REVIEW: Banyan Tree hotel Bangkok (part of Accor) – what do get from £115 a night for a suite?

I have been to Banyan Tree in Bangkok on several occasions for its rooftop restaurant and spa, but I have never stayed there. It is one of the more reasonable 5* hotels in Bangkok, so I thought I would finally give it a go.

Booking

I booked a special deal through Luxury Escapes that has since changed, but you can get a good deal through our partners GTC, who are able offer the following benefits on a two-night minimum stay:

• USD100 hotel credit
• Complimentary breakfast
• Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability

Prices start from a very reasonable £115 a night, which is similar to the Conrad. I paid around £130 a night, including return transfers and Club lounge access, plus a free drink at Moon Bar. 

Location

The hotel is located 35 kilometres from the main Bangkok airport. Travel by car takes between 45 and 60 minutes, depending on the traffic. It is not close to a Skytrain station, so you would need to get off at Makkasan and get a cab from there. 

Check-in

My deal had included transfers through Luxury Escapes. I would not ever use them for that again. The person meant to meet me was not there when I arrived at the airport even though I was there at the right time and I waited at least 10 minutes for them to appear. Then, I had serious problems trying to communicate with him (he was not Thai). I had changed my return a couple of days before and received confirmation back of the new pick-up times. However, I could not seem to get this through to him no matter how many times I repeated it, and the guy turned up 30 minutes early for the return, which the hotel did not tell me of. Luckily, he waited and at least was on the right day, if not the right time.

It is probably around six years or so since I last visited, and I did find the entrance dated and a bit gloomy. The reception is in a weird bar area with a grand piano.

I liked the greenery outside, but the inside felt very dated. I was given a welcome drink, snack and cold towel. The butterfly tea was good, and I liked the slightly unusual pumpkin crisps. 

I was then escorted up to the Club lounge to complete check-in as I had club privileges through my booking.

The Club lounge was a lot nicer, although there was not much natural light, which was a shame. 

I was surprised to be told that I had been upgraded to a one-bedroom suite, considering that I had booked through Luxury Escapes, but I was not complaining!

Staff were very friendly in the lounge but not always very efficient. For example, it took a long time to check out. 

The room

All rooms here are suites, which I think is a big part of the value offering for the hotel. 

The first thing you notice is the sheer size of the room which was huge. The decor was definitely a bit too much on the bown side for me but it was inoffensive and did not feel too dated in the main rooms.

The lounge had the first of two TVs, a large sofa/day bed and tea and coffee making with plenty of free bottled water. I also received a bowl of fruit which was unexpected. 

I appreciated that there was a large work desk with a comfortable chair and sockets built in, so this would be a good hotel on a work trip. 

The bed was also enormous and there was a second window bench seat in the bedroom. This was perfect for unpacking your case rather than the luggage rack that never fit the new style suitcases that open both sides. There was still plenty of room to sit down, even with two suitcases laid out. 

The bed was very comfortable with soft pillows and there was no noise that I heard from the corridor.

On one side of the bed, there was a multi-country socket and two USB ports, but nothing on the other side, which could be a problem for some people who both want their phone charging next to them. As usual, there was the Banyan Tree turtle laid out on the bed at turn-down time, along with slippers laid on a mat. 

I liked the large bathtub, which had a custom padded headrest if you fancy a long soak. I wasn’t 100% convinced on the black sinks which while it fitted in with the rest of the Thai feel to the decor, also gave vibes of 1990s bachelor pads. 

As you would expect in Asia, toiletries and amenities were plentiful, with a whole draw of bits and pieces.

All the lotions and potions were in earthenware refillable containers, which look good, but I always worry about dropping them. Banyan Tree were probably one of the first hotels to do this, as I remember them from 2002 when I first stayed in one. The scent has changed over the years and is no longer the Lemongrass/cucumber scent that I used to love. The new one is OK but not as refreshing. 

For those who want a shower rather than a bath, there was a huge walk-in shower as well as a rainhead shower. 

It was good to see a proper dressing table area as well. On the table, they had an oil burner and incense stick with a Banyan Tree fragrance that changed regularly. 

Facilities

When I am in a hot country, my primary focus is the pool, which is a welcome relief after a day of sightseeing. Banyan Tree has a small rooftop pool which provides essentials such as water and suncream. It even had a spray and cloth for your sunglasses which I loved and have not seen before. 

