After a night at the DoubleTree Sukhumvit, it is time for me to move over to Conrad Bangkok. This will be the hotel where I will be spending the bulk of my time in Bangkok. I have book this stay quite some time ago before the country remove the stringent travel restriction and got a good rate secured. I am looking forward to checking it out after visiting it back in 2016. I had such a great stay back then and enjoyed the fantastic executive lounge then. It would be nice to see how things have changed since. Furthermore, some of the rooms here have been remodelled since. The Conrad is located in Wireless Rd, a district with numerous embassies and the US embassy is just a couple of blocks away. It is part of the All Season Place development and within walking distance of the BTS Station nearby. While the Conrad used to be the best Hilton property in town this is no longer the case with the Waldorf taking over it in recent years.

Booking Process & Pre Arrival 

I book directly with Hilton using my Citi Prestige card. I got the base-level guest room and my nightly rate was around 120 SGD including taxes. That’s a heck of a deal. This was brought down by utilising my Citi Prestige 4th-night free benefit to 104 SGD. Sadly, prices have recently almost doubled with the recovery of tourism. A couple of days out, I can see from the app that I have been upgraded to a Premium room. This hotel is known to be stingy and play tricks with upgrades. They usually only do a single tier for Diamond members even when plenty of suites are available. I have also heard stories about how they are not allowing Diamond members to have breakfast in the restaurant. Conrad Bangkok features 391 guest rooms and suites spread across 10 categories. You can find the breakdown below.

RoomsExecutive Lounge AccessBathtub Room Size
DeluxeNoYes41 Sqm
PremiumNoYes41 Sqm
Deluxe CornerNoYes53 Sqm
Grand PremiumNoYes53 Sqm
ExecutiveYesYes41 Sqm
Executive SuiteYesYes71 Sqm
Conrad SuiteYesYes114 Sqm
Conrad Premium SuiteYesYes114 Sqm
Terrace SuiteYesYes102 Sqm
Presidential SuiteYesYes238 Sqm

Checking In

I was heading over from the doubletree and despite it being only a short distance away, it took almost 30 mins. That’s Bangkok traffic for you. If you do not have huge baggage the train would be better. Furthermore, it is challenging to get a driver as they keep cancelling. We arrive shortly after 1.30pm. As we pull up to the driveway, the staff came over to help us with our bags. I appreciate that they will do a screen of the car after we alight to see if anything is left behind. Check-in took quite a bit since we have 2 rooms. The staff helping us with the process didn’t seem very welcoming and barely smiled. I inquired about the availability of a suite upgrade but was rejected and they gave me a Grand Premium Room instead and promise to keep a look out during the stay. I was presented with a welcome letter detailing all the information and my benefits. 

The lobby was fresh and offer numerous seating. The Diplomatic bar is also right next to the lobby. If you would like to access the All Season Place mall, they have an entrance linking you directly too. 

The hotel is within walking distance of the nearest BTS Station which is Phloen Chit but they do have a shuttle bus service as well if you do not wish to walk. This is a shared service with the All Season Place office building and mall. They do have some reserved seating for hotel guests. You can find the shuttle service timings below. 

Grand Premium Room

I was assigned a grand premium room on level 22, room 2224 to be exact. The premium and grand premium rooms are the ones that are recently renovated and these are the ones that you should go for. My room was ready when I arrived. The Grand Premium rooms are the largest room here and they measure a spacious 53 Sqm. 

My Grand Premium Room is located on the cornet, you have an elongated entry room before you swing right and enter the main space of the room itself. The rooms have plenty of natural light which makes them so welcoming. I love the modern look of the place. 

Right after the entryway, you can find the minibar set up on the right. Bottles of treated drinking water are provided as well as packaged tea and coffee. I appreciated that they provided UHT milk instead of those creamers. Plenty of glassware is included. These were constantly refilled during daily housekeeping and turndown service. A mini-fridge can be found below, some bottles of water are left here just in case you prefer chilled ones. I was a little bit disappointed not to find an actual coffee machine in the room. I wish that they would have provided better-bottled drinking or mineral water rather than those that are treated with chemicals which have a weird taste. 

In the middle of the room, you can find a working desk area consisting of a circular table as well as a proper ergonomics office chair. It is comfortable and provides great back support for working. Plenty of power outlets can be found here as well as multiple outlets such as USB and HDMI connections. This makes it easy for you to connect your laptop to the TV easily to steam shows. The Wifi connection is great and easy to connect to. Furthermore, the television also supports casting from your phone as well so it’s convenient. The size of the tables also makes it easy if you need to dine here. 

The high definition Smart TV comes with an abundance of cable TV channels. 

