This is a rather impromptu trip and I only book the hotel days before I flew. I needed to be in Bangkok for some commitments in February. Hotel rates have risen so much in Bangkok these days. Sometimes, I miss COVID days. I wanted to stay at the Conrad given that they have a lounge but after seeing how it is almost 300 SGD more for a 4-night stay I think I am better off just getting a simpler place. 75 SGD goes a long way in this part of the world. Looking at some of the other hotels around the city there isn’t much of a deal everywhere. I decided to go for the DoubleTree at Ploenchit given that they are the cheapest one in town and I figured that it might be interesting to check it out too since I have not stayed here before. There are two DoubleTree in Bangkok and I have stayed at the other one back last year. You can check out my review of the place here. The Doubletree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit is the newer of the two.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I book directly with Hilton using my Citi Prestige card. I got the base-level Guest room. My nightly rate was around 140 SGD including taxes. This was brought down by utilising my Citi Prestige 4th-night free benefit to 110 SGD. I have often found value using the 4NF. This is one of the best travel cards in my opinion. I was extended an upgrade to one of the Premium category rooms ahead of the stay. This would usually go for around 150 SGD. I was hoping to score one of the suites but sadly they are not available. Doubletree by Hilton Bangkok Ploenchit features 251 rooms and suites spread across 6 categories. You can find the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest | No | 28 Sqm | 86 |
| Deluxe | No | 28 Sqm | 85 |
| Premium | Yes | 35 – 40 Sqm | 69 |
| Executive Suite | Yes | 65 – 70 Sqm | 8 |
| Terrace Suite | Yes | 89 Sqm | 2 |
| Presidential Suite w Private Terrace | Yes | 240 Sqm | 1 |
Checking In
I arrive at the hotel at around 6pm. It took me about an hour to get to the hotel from the airport. I took the Airport Express Train to Phaya Thai Station and then transfer over to the BTS and alighted at Phloen Chit Station. From here it is about an 8 mins walk to the hotel. This is one of the best ways when getting to and from the airport for solo travellers. It is straightforward and super affordable. The hotel is situated in the middle of Phloen Chit and Nana Station. This hotel is pretty new and has a gorgeous exterior. It looks rather posh and classy. Upon arrival, the bellboy came over to help me with my bags and show me towards the reception. Service is often top-notch in this part of the world even at non-luxury hotels. There was a slight wait before I was helped. It is rather crowded despite the late hour. I wish that they had an elite line but this is not available here. It took about 10 minutes before I managed to check-in. The lobby was quite pretty cosy and we have some seating by the side of the reception. The hotel restaurant and bar have an open concept and are located opposite the reception.
I was warmly welcomed by the staff and helped by a friendly associate. I was offered a welcome cookie as per DoubleTree standards. My late checkout was also extended till 4pm. Since the property did not have an executive lounge. I was also provided 2 drinks vouchers per night to use at the bar. It is quite a nice touch for Diamond Members.
Premium Room
I was assigned a room on the 24th floor. Room 2413 is located in the corner. It is a short walk away from the elevators. This is one of the higher floors of the hotel. They have a total of 25 floors. The hotel feels very new and lovely. I love the modern decor. They are only two years old and a majority of them are during the lull COVID period. Premium rooms here range from 35 to 40 Sqm. this is the highest category room, just a level below the suites. I believe I got one of the bigger ones out there as it is spacious.
Immediately upon entering, you have the bathroom to the right and the wardrobe to the left. The bathroom is pretty spacious and I kind of love the set-up and design. It comes with both a separate standing shower as well as a bathtub. It comes with a single sink. The place has a modern look. All sorts of amenities are provided from dental kits to mouthwash.
The standing shower comes with both a rainforest shower head as well as a handheld one. Water pressure can be improved and temperature control is good. Amenities are from Crabtree and Evelyn as per the usual in Hilton properties. They are in large pump-size bottles.
Towards the left of the entryway, you have a huge spacious wardrobe. It comes with everything that you might need for a stay with plenty of hangers, a safe, hairdryers, bathrobes and bath slippers.
We then entered the main space of the room itself which is in a rectangular layout. The regular layout makes it feel very spacious and open. Along the wall, you have a huge luggage storage area that is built into the platform below the television. It provides plenty of storage area. Mounted on the wall is a high-quality television. I do feel that it is a little on the smaller side especially if you are viewing it from the bed. It comes with a number of both local and international television channels. They also support casting for android platforms. It will be nice if Apple is supported too.
In the corner, you can find a circular table that works as both a working desk as well as a dining table. It comes in handy if you need to get some work done. Outlets are within reach and the Wi-Fi is easy to connect to. The connection is very good for premium Wi-Fi. You have an armchair here too. Left on the table is a small welcome amenity consisting of some chocolates.
Given how high up we are, the view is quite lovely. It is not mind-blowing or what but at the very least it has a nice unblocked view of the surrounding area. Right in front of the window, you can find a small couch for 2. It is always nice to have a separate seating area. I do feel that they could have added a little coffee table here or something.
Beside the bed, this is where you can find the minibar. It comes with some packaged tea and coffee. You also have a mini fridge below. It would be nice if they have a proper coffee machine in the room. Plenty of drinking water is provided and these are replenished during daily housekeeping.
The centrepiece of the room for to be the bed. The plush king-size bed is located right in the middle. It comes with high-quality bedding. Although the mattress is kind of on the softer side, it still provided pretty good back support. The same goes for the pillows which offer great neck support. Flanking both sides of the bed you can find switches for the lights and nightstands. Power outlets are available too and they even had USB ports installed.
