NITRA SERENITY CENTRE at 137 Pillars Bangkok - Make Time For Indulgence

When travelling overseas, your wellbeing is an extremely important part of the journey and one should never forego an indulgent spa experience. Nitra Serenity Centre at 137 Pillars Bangkok offers a variety of ways to stimulate your mind, body and soul. mylifestylenews writes.

Yes, we expected a more immersive ambience from the moment we stepped out of the elevator on the spa floor, but the style of Nitra Serinity Centre at 137 Pillars Bangkok is more of an executive urban retreat rather than a resort wellbeing destination.

The reception and the arrival experience could be a little more seamless and elevated, as there seemed to be a little disconnect and disorganisation, rather than prioritising their own inventory and administration chaos they could direct their attention to guests at once.

Despite the spa reception not being so atmospheric and with the clinical look of a beauty centre, it is also lacking the zen and calm ambience but as they say, “the proof is in the pudding”. This holistic wellbeing haven is where you could possibly experience a spa treatment that transcends the ordinary.

After brief consultation and a quick sip of the chilled roselle juice, we were then escorted to the couple’s treatment room. The treatment room is not big, with two single spa treatment beds that almost take out the entire room space and feeling a little claustrophobic. However, the elegant carved bi-fold wooden window panels allows you to have a great vista of the Bangkok skyline from 26 floors that is rather captivating.

Nitra Serenity Centre can provide wonderful treatments to enhance your luxury hotel experience. Their 90 minutes signature Aromatherapy oil massage with good stroke techniques from both of our therapists Khun Nook and Khun Min’s expert hands can do miracles for weary bodies.

Set your mind free and let them take over and you will be grateful to have made time for this indulgence. The way the therapists exert pressure with their thumbs is so enveloping and instantly let you know which muscles need attention and you are the better for it. As always, it is up to you to do determine how strong a pressure they use, so you are in control and can tap into a different pressure any time you want throughout the treatment and should you be truly adventurous, they can do some serious back stretching at the end the traditional Thai way, but this is not for the faint hearted, but boy, what an amazing feeling. The 90 minutes can easily fly by to make our bodies feels re-energized and elated,  with the tensions gone and resulted in us finding the signature massage to be transformational and it does leave you wanting more.

Other signature and exclusive wellness programmes include Sleep by Design Therapy, which is a popular treatment for restorative and soothing massage that transcends traditional boundaries, utilizing a fusion of holistic elements and technology to enhance the quality of sleep and promote optimal recovery. If you are the active or sporty type, head to their outdoor green spaces for wellness activities such as yoga, meditation and Muay Thai coached by certified trainers for physical and mental rejuvenation. Your wellbeing wishes granted!

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4.5/5

Design & Decor: 3/5

Room Amenities: 3/5

Service: 3.5/5

Value For Money: 3.5/5

Experience: 3.5/5

 

Nitra Serenity Centre at 137 Pillars Bangkok

 59/1 Soi Sukhumvit 39,

Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea,
Khet Watthana Bangkok
Thailand

Tel: +66 2079 7000

*137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok is a member of Small Luxury Hotels Of The World 

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated. 

CHAR BANGKOK @ As Char As It Gets

Perched atop the 25th floor on the bustling Wireless Road, CHAR Restaurant at Hotel Indigo Bangkok does its take on steak with a point of difference, mylifestylenews writes. 

CHAR Restaurant and Bar takes up the top two stories with a modern vibe dining room downstairs and the rooftop bar up above. The 60-seater “thrill of the grill” offers one of the city’s most stunning skyline views along the Embassy Row especially for those who fancy the urban sunset countdown on the open air rooftop bar - one floor up from the restaurant, over the intimate happy and magic hours.

The ambience is buzzing and cool, modern light fittings and elegant settings that are mixed between banquettes and booths dining (more like a floor to ceiling cubical section dining) and some free-standing dining tables. The large format mural on the wall takes centre stage of the main dining room, representing Thai musicians and with a nod to the art deco style which adds some real good vibrant and colorful vibes to the semi-formal dining room, together with a private dining room that sits up to 24 people. Tabletops are minimalist, not overly fussy in a relaxing atmosphere, so the focus can be on the food.

CHAR Restaurant in Bangkok is helmed by the Mexican-born Chef de Cuisine, Jaime Rojas and given his Latin American background and his cooking on a number of continents which has informed his style, the menu creation is with a twist that is partly inspired by his travels. His thought process is, if you are all about the produce, then it can be one dimensional, so this menu is wide-ranging, offering a wonderful array of dishes, it is not just about steak!

As it touts itself as a “The Master of The Grill” contemporary grill from succulent steaks to seafood feasts with global flavours, the menu is very chef driven and strives to deliver that vibrant engaging cuisine and it dips its hat to the original CHAR restaurant at the Hotel Indigo Shanghai on The Bund, but with a more open approach to produce.  Now while we appreciate being surprised by menus that do not follow the expected path, but as the expression goes, “there is something for everyone”. CHAR traditionally offers all guests homemade oregano focaccia bread and an amuse bouche, which was pistachio bruschetta on our visit. Tasty, but nothing surprising.

