I made two four-night hotel reservations for my stay in Bangkok, Thailand. The first reservation was at the Sheraton Grande, a very nice hotel in the Sukhumvit district. The second hotel was the J.W. Marriott also in Sukhumvit. I used the Citi Prestige card to take advantage of its fourth night free benefit for each stay.
Getting to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
There are essentially two ways for tourists to get from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International airport to the city center, a taxi or the Airport Express train. I normally take the Airport Rail Link. It is inexpensive and fast. Trains run about every 12 minutes and take 30 minutes to travel between Phaya Thai station (central Bangkok) and Suvarnabhumi. The train costs 45 Baht (about $1.30).
Unfortunately, my China Eastern flight arrived in the wee hours of the morning when the Airport Rail Link does not operate. So I took a taxi. The fare is based on distance and tolls plus a 50 baht surcharge. Drivers also usually offer a 400 baht flat fare to central Bangkok. Paying the meter fare is almost always cheaper.
The hotel and airport also offer private car service from the airport. The hotel also offers a VIP arrival/departure service. For arrivals. this service includes being met at the plane and chaperoned through customs. These services start at $60 one way. The hotel also offers a service just for handling luggage. One must contact the hotel directly to set up services the hotel offers.
Luxury Room
The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit has 420 rooms including 46 suites. All of the rooms are good sized ranging from 431 square feet to 829 square feet in exquisitely decorated Thai themed suites. My room was upgraded to a 484 square foot Luxury Room, which is the best non-suite room. At check-in, the clerk advised that they would notify me if a suite opened up during the stay. The room overlooked Lake Ratchada and the Bangkok skyline.
The entry hall leads to the bedroom and work area. The bed and pillows were very comfortable sleep was easy. Electrical outlets are within easy reach of the bed.
The desk is a good place for work. The chair is adjustable and provides good back support.
As a SPG Platinum member, LAN and high-speed wifi were complimentary.
For reading and relaxing there is an upholstered chair and ottoman and a reading lamp in one corner of the room.
A wall unit with a mini bar and a 46 inch TV was mounted across from the bed.
It was nice to have a large walk-in closet where I could store my clothes and suitcase.
The bathroom had marble floors, separate tub and shower, and a marble vanity.
Bathroom toiletries are Thai THAAN, natural herb extracts.
Of course the room comes with slippers and robes.
Luxury Room Benefits
Guest staying in a Luxury room receive free, 24-hour butler service. The butler will do things like unpack and pack and even prepare beverages in the room. These guests also receive benefits that are reserved for Platinum SPG members — complimentary breakfast buffet, evening cocktails, soft drinks, coffee and tea all day, and two pieces of laundry and pressing per day (Platinums get three pieces/day).
The breakfast buffet is fantastic. You won’t find buffets like this at Sheratons in the US.
It is impossible to list all of the items on this giant buffet. There were a zillion kinds of fruit that I don’t even know the name of, eggs made to order, pastries, salads, Indian, Asian and Chinese entrees, and much more.
Evening Cocktails
The Sheraton Grande does not have a lounge. Evening cocktails are served in the Library from 6:00pm to 8:00pm..
Fitness Center
The hotel has a spa, an outdoor pool and a fitness center. The fitness center was the only one I visited. It was more than adequate for just about any kind of workout although the decor could be jazzier.
Location
The Sheraton Grande has many terrific attributes. I think the best one is its location in Sukhumvit, the major tourist area in Bangkok. The Sheraton Grande is located right on the main drag. It is connected by an overhead walkway to the Asok BTS Skytrain station and the underground MRT Sukhumvit subway station. The BTS and MRT are the fastest and least expensive ways to get around Bangkok.
Shopping nearby includes the Terminal 21 multi-level shopping mall and Robinson department store that are connected to the hotel by overhead walkway. The Siam Paragon, Central World and EmQuartier malls are just a couple of stops away on the Skytrain. The neighborhood restaurants range from street food to fast food to gourmet establishments. I like Korean food and there is an enclave of 10 or more Korean restaurants within a block of the hotel.
Overall Impression
The Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is a wonderful hotel. The services and amenities are top notch, but I like the location even more. If you go to Bangkok, this is definitely a hotel to consider.
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