Hotel Review: Waldorf Astoria Bangkok (Corner Suite) - Probably My Favourite Luxury Hotel in Bangkok in a Post-Pandemic World
There is no shortage of luxury hotels in Bangkok and it is honestly a difficult space to compete in with new properties opening almost every other year. Now I have been to Bangkok on three separate occasions in 2022 alone and the city is really starting to really grow on me. The Waldorf Astoria Bangkok is the first Waldorf Astoria property to open in Southeast Asia back in 2018 and even though it has been on my list of properties to check out, my plans were derailed when the global pandemic happened.
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Lift Lobby
Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
I try to keep my Diamond status in the Hilton Honors program every year and even though I love it for its generosity (since even Gold members get free breakfast or an F&B credit in the US), I have only gotten a proper suite upgrade a handful of times in all my years as a Diamond member - I have gotten more suite upgrades as a Globalist member in the World of Hyatt program in the last year. With that being said, my room was upgraded to a beautiful Corner Suite during my recent stay when I booked a Hilton Impresario rate via HoteLux. For luxury properties at this level, guest privacy is extremely important so the design of the building really matters as well. I love the fact that you can go directly from the ground floor to the guest rooms at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok - it does not require you to transit at the grand lobby. Now if you need a quick refresher course on HoteLux, it is basically an app that allows you to access luxury travel advisor rates which are typically pegged to the best flexible rate of the property but it comes with exclusive benefits (even on single-night stays) - these stays are also eligible for points and nights. At the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, I received a USD 100 F&B credit and double points on top of my usual Diamond benefits when I booked the Impresario Rate via HoteLux. The check-in process took a couple of minutes and my room was actually pre-upgraded to the Corner Suite prior to my arrival.
Living Room
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
The Corner Suite at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok measures 90sqm in size and it features floor-to-ceiling windows that keep the living room and bedroom bright and airy throughout the day. There is a huge seating area in the living room and you can easily have quite a few friends over if you are staying in this beautiful suite. There is a large 47” TV in the living room, but I did expect to be larger to be honest - there are various connectivity options via the panel under the work desk but I will cover more on this later.
Powder Room
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Located next to the entrance of the Corner Suite but entering the living room is a powder room where you will find a toilet as well as a sink - this is perfect for when you have guests over and you can easily close off your bedroom and the main bathroom. The toilet also comes with a toto washlet and you will be able to control this via a panel located on the side.
Living Room and Work Desk
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Even though the Corner Suite that I was assigned to at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok on this stay was on a lower floor and it faces the BTS Skytrain tracks, the noise isolation was actually fantastic, so you will probably not be disturbed by any potential ambient noises coming from outside. I am usually a really light sleeper, and I am pretty sensitive to noise (unless it is a constant white noise) but the ambient noise did not bother me at all during this stay. As I have mentioned earlier, the floor-to-ceiling windows in the suite really make the space feel a lot larger than it actually is.
Work Desk
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
As I was working remotely from Bangkok during my stay at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, the large work desk really makes a big difference - I was staying in one of the Grand Executive Suites at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok next door prior to this, and while the Grand Hyatt does have a Grand Club that I could work out of, the lack of natural daylight did affect my productivity to some extent. If you are fortunate enough to work out of the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, you should not have this problem as the rooms and suites have great natural lighting and also a range of connectivity options (e.g. HDMI and USB) for you to project your laptop onto a larger screen if required.
View from Living Room (Low Floor)
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
The Corner Suite that I stayed in looked out to the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok (where I have spent over 10 nights now in 2022 alone) and if you are unfamiliar with where the hotel is located, it is only a stone’s throw away from the famous Erawan Shrine. The closest BTS station is probably the Ratchadamri station (which is in front of The St. Regis Bangkok), but you can also walk to Siam and Chit Lom BTS stations easily via the skywalk.
Welcome Amenities
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
As part of my welcome amenities, I received two beautiful blueberry tarts (which looked and tasted incredible!) as well as a handwritten welcome note. I am personally a bigger fan of fruit platters and while I will not say no to a bottle of Champagne, this was already a nice touch for an upgraded room. I have been a Hilton Honors Diamond Member for over five years (I cannot remember how many years to be exact) and I have had terrible luck with suite upgrades when it comes to this program so I am always thankful when a suite upgrade happens automatically.
Mini Bar
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
The USD 100 property credit cannot be utilised on items in the minibar but you will find two complimentary Thai coconuts (with the Waldorf Astoria stamp) in the fridge for your consumption. The rest of the items in the minibar are chargeable so do not go too crazy here unless you know exactly what you are paying for.
Coffee Capsules and Tea Bags
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Waldorf Astoria properties do not have an Executive Lounge (or equivalent) since it is not a business hotel and the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok is no exception; you however will find a healthy supply of Nespresso coffee capsules and tea bags in the minibar - these are also replenished during evening turndown and in the day when housekeeping comes in to make up your room (if you are staying multiple nights) but you can always request for more by simply picking up your phone or by sending an email to the dedicated concierge team.
Living Room
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
I absolutely love the living room of the Corner Suite here at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok but the bedroom has got to be my favourite spot in this suite. There is a small wooden sliding door that can be drawn to partition off the space but for some reason, the door was a little faulty and I was unable to shut it unfortunately. Since I was only going to be staying here for one night, I have decided not to request for it to be fixed but it should in theory shut completely, and you should be able to lock-in for an added layer of security.
