Porting over bright and early from Tamni Hostel, I was incredibly excited to try out the next two hotels on this Bangkok trip! The first one was Siam Kempinski Hotel, conveniently located right next to Siam Paragon shopping mall with a connecting sheltered walkway on the second floor. It is also within walking distance of the Siam BTS station. With a combination of promo codes and Trip coins on Trip.com, this stay became a real steal as it included access to the Executive Lounge (:
- Inclusions:
- 2-night stay in Executive Balcony Room (upgraded from Executive Room)
- Executive Lounge access
- Breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails (as part of club lounge access)
- Spent: SGD$8.64 + $700.36 in Trip coins
Check-in
The reception area was mostly empty when my husband and I arrived so we were promptly attended to by one of the female staff, followed by the one and only Gent in Red, Achirawat. We’d interacted with many Ladies in Red during our stays at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel but this was the first time I heard of Gents in Red, very cool. Welcome drinks and cold towels were served as we waited for the check-in process to be completed. Do note that if your room type includes lounge access, you have the option to check in at the lounge directly.
Titanium status in the GHA Discovery loyalty programme typically entails a two-tier room upgrade but it was a pity we only received a one-tier upgrade this time. We were informed that the Cabana Rooms (that come with direct pool access) were undergoing renovations as part of the room enhancement programme.
Room
We were assigned a room in the Royal Wing on level 10 (out of 16 guest room floors) with a decent balcony view of the pools and greenery below. It had a contemporary aesthetic in the form of clean lines and modern furnishing. The bathroom was hygienic, fitted with a freestanding tub and a separate shower area. Later that night when we returned to our room after evening cocktails, we found our tub filled with water and sprinkled with rose petals, so lovely!
The in-room mini-bar items, consisting of dried and fresh fruit, coconut rolls, soft drinks and beer are complimentary for all staying guests. Even the mosquito repellent is free for the taking. My husband was very impressed that the housekeeping staff generously replenished our mini-bar items during turndown service (provided upon request). In addition, they left us a microfiber cloth gift on our bed!
There is also a pillow menu with five options to choose from. I loved the super firm natural latex pillow that was the perfect height for supporting my neck (plus the bed was wonderfully firm). My husband requested for the buckwheat hull pillow, which was a little more malleable.
Facilities
The massive saltwater swimming pools surrounded by abundant foliage can be found in the centre of the property on level 1. As I explored this area, I felt like I was strolling through a resort. There are many different sections of pools along the perimeter so it is quite unlikely to get overly crowded here.
The Garden Wing is where you’ll find the Kempinski Health Club (the gym) on level 8 and Kempinski The Spa on level 7. All in-house guests have complimentary access to the spa facilities, you simply need to register first at the gym and spa reception counter. These gender-segregated facilities include a jacuzzi, a steam room, a sauna and a cold shower. You can also make reservations for spa treatments and services here at a fee as well.
My favourite spot in the hotel was the Executive Lounge situated on level 18, the top floor of the Royal Wing! Decked out in plush furnishing and luxurious vibes, the lounge is the perfect venue for all your meals while soaking in panoramic city views. At one point, we saw swarms of dragonflies hovering right outside the full-length windows, which was rather intriguing. I loved that they also had a private area just for adults that included massage chairs ❤
Surprisingly, in terms of service, only one lady staff here really made an impression as she was always welcoming and consistently remembered our preferences. The rest of them were mostly perfunctory in their interactions with us.
Three meal presentations are available at the lounge: Breakfast (7am to 11am), afternoon tea (2pm to 4pm) and evening cocktails (5pm to 7pm). Select alcoholic beverages can be ordered throughout their opening hours from 7am to 9pm daily. Breakfast was free-flow, with a mix of a la carte menu ordering and self-service stations. Every morning, there were power juice shots awaiting guests at the entrance of the lounge too.
The quality of the food was very good, especially the green curry and made-to-order sandwiches from the live station during evening cocktails, as well as the poached egg with creamy crab remoulade at breakfast. In full Kempinski style, there was also honey from an actual honeycomb (though the one at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel was personally served by a staff).
The Thai milk tea here is an absolute must-try! This was pretty much our go-to drink every time we were here as it was so yummy. My husband remarked that it tasted different from the ones we typically get at markets and restaurants in that this one was lighter, less sweet but very aromatic.
Instead of dining at the lounge, you can opt to have breakfast downstairs at any of the three restaurants on level 1 – Rotunda, The Addition and Niche. Other than the fact that it was a lot more bustling than the lounge, the only other noticeable difference was that there was a live noodle station.
There are other dining establishments within the hotel premises on level 1, like ALATi (serving Mediterranean cuisine), Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin (a Michelin-star modern Thai fine dining restaurant) and 1897 Lounge & Cigar Bar (for all-day snacks and beverages).
For those with kids aged up to 12 years old, they can access the Kempinski Kids Club on level 1 of the Royal Wing. The environment looked spotless and really inviting with the natural light streaming into the light wood interior spaces.
I was super excited to see live musicians performing in the lobby spaces throughout our stay. It was my first time seeing a harpist play in person and her captivating music sounded magical. Later in the evening, there was a pianist filling the lobby with soothing pop and disney tunes.
One of the many highlights of this stay for me was the outstanding service provided by the Gent in Red, Achirawat. He was such a great listener who took the initiative to offer solutions we didn’t even know we needed. For instance, when we asked him for directions to the Siam BTS station, he immediately arranged for a buggy to drop us off directly.
Also, while checking out, we mentioned in conversation that we were headed to sister property, Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel, for the next two nights. He excused himself for a while and then came back to inform us that he’d made a call to Nikki, one of the managers there, to pre-empt them of our arrival for a smoother experience. What an incredible level of service and anticipation of our needs! Furthermore, he handed us a parting gift of a limited edition pencil set specially designed by an organization that the hotel collaborated with. Just so much love ❤
My overall rating of the experience: 5 out of 5 stars. Just about everything during this stay was excellent and memorable – a well-appointed room, an inviting club lounge with towering city views plus a delicious selection of food and drinks, complimentary spa facilities and truly stellar service from the Gent in Red, Achirawat! I also appreciated all the lovely gestures from the various hotel staff, like the drawn bath with rose petals, the generous replenishing of our mini-bar, the noting of our preferences at the lounge and the little gifts they showered us with throughout our stay. It was a superb bonus to have live musicians in the lobby as well. This hotel has easily made it onto my list of highly recommended accommodations, I’d love to come back again ❤
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
Dania Experiences 