Light. Wow. Lots of light. And it’s natural light. Even if you’re inside, you might as well be outside because that’s how it feels. And if you are outside, you don’t have to worry about losing the light the minute you step inside. The light doesn’t leave. From the moment the sun peeks above the horizon until long after it dips back below again, natural light envelops every room at Andaz One Bangkok. Talk about a mood booster! Before my visit, I had expected a colorful luxury oasis directly across from Bangkok’s rare oasis of Lumpini Park. I did receive what I expected, but what I didn’t expect was to truly feel one with the city thanks to all the natural light from the floor to ceiling windows throughout.
Bangkok is a fast-paced, loud, busy, bustling city thriving with residents and tourists alike. There’s never a dull moment in Bangkok, or even a dull area. Every district is rich in history, gastronomy, shopping, and the occasional neighborhood cat. Lumpini Park is essentially in the heart of Bangkok, although less than 100 years ago it was considered on the outskirts of the city when it was gifted to the people by the king after being the site of the royal rice fields for so long. Now it’s a modern vibrant park full of joggers, cyclists, and the park’s notorious residents – monitor lizards. And on the eastern side of it overlooking the park is the brand new Andaz One Bangkok.
Even though Bangkok is just a short 2 hour flight from Hong Kong, it really was such a relief seeing the Andaz One Bangkok team greet me on arrival at the airport. They handed me a cold towel and fresh boxed water before entering the luxury vehicle that would take us on the 40-minute drive to the hotel. Since we arrived later in the day, the sun was directly shining onto the Andaz One Bangkok as the words “Andaz” glowed in the late afternoon sun. Large doors opened to reveal a calming, elegant home entrance instead of a stereotypical ground floor lobby. And the elevator doors on the 7th floor opened to all that natural light I was gushing about. With the late afternoon sun pouring into the entirety of the open lobby, it gave one of the hotel’s major art installations – a gorgeous, colorful textile tapestry by Ploenchan Vinyaratn – a natural spotlight (although to be fair, it doesn’t need a spotlight because this artwork is seriously a masterpiece on its own).
The colors and plethora of natural light didn’t stop there, as both greeted me warmly in my corner room overlooking Lumpini Park. Floor to ceiling windows wrapped around my room, with bold colors of orange, yellow, and red that essentially matched with the warm Thailand sun highlighting every corner, and the vast amount of green from the park across the street seamlessly feeling like it was part of the room, too. Pressing the button to open the blackout curtains each morning felt like the view of the city was the sold-out performance and I had front row seats to the daily encore.
Most people tend to sleep in when they travel. It’s a chance to slow down and wind down. After having the morning Bangkok light slowly pour into my room each morning, I’d take a few minutes to enjoy the light morning traffic down below. Vespas are buzzing on Wireless Road. Morning runners are taking their jog through Lumphini Park before the day’s heat dials up. Before I know it, I am comfortably sitting on the stunning Andaz Terrace for breakfast overlooking everything happening below me. The sun is still behind the Andaz One Bangkok in the mornings, which makes breakfast on the terrace cooler thanks to the gentle breeze making Thailand’s national flags dance in the air.
I usually prefer smaller breakfasts, and since living in Asia I have found myself preferring savory over sweet breakfasts as well, but at the Andaz Terrace it’s best to come hungry for breakfast because the multitude of options at the elegant buffet meant I was certainly not going to be eating a small breakfast. While I immediately sprinted for the spicy chicken kaprow and the absolutely deliciously stunning steamed egg with spicy tom yum prawn, I also found myself drawn to the sweets. Suddenly my plate was full of salted egg brioche buns, Thai milk tea pound cakes, and Chinese donuts with soymilk. Yet somehow, I was determined to try everything and still save room for lunch by the pool.
fter a morning exploring Bangkok, including getting a peek at the private Vidyu royal palace on Wireless Road, it was time to put my feet up by one of the most beautiful pools in the city. With the sun now coming around the corner just in time for the extremely hot afternoon, I picked out a cozy lounge chair by the water and made sure a onceover of the poolside menu was a priority. A spicy beef salad with a side of burrata and french fries with saffron aioli? Yes please. And a rose flavored lemonade to keep me cool? Also yes. After placing my order, I immediately dipped into the refreshing water for a lazy swim while the chefs were busy preparing the beef salad I continue to think about to this day. I could hear the busy Wireless Road beneath us and could get a glimpse of it from the infinity pool’s edge, but the tranquil park and towering Bangkok skyline are what really caught my eye as I floated along.
After lunch, I could not let the poolside meal go by without trying some dessert, so I ordered an iced Thai milk tea and some egg tarts. Coming from Hong Kong, milk teas and egg tarts are not strangers to my tastebuds so I was curious how these would measure up. I’m usually not a fan of Thai milk teas as they tend to be much sweeter than the ones in Hong Kong, but I was handed a small glass upon my arrival the day before and was pleasantly surprised. Their milk teas are not made with condensed milk, so I didn’t feel like I was getting a sugar overload. It was so dang good. And their egg tarts were flavored beautifully with vanilla and paired so well with the iced milk tea. My dessert combination was so good that I encouraged others to order them as well and just like me, they all devoured it.
On this occasion of my visit with Andaz One Bangkok, I was there to celebrate their grand opening. It was an extremely well thought out event, with gorgeous flowers adorning the rooms that highlighted local Thai cuisine. A large cheese station featuring cheeses all made in Thailand? Fill my plate. An entire area dedicated to Thai chocolate? Say no more, you’ve got me lining up. The cultural journey didn’t stop there, with a room focusing on the five senses in regards to the hotel. The sense of smell? An area with paper flowers and yarn adorned with the scent of florals and fauna from Lumphini Park. The sense of taste? A large table with edible art that encompasses this part of Bangkok. The sense of hearing? A local Thai singer and musician performing on stage. The feeling of pride for Bangkok was alive and well at this grand party, and when the night came to end you certainly felt even more connected to the city than you did before you arrived.
Spending the week at Andaz One Bangkok made returning home extremely difficult. I came to think of Andaz as my home in Bangkok. My sleep was deep. My baths were long and relaxing. My stomach was always happily full. Anything I wanted to get to within the city was easy thanks to being in the heart of it all. As I made my way to the luxury Andaz car bringing me to the airport, there was definitely an exchange of “see you again soon.” I’ll definitely be back. I hope to see you there one day by the pool with a delicious Thai beef salad at your table and a refreshing Thai iced milk tea in your hand.
Everything I wore in Bangkok can be found here.
Thank you to Andaz One Bangkok and Companion Communications for inviting me. Although I was a guest of Andaz, all thoughts and opinions written here are my own.