Bedroom
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
The bedroom of the Corner Suite features a plush king-size bed which is very possibly the nicest bed that I have slept in in a long while. Waldorf Astoria properties around the world have phenomenal beds to sleep on and I remember that from my experience at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai when I visited it back in late 2018. There is a small dressing area in the bedroom and everything is just so elegantly-furnished here.
Bedroom
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Since my suite at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok was located on one of the lowest floors, I did not have a fancy view to look out to from my bedroom but it was also charming in some ways to see more of the local life from the comfort of my own room. There is also another HDTV located in the bedroom of the Corner Suite but once again, I did find the size of the TV to be on the smaller side for a suite and property this luxurious.
Control Panel
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
One thing that I love a lot about the Corner Suite here at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok is the touch-control panel which is located next to the bed - you will be able to control things like lighting, air-conditioning, day and night curtains, as well as to toggle the do not disturb sign from your bedroom. There is nothing more frustrating than having to answer the door when you are enjoying a soak in the tub, or a nap in the afternoon (no judgement here!).
King-size Bed
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Located directly behind the king-size bed is the walk-in wardrobe which can be accessed via an entrance by the side - I love it when hotels are thoughtfully designed and having the walk-in wardrobe near the bathroom makes so much sense (you would be surprised at how many luxury properties actually do not get this right).
Walk-in Wardrobe
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
There is plenty of space here in the walk-in wardrobe and you can definitely unpack your suitcase here even if you are staying here for a week. You will find the usual suspects here - luxurious bathrobes which are incredible to wear, bedroom slippers, laundry bags, as well as an extra pillow if you need it. There is also a pillow menu where you can select from a range of different pillows that best suit your preferences.
Bathroom
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Some of the suites at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok come with a circular bathtub but the Corner Suite that I stayed in featured a regular-shaped bathtub (which I personally prefer). I love the deep-soaking tub and more importantly, how quickly the tub fills with the right water pressure which creates a bubble bath effortlessly. A separate shower area and another toilet is located on separate ends of the bathroom.
Bath Amenities from Salvatore Ferragamo
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Consistent to brand standards, bath amenities here at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok are provided by Salvatore Ferragamo but the smaller plastic bottles have been replaced by these bulk-size pumps which store the same amenities. While these are definitely more sustainable since it reduces the consumption of single-use plastics, a lot of hotels have actually chosen to mount them on the wall to prevent guests from taking them home. With that said, I am glad that the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok have gone with a better approach - the pump bottles can be removed from the shower area and you can place them by the bathtub if you desire.
As I have mentioned earlier, I have booked an Impresario Rate for my stay at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok and this is an eligible rate that stacks with my Hilton Honors Diamond status. By booking this luxury travel agent rate via HoteLux, I was able to double-dip on two programs and earn not only Hilton Honors points for this stay, but also points on the HoteLux platform where I will be able to redeem for vouchers which I can use for future stays. By booking this rate, I was also accorded an exclusive USD 100 property credit which I could use across all participating restaurants and bars on the property.
I chose to check out The Loft which is located on the top floor of the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok - Hilton Honors elite members also enjoy up to 25% off their eligible bills here so that USD 100 property credit goes an even longer way. The cocktails at The Loft were very good but I did have a minor incident during my visit - one of my food orders was forgotten and after checking in on it after waiting for approximately 45-60 minutes, that dish was comped and the restaurant manager actually offered two glasses of Champagne on the house for the inconvenience. Things do happen from time to time but it is important for properties to acknowledge their mistakes quickly (instead of telling the guest that the ‘food is already in preparation and on the way’) - the service recovery here was quick and elegant.
View from Lobby
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
After the most amazing sleep in my bed, I decided to head up to The Brasserie for breakfast the next morning and was greeted with majestic views of The Royal Bangkok Sports Club as well as the surrounding area.
Breakfast
The Brasserie - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
I was quickly seated and since it was my first time staying at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, I was given a quick introduction of The Brasserie on my way in before being offered some beautiful coffee and freshly-pressed juices to start. Breakfast at The Brasserie is fantastic and it is hands-down the best buffet breakfast experience in Bangkok. The range of the items is not excessive but everything is of the highest quality - the pastries were delicious, the items from the egg menu were impeccable and the service makes a whole world of difference.
I am not usually a big eater during Breakfast but I could not resist trying as much as I could during my visit - the fruits were a massive highlight too and I definitely recommend asking for some fresh mangoes while you are there. Fruits in Bangkok are always something to look forward to but the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok makes it so much better.
Coffee
Peacock Alley - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
My USD 100 property credit from booking an eligible rate via HoteLux went a really long way (especially with the 25% discount for Diamond and Gold members) - I even had a really substantial lunch and coffee at Peacock Alley the next day (with some credit to spare) and the quality of food was excellent as well.
Living Room
Corner Suite - Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
My stay at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok was definitely way too short and I did not manage to drop by the famous swimming pool or even the gym during my stay. By booking the Impresario Rate via HoteLux, I was able to double-dip on two loyalty programs and earn bonus points on this stay. Hilton Honors Diamond members typically earn 20 points per USD on eligible stays but I was able to earn 40 points per USD on this stay as the Impresario Rate gives me an additional 10 points per USD, and the ongoing global promotion gave me another 10. Honestly, I did not think I would like the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok this much but everything from start to finish was impeccable - while each night at this property does come at a premium, it is definitely one of the best luxury properties in Bangkok and it should definitely be on your list if you are planning a weekend escape to the City of Angels
Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
151 Ratchadamri Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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TRIBE Living Bangkok Sukhumvit 39 is a great value choice for budget-conscious travelers but its slightly longer walk from Phrom Phong BTS Station may make it less convenient compared to more accessible (but pricier) options in the area.