I arrived at the Peninsula in Bangkok for a site visit on a Thursday afternoon in early November. The Peninsula staff, as expected, greeted me with the utmost hospitality. In Thailand, the culture exudes hospitality, politeness, consideration, respect and the act of being humble. These are basic personality traits which every Thai person possesses. It may be the number one reason so many people enjoy traveling to Thailand, the Thai people are warm and kind, after a few days, you find yourself reciprocating that friendliness. Thai culture is quite catchy and one misses it upon leaving the country.
I was given a thorough tour of The Peninsula before we headed to lunch. The property was built from the ground up only ten years ago, it is in top condition. If you have never stayed at a Peninsula Hotel and you are not certain what their standards are, think: modern elegance, superior service personalized to your needs and professionalism with a constant effort of achieving excellence.
Walking into the hotel, the lobby overlooks the Chao Phraya River with soaring ceilings and an outdoor terrace for those who choose to sit outdoors. One can sit in the lobby café for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea.
The hotel is decorated with an emphasis on Thai architecture and houses an extensive collection of Asian arts and antiques. Just outside the hotel, on The Peninsula’s river pier, there is a free water shuttle that runs every five to ten minutes that transports guests to the opposite side of the River. This is a fantastic feature offered by the hotel because crossing the river is a necessity to reach many locations outside of the property.
View of Peninsula
Private River Shuttle
We headed up to the sleeping rooms of the hotel where I was made aware of what is probably the single best reason to choose The Peninsula over other luxury properties in Bangkok – the W-shaped design of the hotel. Each and every room has a coveted, panoramic view of the river. The architects of the property built the hotel so that each room faces the river and the hallways and common areas are the only areas that face away from the river. Every single room in this hotel has a sublime view of the Chao Phraya River and the fabulous city lights of Bangkok. The views from the rooms are so lovely, one finds it difficult to decide which room they prefer over the next; each view has a nuance that may appeal to one person over another person.
View from EVERY room
I was escorted by my hosts from the Superior rooms to the Suites and I can say with 100% honesty that you will not find a subpar room in this hotel. In fact, you may be surprised at the size and details included in all of the guest rooms. Regardless of the size of each room (they average 495 sq. ft), there is a separate sitting area with a desk and a separate closet and valet area for your belongings. The bathrooms are marble with a luxurious soaking tub with a built in television above the tub and separate shower. The rooms all have the amenities that one comes to expect from a top tier property: AV system, DVD & CD players, bedside controls for lighting & temperature, in room fax machines, high speed, wireless internet. The rooms most occupied are the Deluxe Rooms – one step above the Superior room; the Deluxe Rooms are on floors 4-9 and the Grand Deluxe rooms are on floors 10 and above.
The Suites
My site visit was fairly extensive and I was shown about eight different rooms including all but one of the four “themed” suites. The Thai Suite is one of the most requested rooms in the hotel and is almost always occupied, it was occupied during my visit therefore I was unable to see the Thai suite.
There are 60 one bedroom suites in this particular property and the one bedroom suites are very spacious and each has a spectacular view (Deluxe Suite floors 4-9 and Grand Deluxe Suite floors 10 and above). My attention was quickly consumed by the larger suites: The Terrace Suite, The Grand Terrace suite, The Thai Suite, The Peninsula Suite and The Duplex Suite.
Duplex Suite at The Peninsula Bangkok
The Terrace Suite is probably the most practical of all the suites I visited with a large living & dining space along with a master bedroom. This room also has a great outdoor terrace with a Jacuzzi tub. It is a suite that is large enough to meet the needs of a family or a business traveler who is on an extended stay.
The Grand Terrace Suite is significantly larger (2500 Sq. Ft) than the Terrace Suite and has a lot more detail in the décor. Master and guest bedrooms, a roomy living room with a large sofa and an Asian “screen” adds significantly to the mix of Thai & Chinese feel of the décor. This suite also has a separate dining room (which can be used as a board room) that overlooks the river and pantry for in-room dining.
The Thai Suite is the most requested suite in the hotel and it is almost always occupied. Decorated in a traditional Thai fashion with fine distinctions one might find in the most luxurious Bangkok homes. The room is 1600 square feet with a master bedroom, a separate living room with sofa and working desk, and a powder room for guests.
The Duplex Suite was my favorite of all the suites, or at least I think it was, it is difficult to select a “favorite” because all of the suites are so impressive. This suite is two floors and it is similar to the Grand Terrace in décor, however, this suite has a richer, warmer more “English Library” feel due to the dark wood paneling throughout. This room has a master bedroom with a master bath, a guest room with two twin beds with a guest bathroom, two outdoor terraces, a dining room (board room) that seats 10 guests with a separate pantry for in-room dining. The top floor of the room overlooks the large living room which faces the river.
The Peninsula Suite was the most over the top suite I visited. You can land a helicopter on the rooftop and have a private entrance to your suite. This room is so large, one might get lost inside the room. There are multiple bedrooms (master and guest bedrooms) with multiple bathrooms, a gym (with a treadmill, stationary bike and weights), his and hers closets, a private study, dining room (board room) and a private pantry. There is even a Butler’s room in this suite. This suite is just shy of 4000 square feet.
Restaurant Inside The Peninsula Bangkok
After the tour of the sleeping rooms, we went downstairs and walked outside to view the River Café and River Bar. We then had lunch indoors at the River Café (it is 90 degrees and humid in November therefore very difficult to sit outside). For lunch, I sampled a few appetizers: shrimp cake, chicken wrapped with pandan leaf (which is a Thai herb) and spring rolls. I also tried one of The Peninsula’s delicious signature cocktails “Another One Please” which was strawberry vodka with muddled strawberry, lime, mint and a splash of soda. My entrée, I tried the traditional Pad Thai with tofu and prawns (delicious). I did not think people would eat Pad Thai in Thailand but I was surprised to find the dish nearly everywhere. The highlight of my lunch was dessert and I am SO glad we ordered dessert. I had Mango with Sticky Rice topped with a bit of coconut milk… and… oh my. I did not think that such basic ingredients could be so incredibly delicious but, if you believe nothing else from this post, believe me when I say to you that the best Mango with Sticky Rice is at The Peninsula.
Overall, I loved this hotel. I think the highlights of this property are: the location, that every room faces the river, the river walk bar & café where you can take breakfast outside before the heat settles in, and The Peninsula water shuttle. Additionally, the food was delicious, the service was excellent and, well, let’s not forget the traditional Peninsula Rolls Royce’s in the circle drive of the property.
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