BANGKOK MARRIOTT MARQUIS QUEEN'S PARK - Luxury Downtown Bangkok Staycation

If those top drawer stand alone luxury boutique brands are not your preferred choice of accommodation, not to mention the super high rates, for a renown international hotel brand that can encompass every traveller’s needs and every type of journey, the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queens Park has something for everyone. mylifestylenews writes.

From a distance, the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park looks like a behemoth, with 1,388 rooms and suites spread over two towers; a strategic location offering multiple food and beverage outlets; al-fresco rooftop bar; a cocoon wellness spa; an impressive enchanting lobby; a new sports bar with a difference; one of the best club lounges that clearly won’t disappoint; huge amounts of meeting rooms and function spaces; recreation facilities that includes a large fitness centre and pool deck, and now a brand new Emsphere lifestyle mall has opened next door, and the list keeps on going……

Sounds daunting and too good to be true doesn’t it, since its opening in December 2016, a large hotel of this nature can also be fun to stay in, particularly the people watching in the lobby or at breakfast, as it caters to such a diverse group of travellers, from airlines to corporates and group tours as well as individual travellers that want to stay with a trusted hotel brand.

Being a destination in itself blending comfort and convenience, the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park has managed to continue to evolve, ensuring the large guest rooms are comfortable and some with an amazing downtown park view over the Sukhumvit skyline and beyond.

Size does matter in this case, as they really work hard to entice you to stay within the hotel. The public spaces offer some modern Thai contemporary interior design that captures the eye, food and beverage options that will keep you in the hotel and the convenience of being within walking distance of the EM District lifestyle malls, business and vibrant entertainment districts in Bangkok and connections on Phrom Phong’s BTS station.

The Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park entrance is twofold. The main entrance and lobby really creates a sense of arrival with the neo classic contemporary facade slash modern art deco interior aesthetic with design elements that makes you want to linger for a time and watch the world go by.

The cathedral height ceilings adorned with spectacular illuminated chandeliers, the Lobby Lounge at one end and The Siam Tea Room at the other end and it is cavernous in a good way, given how many rooms the hotel has it will never feel really crowded.

Alternatively, if you make your way to the hotel from the Phrom Phong’s BTS station, the short walk will take you through the city’s Queens Park via the park entrance next to Goji Kitchen + Bar.

We were assigned to the M Club Room located quite high up at the north tower with another perspective of the city view. Check-ins are done on the Club Lounge floor, and despite an unexpected minor blip on the service radar, instead of the warm greetings there was some robotic formality that was lacking that welcome warmth - things warmed up somewhat.

Our 32sqm M Club Room blends classic Thai influences with modern accents such as a 48-inch wall-mounted LCD TV with satellite channels, individually controlled air conditioning which was quite fierce in a pleasant way, work desk with universal electrical sockets and USB ports. The high speed Wi-Fi is also worth mentioning especially when connecting to the radio and bluetooth speaker. The spacious separate bath and shower also features some premium bathroom amenities among other standard necessities, a small upgrade on the paper-thin like in room slipper would generate further mileage for the brand standard perhaps.

The Club Lounge is huge and as we were later to discover, the offerings for the evening service were way beyond expectations, with a full and sumptuous buffet spread that bordered on a fully-fledged outlet menu together with a great selection of premium beverages to match. Throughout the day there are more than enough refreshments to meet the needs of guests, including a huge breakfast buffet spread which would result in you having no appetite for lunch, were you to indulge to the full.

Breakfast in Goji Kitchen + Bar is quite spectacular, with this vibrant all-day-dining destination serving up a storm as the buffet is so widespread and with so much choice that you feel like ‘a kid in a candy shop’ having difficulty in deciding where to start and what to leave room for. You need time to start a brief orientation tour around the massive restaurant sections with multiple stations and corners that serve their very own specialties.

