Read on for my review on Doubletree by Hilton Sukhumvit ~
A Warm Welcome
Bangkok did not begin well. We alighted at the Makkasan station of the Airport Link from Suvarnabhumi Airport in the blazing twelve o’clock sun – only to be greeted with Bangkok’s infamous lunchtime jam stretching down as far as we could see, in the exact direction of our hotel. Meanwhile, for bizarre reasons unbeknownst to myself, I have subconsciously elevated the English understanding capabilities of Thai taxi drivers in my own mind since my last visit and foolishly assumed yelling “HILTON?? HOTEL??” would aid the process in any way.
Naturally none of the taxi drivers understood or cared to get themselves entangled in the jam. So we turned back to public transportation. After weaving through the BTS with our luggages in tow and trudging down a couple of crowded sois, we finally made it to Doubletree’s warm, welcoming facade.
And I say warm, because of the piping, moist cookie thrust into our hands not 5 minutes within stepping into the quaint, charming lobby. Our luggages were whisked out of our hands (not unlike those cheesy vacation ads), while the receptionist pressed drinks, (more) cookies and sofas upon us as she checked us in. It was absolute bliss and a fantastic start to our stay with Hilton 🙂
Surprise Sashimi
Then Sunday our saviour billowed in, all excitement and grace, and did more whisking – straight into Doubletree’s international buffet lunch at Dee Lite, their all-day dining bar and restaurant at the lobby. You cannot imagine how comforting stuffing yourself with fresh sashimi is, when your legs feel like they have traversed the span of Bangkok (key phase being ‘feel like’, yes my legs are weak).
We refueled ourselves with plenty of sushi, seafood and sparkling water, conveniently forgetting we were scheduled for a late lunch at Roast @ The Commons at 3 pm. So reluctantly, we bid a temporary goodbye to our heartwarming conclave and jumped into a cab that the bellboys kindly hailed.
I cannot emphasize my love, nay, PASSION for Doubletree’s location. Apart from being situated right in the heart of town, it is just a stone’s throw away from all my favourite hipster cafes in Thonglor! We made it to The Commons and back with plenty of time to spare.
Enjoying Roast @ The Common’s reverse Iced Espresso Latte, where the ‘ice cubes’ are made of espresso and you pour the milk in to mix the espresso cubes!
The receptionist also gifted us the most important card of /my life/ our trip: the hotel’s name card, so taxi drivers can read the address in Thai. Previously we depended on Whatsapp audio recordings from my long-suffering Thai friend Chan to get around, but a written Thai address works just as well.
Home Suite Home
There is nothing quite like stepping in a beautiful hotel room for the first time – for one the bed is always made, which is quite a contrast to the mess that greets me in my own bedroom. Beyond that, Doubletree’s cozy, rustic feel had clearly permeated even their rooms with quaint-luxe, old-fashioned charm. From the stripey diner-esque walls to quaint-luxe lighting in the sprawling bathroom, I fell in love immediately.
Oh the bed! For all the bustling excitement Bangkok has to offer, it could not lure me away from the downy comfort of my bed in Doubletree. It took me at least an hour everyday to drag myself out of our luxurious abode. We were also unnecessarily amused by the sliding partition that revealed the open concept bathroom, but it definitely provides the intimacy couples would appreciate on a romantic getaway. Overall, Doubletree’s rooms give off warm, fuzzy vibes that hold a certain old school charm – so much more your standardized, boring hotel suite.
The view from our room over Sukhumvit Soi 26 or the super happening Soi Ari cafe stretch sure didn’t hurt as well! Be sure to get a room facing the pool and on the higher levels for a beautiful view of Bangkok’s bustling cityscape.
Vintage Treasure Hunting
Once we unloaded our bags, we embarked on our typical hotel exploration, seeking out the best photo spots. I fell in love with the rustic finishing and vintage surprises scattered around the hotel. Turn a corner, duck into an empty gallery and you might just find a massive wall collective of iconic film cameras, featuring a range of Kodaks and Leicas.