I had a rather nice rest except for the foot traffic in the morning. Soundproofing isn’t that good and with my room right next to the staff access door, I could hear the sound of the door creaking every time in the morning. The room felt a little sparse, especially the area from the bed to the TV. They could have put an ottoman there or something. Another point to note is the elevators. There is constantly a long wait for them since they only have 2 serving 25 floors.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre is located on level 7. It is open 24 hours for guests’ use. The place is rather standard and comes with plenty of equipment. Towels and water are provided. I do love the tons of natural light here. It has all that you require for a workout.
Pool
The pool is also located on level 7, the same as the gym. It is on the smaller side. The pool is open from 6am to 10p. The place does get some sun and you have some sunbeds by the side of the pool. It doesn’t look too welcoming. Towels are provided by the side of the pool. I do not see any water provided.
OPEN Bar
During my stay, I had drinks at the bar since the hotel provided me with some drinks vouchers. Diamond members are provided 2 drinks vouchers every night that they can redeem at the bar. The vouchers are tagged for the entire stay so for my 4-night stay, I can choose to have all 8 drinks on my last night if I fancy. The bar has an open concept and is located right opposite the reception area and next to the restaurant. It is quite a small area with only seatings for just 8 pax or so. The restaurant acts as an overflow area and as such, you can enjoy your drinks there too.
You can find the menu that is applicable for the drinks vouchers here. It is rather extensive and there are non-alcoholic options if you do not take alcohol. This is a nice touch from the property.
I came for a little nightcap on some nights and tried their cocktails. It is served with some nuts. They also have happy hour deals from 5pm to 7pm.
OPEN Restaurant
I had dinner once here during my stay. The hotel only has one main restaurant. The OPEN restaurant is located on the ground floor just opposite the reception. It is open all day from breakfast till late at night. Do note that Gold and Diamond’s Elite members get 25% off dining as well. The prices are pretty good. You can expect to pay about 200 THB for a starter and 300 to 400 THB for a main. They also had a wok and grill special where you can choose your protein and get it cooked the way you like.
We got the Yum Som O to share. The Pomelo Spicy Salad with prawns was really good. It cost 250 THB. I love the refreshing crunch of the pomelo with the fresh prawns. The spicy dressings wrap it all up. A great option to kick-start the meal.
For my main, I got the Salmon from the Grill menu. I choose to have it with some Grilled Asparagus. This cost 650 THB. The salmon was perfectly cooked. I love that it was still moist and flaky with really good crispy skin.
To finish things up, I went for something classic. I got Mango Sticky Rice a traditional Thai dessert. This cost 180 THB. It is a good portion and the sticky rice goes so well with the sweet and juicy mango. The coconut cream was served warm too. Craving this so badly right now.
Breakfast at OPEN
Breakfast is served at OPEN Restaurant from 6.30am to 10.30am daily. Complimentary breakfasts are offered for Gold and Diamond members. I enjoy having this as part of my elite status. I hope what they are doing over in the US won’t spread to Asia. Breakfast is constantly a treat in this part of the world and often, properties offer a full breakfast offering. I was down for breakfast on the first morning at about 8.30am. It was pretty crowded despite the early hour on a weekday. The restaurant is pretty big and you should not have an issue getting a seat. I was shown to a table and the staff very kindly put a Diamond Guest tag on my table. They also brought over a welcome amenity which consist of some Roselle tea with herbs. What a nice touch! Why can’t more premium properties do this around the world?
During subsequent days there are also little surprises here and there. On another morning, I got some Butterfly Pea Flower Tea with Lemon Juice.
Breakfast is buffet style and they converted the bar area into an extension of the breakfast buffet offerings. You can find mostly continental selections here. You have some fresh juices, bake, cold cuts and cheese as well as a salad station. Cereals and milk are provided too. While there is some coffee machine that you can help yourself to, get one of the staff to make you a fresh cup from the Bar instead. Coffee from an actual espresso machine is a ton better than those instant ones.
In the main buffet like you can find some western selections with the typical breakfast items. There is also an egg station where you can order eggs freshly cooked to your preference. You can also get some waffles and pancakes. Ask for them to be freshly prep and they were divine.
On the other side of the restaurant, this is where you can find some local Chinese selections like porridge and dim sum. They also have a couple of local dishes. I tried some of the Thai Green Curry Chicken and the stir-fried pork which was very good.
They also had a noodle station which was the best offering of the entire buffet. Having a piping hot bowl of noodles in the morning is such a great way to start your day. The selections change slightly every day.
I love the fruit showcase. You have some fresh tropical fruits and they are displayed in the iconic cart or trolley like how it is on the street of Bangkok.
Conclusion
I might just choose this over the other DoubleTree. Between the two DoubleTree, I feel that the location is better and it is also newer. They are the cheapest Hilton properties in the city and this will be a good choice if you are looking for something simple. While I would love to stay in the WA every single time I am in Bangkok, sometimes this is just not feasible. The rooms are nice and spacious. I got a lovely upgrade to one of the bigger Premium rooms. The drinks vouchers are a nice touch for Diamond members and I love the little touches that they provide during breakfast. To nitpick, the soundproofing isn’t that good and the staff access door right next to my room makes a creek every single time it is open and closed. It did affect my rest in the morning.
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