After a circumnavigation to get your bearings, you can ready a plan of attack for extremely delicious dishes freshly cooked. It is a blessing in some regards to be staying in such a large hotel, as it means the buffet items are replenished rather quickly, so you are pretty much guaranteed fresh tastes at the optimum temperature. There seem to be so many chefs cooking at each station, so you can always check with them if you are unsure about what is in the dish or cooking it fresh and being spoilt for choice is a nice feeling as this restaurant serves breakfast that no other competitive hotels that are close by do what they do.

The juices are fantastic, the tea quality is premium Dilma and the coffee is barista made, so all those bases are covered with aplomb. The only down-side is you need to queue for tea and coffee, but the line moves along pretty quickly. If you can snaffle a table at the window, you have a great view of Queen’s Park with all the trees and shadings which provides that chilled morning start to your day.

We tried out the new sports bar with a difference – Teeshot Bar– and had a quite a lot of fun playing on a golf simulator as well as enjoying some very tasty and elevated bar food that was punching above its weight.

The swimming pool is on the small side for such a large hotel, but enjoyable nonetheless, just not good for serious lap swimmers. The pool deck is enormous, so plenty of room to find some private space to chill. The fitness centre ticks all the boxes and is bigger than some and seems to be quite busy in the morning during our visit.

Our stay was too short to really unwind and not being able to explore some of their signature restaurants. With the time that we spent in the hotel, it was rather enjoyable and some other big brands could take a leaf out of their book when it comes to the endless quality breakfast choices and the Club Lounge facilities.

This is a major drawcard in our estimation and just makes your stay more elevated and fun. While the Marriott hotel chain guarantees a certain level of service and some award-winning restaurants and bars for that extra mileage of excitement, that is always comforting when travelling afar to a new or unknown destination to explore the endless possibilities, at least the luxury of this downtown Bangkok staycation won’t disappoint.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4.5/5

Design & Decor: 4.5/5

Room Amenities: 4.5/5

Housekeeping: 4.5/5

Food & Beverage: 4.5/5

Service: 4.5/5

Value For Money: 4.5/5

Experience: 5/5

Highlights:
Club Lounge Facilities

Goji Kitchen + Bar

Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park

199, Soi Sukhumvit 22,Klong Ton, Khlong Toei, Bangkok Thailand
Tel: +66 2 059 5555

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. 

W KUALA LUMPUR - Perfecting The Art of Staycation

Fresh, bold yet discernible and approachable, W Hotels brand pitches to the hip and trendy something generation but don't let that put you off, as more often than not, their location is a top draw-card. Their guest room product can rival many other hotels as well as the unique concept of their infamous bars and food & beverage outlets, so the W Kuala Lumpur has what it takes for what you possibly pine for. Pack your stylish and besuited outfit, dancing shoes perhaps and have a big craving for more than just a sumptuous feast, off you go for a staycation and be entertained. At the W's, expect the unexpected. mylifestylenews writes.

The location of the W Kuala Lumpur cannot be beaten, as it is situated right next to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers tourist draw-card. If it is your first visit to Kuala Lumpur, then you will be absolutely blown away by how cosmopolitan this city has become. With all the major luxury brands occupying the prime locations, mindfully upgraded public transport links, gigantic shopping malls grown like mushrooms over the last couple of years within the city center vicinity that caters from high end to all walks of life and so much more to explore, this metropolitan city is competing well and keeping up nicely with their neighboring countries.

But first let's get checked in. We arrived from the airport via the airport express link and then metro, as the city's traffic is crazy slow around the major landmarks and the connectivity is virtually seamless if you are garrulous enough to focus on public transport, not to mention the time you will save and in air-conditioned comfort. Jam! Jam!! Jam!!! was what we heard mostly on the metro while the local speaks that translate to heavy traffic which can be clearly seen through the metro windows.

A short walk from the KLCC metro station to the hotel, the soaring building architecture may seem like any corporate office edifice and before you know it, the unmissable W logo sign perched on the water features outside of its main entrance along the busy driveway welcomes you to the destination of lifestyle driven staycation.

