ISSUE 58 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 ISSUE 58 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 THE MAGAZINE FOR CORPORATE AND LEISURE TRAVELLERS
MADAGASCAR The Island Time Forgot
Get Away To HAWKE’S BAY
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THE PHILIPPINES Things You Didn’t Know Celebrating 100 Years GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Destination Asia, Thailand
Bangkok’s Top Hotels By Roderick Eime
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137 PILLARS - LUXURY ON A PEDESTAL The story of 137 Pillars begins in the late 19th century when the son of Anna Leonowens (of ‘Anna and the King’ fame) built his classic teak manor in Chiang Mai, now a standout boutique hotel. Such has been the success of the ‘137 Pillars’ brand, that an all-new property has been created in Bangkok, just off the bustling Sukhumvit strip on Soi 39. Part 5-Star boutique hotel, part luxe serviced residences, the towering 32-floor building hosts the exquisite Nimitr fine dining restaurant, a day spa, gym as well as the signature Leonowens Club, the Jack Bain’s Bar and Cigar Divan plus a retro ground floor casual bistro, Bangkok
Trading Post. The gleaming property opened in 2017 and retains just 34 suites sitting atop the 176 serviced apartments, hence its qualification for the Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) affiliation, which by the way, now allows guests to earn loyalty points with the shared Hyatt system. We loved the superb butlerserviced hotel suites, finished in exacting detail with timber accents and 3m high windows and ceilings. For example, the one-bedroom Sukhothai suites occupy 64sqm, while the maxi Ayutthaya suites spread out to 85sqm. The two regal two-bedroom Rattanakosin Suites are a whopping 115sqm. Compare that to run-of-the-mill hotels that brag about anything over 20sqm.
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No self-respecting urban luxury hotel would be complete without a rooftop infinity-edge pool…137 Pillars has two. The first is on the 27th level adjoining the Marble Bar and Nimitr, while the second is for suite guests only on the rooftop, complete with its own dedicated private Sky Bar. Fans of Game of Thrones will also be thrilled at the see-through portal in the bar floor, dubbed the ‘Moon Door’, it looks all the way down to street level. “Let him fly!” There’s also a free shuttle, in the form of Louie the London Cab, to the swank EmQuartier mall, right on Phrom Phong BTS station. It’s all well and good to boast about being ‘luxury’, but an understanding that the term transcends mere ‘bling’ and delivers exceptional personal service is what is keeping the growing 137 Pillars brand on its upward trajectory. You haven’t heard the last of them by any means. www.137pillarshotels.com
BANYAN TREE - CLASS NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE Bangkok is a city overflowing with amazing quality accommodation and dining options. The choice can be overwhelming, but some properties just keep shining through. One such beacon is the iconic The Banyan Tree, located in the upmarket Sathon district. The 61-floor, 5-star all-suite hotel has recently completed upgrades to its signature Saffron offering which includes the acclaimed fine dining venue and Sky Garden on the 52nd floor. Whether dining inside or out, we loved the spectacular unobstructed view right across the city, a perfect location to enjoy Banyan Tree’s award-winning contemporary Thai cuisine which includes such stand-out dishes as seared Tasmanian salmon with crisp pork crackling and a spicy citrus dressing, banana blossom salad with perfectly grilled and marinated prawns served with a coconut dressing and fried banana flowers.
We also enjoyed the newly upgraded products of Serenity Club, located on the very top floors. These expansive suites also afford exclusive access to the 19th floor Club Lounge with complimentary happy hour, buffet breakfast, laundry as well as express check-in and out among other benefits. The pick of the rooms is certainly the two-bedroom suite with space for up to four guests, making it perfect for either families or good friends. Rollaway beds can even be added and each bedroom enjoys its own ensuite bathroom and comes with a rain shower and jumbo bathtubs. The Banyan Tree Bangkok also offers outstanding event and meeting spaces as well as the Spa with such signature treatments as the Thai Blossom Romance and Tropical Rainmist for a total mind and body experience. www.banyantree.com/en/thailand/ bangkok
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or two about hotels, with more than 4,500 hotels, resorts and residences across 100 different countries. Sofitel has been their marquee brand since acquiring the company in 1980, sort of like Lexus is to Toyota. Yeah, Sofitel is Accor’s ‘show off’ brand and the new ‘SO’ extension is their ultra-hip side they describe as “highly creative and fashion-led, each SO Hotel is an avant-garde masterpiece imaginatively inspired by an iconic, signature designer.”
