ive made a promise to myself that i will try to experience all types of accommodations that this city has to offer..and mind you..this city has lots...from the trashy cheap hotels around Patpong to the Le Meridien in Surawong and all the fancy hotels along the Chao Phraya river such as Shangri-La..this city has it all.The best part is, sometimes you can get a deal if you booked directly from their websites (which will safe your-piggy bank another day) as what ive encountered from my recent stay at the Holiday-Inn Silom.
External facade of the hotel doesn't impressed me at all...looks like something straight from the 70's..as you can see from the pic which i borrowed from other site...
ohh..before i go on further, on this trip i took the airport coach for the first time from Suvarnabhumi airport right to the bus stop opposite the Holiday Inn. Some travelers' notes; the airport coach is (i believe) the cheapest way to travel from the airport to the city. It costs only THB150 and the bus will depart like every 20-30 minutes..and they also confirmed beforehand of your ultimate destination so that the driver can stop at the appropriate places for you.Not the most comfortable type of transportation compared to taxi which will take you direct to your destination, this airport coach will follow its pre-determined route..so if your destination is at the end of the route...than you better have some patience and bring something to amuse you like books..mp3..as the journey is dead borringggg!
okay...so after a dueling 2 hours (!) ride on the bus (rush hour traffic)i arrived at this hotel feeling tired and at the same time excited as i have passed through the hotel many times..but now i got to stay in it :)
the lobby was well arranged and looks exclusive enough for this 4* establishment. Reception and concierge are nicely lined at the left end of the entrance and a small cafe and bar are situated at the right.
the door was promptly opened by the bell boy and i headed straight to the reception where i was greeted by the nice Thai reception girl. As ive booked my room via their website and payment was already made, the check-in process was a swift one. I was not handed with the room-card..but instead..... the reception girl volunteered to bring me to my room. My bag had already been taken to the room earlier by the bell-boy...how efficient was that??
My room was at the 7th floor of the (old?) building..i read somewhere that they actually have 2 phases of buildings where the standard rooms are at the old and the more expensive rooms at the new...
upon exiting the lift, i was greeted by this view of the immaculate hallway....
and my room is just a few steps away from the lift...here we are...716
i was showed of all the facilities and amenities of the rooms..and mind you..i was so happy when i first saw this....
5 fluffy pillows and 3 cushions of different types and sizes nicely placed on this king sized bed..just for myself!! im in heaven!!..
1st test-comfortable bed and nice pillows-checked and passed..with flying colours...the bed is just nice as it neither too hard nor too soft..the pillows consist of 2 feather and 2 cotton pillows each..the cushions consist of different fillings and sizes and you may also request for any of these pillows and cushions to be changed as per your likings..that's what i called true pampering!
pardon my excitement with the pillows and cushions...actually, the first thing which greets you upon entering the room is this...
nicely hanged bathrobes (2 pieces) and electronic safety box and a hairdryer in the cabinet...and
nicely stocked minibar and mini fridge with all assorted goodies..unfortunately they didn't come cheap..so all ended up as accessories to the room...
off we go to the bathroom...the bathroom comes equipped with scale..something which i rarely found in other hotels though using it might be a hassle as NON of the area in the bathroom is leveled..so you wont get the correct measurement...lighting is a bit dimmed to my liking and the size could have been bigger as i did feel a little claustrophobic inside it after a while...
toiletries consist of high quality product, shampoo and soap are of the hotel's brand itself while lotion and conditioner are from Red Earth.Apart from that the usual things such as shower cap,sanitary and vanity pack are made available in the bathroom.
if you forgot to bring your tooth brush,shaver or comb...don't worry as you may request as many as you like from the housekeeping as what i did the next morning :)
the main feature of the room i must say is the circular window which measures 6ft in height..you may sit by the window looking down at the traffic below and the city's skylines...
other features of the room are as below..feast your eyes....
checkout time was another experience of itself..in a good way i mean..while they are processing my details and checking the rooms for any items taken from the minibar etc..i opted to have the complimentary welcome drink coupon which i didn't use when i checked in..welcome drink was a sweet fruit punch which i had at the cafe next to the entrance.
now came the best part, the person who attended me at the checkout counter took the effort to actually locate me at the cafe and handed me all the checkout documents, completing the checkout process..she also reminded me to check my passport and other belongings and also wished me a safe flight (which was a little off as i actually checked in to another hotel right after that)
what can i say of Holiday Inn Silom? the service is top-notch and personal..the room is comfortable and you get the feel of luxury as promised by the "Holiday Inn" brand..i may have not experienced the thorough service of the hotel..but from that one night stay...i can safely conclude that it was one of the best hotel ive ever stayed in and if ever i came across the same deal for stay at the hotel, i wont hesitate to do it again.
Rate out of 5: 4
