Hotel Review "The Athenee, a Luxury Collection" Bangkok
Paul‘s 154th Hotel Review for the
Details:
Duration of stay: 4 nights / vacation - city trip
Check-in / Check-out:
Check-in Process: 
Check-out Process:
Concierge Service:
Butler Service:
Staff @ Front Desk:
Bonvoy recognition:
At Check-in:
In General:
Posting of points & nights:
Room / Bathroom:
Bed, quality of sleep: 
Bathroom, Shower:
Room Atmosphere:
WiFi / Internet:
Housekeeping general: 
Cleanliness:
Food & Beverage:
Breakfast:
Breakfast staff:
Bar:
Bar Staff:
Pool Bar:
Pool Bar Staff:
Restaurant:
Restaurant Staff:
Lounge:
Lounge Staff: 
Paul‘s Mix:
Pool:
Spa:
Gym:
Hotel Location:
Mojito Rating :
General Customer Care:
Staff attitude, interaction and responsiveness:
Social media interaction:
—-
= bad, a lot of work needs to be done
=not good, you will be busy with corrections
= good & normal, nothing special
= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing
= topnotch, leave me here!
= Half a Point/sheep
—-
General Info:
The Athenee Hotel Bangkok, a Luxury Collection Hotel and member of the Marriott Bonvoy family, is strategically located in the vibrant and upscale district of Pathum Wan, making it an ideal
base for both business and leisure travelers visiting Bangkok.
Situated in the heart of the city, the hotel offers convenient access to numerous attractions, shopping centers, and cultural sites like Lumpini Park, CentralWorld and Siam Paragon, and the Erawan Shrine.
The Hotel has a total of 374 well-appointed rooms and suites stretched over 29 floors.
The building stands on the grounds of the former Kandhavas Palace, the royal residence of Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the aunt of Thailand's late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
There are several ways to reach the Hotel from Suvarnabhumi Airport:
Hotel Limousine Service: You can arrange for an airport limousine service through the hotel. This option offers a more comfortable and premium experience but may be more
expensive than regular taxis.
Airport AOT Limousine Service: Once you arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in BKK and you are in the Arrivals Hall after customs, there are several selling points of the AOT
Limousine Service. This limousine service is around half price from the hotel limousine service. You have the possibility to choose your type of car. A normal limousine car costs 1200 Baht to
get downtown.
The good point here is that you do not have to discuss with the drivers.
By Taxi: Attention, the scamming at Bangkok Airport of the Taxi drivers is back!!! The do refuse to drive by taximeter.
Read below what happened to us.
The taxi would be the most convenient option to get into town. You can easily find a taxi at the airport's designated taxi stand. The Athenee Hotel is located in the Pathum Wan district,
which is approximately 30-40 minutes away from Suvarnabhumi Airport, depending on traffic conditions.
This drive usually costs by meter and including all additional charges between 400 and maximum 500 Baht.
When we arrived at the airport, we went to the taxi stand and took a ticket for our ride. We made it to the stand where our supposed taxi was standing.
We put the suitcase in the trunk and the taxi driver asked us where we would be going. We told him to the Athenee Hotel and he said it would cost 800 Baht. I told him he has to drive by
Taximeter and he said again it would cost 800 Baht.
I then removed the bags from the trunk and walked off.
Back in line we took a new ticket and went to our “new” designated taxi stand. Almost same game. He asked where we would be going and we said to the Athenee Hotel. He said it would cost 700
Baht for the ride and 20 Baht per suitcase (This surcharge for the suitcase would be correct). I again told him he has to drive by taximeter and he refused and wanted 700 Baht. So we left
again.
Once back at the taxi line, we saw a new taxi stall for electronic taxis with a massive sign “we drive by meter” so we decided to try them out.
Same scam. They refused to drive by meter and wanted to have a fixed price.
At the end we walked off, went back to the arrivals hall and just booked an AOT Limousine to get to the hotel.
Airport Rail Link: Take the Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Phaya Thai Station. From Phaya Thai Station, you can transfer to the BTS Skytrain (Sukhumvit Line) and take it to the Phloen Chit Station, which is the nearest station to The Athenee Hotel. The hotel is within walking distance from the station, or you can take a short taxi ride if you have a lot of luggage.
Ride-Sharing Apps: You can also use Grab to book a ride from the airport to the hotel.
