Sirimahannop MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL Marriott’s first Marquis-branded hotel in Asia Pacific takes to the water to create a new social venue on the Chao Phraya River. Words: Catherine Martin • Photography: Courtesy of Marriott International
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s the hotel industry continues to seek out new ways to entertain its guests, operators are looking to other sectors for inspiration. Some have turned their
lobbies into retail outlets in a bid to keep guests on-site and spending, others have partnered with local experts to develop a cultural events programme. For Marriott International, it’s the cruise market that beckoned. The group was the first of the big players to enter the sector in a meaningful way with the launch of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and now, one of its hotels in Asia has got on board with the idea and created a new social venue on the water. With 1,388 guestrooms, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park is the largest hotel in the city, and became the first Marquis-branded property in Asia Pacific when it opened in 2016. Despite already offering a vast array of facilities including 5,000m2 of function space and a variety
of restaurants and bars, the opportunity to create a unique new destination proved too good to miss. Permanently docked at Asiatique The Riverfront, a waterfront development a short drive from the hotel, Sirimahannop is a multi-purpose venue hosting up to 300 guests for dinners, private events and weddings. The vessel itself is a replica of the Royal Thai Navy’s last three-masted
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