During my exotic journey to Bangkok via Paris, I spent a night at the 260-key Ritz-Carlton Bangkok. Having only opened in late 2024, the Ritz-Carlton is the newest luxury Marriott addition in Bangkok, so I was curious to check it out. Since I was staying for just one night, I also decided to splurge on…
Continue reading: Review: Ritz-Carlton Bangkok, Thailand (Good City Hotel With Great Lounge)
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$650 rate for a hotel in Bangkok? Does that include massage with happy ending? Seriously, unless you got a week where the city was completely full that is a crazy price to pay for a upscale hotel in Bangkok.
Curious if you made the trek to MRT. because it’s far from “easy”. Easy is SheratonGS or WestinGS BKK which are basically connected to a station.
At Ritz you have to exit the hotel, walk past the Andaz then navigate the maze of a mall before finally entering the station. The mall isn’t symmetrical so it’s easy to get turned around and signage to MRT in the mall leaves a lot to be desired.
As far as service goes, I wasn’t impressed. They delivered someone else’s laundry (I didn’t notice) to my room then ignored my DND sign trying to retrieve it before the guest checked out very early in the AM. Woke me up with multiple knocks and rings to my room. I was heated to say the least. The service recovery was satisfactory so I’ll give them credit for that.
Food selection, and quality, is as good as you stated. The breakfast experience was sublime. Loved it.
Pool was also relaxing and quiet with attentive service. Water was the typical near freezing temps. Must be an Asian thing because I’ve experienced this at multiple properties in SE Asia.
At $500+ per night it’s a miserable value for Bangkok. If it wasn’t for the AmEx Plat FHR credit there’s zero chance I’d stay here again.
"While I had a lovely stay, Bangkok is an incredible hotel market with endless options, and if you’re not married to any one hotel group, then I’m not sure the Ritz-Carlton would really be the first property I’d recommend. Ultimately there are other hotels with locations that people may prefer, and there are also hotels that maybe have a better sense of place in terms of design."
Where WOULD you recommend? I looked back at all your old Bangkok reviews before going last yer and felt like all the major points/FHR properties were fairly similar (and similar price point). I ended up at the St Regis to use some certs/points, but it didnt look materially different than the Waldorf, Park Hyatt, Rosewood, Ritz, Peninsula, etc.
Looks great, but it is funny their coffee and pressing is just free for all at the St. Regis down the road which is wonderful.
Curious, Bangkok has such amazing cheap food. Did you book the club level for the review or because you are an elitist lol jk.
Bangkok luxury hotels are becoming overpriced, and this RC is leading the group.
Consider you can get a solid 4 star equivalent local hotel easily under $80.
Heck, dorm hostels go for under $10.
Can't think of any other major city in the world that has this big price disparity. Even Tokyo, which shares the issue, isn't this bad since everything is expensive in Tokyo.
There are categories well above "upscale" hotels in BKK, FYI. For those who are familiar with them, 650 would be at the lower end of properties in BKK such as the Mandarin, Four Seasons, Capella (ranked 7, 2, 3 of the 50 Best Hotels list in the world), and local true luxury properties like the Sukhothai. The question here is whether the RC can compete and belongs to that category or not.
@ Andrew -- Hah, I booked it specifically to be able to review it. Trust me, my trip would've been more relaxing if I wasn't constantly timing things around checking back in the lounge as each food presentation was placed out.
@ ECR12 -- It's an excellent question. To be honest, I haven't done that many Bangkok trips lately, but I'm heading back soon, and look forward to checking out a few hotels.
Broadly, I'm a fan of the Park Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, and Waldorf Astoria (I used to like the St. Regis, but think it's a bit outdated at this point). I haven't done the Sukothai, but that seems to be great at the price point, and is probably what I would choose.
Then there's Aman, Capella, and Four Seasons, which are the top hotels in the city. It's just a question of whether rates can be justified, given how good the hotels are that are a tier below.
The nightly price for this hotel is more than the average Thai earns in a month. Just disgusting.
A bolt / grab from BKK -> city is max 20$. While it is sometimes a hassle to find your driver, it's not worth the 80$ upcharge.
I did a random search the rates are USD 350-400, which seems right for the BKK market. Ben paid $650 because he booked the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts rate which is always higher and chose a club room.
Ben is just completely out of touch with the way normal people travel, let alone how Thai locals live.
Ben mentioned the Sukhothai. It's lovely but try to go for the Sunday brunch. Music and a variety of local seafood . Makes an excellent place to treat friends.
"Ben is just completely out of touch with the way normal people travel, let alone how Thai locals live."
You new here? Welcome to OMAAT.
Just FWIW, nobody is here to learn how "normal" (whatever that even means) people travel or how Thai locals live. Indeed, when I'm reading this blog, those things couldn't be further from my mind.
Perhaps "normal" travel is in economy class and staying at middle-of-the-road hotels, but that's not the point of this blog. It's nothing to do with "look how rich I am, aren't you envious of my luxurious lifestyle", it's "I redeemed loyalty program points and travel like this on the cheap". There's nothing at all snobby about it.