Please note that traffic conditions in Bangkok can vary, so it's a good idea to plan your transportation accordingly, especially if you have a tight schedule. Additionally, make sure to have the hotel's address and location details handy to show to the driver or for input into navigation apps.
Getting around in Bangkok:
Once you have settled in the hotel and you start to explore Bangkok, we highly recommend using the public transport system or to grab a “grab” or official taxi. Please be careful with the
regular taxi and always tell them to start the taximeter before you start your journey.
The closest public transport options to the hotel include:
BTS Skytrain: The nearest BTS Skytrain station to The Athenee Hotel is Phloen Chit Station, which is just a short walk away from the hotel. From Phloen Chit Station, you can easily access
various parts of Bangkok, including popular shopping centers, tourist attractions, and business districts.
MRT Subway: While the MRT Subway system does not have a station directly adjacent to The Athenee Hotel, you can access the subway system by taking a short walk or taxi ride to nearby BTS
stations like Asoke or Sukhumvit, where you can transfer to the MRT Sukhumvit Line
Check-in:
When we arrived at the hotel with the AOT limousine service the doorman greeted us and helped us with our luggage to the check-in desk.
Staff at front desk was super friendly and helpful.
From the regular front desk in the lobby, we were immediately escorted to the Lounge on the 26th floor to do our check-in.
Once in the lounge, the staff was simply amazing at check-in. We were escorted to a table and immediately offered a drink whilst waiting until our check-in was done.
The concierge then came to us and explained everything about the hotel and the benefits we would get as Titanium Elite members.
Already a few days prior our arrival I did get in contact with the hotel. We knew that our flight was arriving at 5:30 AM local time in Bangkok and I didn’t want to wait for Check-in until
15:00 local time. I asked the hotel if I should book an additional night or if they have an early check-in fee to get an early check-in guaranteed.
They offered an early Check-in at 6:00 AM in the morning for 3000 THB ++ which we gladly accepted. Should our Suite not be ready at that time we would get a regular King-size guest room to
sleep and freshen up and at the regular Check-in time we would be able to change into our suite.
The suite was already ready early in the morning when we got to the hotel and we were so thankful for the early check-in option.
Check-out:
The night before the check-out, I did receive the invoice on my email address. Please check your folio very carefully.
Even if staff tells you in the face, that they will add the 10% Bonvoy F&B discount once you have signed, they will not. It happened several time to us and at check-out we had the team
let correct the folio.
This leaves a bad taste in customer service if they tell you they will do so but they don’t and the staff at check-out has more work to do.
The check-out itself was also done in the Lounge. The staff again was amazing and offered an exceptional service. We were offered a drink whilst they did the check-out and corrected the
folio.
They asked for feedback and really made sure we did enjoy our stay.
Staff @ Frontdesk:
Staff at the reception was 95% simply perfect and very accommodating and helpful. The front desk staff consists of a mix of Receptionists, Bellboys as well as concierge.
They greeted the guests, took the time to chit chat and made sure to help with the elevator. Some of them were absolutely amazing and when guests walked to the elevator, they called the lift
and already pressed the right floor for the guests. A simple wowww moment.
Unfortunately, we had also an evening where the the whole gang at the front desk couldn’t have cared less. No greeting even they saw the guest. No greeting even they looked me straight into
the eyes. When we returned and went back to the room, same game. The looked straight into my eyes and only when I greeted them and said good night one of them would respond.
But all in all, a great team at the front desk and they do an amazing job.
Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Recognition:
I did book an Athenee Room / King-size bed and then used my Suite Night Awards (SNA) to upgrade. I was fortunate enough to get a confirmed upgrade already 5 prior arrivals into the Athenee
Suite.
Once at the Hotel we were further upgraded into a Royal Suite.
Titanium Recognition was simply amazing and all perks and even more received without asking or mentioning anything. Simply amazing and just wowww. This is exactly the Thai style of hospitality that we love and always come back to.
See the picture for all the benefits you will get as Platinum Member and higher at the “The Athenee Hotel” Bangkok.
Something we loved most, was the laundry service of two items per Person every day.
You will also get a 10% Bonvoy Member discount on your F&B consumption. Please make sure to tell the staff before they print the bill as otherwise, they will not put the 10% even they tell you to do so. At the end you need to have your final folio corrected.
Once we got into our suite there was also a fruit basket and nice welcome amenity with chocolate waiting for us.
