Review : The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok

For this reservation, we decided to pay in cash with the HSBC World Elite^® Mastercard^® to avoid paying the conversion fee and to accumulate HSBC points instead of using our Marriott Bonvoy points.

Depending on the season, a night costs between 32,000 and 42,000 points. In cash, a night costs an average of $340.

This 5-star property is located in the Pathum Wan district, a mere 5 minutes’ walk from the Phloen Chit skytrain station (Sukhumvit Line). Going from the Suvarnabhumi Airport to the hotel takes around an hour and a half or less by public transportation, depending on traffic. Going there by taxi or private transportation is much more efficient, taking less than 40 minutes. Considering that transportation prices are usually cheap in the Capital, this is a much better option.

If you have a car, daily parking & valet parking is complimentary.

The location of this property is great, as the Pathum Wan district features most of Bangkok’s mega-malls, which are a great spot for tourists to shop and, especially, dine. It is hard to pay by credit card in Thailand in general, but the bigger shopping centers will usually accept payments by card without needing the usual ATM run, which is a great time save.

When we arrived, we were immediately taken in charge by the valet for our luggage, which were swiftly brought with us to the reception desk. Because of our Marriott Bonvoy status, we were able to zip through the line and be attended to immediately by the front desk agent, which always feels great. Since we were a party of 3, there was a small issue during the check-in process for the price we needed to pay for the third guest (usually room fee + bed fee). We were brought by the agent to the Royal Club Lounge, located on the 26th floor, to finalize the check-in process with a manager, during which we were offered drinks.

After that, we were brought to our room, and our luggage soon followed.

We had booked a standard Double Guest Room (2 beds), but we were upgraded to a Double Royal Guest Room, since we were Titanium Elite guests on the 25th floor.

The hotel normally states that you can have the room starting at 3 p.m., but we were able to access it much sooner, which was of course very convenient.

When we first entered the room, we were immediately surprised at how big it was for a double room, having enough space for a large circular sofa and a desk. Not only was it impeccably clean, but it was also luminous and gave us a great view of the city below.

There was also a TV, but it was a bit small, however that didn’t bother us at all since we were not staying at the hotel to watch movies & shows, as there were so many things to do, such as enjoying the dining experiences that the hotel is famous for.

We were also greeted with a bowl of fresh fruits, as well as a greeting note from the hotel.

The room had all the usual amenities we could expect, such as a mini-bar with drinks & alcohol, snacks, coffee & teas (illy brand), and fresh water bottles that were refilled daily or no demand. The closet was also big enough to fit clothes for 2 persons, and there were also plushy bathrobes.

The bathroom was very spacious, offering both a shower and bathtub. The personal hygiene products were presented in a small black lacquered box, which added flair to our care rituals. We are a bit disappointed however about the brand they chose to work with for the products, as Thann is normally encountered in lower ranked Marriott properties, and we would have expected more on that point for an Luxury Collection property.

The Rain Tree Café is an international buffet restaurant, and it is where breakfast is served. Frankly, there was so much choice for breakfast that we didn’t even get to try everything during our 3 nights stay.

There was a fresh pancakes and waffles station (highlight of our breakfasts), hot & cold Asian lunch style items, a dumpling station, a comprehensive range of freshly baked pastries and muffins, a fresh fruits & juice stand, cold meats & cheese and a large selection of ice cream and sorbets (again, you read that right). We could also select from an included, a la carte menu, and there was also an egg station, where you could order your eggs any way. Everything we had was fresh and delicious, especially the eggs dishes and fresh fruits.

The breakfast was included because of our Marriott Bonvoy status, but is normally rated at 850 THB per person, which is more than acceptable considering the choice and quality of the food.

We also had the chance to experience fine dining at the House of Smooth Curry, which serves rare-to-find authentic Thai food. The restaurant, located on the 3rd floor, is gorgeous, decorated in shades of green and enhanced with wood tones. The decoration is a mix of Thai & almost Chinese influences. It is a very small restaurant, so booking was a must to ensure we were able to be seated.

