Royal Meridien Bangkok

The lounge is open only to club room guests, thus providing exclusivity and a higher amount of privacy for guests. Upon entering the lounge, guests will be welcomed by the same vintage, rustic theme as seen in the room. The slightly aged but well maintained and still comfortable furniture creates a cosy and comfortable atmosphere that most guests would appreciate. The lounge is very spacious and is much larger than many of the other lunges that I have seen in other hotels. This not only accommodates the number of club room guests but also provides bountiful space for guests. Generally, the lounge offers a peaceful and tranquil environment for guests who wish to have a drink and chat, or even conduct business discussions.

However, there was one main thing that left me disappointed. Unlike some other lounges that I have been to, the one at Royal Meridien Bangkok does not serve all day refreshments to club guests. Instead, they have a cocktail hour where drinks are all free. This results in a mad rush for free drinks at this hour, and the lounge gets really crowded and noise during this period. Hence, guests are unable to experience the luxury free drinks and tranquillity at the same time.

The hotel was equipped with an outdoor pool and lush green spaces for guests to relax and unwind.

The outdoor pool is built to showcase elements of nature and also urban living. The presence of palm trees and shelters and tiled roofs offers a resort styled setting that made me want to spend a long afternoon relaxing by the pool, enjoying the sun.

The pool was generally nice to use. The water was clean and clear, and the entire area, albeit looking slightly dated, did not show a lack of quality. The scene was still pleasant to the eyes and the sunbeds and chairs were nice and comfortable. However, one major setback is that the hotel is really big and the pool area was very crowded during peak hours, like during the evening. Furthermore, the pool was not designed for serious swimmers. There were random pots of plants placed on pillars built in the pool, and there was no lap pool that was separated from the main pool area, where guests of all ages would be playing at. Guests who want to swim as an exercise would not be able to do so easily, especially during peak hours.

However, I must say I liked the thought of offering both indoor and outdoor sunbeds. As many of you would know, Thailand has rather unpredictable weather, and guests might either find the heat from the sun too scorching, or get caught in a sudden downpour while still swimming. As such, the option of indoor sunbeds definitely caters to even more guests with different preferences. It also takes away some of the crowd from the main pool area.

Royal Meridien does uphold the luxurious brand name of the Starwood group. It is definitely a great place for tourists to stay at. With its great location and the convenience of Bangkok’s well-integrated transport system, tourists will find it a breeze to travel around. The spacious rooms and pleasant facilities will not disappoint as well. However, the interior of the rooms are rather dated and signs of its age are starting to show. With increasing competition from other luxury hotels, I feel that a renovation of their rooms is necessary in order for Royal Meridien to remain a top choice for travellers in Bangkok, else the more contemporary and luxurious rooms of many other brands would be more appealing to tourists. Even so, this hotel is still worth a stay for those who enjoy convenience and exotic luxury.

 

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