I love hotels with a spunky personality and Doubletree just had the right touch of intrigue to reel me in 😉 Our little lookaround turned into an entire afternoon exploring all the nooks and crannies of this inspirational space.
Apart from the gorgeous decorations, Doubletree is an absolute dream for OOTD seekers. For a quirky, picturesque backdrop to snap your outfit deets for the gram, every corner of this vintage hotel will do. Seriously, I could get my daily #WIWT shot within minutes, before we left the hotel everyday. For dedicated fashionistas – perfect photo opportunities. For long-suffering Insta-boyfriends/ husbands, half your work is done even before you leave the hotel 😉
Pool Party
A must-have for me every trip is a pool (preferably swanky and roof-top). Doubletree sure didn’t disappoint with Mosaic Pool and Bar. From the giant Marilyn mosaic mural to the quirky nautical fixings scattered all around, the 27th floor was all an Instagrammer could hope for.
We took a quick dip in the pool and dried ourselves off happily in the blazing Bangkok sun, all the while accompanied by soft strains of jazz emanating from the poolside bar. Absolute bliss.
Do not disturn – Getting my tan on 😎
The cool water was the perfect antidote to Bangkok’s insane heat!
Of course, Zac had to interrupt our little slice of heaven by dragging me to the gym, which is located right next to the pool. I was slightly pacified to see that the gym was adequately equipped with my favorite machines and that the full length windows offered a stunning view of the pool. Keeping fit during vacations really requires extra motivation!
Deelite’s Delights
After eating our way through Bangkok, Sunday kindly offered to further expand my caloric limit with Deelite’s signature International Seafood Buffet Dinner.
It was a pleasant enough spread, with oysters, mussels, prawns, crabs, sashimi but the freshness and quality of the food was nothing much to rave about. I did particularly like the beef steak, pumpkin soup and prawns and went back for several rounds unabashedly like the pig I transform into at buffets.
Loving a daily pick-me-up in Deelite’s spacious, sun-filled dining area, with an array of freshly toasted bread and juices.
The daily continental breakfast spread, on the other hand, was my sole motivation in getting up. Me awake before 10 am is a rare sight on holidays. The buffet had all the usual breakfast fixings but the local delights station, repping the best of Thai cuisine, is the one you ought to aim for. On our first morning, I took at least 4 servings of the braised pork leg rice (khao kha moo ข้าวขาหมู) , despite Zac’s protests that we have a full day of eating ahead of us.
The pork was so juicy and tender! I tried lifting up the bone to take a bite and the meat slid right off. Such a simple street food dish, surprisingly executed to perfection in a restaurant. Zac went straight for the bacon and eggs and we both washed down our breakfast with Deelite’s delectable range of iced fruit and vegetable juices.
Chilling off the food coma in Deelite’s comfy lounge areas.
I would have preferred a little more variety in Deelite’s buffet spread, but really, Bangkok’s truly authentic ‘all you can eat buffet’ is just a step outside the hotel. With the Thai capital’s incredible array of street delicacies in the famous sois right outside Doubletree, you would be spoilt for choice living in the Sukhumvit area with Hilton. #NeverHungryinBangkok
Time seems to slow with our relaxing stay in Doubletree, sheltered from Bangkok’s noise and bustle but still managing to be at the heart of all the excitement. All in all, Doubletree by Hilton Sukhumvit is one of the best hotels I have had the pleasure to experience in Bangkok, with an unconventional demeanour that sets it a notch above other luxury hotels as well as the best service I have enjoyed in Thailand (which is saying something in the Land of Smiles!)
Note that this post was sponsored by Doubletree by Hilton Sukhumvit but as usual all opinions are my own.
If you like what you read, click here to book Doubletree by Hilton for your Bangkok trip 🙂
Stay tuned for my review on Hilton Sukhumvit, adjacent sister hotel to Doubletree and also snippets of Doubletree on my Youtube channel!