A day at the Oriental Bangkok …
The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
An oasis of tranquility amidst the bustling city of Bangkok, the Oriental Bangkok synonym to elegance and splendid hospitality is a superb hide out for those searching for the perfect getaway. Nestled along the Chao Praya river the legendary “Grande Dame” which first opened in 1887 remains one of the world’s most enchanting place to stay.
Welcome platter of tropical fruits
My day begins with a hearty breakfast served at the Riverside Terrace. Their breakfast buffet is certainly one of the best I’ve ever had, offering a large choice of tropical fruits and local specialties.
A platter of tropical fruits
Their steamed buns were just irresistible …
Steamed buns
After this marvelous morning treat, the pools behind the terrace are the ideal place to relax while flipping some pages from the most famous hotels in the world series of The Oriental before heading across the river to try the Oriental Spa. I was welcomed with lemongrass herbal tea before my Ayurvedic treatment which took place at the spa penthouse. My favourite Shirodhara treatment was divine …
Lemongrass herbal tea
Feeling revitalized I paced slowly to Sala Rim Naam to try out some of the city’s most delicious Thai food …
Thai delights
After lunch, the wooden teak barge was waiting to take me back across the Chao Praya. I walked towards the old wing, a nineteenth century neoclassical style building through a lovely winding path surrounded by lush green garden flanked with white orchids, palms and ferns.
Author's Wing
Walking through the halls of the old wing I feel myself plunged into the literary world of great writers. Magnificent suites are honored in their names. These suites each with their own distinctive style are dedicated to names such as Noel Coward who was a frequent guest, James Michener, Joseph Conrad and the dazzling red coloured suite of Somerset Maugham. Silk covered walls, antiques furniture, poster beds and living room overlooking the lush garden make me feel as if I was thrown back in time. Could his memories still linger on? Somerset Maugham came several times to Bangkok, the first time in 1923 he used the Oriental as his base where he was recuperating from malaria caught during his adventurous Burmese journey. He vividly described the Oriental hotel and his room in “The gentleman in the parlour” – impressions of his journeys from Rangoon to Haiphong.
Sommerset Maugham Signature Suite
I head towards the author’s lounge set in a tropical ambiance with vintage photos of Thai royalty adorning the walls. It’s nearly 4 pm and time for an afternoon tea. Their home made scones were delightful.
Author's lounge
After an enjoyable stopover in the world of literary figures time to wind up at the Bamboo Bar to taste some of its signature drinks before attending the cocktail reception. Below is the Oriental sour. A blend of amaretto sour, mint leaves …
The Oriental sour
Another signature drink at the Bamboo Bar is the Thaijito – Mekong whiskey, lemongrass, ginger, lemon juice …
Thaijito cocktail drink
It’s nearly 7:30pm and time to try out river terrace and get a taste of their superb BBQ buffet while watching lit up wooden rice barges gliding along the Chao Praya.
A day at the Oriental finally ends beautifully in my very comfortable room with a view …
Overlooking the River of Kings
4 Comments on “A day at the Oriental Bangkok …”
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Mandarin Oriental Bangkok looks absolutely amazing and timeless! I do hope I could stay there in my next visit. I have tried the Mandarin Oriental in Jakarta and the experience was nothing short of fantastic. They really maintain a high-level of service.
You certainly won’t be disappointed with the Oriental – one of the best in the world and nothing to compare with the Mandarin Jakarta or in Paris
wow, this is also very luxurious!! I discovered the other hotel on the web and I was so impressed that I wanted to write a post about it! if you have the chance, go and check that out
and then let me know which one you preferred!
I checked out the Sofitel well known French chain hotels beautiful, but I prefer The Oriental – it has a long and wonderful history and I had a fabulous stay there