The food & drinks menus are very large, so it was hard for us to choose. We started with a round of drinks, which were all original in tastes & in presentation, and were quite refreshing. Drinks cost us around 350 THB each, but there were cheaper options (mocktails), which were also delicious.

For the starters, we ordered the Korat Wagyu beef satays (which were served with a sweet & spicy cucumber and a peanut sauce), the pomelo salad with coconut and river prawns and finally the deep-fried prawn spring rolls (accompanied by sweet plum sauce). All the dishes were incredibly flavorful and perfectly plated. The starters were so great, we couldn’t wait for the main course!

After that, we ordered the prawn fried rice with pineapple & cashew nuts (a showstopper, it is served in a whole emptied pineapple), the stir-fried crabmeat in egg & curry powder and finally the deep-fried whole river prawns with Thai garlic and coriander. This was truly a feast for the eyes & soul, and we were compelled to finish the plates even though we were starting to get full, since everything was just spot-on.

In the end, we were not able to leave without sampling the desserts menu, so we each ordered one of Thailand’s traditional desserts: Sticky rice with fresh, sweet mango and coconut cream. A specialty of the house, it was so simple, yet so tasty, the perfect conclusion to a truly outstanding culinary experience that we would recommend to all guests.

Here’s the complete list of the rest of the dining venues:

• The Allium Bangkok – Modern French & European cuisine (lunch & dinner)
• Kintsugi by Jeff Ramsey – Classic Japanese Kaiseki (lunch & dinner)
• The Silk Road – Authentic Cantonese cuisine (lunch & dinner)
• The View Bar – Pool bar serving light fare
• The bakery – Freshly baked goods & high tea
• The Glaz Bar – A la carte items & drinks

The hotel features a large outdoor pool by the View Bar, located on the 4th floor. While it doesn’t seem that high, it was enough to admire Bangkok’s skyline and the sunset.

The pool was very warm and calm, which gave us a pause at time from the hustle & bustle of the city. We enjoyed taking a dip after our days of touring temples, and there weren’t that many guests at the times we were there, even though the hotel was packed, so we felt we had it to ourselves most of the time.

The lounge serves hot & cold items during the evening from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., as well as a comprehensive range of drinks throughout the day. While there isn’t that much choice (something to keep in mind if you have a picky party), everything we had was tasty.

Afternoon tea is also available from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., but we decided not to sample it since there were so many things to discover in Bangkok during our limited stay. The lounge also features a great view of the city, which is always nice while sipping a drink on the house.

There is also a large fitness center, located on the 4th floor near the pool, where you can exercise and take Muay Thai and group body weight & stretching classes (complimentary).

Outside of that, the hotel offers many activities for those that like to spend more time in the hotel, such as cooking, floristry and mixology classes. They are complimentary, except for the cooking class, which is priced at 1,800 THB per person and must be booked in advance.

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to be a holder of the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card).

In addition to the great welcome bonus on both cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all purchases and 5 points per dollar at Marriott locations. And each year, you’ll earn a certificate for one free hotel stay (35,000 point value) and 15 Elite nights toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.

The best & cheapest way to go to and from the hotel to the most touristic attractions, such as the Wat Phra Kaew Temple (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), is to book a hop-on hop-off bus tour, which will take you from the nearest mega-mall to the temples, while allowing you to discover the city on the way. Since the temples are closely grouped together, this is the most efficient way to maximize your temple visits.

Below, you can book some activities in Bangkok with our partner, Viator:

I couldn’t recommend this hotel enough to any traveler that decides to come to Bangkok, as our stay was perfect, from the beginning to the end. The staff was professional & attentive, the restaurants & culinary experiences delivered and were worthy of the praise, and we were able to quickly & efficiently tour the city because of its strategic location.

We’ll be back!