The wardrobe is located to the side behind the working desk and is located in a separate room. It is on the smaller side but quite nicely designed. It is a little walk-in wardrobe concept. It comes with plenty of hangers, an ironing kit, bath slippers and bathrobes. There is also a safe here. Here you can find the luggage storage area too. It is on the smaller side and you might have difficulty fitting in your bigger check-in suitcases. Removable stands can be requested from the staff. They also offer complimentary shoeshine service.

The highlight of the room got to be the plush king-size bed with quality bedding. It was plush and comfortable, I had a great rest here every night. I love that they offer pillows of different sizes. They were great and offers good neck support. More of them can be requested from housekeeping too. Nights stands are on both sides of the bed, power outlets, controls for the lighting as well as the blinds. I am glad to see that the blinds are electronically controlled and you even have USB outlets here which are very commendable. Left on the bed is a signature Conrad toy, the Bangkok edition is an elephant. I appreciate the little touches that reflect the local culture. 

There is another seating area by the window consisting of two armchairs and a coffee table. A welcome amenity consisting of a bottle of Aqua Panna, as well as some snacks, is offered. The view from the room is really good given how high up you are and I love the unobstructed view of the surrounding area. It is quite nice with the lights in the evening too although Bangkok isn’t a city that is famous for its skyline. 

The bathroom is really special and comes with both a freestanding bathtub as well as a standing shower. There is a single sink and all sorts of amenities are provided. A cosmetic mirror is also installed here. Toiletries are from Byredo, a Swedish fragrance house. I love the Mojave Ghost scent and they were delightful. They are offered in huge pump bottles. This is different from the usual Shanghai Tang Mandarin Tea collection that you can find in Conrad Hotels. 

The standing shower comes with both a rainforest shower head and a handheld one. I had an amazing shower and the water pressure is excellent. The bathroom also comes with a bidet toilet. 

Turn-down services are offered in the evening with the room prepared for rest. 

Executive Lounge

The executive lounge is in full operation and this is one of its advantage of Conrad and the differentiator factor for me. The lounge offers 3 meal presentations daily in addition to all-day drinks. Breakfast from 6am to 10.30am, till 11am on weekends, afternoon tea from 2pm to 4pm and evening cocktails from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

The lounge is on the 29th floor and offers a great view of the surrounding area. It is such a relaxing place and good for chilling or an alternative location to work from if you want to get out of your room for a change of surroundings. The lounge is spacious and comes with plenty of seatings. Despite the crowd, there is usually no issue in getting a table. If you want those by the window, you have to come earlier. Check out some pictures of the executive lounge. 

I was down for afternoon tea on my first day and the selection is pretty good. You have some scones, tarts and cakes. No alcoholic drinks are offered and you can find a selection of fresh juices. Coffee and tea drinks can be ordered from the staff. Those iced coffee are a good way to cool down in the Bangkok head. I love the fresh juices and all food items are fresh. Here are some of the pictures. I am happy to see that the afternoon tea offerings change daily too. 

During the first day of my stay, evening cocktails were slightly modified due to an alcohol ban in Bangkok. This is due to the election going on. Given the restriction, I would have expected them to provide some sort of alcohol or amenities in the room as a make-up gesture for Diamond members and lounge eligible guests but sadly there is no show on this. This felt a little stingy. The evening cocktails went on as per usual and they had some mocktails in place of the booze. They did some Fruit Punch mocktails and Virgin Mojito. The Virgin Mojito is quite good. The crowd is on for the evening cocktails but there is still no wait for tables. 

The buffet concept is back and guests can help themself to the canapes on the buffet line. The offerings are really good and this can be a light dinner replacement. Here are some of the items on my first night, you have some sweet selections, veg and dips. Hot food items consist of some pandan chicken, fried fish and beef sliders. I love the sweet and sour fish. I am glad to see that the offering change day to day as well. 

Besides the food items on offer on the buffet line, the staff also brought over a plate of welcome canapés consisting of some sushi, cheese tart and roasted pork. These changes day to day too. These are not refillable. 

On my second day, you can find some chicken skewers and quesadillas. 

I also tried out some Thai fish cake during my stay here. These snacks were awesome to go with drinks. 

Speaking about drinks, alcoholic options return on my second night. There was a healthy selection of options from both red, sparkling and white wine, beers to spirits from baileys, gin, whisky, rum and vodka. The staff can do drinks with simple mixers. 

The French sparkling wine is alright and quite delicious. Staff are prompt with refills. 

Furthermore, there is also a small cocktails list on offer. It is not as broad as in the past when I visited back in 2016 but still very good. Throughout my stay, I tried most of the drinks here. The Campari spritz is delicious. 

The lounge is good for pre-dinner drinks! My daily routine here would be coming here for drinks and some snacks. Later on in the late evening when the traffic have calmed down, I would make my way to Yaowarat for something heavier. At other times, you have some snacks, fruit, tea, coffee, juices and soft drinks. The staff are polished and excellent. No issue on this here. 

