Aloft Bangkok: Accept No Substitutes

This is part of the Trip Report So Long Mongolia, Hello SE Asia (December-January 2015) which covers:

• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Chiang Rai, Thailand
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Ngwe Saung, Myanmar
• Mandalay, Myanmar
• Bagan, Myanmar
• Hong Kong
• Orlando, Florida

Catch up by reading the preview, The Banana Pancake Trail to Myanmar Starts This Monday, then the overview, Thailand, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Disney, Home, where the game time decision was made to leave Mongolia for good.

Getting There: Take a metered taxi. The SkyTrain is inconvenient and not worth the nominal savings.

First come the pictures, then come the words:

Aloft, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is my favorite everyday hotel chain. Aloft Bangkok is one of my favorite hotels in the world, but why?

First, the price: It costs around $100 per night, 3000 SPG points for weekend nights, or 4000 for the weekday.

Second, the location: Sukhumvit Soi 11: Right in the middle of the action in Bangkok is Sukhumvit Soi 11. Food is all around, bars as far as the eye can see, and for those too lazy to leave the hotel, there’s even an attached overpriced nightclub. If you’re coming from the airport, take a taxi to the hotel. The savings from the SkyTrain aren’t worth the hassle of changing trains and dragging your luggage down Sukhumvit.

Third, the service: There are plenty of SPG hotels in Bangkok including the stunning W Bangkok but the service of Aloft is on par with all of them. The front desk is friendly and accommodating and the bellman does his best to get you a metered taxi though that can be impossible to find.

Fourth, the pool: Bangkok is nuts. Sometimes you want to relax and do nothing. The pool is facing the wrong direction so it doesn’t get plenty of sun during most of the day.

Fifth, the gym (not pictured). If you are feeling in good enough spirits, the gym has plenty of equipment to keep you going.

Sixth, the breakfast: Platinums get an over-the-top breakfast buffet that rivals those of 4-star hotels. Well worth waking up for or passing out from.

Seventh, the welcome drink. It’s a legit delicious mojito or Long Island.

Eighth, the room. Standard Aloft room with coffee maker and infinity shower. Two essentials for stays in Bangkok.

Like this review, staying at the Aloft Bangkok is as straightforward as it gets. What you chose to do after leaving the hotel is a bit more complicated.

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