The Oriental
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"Century-old Far East institution which runs and runs"
Rates from USD 420
Address The Oriental, 48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Telephone Bookings : UK Reservations 0845 227 0141
Rooms: 400 rooms including 35 suites.
Recommended by Noel Coward; Travel & Leisure (15/100) 2004
Hotlists: Design Hotels, Classic Leading Hotels of the World, Hotels with Spectacular Spas, Luxury Hotels in Bangkok, , Destination: Thailand
Awards: "Gold List," Conde Nast 05
Why stay at The Oriental?
Come for:
Yoga
River-side restaurant
Tennis
Not suitable for:
Those who are not fans of colonial style interior
Eating in:
The hotel's extensive dining options include French, Thai, Western, Italian, and Chinese cuisine, as well as several outdoor dining terraces with river views.
Press quotes
"Repeatedly voted the best hotel in the world, the Oriental lives up to expectations. Highlights are afternoon tea in the colonial Author's Lounge and taking a private ferry across the river to the state-of-the-art spa." The Observer 05
Old colonial fixture has been updated, but still attracts for its lush gardens and riverview terrace. Newer blocks, however, lack character, so try for rooms in the original garden wing."Century-old Far East institution which runs and runs"
The Hotel Writes
For almost 130 years royalty, dignitaries and distinguished travellers have all followed the legendary Chao Phya river through the heart of Bangkok to the doors of one of the world’s most luxurious hotels – The Oriental, Bangkok.
The rooms and suites are sumptuous. The restaurants and bars are in a class of their own. The spa is one of the most beautiful in the world. All are rich in history and stories of the high profile guests who have made this hotel an essential stop on their world travels for over a century.
Situated across the river from the hotel in a traditional Thai-style house of beautifully carved, golden teak wood, the Oriental Spa is an oasis of tranquility. The first of its kind in Asia, the Oriental Spa has been continually recognised as one of the best spas in the world, winning awards and rave reviews since its opening. And, after the recent USD 1.2 million refurbishment, it is better than ever.
Fourteen perfectly appointed suites, ancient Ayurvedic remedies, soothing aromas, and effective treatments performed by our professional therapists all come together to bring you a transcendent Spa experience. You can even experience everything in one magical stay with our 7-day, 6-night Oriental Wellness Programme.
"Century-old Far East institution which runs and runs"
Please select a date to get available rooms.
"Century-old Far East institution which runs and runs"
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Caroline Major's Review of The Oriental
On the banks of Bangkok's Chao Praya River, the luxury hotel, The Oriental, is one of just three hotels here. Don’t underestimate this draw card for both entertainment and transport - the river supports the happy chaos of life in Bangkok. Ferries parade, jammed with commuters, the longtails propelled by strong armed Thai men spew plumes of water and the hotel boats ferry passengers back and forth while the mishmash of commercial barges and boats provide such a fill of Bangkok that you’ll feel vindicated in hedonistic pursuit at the Oriental.
The facilities
With breakfast included in room tariffs, it’s fun to check out fellow guests breakfasting on the terrace. The luxury hotel is jumping and plates are laden with the tropical fruits one dreams of in Europe. The maitre’d, bounces between the tables making sure everyone is happy and supplying conversation for those dining alone. The regular guests clearly love him, his attention, his broad Thai smile and singsong voice.
For a glimpse of the Bangkok ‘scene’, hang out in the luxury hotel's Bamboo Bar, where celebrities and royalty stop by often to listen to jazz or dine in the restaurant. Or join the daily Thai cooking class at the luxury hotel's Cultural Centre, and afterwards indulge in the spa, choosing from the usual suspects on the treatment menu. Cocktails are served up poolside all day.
The rooms
The luxury hotel's rooms are everything you’d expect from a leading hotel in Asia. Fresh flowers, litres of complimentary drinking water and tropical fruits arrive each morning with housekeeping. The newer wings are contemporary Thai, with specialty suites in the historic authors' wing maintaining a traditional Royal Thai style.
Daniel Scott's Review of The Oriental
There is nothing like a sense of tradition in a luxury hotel to keep guests returning and Bangkok's Oriental makes much of its 125 years of history. Like the Raffles in Singapore it trades on its literary connections, with the likes of Graham Greene, Noel Coward and Joseph Conrad having visited during its hey-day. In fact, when Conrad first visited in 1876 he pronounced himself “worried” by its opulence, and the luxury hotel retains a lavish feel, with Thai silk featuring throughout its public areas and suites. Yet the deluxe rooms in the older Author’s wing are reassuringly small, designed on two levels, with a bedroom and modern bathroom crammed in upstairs, and a cubby-hole study and lounge below.
The facilities
The Oriental makes good use of its location on the banks of the brown-green Chao Phya River, with its swimming pool and a terrace restaurant right at the riverside. A luxury hotel boat takes guests across the river to a fine Thai restaurant, the gym and the spa. While spas are now de rigueur at premium luxury hotels, the Oriental’s facility draws connoisseurs of alternative health, delivering both western and eastern treatments in a delicate, intimate atmosphere.
John Borthwick's Review of The Oriental
Having presided on the banks of the Chao Phraya River near the centre of Bangkok since 1876 and regularly acclaimed as one of the best luxury hotels in the world, the Oriental is a series of evocative impressions from the moment guests enter its dress-code conscious lobby. Golden teak and the kind of imperial-era décor, inspiring memories of Coward, Conrad and Maugham, are just the beginning.
The facilities
Across the river from the luxury hotel, the Oriental Spa lets guests be terminally spoiled by the most skillful of hands. The spa is a temple of teak and calm in a century-old, traditional Thai building from which Bangkok traffic noise is perfectly excluded.
I'm ushered to a treatment suite where even the shower cubicle, in black marble and with six spray jets, seems like a water temple. The luxury hotel's spa was one of Asia's first dedicated hotel spas and is the only one regularly voted "Best Spa in the World." It offers some 50 different options that range from a 30-minute Papaya Body Polish to a wide variety of massages and beauty treatments, including those for couples and jet-lagged travellers.
The Oriental has palmy gardens, pools and a personal butler for each guest. Among my favourite moments at the Oriental are a nightcap-with-jazz in the Bamboo Bar, contemplating the Chao Phraya’s restless nocturne from my balcony.
The rooms
The Oriental has 393 air-conditioned rooms, all sumptuously decorated and wired-for-everything.
The luxury hotel has recently (2004) completed a lavish renovation, including spacious new bathrooms in the River Wing as well as state-of-the-art, in-room entertainment systems throughout. There is also high-speed internet access in all accommodation.
"Century-old Far East institution which runs and runs"