Eligible nights and points:
The nights were posted 48 hours after our stay.
Unfortunately the amount of points is not correct and does not correspond with the final invoice. The Bonvoy Service Team has to correct it.
Concierge:
The concierge Service is amazing. They do have concierges in the lobby which are helping with a lot of questions you have about what to do or where to go. They really offer a great service.
Room / Suite:
As mentioned before we were upgraded to the Royal Suite upon our arrival at the hotel. We were given the suite on the 25th floor. The Royal Suite is a one-bedroom corner suite with 1,5
bathroom and with around 100 square meters in size. The Suite was simply amazing and what we loved was the warm and cozy touch of it.
When you entered the room you had a small hallway and on the right of it, there was the separate guest toilet. Then you entered the living room with a massive couch and armchair area. An
absolutely beautiful living room and decorated with care and class. On the left of the living room the was little oriel/bay area where there was the office space with a nice desk and chair as
well as the minibar area with free water and the coffee machine.
Going further you reached the bedroom. A nice and well decorated bedroom with a very comfortable king-size bed.
The mattress was top and the bedding was super comfortable.
On the right of the bedroom was a walking in closet with lots and lots of space and then there was the big bathroom.
As said, the suite was so comfortable and had an amazing warm and homey atmosphere. We felt relaxed and home from second one.
Décor wise there is a lot of wood, grey and blue. Absolutely top decoration and colors.
Bathroom:
The bathroom is massive in size, and it is fully made out of marble. There is a huge bathtub as well as a big walk-in shower.
Lots of amenities are available which you want to see anymore in any of the European or North American Hotels. (Toothbrush, shaver, cotton pads, mouth wash, sewing kit, cotton bud etc.) and
the “The Athenee” uses Le chime products as shampoo, shower gel and lotion.
The water pressure in the shower is good and the rain forest shower head works perfectly fine.
WiFi:
WiFi works amazing throughout the entire hotel. You can easily work in the room and stream films but the same works as well by the pool.
Top notch connectivity.
Butler Service:
The Athenee hotel offers also a butler service. They do mostly engage in the Lounge on the 26th floor and they offer a variety of services you can choose from. Easiest to get in contact with
them is via Whats-App Chat. They are available 24hrs a day.
For all the services the butler team offers, see the picture below.
The entire Butler Team was simply amazing and they engage with all customers in the lounge and offer their services.
Should you get Julius as your butler it is like you have won the lottery. Customer service at its best.
Housekeeping:
Housekeeping at this property is top notch and you can see and feel that these amazing associates are still the Athenee staff and not outsourced.
They do an amazing job with pride and passion. The room was always top notch and when you encounter them in the hallway, they always greet you and smile.
In addition to the very thorough daily cleaning of the room the housekeeping team offers a daily turn down service.
Also here they freshen up the room again and leave it spotless.
It is sooo nice to see such an amazing housekeeping and team.
F&B outlets/ Lounge:
The Athenee Bangkok Hotel has a whopping total of 8 F&B outlets. With only a 4 night stay we were not able to try them all.
Rain Tree Café
Our personal experience:
We had our breakfast every day at the Rain Tree Café.
It is the biggest F&B outlet of this property and the main restaurant of the Hotel.
The Breakfast buffet is huge and it has many different stations.
There is a fresh juice bar where you can choose the fruits and ingredients of your drink. There are fresh fruits, a yoghurt, cheese and cold cuts stations and the hotel offers a huge variety
of salmon.
There is a big selection of bread, croissants, bagel and Danish and then there is the hot dish area. It is one of the bigger hot items area I have seen in a hotel for breakfast. They offer
Japanese hot meal, Indian hot items, Thai hot breakfast as well as western items. Then there are live cooking stations where you can order your eggs any style, a pancake / waffle / French
toast station as well as a fresh soup cooking station.
The choice of the food is very good but in our eyes they have a big option to improve their quality.
Unfortunately, the cold cuts, cheese and the salmon is not cooled.
The salmon is warm, the cheese gets so warm that the slices of the Brie cheese are melting and sticking together, and the cream cheese is lukewarm.
I ordered some eggs every day, each time in a different style just to try as many things as possible.
Three days in a row the egg dish was served wrong. The problem here is that they have one cooking station only and the chef there is kicking out as many dishes as possible and as fast as
possible. Which means that the quality suffers.
