If you are looking to be in the nuttiness of it all in the city that feels like an assault on your senses, then Aloft Bangkok should be your first choice. Aloft Hotels pronounced “uh-loft” have been popping up all over the world in the most unexpected places creating a modern, hip, and fun destination.
Part of the Starwood Properties and vision of the W hotels, Aloft Bangkok is chic, modern, clean, cool, affordable, and really an oasis from the madness of the Bangkok streets.
Right on the hectic and intriguing Sukhumvit Road, my boyfriend and I raced past street vendors selling skewered frogs, chicken, and things I was not sure of on our evening journey to Aloft Bangkok when the taxi let us out at the end of the road. Tuk Tuks motored past us as the humid pungent air stung our nostrils. The road has a totally different feel in the evening than in the morning.
Bangkok is rich in history (gold Buddhas and temples are all over the city) and packed with plenty to do. Sukhumvit Road where Aloft Bangkok is located, is one of the longest roads in the world, running west to east to the Cambodian border.
In this hip hotspot you are not far from the best shopping, nightlife, and dining destinations, and a quick 5-minute stroll to Nana BTS Sky Train and MRT Subway stations for easy access to Bangkoks’s biggest attractions, like the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha or shopping in Siam Square / Siam Centre / Siam Paragon or the MBK Shopping Center.
Hop on the Nana BTS Skytrain to experience the distinctly different areas of this wild city. My boyfriend and I bought a day pass from the ticket window.
Memorable events we enjoyed in Bangkok were checking out the vintage and unique finds at the Chatuchak Weekend Market as well as the amulet market (near Th Maha Rat near the Silpakorn University) where vendors sell protective talismans. You will see many tables set up down the street with gorgeous amulets made in wood, gold, and bronze, many only about a dollar or less. We brought home many of these gorgeous pendants, like gold elephants, Buddhas, and locusts, and made them into edgy casual and elegant beaded necklaces. Both markets will give you a dose of local culture. You should also visit the Grand Palace to be wowed with its intricate gold and stone detail and several of the gold temples, like Lucky Buddha, Resting Buddha, or Sitting Buddha.
If you don’t have your laptop to use Aloft’s free Wi-Fi, check out their in-touch kiosks in their re:mix(SM) lounge, for easy Internet access to all that need-to-know info. Then, all you have to do is walk outside to explore this wild road and experience this corner of Bangkok!
Building on its tech-savvy DNA, the ALOFT brand recently pioneered the industry’s first “keyless entry” automatic check-in program at Aloft Lexington in Massachusetts. With nearly 50 hotels open in the two years since Aloft first arrived on the scene and nine more opening in 2011, Aloft can be found everywhere from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between. For more information, visit www.alofthotels.com.
One of the coolest added features the hotel Aloft has is a new “Touch Room”phone/Fingi device which allows
you to control all room amenities, access to hotel services, and act as a local phone and Wi-Fi hotspot, giving you complete internet connectivity anywhere. If you upgrade to this gadget, you can use this phone device to change the air, the lighting, request “Do not disturb,” from the click of a button, or even room service. This Touch Room phone allows you to access social networks or make calls in the city. You can even upgrade your room to have this service.
Other highlights of the Aloft Bangkok include their fitness gym open 24/7 called Re:charge and Splash, the pool and bar overlooking the city. Bar WXYZ offers molecular cocktails such as Heaven on Earth. Our room was very “W”-esque with its modern colorful feel, large bathroom area, and massive bed and quite high up, so we had a view of the city. The included morning breakfast offered a plethora of options from Asian style cuisine, to fresh local fruit, to homemade waffles and eggs. I found it interesting that there were so many men staying at Aloft Bangkok to golf.
Across from the hotel is the giant white round happening spot Bed Supper Club or Qbar. Once inside, head to the left and find white beds surrounding the dance floor for your comfort and relaxation while you drink. The same night we enjoyed drinks at the picturesque State Tower with serious Bangkok views at the rooftop bar Sirocco where the recent movie Hangover II was filmed.
Bangkok Tips:
1. Use www.agoda.com for hotel bookings in Asia for some great deals.
2. Many temples will not let you in without covering your shoulders and knees, such as the opulent Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Ladies, where a long skirt and bring a shawl or lightweight scarf in summer!
3. You can hop between riverside temples and neighborhoods by frequent ferry services.
4. Tuk Tuks really mean “Take Take.” Although it is fun and often cheaper than what one would normally pay for a taxi, be careful! We were “hijacked” more than once on our way to a temple to a random rough looking alleyway to go see what they call “Chinese Fashion.” In other words, “10 minute, look for me!” means please buy a suit from this shop. The Sky Tram is a great way to get around too.
5. Often in the malls they sell so many US products for next to nothing. I am always wary, but was happy to buy lip gloss and smaller items for cheap. You will see Apple products and Beats by Dr. Dre headsets being sold all over, but we heard from a London family that they sometimes scam you by charging your credit card for a purchase than telling you to upgrade to a better one and charging you again for the newer item without canceling the first purchase.
6. Get pampered with a cheap massage, take a Thai cooking class, or ride a long-tail boat through the Khlong Bangkok Noi where vendors sell all sorts of things from their boats.
Here is the latest deal at ALOFT BANGKOK:
Rates starting from THB 2,699++ for Chic Touch and THB 2,999++ for Urban Touch inclusive of:
- Accommodation in Touch Room with Fingi device
- 10-minute international call per day
- 1 daily grab ‘n’ go non-alcoholic drink at re:fuel by Aloft
- Fast & free Wi-Fi on & off property
- Free entry to Bangkok’s trendiest clubs – Bed Supperclub & Q Bar*
Valid for stays booked by October 31, 2012.
For more information or reservations, please call +66(0) 2 207 7000, email: reservations.aloftbkk@alofthotels.com, or visit ALOFT BANGKOK.
(Photo Credit: Peter Gibson)