<Panzanella Salad>

This salad emanates from Tuscany and Umbria that has chopped ingredients with soaked stale bread, onions and tomatoes. This popular summer style garden salad was somewhat refreshing due to the simplicity of ingredients, but it seemed too overdressed, leaving the salad leaves very ‘wet’ and soggy on our serving. Not quite a great start!

<Caribbean Jumbo Crab Cake>

Beautifully presented on a dark stoneware. This was not what we were expecting to see on the menu but worth a go, the crab cake is perfectly fried and crispy on the outside, moist and steamy hot inside. The colourful dish is rather inviting with a pleasant combination of flavours, at least visionary attractive, served with a timbale of rocket salad placed on top with julienned radish which is a refreshing touch, as well as accompanying round splashes of chili aioli and mango salsa which was a bit dominating, but will be enjoyed by those gastronomes that like a little more heat.

<Grilled Octopus>

This dish is usually one of our favourites, at least over the past dining experiences in man other restaurants but somehow this was not our night. A whole not so large char-grilled octopus tentacle cut into pieces was sat on a bed of mash potatoes, accompanied with baby potatoes, chorizo, edamame, burnt garlic aioli and salsa verde. The presentation looked amazing, but the octopus was almost inedible, as it was so overcooked and char-grilled within an inch of its life - very dry and tough to cut, although its flavour held some promise. Being one of the CHAR’s signatures, not impressive at all and we had to send it back to the kitchen.

<Wagyu Beef Tenderloin>

The beef is served on its own on a plate with a small bowl of the three peppercorn sauce we opted for, additional fries and creamy spinach order, which would give an alternative bonus flavour to the beef. The beef looked great, but on further inspection it was more rare than medium rare as per order taken and with difficulties to cut through the meat even with the sharp steak knife. On successfully cutting a piece of beef, we found it was too grainy and sinewy, thus rather disappointing and under-whelming, as this is another of CHAR’s signature dishes that shall be a highlight especially when you are in a restaurant that is specialized in char-grilled. So a second dish that was sent back to the kitchen.

<Strawberry Shortcake>

While the entrées didn’t make it to the top of the chart, the strawberry shortcake served with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and syrup was presented in a slightly deconstructed presentation yet tasted delightful. This was delicious and beautiful in presentation, but beware the shortcake is quite filling and a large portion, but for dessert aficionados, this will hit the spot!

<Polenta Corncake>

One of us is not a fan of polenta but this dessert piqued our interest at the get go and we were not disappointed. The polenta cake is served with dulce de Leche - a milk confection, caramelized bacon and coffee ice cream. The generous serving and a number of different flavours were there to enjoy as it was served two ways - one part not overly sweet and simple in construction and the other part very sweet with the chocolate drizzled popcorn. The caramelized bacon is a touch of genius!

The evening was not entirely successful but dessert was faultless on all counts. The reason for visiting CHAR Restaurant was for steak, among other menu items and we were not able to enjoy both our main courses which resulted in a very disappointing evening. While passion is the main ingredient in crafting their storied dishes, we could not get over the missteps from the kitchen. The culinary team need to look into their final outcome as it is all about knowing the produce provenance and ensuring the cooking process is on point. Food speaks volumes, but at least the restaurant location and ambience ticked some boxes and the elevated vista with the almost uninterrupted views out to the Bangkok skyline speaks more than the food was there to enjoy.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4.5/5
Design & Decor: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Value For Money: 2.5/5
Experience: 3/5

CHAR Bangkok
25th & 26th Floor,
Hotel Indigo Bangkok,
81 Wireless Road,
Lumphini, Pathum Wan,
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 207 4999

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.

ANANTARA SIAM BANGKOK Sunday Champagne Brunch @ A Bubbly Indulgence Feast

For no particular reason in need, Sundays in Bangkok have become a special celebration, either every week or once a month, when wine and food aficionados head for their favourite Sunday Champagne brunch. Unwind, chill and indulge, as your well-deserved day off has just begun. mylifestylenews writes.

The to-go-to Anantara Siam Bangkok Sunday Champagne brunch is held in the legendary Parichart Court. Back in the 1970s, when the hotel was undergoing construction, the American architect tasked with designing and building the hotel, assigned local landscaper Sittiporn Dhonavanik to design a lush and verdant courtyard; a respite for those wishing to escape the heat of the capital, complete with koi ponds and a plethora of tropical flora and fauna.

Khun Sittiporn sourced hundreds of native trees, plants and shrubs, from all over South East Asia and created an urban oasis right in the heart of Rachaprasong. The pre-eminent Thailand Anantara hotel brand has continued the legacy by keeping the courtyard in good shape. The property has great bones and most importantly, a design aesthetic that truly references Thailand’s heritage, encompassing different wings and courtyards to create a truly lush, tropical oasis.