You can not wait for your dishes, instead your order is written down of a staff member and once it is finished, it is served to your table.
The first day I ordered an omelet with mushrooms, onions, ham and cheese and I was served an omelet with cheese and bell pepper. The second day I ordered the same style of omelet. This time
it would have been correct, but it came completely raw and when cutting it the egg was running away. Only the outside was cooked who hold everything together and the inside was completely
raw.
The next day I decided to go for the egg benedict. They asked me if I would like to have it with ham or salmon. I said I would love it with ham. It was noted and then it was served without
anything.
Finally on the fourth morning, the omelet was served correctly. Most probably thanks to no one else ahead of me and the chef did not have to do anything else.
Staff at breakfast is very friendly, does an amazing job and is always smiling.
Depending on where you sit in the restaurant, there are two coffee machines to get coffee from. One of the machines has a much better coffee than the other machine. That coffee is bitter.
All in all a good breakfast but definitely not luxury.
Hotel Description: International
Our all-day Bangkok restaurant, Rain Tree Café, serves a variety of signature international cuisines for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At a time, convenient to your busy schedule, watch our
talented chefs prepare your dish from live cooking stations.
Mon-Sat
6:00 AM-10:30 AM / 12:00 PM-2:30 PM / 6:00 PM-10:00 PM
Sun
6:00 AM-10:30 AM, 12:00 PM-3:00 PM, 6:00 PM-10:00 PM
Kintsugi Bangkok by Jeff Ramsey
Our personal experience:
We were not able to try this outlet.
Hotel Description: Japanese
Kintsugi Bangkok by Jeff Ramsey brings classical Japanese Kaiseki cuisine to Bangkok. Sourced with ingredients from Western Japan, our restaurant is a testing ground for Japanese-American
celebrity chef Jeff Ramsey to experiment in daring new directions.
Everyday
11:30 AM-2:30 PM / 6:00 PM-10:00 PM
The Silk Road
Our personal experience:
We were not able to try this outlet.
Hotel Description: Chinese
The Silk Road serves classic Cantonese cuisine with a 21st-century edge. Each dish is rooted in age-old traditions yet updated with creative, contemporary recipe interpretations and cooking
techniques. Treat yourself to stimulating fine dining in Bangkok.
Everyday
11:30 AM-2:30 PM / 6:00 PM-10:00 PM
The View
Our personal experience:
The View is the pool bar / restaurant of the Athenee Hotel.
It has a beautiful outside patio and offers drinks and food/snacks during the day.
We had a few drinks here as well as some snacks during our afternoon hours at the pool. The drinks were good and so were the snacks.
Staff at the view was very attentive and they did a great job.
Hotel Description: International
This Bangkok restaurant and cocktail bar is a peaceful oasis beside a shimmering swimming pool. Relax al fresco and order gourmet delights that range from exquisite appetizers to delicious
sandwiches, signature cocktails to freshly squeezed juices.
Everyday
9:00 AM-9:00 PM
The House of Smooth Curry
Our personal experience:
The house of Smooth Curry is a Thai Restaurant, and it is located on the 3rd floor.
We went to this outlet for dinner.
The restaurant and its atmosphere are beautiful. The staff is super attentive, friendly and helpful.
The presentation of the food was amazing, and the taste was super delicious.
It was a real and pleasant experience.
Hotel Description: Thai
For authentic Thai recipes from all four regions of Thailand, and an exceptional culinary experience, visit The House of Smooth Curry. Our fine dining restaurant in Bangkok is unmatched with
traditional Thai dishes.
Everyday
11:30 AM-2:30 PM / 6:00 PM-10:00 PM
The Allium Bangkok
Our personal experience:
We were not able to try this outlet.
Hotel Description: French
Discover European haute cuisine with contemporary flair at this Bangkok restaurant. The Allium sources only the finest European ingredients and pairs them with locally grown, organic produce.
An open kitchen provides full views of the chefs at work.
Everyday
11:30 AM-2:30 PM / 6:00 PM-10:00 PM
The Bakery
Our personal experience:
We were not able to try this outlet.
Hotel Description: Coffee House
Overlooking Bangkok's leafy Wireless Road, The Bakery is an intimate and atmospheric conservatory-style restaurant and Thai-French patisserie where guests sip on exquisite afternoon teas.
Everyday
7:00 AM-7:00 PM
The Glaz Bar
Our personal experience:
We visited the Glaz Bar twice in the evening. It is the hotels main bar located in the lobby.
