A tranquil experience in bustling Bangkok (Pullman Bangkok King Power (Bangkok, Thailand))

Member Name: Trev11

Product:	Pullman Bangkok King Power (Bangkok, Thailand)
Date:	16/07/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: High quality modern design, luxurious and relaxing, very helpful staff, great value for money.

Disadvantages: Food at the hotel restaurants is not as high in quality as everything else.

Having flown in and out of Bangkok several times, I have stayed in several different places and most of them were low budget accommodations. On my last visit there though I decided to treat myself to a night at this 5 star hotel before flying back to the UK.


*** Location ***

The hotel is situated near the Siam Square shopping district which makes it a perfect place to stay if you are about to fly back home and want to do lots of shopping for items such as clothing and electronic goods. There are also lots of restaurants in the area and it is easy to get to other parts of Bangkok using the Skytrain.

The nearest Skytrain station is Victory Monument and I walked to the hotel from there in about 20 minutes. The weather in Bangkok is usually hot and humid though so most people would prefer the easier option of the free shuttle service offered by the hotel.

It takes about 30 minutes in a taxi to get to and from Suvarnabhumi airport and costs around 300 baht (about £5.50) including toll charges along the way.


*** How to Book ***

The easiest way to book is online, directly with the hotel at www.pullmanbangkokkingpower.com. Be sure to check the special offers section as there are often discounts here on Superior rooms. I booked through agoda.com because the special offer price was the same here as on the hotel's website and you receive points on agoda for each hotel booking you make which are worth 4-7% of the price you pay and can be redeemed against future hotel bookings made through this website.


*** Room and Prices ***

The room prices vary from around £55 for a superior room on special offer to £180 for an executive suite. There are 386 rooms at the hotel and the main difference between the types is their size. You can choose from superior, deluxe, executive and executive suites.

All rooms come with a marbled bathroom with separate shower unit and bath tub, a flat screen tv with all the channels and digital radio stations you could want, moveable desks, a fridge and plenty of wardrobe space. Internet access is available but you may have to pay extra for this as complimentary access is not always included with the cheaper rooms.

I stayed in a superior room which is the smallest one available but I found it to be very spacious. The best thing about it was definitely the bathroom with its modern design and moving partitioned walls which allow you to watch the tv in the bedroom whilst soaking in the bathtub if you want!


*** Facilities ***

The outdoor pool on the 4th floor is a great place to relax in the sun and there are lots of sun loungers on the deck. There is also a bar by the pool and you can order snacks too so there is no need to move from here for a few hours if you do not want to!

There is also a fitness centre and spa at the hotel but I can't comment on them because I didn't use them. Given the quality of all the other facilities however, I expect that they live up to the high standards set by this 5 star hotel.


*** Bars and Restaurants ***

The Glen Bar near the hotel lobby is a very stylish and modern place to enjoy a few drinks. I received two free drink coupons with my room and enjoyed listening to live piano music as well as some very tasty nibbles provided free of charge with the drinks. The drinks menu is extensive with good quality spirits, wines and beers available as well as some interesting cocktails.

There are three restaurants on the ground floor of the hotel: Cuisine Unplugged provides a range of dishes from around the world, @Chaan serves Thai cuisine and Deja Vu serves French cuisine. I love Thai food and have eaten at many different places all around Thailand so I was looking forward to eating at @Chaan. I had a late-night buffet meal there and although there were about 20 different dishes available, I was very disappointed with the quality of the food as it was definitely not as spicy or tasty as Thai food should be. This was the cheapest option out of all the restaurants and I did not try the food at the other restaurants, opting instead to eat at restaurants outside the hotel after being disappointed with the first meal I had at the hotel.


*** Duty Free Shopping Mall ***

When you arrive at the hotel, there is no way you will miss seeing the huge Pullman shopping mall that is next to it. If you are a guest at the hotel you receive a discount card on entering the mall and unlike most shopping malls where you can wander around them randomly, you have to follow a set route through this one so it feels more like you are wandering through a set of shops at an airport. This also means that you have no choice but to pass by all of the different outlets!

All major high-end brands are available here and considering that the prices are duty free, everything seems very expensive! I compared the prices of a few items such as Oakley sunglasses and Canon cameras at this shopping mall with the same goods at other shops in Bangkok and found the Pullman duty free shops to be more expensive in every case.


*** Overall opinion ***

This is a fantastic, modern hotel with all the facilities you might need and great service from extremely attentive and helpful staff. If you pause for even just a few seconds anywhere near the hotel lobby you will have somebody asking you if they can help you with anything!

The contemporary Asian style of the place with very comfortable furnishings and nice touches such as lemongrass bath salts make the whole place feel really luxurious and relaxing and this is therefore a perfect place to unwind after a hectic day spent in the city centre.

I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone wanting exceptionally high quality accommodation whilst in Bangkok and the low prices available for rooms in this 5 star hotel should also make it appealing to those who do not usually stay in such high quality places but would like to!

Summary: Very comfortable and relaxing 5 star hotel in Bangkok.