The Sunday Brunch is based in one wing around the elegant Parichart Court, with a delightful koi pond and bridges to meander around this large courtyard, lush foliage tumbling down from hotel balconies, creating a calm and peaceful ambience that will have you transported to another paradise of lush oasis. The koi pond has always been a popular spot, to hang out with friends in any occasion during the opening hours. Listen to the sounds of water cascading over huge rive boulders, which were transported from the infamous River Kwai, in Kanchanaburi province, while watching the resident koi carp swimming aimlessly, as they have done for the last four decades.

There are myriad reasons to visit Parichat court. The very tropical under cover outdoor seating are the popular spots to enjoy such wonderful surrounds next to the koi pond. You may need to know someone to know someone from the F&B team in order to secure you the best seats of the house. Try your luck! We were lucky enough to be allocated a prime seat right on the edge of the koi pond centre stage, so we could watch the fun and frivolity of the occasion.

Beside having the "tropical" live band performing the light and easy music in the middle of the lush courtyard ‘island’, it also afforded us wonderful attention from the front of house team, with our delightful host, Khun Mameaw keeping a close eye on us and ensuring our refreshments were also topped up without having to ask and she could not do enough for us. Max, the floor supervisor, also does a fantastic job and empty plates just seemed to disappear magically, as well as our glasses being topped up even it was still half full.

While some free standing gastronomique wine and dine restaurants can put on a pretty good show, the most extravagant ones are still to be found with the cities luxury hotels as the main focus for these lavish brunches go all the way in to put on an extravagant buffet and mostly family and kids friendly as part of their DNA, Sunday bubbly brunch has been taken to the next level and you shall never be bored anymore.

They have always been able to display a lavish spread and here to please, inevitably, with a free flow of champagne and wine together with other beverages to enjoy with it. After much deliberation, we settled at the Anantara Siam Bangkok courtyard bubbly brunch.

The 3-hour lasting brunch starts from 12noon-3pm and the queue already began to be serpentine with plentiful of well-dressed patrons to celebrate the special occasion - Sunday Champagne Brunch it is. Prior reservation is highly recommended as it is booked out at all times.

The abundance of exciting dining options are encompassing the tropical gardens, as well as utilizing the other F&B outlets surrounding this outdoor space, so diners can also book seats inside to enjoy the chilling air-con.

Seating and food spread throughout the surrounding outlets are there to create indoor and outdoor buffet offerings and seating. While it was rather warm and sticky outside the premises, it was beautifully pleasant in the brunch setting with cool air wafting over everyone and everything, no matter which location you chose to dine in.

As you would expect, there are food stations for everything, encompassing hot and cold seafood, meat carveries, an enormous paella, cold cuts, assorted imported cheeses, salads, Thai desserts, to name a few.

You are spoilt for choice no doubt, so a quick reconnoitre is required to know what piques your interest and whets the appetite, so you can plan your menu without missing out on any of your favourite dishes and let’s face it, pacing is very important to your enjoyment!

A colourful spread

What a fabulous and sumptuous Sunday Brunch especially when you have free flow of quality Laurent Perrier Champagne to enjoy it with, it just seems to make everything even more special.

The food was mostly up to expectations - only the paella failed to find its mark with us, taste was rather bland and the rice was a little too soggy.

We grazed on duck pancakes, Thai salads, pork dishes, a large array of seafood and then some, but the hit for us was able to order the crafted Restaurant Signature a-la-carte dishes which is part of the Sunday Brunch bonus that were almost fine dining in presentation and stunning in execution. 

Our hit list:  

Duck with beetroot puree, red cabbage and asparagus

Phad Thai Kiew Grob

Maine Lobster Thermidor

Assorted imported cheeses

Risotto funghi porcini

Assorted Thai dessert

It is not often that a-la-carte dishes are included, but this brunch goes all the way without any hidden extra costs and this is to be relished big time!

The selection of wines is outstanding and while we thought we would just stay with champagne the whole lunch, we ended up getting very excited about a number of red and white wines and were completely bowled over by the quality they were allowing guests to enjoy free flow.

From France to Spain, California wines and then some, The Languedoc-Roussillon Chambelle Reserve 2021, Domaine Trapet Rochelandet Bourgogne pinot noir, Château Bel-Air Bordeaux Superieur 2020,

The California Clayhouse Adobe Red Blend, Paso Robles 2019,

Contrapunto Albariño are in the selection for a taste bud change. Don’t get too used to it!

There is nothing we could fault and found the selection to be as wide-ranging as anyone could hope for, plus quality was a definite focus, so there were no hit and miss courses, so to speak, as all food was cooked to perfection and packed with flavour and you knew that quality of ingredients was at the core of the standard. It is such great value and such a high quality, so kudos to the culinary team for being able to make this brunch so successful from a food perspective.

Wiling away the hours on a Sunday is “classically” easy if you book a seat at the Anantara Siam Bangkok for their superb Champagne Brunch, as this is the only pleasurable way to make Sunday your highlight of the week! A bubbly indulgence feast, Sundays can’t get any better.

Tried & Tested:
Location: 4.5/5
Design & Decor: 4.5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

Anantara Siam Bangkok Sunday Brunch
155 Ratchadamri Road,

Lumphini, Pathum Wan,

Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 126 8866

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.