Hilton’s crown jewel in Thailand is now the Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok. This hotel epitomizes superior luxury.
Location
Sandwiched between two iconic hotels, the Grand Hyatt Erawan and the St. Regis Bangkok, the Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok is in the heart of Thailand’s largest city. A five to ten-minute walk to either convenient BTS stations (Chitlom on the Sukhumvit line, Ratchadamri on the Silom line) or a 40-60 minute ride from either airport by taxi is helpful for visitors.
Address: 151 Ratchadamri Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Phone: +66 2 846 8888
Superior Luxury in a City of Luxury Hotels
Luxury is more than linens and light fixtures, it’s a sense of personal attention that makes all the difference. One way that Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok’s staff demonstrated their personal attention was by making our daughter’s stay special. Waiting for us in the room was a tent set up in the living room along with activities to keep her busy and make her feel welcome.
Bangkok is a city filled with luxury hotels at surprisingly affordable prices. Brand equivalents elsewhere in the world are 4-5 times as expensive as their Bangkok sites. For example, Waldorf-Astoria New York charges $800-1,000/nt, the Park Hyatt New York (another luxury hotel from an international chain) is closer to $900-1,200/nt. But both hotels in Bangkok which are arguably more luxurious are offered between $200-300/nt for better accommodations. And the hotel has many other examples throughout the city from the Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-la, JW Marriott to the St. Regis, and other luxury brands at a lower level for even less money.
After staying at more than a dozen different hotels in the city (and formerly living in Thailand), Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok has the best finishes and wonderful staff.
This amazing property is part of the Hilton Honors program. We wrote an article, Everything You Wanted To Know About Hilton Honors, just for those looking for more.
Facilities
The lobby was bright and clean. A reception on the first floor leads to a bank of lifts which goes up to the reception on a higher floor. Our daughter brought a ballerina outfit and the decor was a perfect backdrop for some photos.
The upper lobby held reception desks and a lounge for guests, the Peacock Alley, the Loft bars as well as The Front Room, and The Brasserie restaurants. Check-in takes place at seated desks in a relaxed setting, guests are greeted with a cold, scented towel and drink to shake off the Thai heat.
All Waldorf-Astoria hotels offer their Signature Peacock Alley bar. Whether for a small bite to eat, afternoon tea or cocktails in the evening, the bar welcomes guests and visitors to the hotel.
For a more exclusive experience, take the lift to the 71st floor, follow a spiral staircase above the house steakhouse Bull & Bear to find an ornate door with a large circle in the middle. Press that circle and a wall opens to reveal a corridor wrapping around the building, leading to the very private Champagne Room. With just 34 seats and no clear entrance, it’s one more aspect that shows the hotel is keenly focused on an enhanced experience for every guest.
Pool
The pool deck shares a floor with the spa and gym. Its open-air concept provides sunshine at its edges and beautiful views of the park and city that surrounds the property.
The hotel features some of the most unique outdoor showers for rinsing prior to entering the pool.
Suite
I was upgraded to a corner suite for my stay. The suite was huge, well-appointed, and separated space for my family who joined me on the trip. From a guest restroom to works of art casually displayed throughout the room, the suite dripped with luxury.
Living Room
Upon entering the suite, a guest restroom with bidet toilet seat attachment was available. An elaborate mini-bar and drink cabinet adorned one wall next to the floor-to-ceiling curved windows in the living room. Also filling the large space was a desk, dinner table, TV and – in our case – a tent for our daughter.
Bedroom
The bedroom toward the back of the suite wrapping around the corner featured a King bed with soft, clean linen, plenty of plugs bedside for electronics, and make-up vanity. A rollaway bed was placed in the room in front of the windows for our daughter, another nice touch that demonstrates they pay attention to their guests.
Master Bathroom Suite
The piece de résistance of the suite was the master bathroom. Dual vanities are split between each side of the bathroom with a soaking bathtub in the middle. To the left is a large shower with windows that overlook the city and a nearby hotel. Robes, toiletries, and towels are located conveniently all around the bathroom.
To the right of the bathtub there is the second vanity, more towels, and a tucked-away water closet with a bidet seat attachment. This is my favorite aspect because it allows privacy even if someone else needs to use the vanity, bathtub, or shower.
Hilton’s Global Service
My family was able to take advantage of both early check-in and late check-out but the best benefit for our stay due to being a Diamond member in the Hilton Honors program, was free breakfast for those in my party. It’s not hyperbolic to say that the french toast was the best I have ever had in my life.
In addition to menu items, the Brasserie where breakfast is served, offers buffet-style with made-to-order eggs, charcuterie (including an entire leg of Jamon Iberico), fresh fruits, vegetables, juices, coffee, tea, and panoramic views of the city.
As well as free wifi and breakfast, I earned status nights and a stay credit for my visit along with bonus points for my Diamond status and late checkout.
For more information on the Hilton Honors loyalty program, see this post.
Value
Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok offers superior luxury among luxurious hotels yet the price for Australian, European, and North American visitors is akin to a business hotel. Nightly prices start in the low $220s but rise to $300 or more for peak travel periods like Lunar New Year. The property is among the best luxury accommodations in the world for a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere. It’s a rare affordable luxury for those who might usually stay in $250/nt properties but never on this level of quality and service.
For Hilton Honors members, prices start at 70,000/nt for a standard room. This provides a value of 0.3¢ to 0.4¢/point, under or at Suite and Lobbies valuation of 0.4¢/point. Honors members can receive even more value when redeeming points for a five-night stay as Honors members receive the fifth night free. During five-night stays, a guest can increase the value of their points to between 0.39¢/point to 0.53¢/point – a better but still not excellent use of points. It’s recommended to pay cash for your room.
Here is – Why Every Traveler Should Have A Hilton Honors Credit Card.
Conclusion
Exceptional luxury, superb service, and taste are all hallmarks of premier properties in Bangkok. Waldorf-Astoria stands head and shoulders above its peers.
What do you think? Have you stayed at Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok? How was your experience?