With the concierge team stationed at the ground level, minus the formality to be ushered, we were casually directed to the lifts that gave us access to the eighth floor lobby to proceed for our check-in.

When the lift door opens, as anticipated, big on colour, the W brand is all about bright lights, cool design touches and chic decor and designed to spark a feeling of connection and with unpredictable details that upturn expectations.

We were instantly being drawn by the illuminated and aligned white strings paneling and sectioning the different parts of the foyer and extending to the long stretched out chic and vibrant WOOBA® that is reminiscent of a waterfall, as told.

To its right, is an extended tropical garden jungle theme with more seating adorned with colorful plush cushions. "This Must Be The Place", a neon sign that to be illuminated after the night fall is where the party's on. This first impression did not disappoint. In fact, a WOW moment that inspires all for playful moments with a daring design move that connects.

We had arrived quite early and this is where the challenges begin when it comes to handling early check-ins by the front desk team. Knowing that the standard check-in time is 2pm, we do not expect the room to be ready but the blip on the radar was the approach by the front line team only concern by requesting passports and credit card without greetings and little eye contact and without that personal warm welcome.

Immediately, the prior excitement was discounted from that robotic touch, a further negation of confirmation of our spa and in-house restaurant bookings where we had to prompt them to reconfirm. We did appreciate that at least they offered to store our bags and generously sent us to FLOCK for breakfast while we waited for our room. We were puzzled if this is part of their signature Whatever/Whenever® service that eventually takes care of it all.

Thereafter, things were on a quick uphill trajectory after Michelle, the Front Office Manager took over the situation and our Marvelous corner suite which was ready for us to roll in with a spectacular view of the city vista and the Petronas Twin Towers, which are mesmerizing and never get tired to look at.

The 105sqm Marvelous suite burst into the dynamic spaces and was taking up all our attention for all the right reasons: high ceiling to maximize the spectacular city view; a huge amount of space that is beautifully laid out from the city's contemporary aesthetic reflected in the cutting -edge interior design; a tempting W Mixbar with well stocked beverages and snack selections including premium coffee and tea; an enormous marble bathroom with a free standing luxurious bathtub and huge dual walk-in shower as well as a bidet; a well-lit makeup mirror; the signature W bathrobe; the expected comfortable W king size bedding with signature W essentials such as W pillow menus to ensure a good night's sleep; and a separate living room that is perfect for a long stay and so forth.

The state-of-the-art entertainment system features a premium branded Bluetooth sound bar as well as the advanced technology with all one touch button for the entire room-control functions. One of the joys is to wake up by touching the switch button next to your bed and draw the curtain to unveil the city skyline on your eye level, with floor to ceiling windows drawing in as much natural lighting as possible to enjoy the entire vista without much interruption, thus something special to marvel at on a most desirable urban staycation.

The high-speed internet is also worth a shout-out that is essential to some business travelers which have their eyes glued on their tablets at all times. Not one detail had been forgotten, not to mention that our welcome amenity was a nice touch as well.

The outdoor WET pool which is located on level 12 has one of the best iconic Petronas Twin Towers views in the city which is almost a stones throw away.

If you fancy a swim or bask in the sun, it is best to get WET during the day and before 7pm as this scene to been seen stylish WET DECK will take its fame that transcends conventional pool bar expectations. Creative cocktails are expected to be served in this bold modern design with a playful attitude that has won them a place in Marriott Bonvoy's Top 75 Restaurants and Bars in Asia Pacific.

The illuminated glamorous pool especially after dark juxtaposed with the surreal backdrop of the Petronas Twin Towers is simply breathtaking. If you were the poolside party kind, you have come to the right place as this popular to see and be seen hot spot is a very popular hangout with the locals especially after 10pm. Turn up the vibe and live the electrifying beats, the energy is right there, without being in your face and we loved it for an hour or two before heading back to our room for a deep sleep.

