StarwoodGuy: Around the World With Starwood Hotels in 30 Days - Day 9 Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien Hotel

Departing Singapore I made it quickly through Changi airport, the Customs/Immigration departure area was empty and you do not go through security until right at the gate, so this allows you time to explore the airport. As many people know Singapore Airlines and the airport itself often top the list as best airline/airport in the world. Unfortunately Singapore Airlines flies out of the newer terminal, and my Cathay Pacific flight departed from the older Terminal One. Still, the airport had amazing amenities with a cactus garden, gym, and rooftop pool. I headed right to the large lounge shared by Cathay and a few other airlines, but not most of their OneWorld partners who are in a separate lounge. The lounge had several areas, two in the open area near the main food and bar section, and one raised and secluded area with a separate bar but with no external light, though much quieter and more conducive to getting work done. The food was quite good with various sandwiches and dim sum as well and cheese and crackers, the open bar was good, but it was a wine only bar with no champagne. The flight was back on the wonderful A330-300, the flight is short so the service was slightly rushed but I opted for a good fruit appetizer followed by beef.

Upon arriving in Bangkok we parked at about the farthest gate from the Baggage Hall and Customs/Immigration as was possible. Ten minutes of speed walking later and I arrived at the Customs area which was quite hectic and in the middle of being renovated. There is a difficult to find APEC line which is shared with First and Business Class passengers, a card issued on the plane to those eligible for the fast lane. The processing is slow for some reason for each person, but once through it was a quick walk to the taxi area where I jumped into and Uber and headed for the hotel, the Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien Hotel.

My hotel choice was very difficult here. There are many good options and various Starwood brands in the city. The spgtraveler was posting while I was in the city from the W Hotel at the same time, a location I had considered. I had also thought of trying the new St. Regis in the city, but there were so few reviews of the hotel. The Plaza Athenee seemed to get the best reviews from most travelers, so I had opted for this hotel. When I arrived I was taken right upstairs to the Lounge on the 26th floor with a separate check-in. The staff falls over themselves trying to help you. They are always there, waiting to get you anything you may need. The afternoon tea was served from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm and at 6:00 pm till 8:00 pm appetizers and drinks were served. The staff were excellent as were the food options. After having a snack and a drink I headed to my room which was a huge corner suite. After showering I headed out to the bar area of Silom, relatively close to the hotel. This is a bustling neighborhood with plenty of bars, street side vendors, and it is packed with people. You can sit inside in the AC or out on in the cafe style seats and people watch on the many side alleys. A drink at the bar ranged between $2.00 and $4.00 US and it was easy to reach and leave by taxi.

The next morning I worked out in the gym. Unfortunately the hotel is being renovated and the gym off of the pool was currently closed so they were using two rooms on the 27th floor, one for cardio and one for weights. It was extremely hot and the weight options were limited, but the views were sensational. This is of course only temporary as the new expansion is planned and the staff eagerly shows you the options of what is to come. I had breakfast in the Lounge which as per usual offered a mix of Western and Asian dishes, and I was informed that breakfast at the main restaurant was included as well if I had wanted to do that larger buffet instead. Platinum guests and those staying in a Lounge room get free pressing of two garments which I happily took advantage of since my sports coat was getting crinkled after a third of the trip and my brief stays left very little time for dry cleaning or pressing. After breakfast I walked the very long way to the Dusit Zoo. The heat was almost unbearable at 95 F or 35 C with extreme humidity, even the locals complained that it was too hot. I was drenched by the time I made it. The zoo was very cute with the animals much more accessible in some cases then is typical in the US or Canada, I was inches from the hippo and the Komodo dragons swim freely in the lake! I jumped in an open air Tuk Tuk after that, a somewhat harrowing experience in the heat and busy traffic to the Grand Palace and the sights of the surrounding area. I walked around this neighborhood but the heat was too much so I headed back to the hotel in a nice air conditioned taxi and headed out to the beautiful pool. The traffic in the city can get quite backed up so allow time to get from one place to the next. A beer is only $3.00 poolside and I had the entire pool area to myself. They brought me cool scented towels, chips, and fruit skewers as well. There is also a running track around the beautiful grounds. The entire area is a peaceful oasis right in the heart of the city. If you want a crowd and social scene this is likely not the right place for you, the W as one would expect is more appropriate, but if you want peace and quiet, this is the place to stay. After an hour in the sun I headed to my room to get showered and changed. It was only 4:00 pm but the hotel said they would be happy to host me in the Lounge until 9:00 pm when I was heading to the airport. Bangkok is a bustling, friendly, fun and dynamic city and a large contrast to the very polished Singapore (I saw more then one rat in Silom), but the Plaza Athenee had the best staff of any hotel I had stayed at so far on the trip, even topping the hard to beat Sheraton service in Bali, they went so far out of their way to see to my every need I felt unbelievably welcome. It was an amazing stay!