t mean they won’t attend to business while in the city. The desk was amply sized and positioned near the large windows overlooking other high rise buildings and the pool below. The afternoon light was beautiful in the room.
Bed
A critical strength of the W brand is local adoption of culture and design elements while maintaining aesthetics consistent with the rest of the brand. On the bed, we found a pair of oversized, sequinned, Muay Thai glove-shaped pillows. It’s design considerations like these that remind guests where they are but in a “W” way.
The bed was very comfortable, especially after a long journey into the city from overseas with high thread count sheets. The satin duvet featured a black and white Thai design. Bedside lighting offered options for the two of us, at the time, on different sleeping schedules due to our journey.
Bathroom Suite
The most “Wow” the suite had to offer was found in the bathroom without a doubt. Sleek, black subway tiles, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and creative lighting deliver on the promise of a modern, forward-facing design hotel.
In addition to a large soaking tub, a shower stall, and separate water closet, and impressive vanity. One drawback, for those who prefer privacy, is the bathroom is concealed by only a curtain and there’s no door on the toilet.
Marriott Bonvoy’s Service and Benefits
I didn’t hold status at the time of this stay so I wasn’t entitled to Titanium or Ambassador benefits like free breakfast, lounge/club access, late checkout and the additional bonus points that elites enjoy. Had I held one of the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards at the time, I would have been eligible for an upgrade to a suite or more advantageous room, though the “Wow” room was certainly well-equipped.
The W brand does a great job of spoiling its customers like offering customers run of the mini-fridge. There’s also a small liquor collection available for those who’d prefer a nightcap, though those beverages are not on the house.
For more information on the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, see this post.
Value
This W Hotel might be the least expensive in the world. In fact, Aloft, which is referred to by the brand itself as “A Vision of W Hotels” (same attitude but fewer amenities and select service), is often more expensive than this property. Cash rates range from $120-180/nt for a standard room. This is accurately priced for the market but an absolute steal for the brand worldwide.
Get the points you need to stay at this amazing property even faster with a travel reward credit card. Here is a great article about – Why The Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card May Be The Best For Travelers.
For Marriott Bonvoy members, prices start at 60,000/nt for a standard room. This provides a value of 0.2¢ to 0.3¢/point, well below Suites and Lobbies valuation of 0.45¢/point. Given that 60,000 points are worth up to $270, Suites & Lobbies recommended Bonvoy members pay cash for stays as it is an exceptional value. For those considering other Marriott properties in Bangkok, there are many options, some of which present a greater value for Bonvoy points.
What do you think? Have you stayed at the W Hotel Bangkok? How was your experience?
