Hey People! As you know, I was in Thailand for a few days this month and I simply cannot wait to share my experience with you. Before I start the post, I want to say I had a great time on the whole in Thailand and a huge shout-out to the Thai Authority of Tourism in Mumbai for giving me the opportunity to experience the land of smiles adequately. Also, I have vlogged on this trip as well and I shall be attaching the links below each post. For this trip, we decided to fly with Thai Airways and I quiet loved the airplane food. It was a 4.5 hour journey from Mumbai to Bangkok & it was comfortable. When we arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the immigration process was reasonably quick because we already had our visas. But in case you’re opting for visa on arrival, be prepared to spend at least 1.5 hours at the airport. So as soon as we arrived in Bangkok, off we went to check into our hotel – Anantara Siam.
Anantara Siam is part of the Anantara group of hotels, resorts & spas. They’ve hotels across Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Maldives, Qatar, Sri Lanka, UAE, Vietnam and Thailand of course.
This one is located at the heart of Bangkok – at Rajadamri Road, to be precise. We were a 5 minute walk away from the Erawan Shrine (famous Buddhist temple that houses the four faced statue of Lord Brahma). And those who love shopping, the hotel is situated along the Ratchaprasong shopping and entertainment district. So on the average, Anantara Siam connects well to the entire city, the nearest BTS being – Chit Lom station, which is again just a 10 minute walk away from the hotel.
As soon as I walked into the lobby of Anantara Siam, we were offered a warm welcome drink and there was a certain sense of simplicity and natural luxury surrounding the place. It did not feel like I was in one of the busiest cities in the world. I felt like I was in a soulful, green & pacific resort. What attracted me most was the Thai architecture that ruled over the walls of the lobby. The hand painted silk ceilings, traditional paintings and glorious gardens created a feeling of serene exclusivity in the midst of a bustling city.
Anantara Siam has a total of 354 rooms & suites, 11 dining & entertainment options, a 24 hour health club, a spa, and an outdoor swimming pool. For all the days we were there, we had buffet breakfast at Madison & it was scrumptious! There’s also an in-house café called ‘Mocha and Muffins’ – I am in love with the name!
So, I loved the room I was staying in – it was a premier room roughly about 450 square feet in size. I’d say it was very spacious! You can take a look at my vlog below where I review my room. The room has 3 wardrobes, a well-stocked mini bar, a huge LED screen TV (where you’d even get ZEE TV) and a comfortable workstation for those who want to work plus of course, complimentary Wi-Fi. I liked the fact that Anantara Siam put in a lot of effort to personalize one’s stay. As soon as I arrived, the LED screen had a personal welcome note for me and I even received another welcome note from the General Manager on the centre table. They really make the guests feel special.
Also, I loved the detailing that went into the designs of the lamps, carpets & the sofa prints. The bathroom is big – there’s a bath tub as well as a shower cubicle along with a well-equipped sink which includes your basic amenities like toothbrush, toothpaste, hairdryer, shower cap, soap, lotion etc. I would like give a special mention to the lighting of the bathroom – it was JUST right. I have been to many hotels and each time, the lighting is disappointing. It’s often too dim or harsh. On this trip especially, I had to dress up & make up properly since I was also working and nothing impressed me more than the lighting in the bathroom. Lol.
But above all, you’d be happy to know that Anantara Siam offers a complimentary smartphone to every guest and this is fabulous. If you are travelling to Bangkok for work or leisure, it’s not always convenient to buy a local sim card. Anantara Siam lets you use the smartphone during your stay at the hotel and you just have to return it in the proper condition when you check out. The phone has complimentary 3G services, talk-time and some Bangkok specific apps loaded on it which would help you in planning an itinerary. You can also make free calls to your home country. This is a fantastic concept, if you ask me.
The rates for rooms at Anantara Siam start at approximately USD 185 (INR 12,500) per room/night for one person. You can find out more here – http://www.anantara.com
Once again, do check out my travel vlogs. As you know this is my first time attempting a travel vlog, so your feedback is important. Do check out the videos & let me know what you feel.
Episode 1 reviews Anantara Siam hotel.
Episode 2 and 3 are about what all you can do when in Bangkok.
Episode 4 is about Rayong, a city less discovered located on the outskirts of Bangkok.
Episode 5 is all about Koh Samed.
Thanks for tuning in!
Xoxo
Ritwika