Pool 

The swimming pool is open from 6am to 7pm in the evening. It is located on the 7th floor. It is quite a nice place in the middle of all the high-rise buildings. This isn’t those resort pools but still quite nice. You have one main huge pool as well as a smaller wadding one on the side. You have plenty of sunbeds around the pool and the place gets some sunlight too despite certain areas being sheltered by the surrounding tall buildings. 

Poolside service is good and the staff go around clearing staff as well as replenishing towels constantly. You can order food and drinks by the pool from the bar nearby. No reservations are required to use the pool. 

Fitness Centre

The Conrad has a huge fitness centre called BodyWorx. It is located on the 7th floor and by the pool as well. It is a huge facility and is open from 6am to 8pm. When it gets back to normal, this place is usually open 24 hours. It is a huge facility with a variety of cardiovascular equipment including treadmills, running machines and weights. You can also find a sauna, steam and aerobics. Towels and water are provided. There are a couple of staff on hand to tidy things up and sanitise equipment. It is a lovely space. 

Besides the pool and the fitness centre, the Conrad also comes with a tennis court and a Playground. These are open from 6am to 7pm and bookings are required due to space.

Breakfast at Executive Lounge

Breakfast is served at the Executive Lounge, which offers another venue for eligible guests and Diamond members. The timing follows the restaurant for breakfast, on weekdays the service start from 6am to 10.30am and on weekends till 11am. I appreciate the extended hours on weekends. On my first morning here, we had breakfast in the lounge which offers a more comfortable and exclusive dining environment than the restaurant. The service is also much more attentive at the lounge. The food selection might be smaller here but it is still very good and sufficient. Let me share it with you. 

You have a buffet line consisting of freshly baked pastries, hot dishes, fresh fruits, a continental selection of cold cuts, yoghurt, cheese and salads and cereals. I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking. Everything looks so good and fresh. 

You also have a wanton mee and fish congee live station. You can order eggs to your liking too. 

The hot dishes changes from day to day and you can find some ham, sausages, bacon and Asian stir fry like noodles and chicken. Everything was delicious! 

In addition, you can order some ala carte dishes off a menu. This is excellent. I love Thai dishes! I tried most of the items on the menu, the khao niew gai yang and pad krapow gai were especially good. The staff also kindly offer me to get it with a sunny side up. Good breakfast and great service! While I am sure the restaurant will offer more variety I prefer having my breakfast here and only went to the restaurant once. 

Staff are happy to satisfy any customisation or request that you have here. I love the fresh fruits here and upon knowing that I have a preference for only pineapples and watermelon, the staff took it to heart and always prepare it for me when I am at the lounge. I would feel that some sparkling wine offered during breakfast will be a very nice touch and I am not even asking for champagne to treat your most valuable guests. A couple of bottles in the morning should not add too much of a cost here.  

Breakfast at CAFÉ@2

This is the hotel’s main restaurant and the name is just simple I guess. However, they can have some better creativity here. Well, as the name goes, the restaurant is located on the second floor. Once again, the timing for breakfast, on weekdays starts from 6am to 10.30am and on weekends till 11am. I came down for breakfast here on the second day to give things a try and to report back. The restaurant is huge and there is no concern over getting a table. 

It is in a full buffet format and you have plenty of items to choose from. From Western selections such as ham, bacon, sausages and vegetables to Asian choices such as fried rice, red curry, stir-fried noodles, congee, dim sum and spring rolls. The freshly carved ham was especially good. You also have an egg station that offers you eggs cook to your liking. Poached, omelettes or fried eggs. Anything you fancy, they can do it. 

You also have a noodle station and they wipe up some decent wanton noodles. The soup was extremely flavourful and tasty. A piping hot bowl of soup is a great way to start the day. 

A chef is on hand by the sweet station to wipe up freshly made waffles and pancakes. They also have a good selection of bakes here. You can find different pastries such as croissants and danishes.  

Conclusion

I regretted not booking more stays before the full relaxation of travel restrictions in Thailand. The location might not be ideal for the usual tourist when in Bangkok but given how affordable taxi rides are here, this shouldn’t be too much of a struggle. Prices now are back to pre-covid levels and almost double what I paid for this stay. While the breakfast was great I would have expected more for a Conrad in Bangkok. I would rate it as excellent in other parts of the world but in Thailand where it is renowned for its crazy breakfast offering, this is just great. The staff at this property here are more stingy on elite benefits and suite upgrades are hard to come by. Thankfully the grand premium rooms are very good and also much newer than the rest. I would love to be back here anytime and they still represent the best value for Hilton members in Bangkok. Hopefully, all of the rooms and suites will be remodelled soon. I will be sharing the Executive Suite next where you can have a look at the dated decor.