The drinks were good and the staff can be a hit or miss.
The first night we had a very attentive service and the second night one of the team members could not have cared less. The guys on the table next to us asked for a food / snack menu at 22:30
and as a reaction to his upcoming work the waiter rolled his eyes like he wanted to say, seriously are you ordering food at this time.
Nothing out of the ordinary, just a simple lobby bar which is okay for a drink.
Hotel Description: International
The Glaz Bar is a sophisticated venue for cocktails, tapas and music where guests unwind in grand style. Find this chic venue next to The Rain Tree Café alongside the lobby for the perfect
place to meet, greet and mingle over fine wines.
Everyday
10:00 AM-12:00 AM
Executive Lounge:
The Executive lounge is located on the 26th floor and it is one of the best Lounges we have ever seen.
First of all, it serves as a check-in/out area for all guests entitled to the Lounge and for all Bonvoy Platinum Elites and higher.
Once you get to the lounge, you are immediately offered some drinks and check-in/out is done in a very relaxed manner. The staff will also explain all the benefits which either come with your
booking or status.
They offer free drinks all day long and then there are special times such as afternoon tea or the happy hour.
During the happy hour the serve alcoholic drinks as well as cocktails. The drinks menu is massive and one of the biggest I have seen in a lounge. During the afternoon tea, there are the
typical afternoon nibbles and during the happy hours,
they have a very extensive buffet which changes every day. The buffet consists of soup, a lot of different appetizers, salad, hot items and a dessert buffet.
This lounge definitely shows once more what hospitality in Thailand means and every hotel in the US would and should be ashamed of what they serve. Marriott and Bonvoy should take an example of this lounge.
As fantastic as the lounge is, the biggest asset and the biggest treasure of the lounge is its staff. The lounge staff is absolutely amazing. Period!
They offer a top-notch customer service and are always a step ahead of the customers. They are super friendly and all of them are real customer service heroes and brand ambassadors.
Our stars were Ice and Railey and the team.
Khop khun krap for the amazing and personal service and experience.
Pool:
The pool is located on the 4th floor of the Hotel.
Thanks to its location the pool has sun from sunrise to sunset.
The hotel offers enough sun beds as well as umbrellas and they even have some cabanas for couples.
Thanks to the view bar you will get drinks and snacks by the pool.
The pool itself is long enough to swim and it was one of the warmest pools we have experienced in Bangkok.
There is also a small kids pool available at one corner of the area.
Spa:
The Athenee Spa is located on the fifth floor of the Athenee Hotel. It is certified as one of the Forbes Qualified Spa.
It has several different rooms of one also comes with a jacuzzi.
Prices are on the high end compared to good day Spas in Bangkok but we had a fantastic treatment. The therapists were amazing and if you ask for the couple special the prices are okay.
Gym:
The gym is also located on the 4th floor and right opposite of the door to the pool area.
The gym is quite big for a hotel, and it offers a big variety of machines. There is a cardio area with bicycles and treadmills and there is also an area for lifting weights.
In addition, the hotel also offers a sauna and steam bath.
There is always staff available which are taking care of the pool area as well as the gym. The staff is super attentive and friendly.
Social Media:
The hotel is very active on social media. They do post on Facebook and Instagram, and they do interact on posts.
Summary:
All in all a great stay.
95% of the staff go above and beyond and offer top notch customer service.
The hardware of the Hotel is in awesome shape and the suite we had was simply stunning.
The lounge and lounge staff were amazing and one of the best we have experienced.
We would definitely recommend this property and we will consider it for future stays ourselves.
But…
the icing on the cake for a 5 Sheep rating was definitely missing.
The hotel is rather expensive for Bangkok and as a member of the luxury collection brand we have a certain expectation.
A very very little number of staff are simply offering very low customer service. They either lie you in the face or you can see and feel that they do not like what they do.
Unfortunately, they are pulling down the great work of the others.
Breakfast as described above was okay but not “luxury collection” style. We had better breakfast at Premium Brands of Marriott.
Breakfast could and has to be improved with some little changes to represent the level of the Hotel and brand.
Notes:
- Paul the Sheep does not get any benefits from the Hotels/Airlines etc.
- Paul will always pay for the services to be able to rate freely and truly about the experiences.
-If you are interested in more details, please send us a private message and I will be happy to share more information and pictures.