With its young and hip vibe, Four Points by Sheraton in Bangkok’s Asok district is a wallet-friendly, luxury getaway.
22 Apr 2013: Our stay at Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok’s Junior Suite over the Easter weekend was fantastic; that is, once we managed to locate the hotel. Despite its very central location – it’s just a few minutes’ walk from the Asok BTS station, and is a stone’s throw away from shopping mecca Terminal 21 and spas like the locals-approved Healthland – the route is not signposted at all.
We first stumbled into the nearby Sheraton Hotel and then got lost as we followed somewhat confusing directions. We were later informed by the staff there Thai government wouldn’t allow any more hotels to be built along the already-overcrowded Sukhumvit Road – hence the tucked-away location. The plus side is that it’s also far from angry the car horns and the ear-piercing whistles of traffic wardens, thus making it the perfect hideaway.
At any rate, we immediately forgot how difficult it was to get there once we stepped into the vast, bright hotel lobby. Adopting a bright, cheerful colour palate and matching it with quirky – but still elegant – décor, the place exudes a friendlier and more casual vibe compared with other four- or five-star places, though its quality is hardly compromised. Granted, our suite was by no means a room with a view, but it was clean, modern, and tastefully decked out with plush carpeted floors, a deep standalone bathtub and a decadently comfortable king-sized bed. A flat screen TV is conveniently located in the space between the bed and the sofa, which can be swivelled to face whichever side of the room we happened to be in at the time – you can even turn it at an angle if you wished to catch up on some telly in the bath. WiFi is available for free in public areas such as the lobby, although there is a fee of THB450 ($20)/day if you want to surf the net from the comforts of your room.
We also enjoyed some downtime at their rooftop infinity pool after a satisfying buffet breakfast at The Eatery the next morning. Although not massive and surrounded by skyscrapers on almost all sides, it does the job if you’re craving a nice mid-afternoon dip or sun-bathing session, with ample deckchairs and beds lined up in rows on one side. amBar, which is daintily decorated with a flock of butterfly silhouettes, is situated right next to the pool and offers a selection of signature and standard cocktails, as well as other tipples. The Blackberry Mojito (THB300; $13) that we tried was refreshing and had an interesting spicy kick – though perhaps a little too bitter for our liking.
The thing that really struck us about the hotel, however, was the friendly staff – the receptionists were incredibly helpful – going so far as to book a massage appointment for us at a nearby spa – and the cleaners would always say ‘Sawasdee!’ with a smile. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Four Points – especially since prices are reasonable given their excellent standards. And don’t forget to take advantage of their tuk-tuk service, which takes you to any of the designated hotspots within the vicinity of the hotel – for free.
Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 15, Sukhumvit Rd, Klongtoey-Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 (+66 2309 3000, fourpoints.com/bangkoksukhumvit15).
GWEN PEW 