The comprehensive gym and spa are on the 25th floor. Up-to-date conference and event facilities are plentiful and versatile and ready to cater for anything from small meetings to weddings. The lobby is cavernous and brightly lit with natural light from panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s a super bar and space for informal meetings, if you can keep your gaze away from the view.
AVANI+ RIVERSIDE BANGKOK HOTEL - NOW THIS IS A VIEW Away from the hurly burly of Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, there is a new option for those wishing to enjoy all the city has to offer, but at a convenient arms’ length.
In short, this is a sparkling and funky new hotel with bright, youthful flair located to take great advantage of the views and still be accessible to all the action downtown. www.minorhotels.com/en/avani SO SOFITEL BANGKOK - LIKE NOTHING YOU’VE SEEN BEFORE The mighty French AccorHotels hospitality company knows a thing
Many readers will also be familiar with the plush Anantara Riverside on the western bank of the Bangkok River, just north of the Bangkok Bridge. Now, right in the backyard, is the all-new Avani+ Riverside offering a more conventional luxury hotel stay. This new property is designed as a showcase hotel for the Avani brand and is the first new build for the company. Even though rated at 4–4.5 stars, there are plenty of 5-star features like the amazing 26th floor rooftop bar, Attitude, and restaurant, Skyline, in the lobby on the 11th floor.
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This pretense may be a bit much for regular hotel guests, but sacre bleu! These hotels are really something else. A genuine 5-Star leisure hotel, the stunning rooms are themed to Feng Shui philosophy, where a collaboration of designers reinterpreted the essence of water, earth, wood, metal and fire. Really, we’re serious, and so are Accor who add “a generous dash of playfulness, heaps of audacity and a zesty twist of French joie de vivre.” For the tech-heads, there’s the Apple Mac Mini media solution in all guest rooms, iPad use for suite guests and free Wi-Fi in all areas, of course. There’s plenty of wining and dining at any of the hotel's six F&B outlets, such as the ‘sky-high creative’ Park Society on the rooftop or the all-day dining venue, Red Oven, styled after traditional street food. There’s even a chocolate cafe, Chocolab and HI-SO, which Accor claim to be the most gorgeous rooftop bar in Bangkok. On the last Saturday of
the heart of Bangkok on Sukhumvit 20, just a short walk to shopping at either EmQuarter or Terminal 21 and BTS Asok and MRT Sukhumvit. With just 235 4-star rooms and suites across five categories contained in two low-rise buildings, Well Hotel is almost boutique by Bangkok standards. We liked the bright and airy public spaces, which are something of a sanctuary from the cut-and-thrust of this lively neighbourhood surrounded by high-rises, cafes, convenience stores and the ubiquitous massage salons. The property is ‘Well-equipped’ (pun intended) with business and event space, Eat Well Café & Restaurant, The Bar & Grill, Pool Bar, 24-hour in-room dining, Well Spa, fitness centre and swimming pool. To further reinforce the wellness theme, both Executive Rooms and Executive Suites are fitted with private exercise bikes and a Well Fit Box with yoga and stretching kit including mat, block, massage ball, exercise ball and resistance band and - yes - an electronic scale. Well Hotel certainly has a youthful and ‘hip’ persona, but that shouldn’t deter guests from all walks of life. Perhaps just gauge your own ability before launching into an energetic routine. www.wellhotelbangkok.com
the month, there's the famous pool party. If you think you’re hip enough for SO Sofitel, heck even if you’re not, this hotel is worth a look if not a stay. www.so-sofitel-bangkok.com WELL HOTEL BANGKOK - IT’S YOUR LIFESTYLE Thailand-based hotel management company, Well Hotels & Resorts, opened the first of its four properties in Bangkok in late 2015 with a focus on lifestyle and wellness, located in
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