The W hotel brand is known for its Food & Beverage dining concept and the W Kuala Lumpur was certainly pumping in the outlets. Breakfast in FLOCK, which spreads out across the 8th floor is an absolute joy, with an expansive buffet and quite a few dishes being cooked a-la-minute as well as western and Asian tastes well and truly catered for.

It was difficult not to want to try everything, but our selected choices were delicious each morning and it was difficult to find fault with flavors and quality especially the colorful creations inspired by the flavors of Pan-Asian cuisine in Kuala Lumpur.

We also booked in for a Saturday night indulgent buffet Drunch that was full of adventure and thrills to satisfy your most desirable cravings. The enormous and also never ending Pan-Asian Grill flair spreads were in abundance using organic produce and sustainable ingredients.

The vast open The kitchen is vibrant and everything is on the go, the large culinary brigade were busy replenishing food in small amounts to ensure the optimum freshness and temperature. This all-day dining urban setting hangout brings bold and colorful culinary to life without a doubt, accompanied by a variety of alcoholic beverage packages to suits all needs. We had a fabulous dinner.

Should after dinner fun be your thing, the sassy WOOBA® is always a favorite choice. Cool and groovy lounge music vibes fill the air accompanied by mood lighting to sooth the chill mood.

Being the signature Chinese restaurant in W Hotel brands YEN is particularly recommended for its redefined Cantonese classics in an imperial ambience. Partake in their all-you-can-eat weekend Dim Sum special, as there is a huge array of dishes to savour and enjoy.

FIT - the modern techno gym caters for those that need to get fit.

 AWAY Spa - relax and rejuvenate your senses, you would be hard pressed to miss out on these amenities. Alas our stay was too short, but we managed to enjoy just about every amenity the hotel had to offer. The brand really knows how to deliver on vibes, quality food and beverage that they strive to wow and inspire. The avant-garde bold interior design creates spaces that are not only visually stunning but also deliver comfortable abodes with modern and contemporary amenities and facilities. The aesthetic reflects the brand’s commitment to pushing boundaries with daring design moves.

We had many interactions with a lot of the service team members and there is a lot of attention to detail which is pleasing to see, as travelers are spoilt for choice and you need to be on your game to beat the competition. Despite one or two moments of not quite getting it right during our staycation experience, the team then overcame a lapse in service and ensured they didn't miss a beat after that for which they are to be commended for perfecting the art of the staycation.

Tried & Tested:

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

 

W Kuala Lumpur

 121, Jalan Ampang,

Wilayah Persekutuan,

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: +6 03 2786 8888

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.

THE SUKHOTHAI SPA - Discover “The Dawn of Happiness” Experience

Luxury spa options in Bangkok are plentiful and some brands just have not kept up with the times nor deliver on their brand promise, but with the recent upgraded expansion and luxury transformation of The Sukhothai Spa from the formal Spa Botanica, you will discover “The Dawn of Happiness” and find your contentment here. mylifestylenews writes.

While The Sukhothai Hotel in Bangkok is infamous for its understated and sophisticated luxury and stunning contemporary classic Thai architecture, another ‘string to their bow’ is the re-opening of their Spa Botanica which is now officially called The Sukhothai Spa that has been expanded with newly added treatments as well as modern amenities and luxury facilities we could not be more excited about.

Nestled amidst 7,000 square metres of lush gardens, The Sukhothai Spa not only offers a harmonious escape from the buzzing sights and sounds of Bangkok, but you would also be hard pressed to think what they have missed, as the health and wellness covers a 25 metre long square infinity swimming pool and a state-of-the-art fitness centre (including Muay Thai instructors) all within a few steps of each other.

Being one of Thailand’s seventy-six provinces, the famous lower northern Thailand Sukhothai province is known as the “dawn of happiness”. With that inspiration, the newly opened Sukhothai Spa is unveiled, where the ancient Sukhothai-style culture is artfully integrated into its specific design and ambiance.