It was a little crowded when I went up in the mid-afternoon, but I’d guess this is premium time for people returning from their tours. I managed to get a lounger, but there were not many left as it is only a small area. It was not a particularly warm day and a bit cloudy, but I was surprised that the pool felt very cold. A few people got in and straight out again as it was so chilly!

There are 36 loungers provided and they also come round with fruits, and neck and shoulder massages (1:00 pm – 3.00pm). The pool is open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm daily

There is also a gym with natural light next to the spa, which offers yoga, Pilates, daily Muay Thai (kick-boxing) classes, stretching and step lessons, and steam and sauna rooms. It is open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.

Club Lounge

All stays in Serenity Club rooms and suites include the following:

• Registration and express check-out at the Club Lounge (during operating hours)

• Welcome herbal drinks

• Buffet breakfast

• Beverages (soft drinks, coffee & tea) and light snacks

• Free flow local beer

• Afternoon tea

• Happy hour and canapés

• Complimentary laundry or pressing (2 pieces per day).

• Use of boardroom for up to 3 hours per stay (maximum 8 persons)

There was free beer all day until an hour after the canapes and drinks finished which I thought was a good deal. I managed to have a look at the breakfast selection and it was certainly more than enough for most people.

They had everything from dim sum and vegetable curry to salads, cold meats and a cooked breakfast. You could order a good range of egg dishes to order as well.

In the evenings, there were two hours of drinks and canapes. The service was friendly but frankly bad. I twice asked for drinks that never appeared. In the end, I went up to the counter as it was easier. It felt like they did not really have a system as they would wander around, topping some people up and not others. 

On offer were beer, wine and a range of cocktails. There were a couple of types or red and white wine. I had white, and it was perfectly drinkable. The food would be just about enough for dinner if you are not a fussy eater. There were canapes such as tuna tataki, hot food with sweetcorn fritters and sun dried chicken, cheese, fruit, cold meat, salad, bread and a range of desserts such as red velvet cake. 

It was pretty much full when I was there, which may have been the cause of the service issues.

The spa

Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, I do recommend the spa for a treatment. They make most of their own products and have a lovely option of combining two or three 30-minute treatments for a set price. I went for the foot and back massage with a body scrub. You get to choose which flavour scrub to have, and I went for the Kaffir lime one, which smelt sub-lime!

The therapist was excellent, and the large treatment room felt very relaxing. I love the bamboo lights you walk past. Afterwards you are invited to relax with tea and fruit.

Food and drink

The main attraction is, of course, the al fresco rooftop restaurant and bar. I did not eat there this time but have on a previous occasion. It is very expensive for Bangkok, but you are paying for an experience. I enjoyed the food but would not rush back as I think once is enough. The restaurant is called Vertigo, and the bar is Moonbar. There is also an indoor bar called Vertigo Too. 

There are plenty of other dining options, including two dinner cruises, a Thai restaurant, an al fresco casual terrace and a buffet restaurant. I went with Bai Yun, the Cantonese restaurant. Again prices were high for Bangkok, particularly in relation to the room price. Dinner for one with two drinks and two courses was around £75.

It was an attractive setting with tables by the window to appreciate the Bangkok skyline. Staff were attentive most of the time and very friendly. 

I started with the duck rolls, which were worth the visit alone. They were basically like a mini version of the pancakes you assemble yourself with crispy duck. The duck itself was one of the best I’ve ever had, the skin was so crispy, but yet there was plenty of moist duck meat too. It was a generous portion, so it could serve two people. I loved the beautiful way it was presented. 

Next, I had the scallops with XO sauce. These were perfectly cooked, and the sauce had a real kick to it. 

I also really enjoyed the cocktail I had here, and there were plenty of their signature cocktails to try. 

Conclusion

For the price, I think I got a real bargain. Yes, some areas are a little dated, but the bedrooms are spacious, and you get plenty for your money. If you are planning on using the spa or restaurants it would make sense to stay here rather than battle Bangkok traffic. If I wanted more of a relaxing pool area, my first choice would be one of the riverside hotels such as Shangri-La (review here) or Anantara. The Conrad also has a larger pool area, although it is nothing special. If you can get a good deal for Club access, I would say it is also worth it as you do get quite a few things included, not just the food and drink. 

You can find out more about the GTC offer and get a quote here.