OK Somchai, as I'm sure you know there are a lot of very wealthy Thai citizens who don't live like "average" Thais do, particularly in กรุงเทพฯ. Hospitality and tourism provide huge numbers of job and career opportunities for ordinary Thais to get ahead in life. I'd rather be cleaning rooms or waiting tables in a five-star hotel than be stuck in a rural village with no money and no hope for the future.
Ignore fake lawyer boy comments. He finds a way to talk to himself in every review.
Bangkok has always struck me as an Asian version of Portland... A city that wasn't historically on the culture radar but really punched above its weight class with changing times to deliver.
That said, I guess it depends on the visitor. I can't see a single instance where I'd put my own dime down on this hotel when I can rent an AirBNB (likely an entire house with luxury build) or opt for a Thai-branded "luxury" hotel (that would roughly equal this in terms of bed and bath) for a fraction of the price.
Lounges, foodie trends, luxury: they all scream farang with the locals. Bangkok is no different from Tokyo: practice the language, go out, take risks, have fun.
Nice review Ben!
Was the pool warm?
It’s my number one question for facilities outside the room, I’d appreciate you incorporating that into your reviews
@JakobZH , this hotel doesn't seem to be positioning itself in the upper strata of luxury - the lounge does look very good, but the rest of it doesn't come across to me as any better than a $100 Pullman. If nothing else, paying $600 per night should entitle one to expect perfect soundproofing, high-quality fixtures and fittings etc.
@PeteAU, to be fair, he did pay a fortune to stay there when there's astonishing value to be had in the city.
Generally speaking, it's not hard to consider staying in high-end city hotels to be a rather frivolous expense as typically you'll be spending most of your time out and about exploring (or in work meetings if travelling on business) and seeking to eat and drink in the places that are popular with the locals.
On the other hand, most people would agree that there's logic in paying a higher fare to travel in business class (and avoid the borderline inhumane conditions in Y) on a long flight - that's regardless of whether they are willing/able to pay the going rate themselves.
Which Portland? The weird one or the Maine one? Either way, wildly different climate than SE Asia. Who’s this lawyerboy?
“Outdated” is in the eye of the beholder. We stayed at a 4.5 star property in Quito last month that some reviewers complained was dated. The hotel was solid in all regards, and we actually thought that “dated” 80s look was charming.
By the way, I’d say your room view was fine and your upgrade comments suggested even you have hamster wheel tendencies from time to time.
All that said, enjoyed your review.
If you’re traveling on business you probably don’t want to do the foodie tour of Bangkok three times a day - a decent meal at the hotel would probably hit the spot
I love these comments that throw shade at Ben for staying at Ritz-Carlton Bangkok and staying in a Club room. Me, I'm very grateful he did, so I can now decide not to. It's the entire point of OMAAT, duh.
I'm now satisfied that I'll be happy at Athenée as usual, or St Regis (except for their bonecracking cold pool). Or more than happy at The Sukhothai.
I don't ever recall there is a heated pool in Thailand. Even the few that are indoor isn't heated.
That's a pathetic upgrade for AMB and there's no way that room is more than 30 sq. meters.
Poor noise insulation is indeed the norm for new Bangkok builds. That's why older properties (like Sheraton Grande, or MO if you're looking to splurge) are often preferred by those familiar with the Bangkok market.
Thank you for the in depth review I was hoping to find regarding whether or not to book standard room with breakfast or the Club Room.
Your pictures and great descriptions helped me decide on the Club Room. I really appreciate your review.
One Bangkok started construction just before covid hit, and stupidly they started all buildings simultaneously, thus maximum risk if things went sideways. Still lots of ghost towers in Thailand from various economic shocks. So it's not surprising to me that they cut corners. In any case One Bangkok sucks, it's not exotic at all. In fact it's sterile, boring, confusing layout, not a great location to stay and not a destination itself by any means. The open space is poorly utilized, the mall is empty, while Dusit central park across the way is packed. No reason to stay at RC or the finally completed Andaz. Plenty of better faux luxury options.
Thais who work in luxury hotels do not earn good wages. And except for those who have university degrees and speak English, there is no opportunity to move up.
Have you heard of the service charge that luxury hotels pay to staff? Some months reaching nearly 2,000 USD? I was married to a Thai working in a 5* hotel, along with tip, she'd many months make more than an average foreigner salary.
I think the decor is nothing special. It is similar to many of their newer properties in Asia. Especially if the lounge upgrade price is for the room not per person, I think it is reasonable. The price however may be the norm for luxury hotels there but compared to other options is expensive. Consider how much they charge in other cities around the world. $100 for the aiport transfer is cheap for a luxury hotel but much more than a ride hail or cab.
I just returned from BKK and stayed at the Aman. Yes, it is expensive but the absolute sense of peace that you get once you enter it is priceless. The service, food, amenities, and room are outstanding. I highly recommend this property if you're able to swing it.