With the latest incarnation, bespoke health and wellness at The Sukhothai Spa has been elevated to another level of luxury. Not only has the architecture been re-imagined and expanded, we have to say it looks absolutely stunning as they are now featuring a luxurious and enormous Turkish Hammam, a state-of-the-art facial technology room with cutting-edge technology to elevate the experience to new heights without losing touch of what the sensory experience is all about.

The spa pavilion peaks above the sanctuary walls, so that when you step through the main external entrance into the spa courtyard, you are met with serenity and bliss in the form of reflecting pools either side, available seating in the secluded water garden for you to enjoy this urban serene oasis before or after the pampering  treatment.

In the flowing waters, you will be reminded of the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, then reconnected. There is no separation.

Of course, appearances are not everything, so we needed to see what this newly formed team could do, given that they had a ‘shiny new toy’ to play with and we were completely won over by the ambience, so what about the software?

Our arrival experience was rather warm and welcoming and attended to quite promptly. We were first greeted and then ushered to be seated in the expansive spa foyer to discuss the choice of treatments, with a brief consultation of the spa ticked with purposeful execution and we could not have felt any more special while some house “pouring brand” herbal tea was served instantaneously.

Once the formalities were out of the way, we were escorted to The Suphannahong Suite which is located on the second floor that is perfect for couples and we were suitably impressed. The interior design is subtle, including a traditional wooden Thai door adorned with elegant bronze handles. Inside, two separate elevated spa beds are set in the middle of the cozy room with bright and relaxed soothing ambience.

The interior design also features a “Pra-Kon” wall pattern representing the Thai House that exudes the contemporary beauty that embraces a simple and direct representation of Thai architecture. High ceilings and curved shapes add a touch of softness, complemented by a jacuzzi tub using green terrazzo and light green mosaic. The soothing colours and motifs give a sense of “zen” and nothing was over-wrought, so just the right taste in all things.

The Sukhothai Spa features traditional, result-driven and modern practices from diverse cultures by offering a comprehensive range of treatments and we had chosen the Sukhothai Signature Massage, as this is always the litmus test for us to see what the basics are all about. The signature treatment allowed us to experience a blend of soothing and invigorating massage techniques, while being rooted in the ancient wisdom of Oriental energy meridians – sounds like well-pleasing mumbo jumbo, but it really is a skillful combination of calming kneading and rejuvenating stretching and we were hooked.

Our therapists clearly knew how to tap into the Oriental meridians and committed to deliver personalized attention. We both wanted to get the knots out of our muscles which they did with great aplomb! Our stress was alleviated and some flexibility returned with the expert stretching techniques, which equally promoted a profound state of relaxation as promised.

Once our treatment was finished, we had the luxury of lingering in the environs of the spa pavilion to enjoy the facilities, including a salt-water lap pool, jacuzzi, saunas and steam rooms.

Additionally, the wellness centre also offers quite an extensive array of services not only in the massage therapy but also beauty treatments, yoga sessions for beginners and intermediate level practices (a must go for the morning session), meditation classes and Pilates overlooking a wide and lush lawn, so everything is taken care of to enhance your experience from a complete holistic point of view in a discreet manner.

Every spa will tell you that they provide the most relaxing treatments with the best therapists, but we have found that to be wanting on many occasions with supposed esteemed Spa brands, so it was more than a delight to discover that The Sukhothai Spa really does have talented and well trained therapists and imbue the pavilion with relaxation and rejuvenation.

A sanctuary dedicated to wellness, such spa journeys of a tranquil and soothing haven are definitely a perfect serene escape for relaxation and rejuvenation. “The dawn of happiness” is found and we only wished we had booked longer treatments.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5

Design & Decor: 5/5

Amenities: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Value For Money: 5/5

Experience: 5/5

Highlights:

Design Ambience

The Sukhothai Signature Massage

The Sukhothai Spa

13/3, 28/1-4 South Sathorn Road

Bangkok, Thailand

Tel: +66 2 344 8888

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.