Wednesday, 23 December 2009

Travelling and Living: Millenium Hilton Bangkok Hotel


Image from Hilton hotels and resorts
Millenium Hilton Bangkok Hotel

Well, I have never imagined I will be writing travelling guide, and I still don't, but since I am going to Bangkok once again (I visit Bangkok more than I visit any other cities in the world), I think it is appropriate for me to recommend one of my favourite hotels in Bangkok (I only have 2 on my list, one of which I will have stayed by the time you read this article, but at this time of writing, I know nothing about it, yet I can foresee that it will be my other favourite).

When I choose a hotel, I first ask myself, "How much will I have to pay to stay in a 5-star hotel in Hong Kong or in USA?" After knowing roughly the amount, I will be genuinely happy to choose one in Thailand.

Already I have no chance to stay in one in Hong Kong, why should I still have to hold back when I go to Bangkok?

Twice I went to Bangkok, twice I stayed in this hotel and twice I stayed in the same type of room. Although I really wanted to try some even better rooms, my budget didn't agree. Oh well, another time then.

What I really like about this hotel is the fusion of simple and plain yet modern design. Sounds contradicting? Well, not really. The entire hotel has a major wall colour -- white, but combining with a range of woody brown colours and the abundant use of large glass windows, everything seems to turn luxurious and hip!

Quoting from the official website description of the King Hilton Deluxe room,

KING HILTON DELUXE
Image from  Hilton hotels and resorts

"Feel at home in this contemporary 34m²/366sq.ft room with sweeping river and city views, separate seating area and high-speed internet access. The spacious room has 1 king bed and bathroom with separate walk-in shower. Catch up on work at the large desk or stretch out on the sofa to watch the flat screen TV. Special touches include daily newspapers, fluffy bathrobe, flowers and fruit. Maximum occupancy 2 adults."
The official description has spoken my mind, but what I should add is how much I like about the homely scent of Crabtree & Evelyn La Source series of shampoo, shower gel and body lotion, the high quality and also fluffy slippers, furry and bouncy carpet, the huge one-piece picture window embedding the beauty of the city and the river without any blocking by glazing bars.

The Beach
Hilton hotels and resorts
The infinity swimming pool, the Beach, has not much to be complained about. As you can see in the picture, people can simply lie down and enjoy the sunshine while water flows underneath your outdoor chair. What you can't see from this picture, is that there is also a sandy beach (REAL sand) near the far end of this picture for people who likes beaches. There is also free towel service and paid drink service. The only thing that could make me feel even better is to have a bigger pool because the actual pool for swimming is actually quite small -- just enough width for two people to swim for about 10 metres in length, and the water is really cold in the winter morning because the sun has not yet warmed the pool, but in the afternoon, it is fine.

The Flow
Image from Hilton hotels and resorts
I like the main restaurant, the Flow, very very much. The design is simple yet it is very artistic, especially the ceiling patterns -- the combination of wood and golden colour is grand and not arrogant. I like that all-canteen + open kitchen + spongy sofa set + restaurant-in-one feeling. Oh, and I got one free buffet dinner every time I stayed, and they serve foie gras in their buffet! Not my favourite, but totally knocked my girlfriend out. Cigarette free is definitely a blessing for me! One thing I wasn't quite happy about in my second visit, was that the jackets of the seats were seriously worn and torn, yet they have not made any repair. I can't believe the difference between my first two visits can be so great -- brand new and broken old, being just 2 years apart. Some people must have been really selfish when using them.
The Pier
Image from Hilton hotels and resorts
The terrace outside Flow has a really nice river view too! Opposite the river, you can see other hotels like Royal Orchid Sheraton, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Centre Point Silom Hotel, whose visitors stare towards Hilton with total jealousy (just my feeling, I didn't actually see their faces), and Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok. Right next door, you have the Peninsula Bangkok Hotel which you can pop in for a visit.

Health Club
Image from Hilton hotels and resorts
I have tried out the equipments in the Health Club, and the equipment was professional, there are sauna rooms and Jacuzzis, but I didn't quite enjoy being in it with some stranger. I like it all by myself.

As for Three Sixty, it is absolutely a must-go! You can just go up there without buying any drink or food and you can still take a good walk around and enjoy the 360 degree night scenery of the river and the city. There is a female singer singing Jazz every night and she does have a magnetic vocal of a black lady, and I really like that vocal. However, I could never stay there for long because I hate cigarette smell and it is full of it! If I want to enjoy the scenery in a smoke chamber, I guess it would be the time when I have totally lost my mind! I wonder when Thailand will ban smoking indoor?

Three Sixty
Image from Hilton hotels and resorts
There are many other spots, such as Prime Steak House, conference hall, the Spa, etc. Nonetheless, since I do not have the money to spend there, I do not have any particular comments on them.

The staff are extremely attentive and have a huge grin on their faces 24 hours a day, and they always show their 200% politeness such that they made me feel sorry most of the time for bothering them getting me cabs and telling the driver where I wanted to go.

If you might also visit Bangkok one day, you can take my suggestion and have a stay in this marvellous hotel!


PS: When I have time, I will write about the one I am staying in this time, Centara Grand @CentralWorld.


Vocabulary:
homely scent -- n. a pleasant smell like home
fluffy -- adj. soft and woolly or like fur
furry -- adj. describes things that are made from a soft material that looks like fur
bouncy -- adj. able to bounce
picture window -- n. A very large fixed window in a wall, typically without glazing bars, or glazed with only perfunctory glazing bars near the edge of the window. Picture windows are intended to provide an unimpeded view, as if framing a picture.
glazing bars (muntin) -- n. a strip of wood or metal separating and holding panels of glass in a window.
knock sb out -- phrasal verb. to hit someone so that they become unconscious, hereby refers to the fact that the foie gras tasted so good that my girlfriend became unconscious.


Resources:
Bangkok Hotels | Millennium Hilton Bangkok hotel | Bangkok
http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/millennium-hilton-bangkok-hotel-BKKHITW/index.html

Millenium Hilton @ Agoda

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