Hotel Review: Oriental Residence Bangkok, Serviced Apartments in the Diplomatic Quarter

Oriental Residence Bangkok is located in the Thai capital’s upscale diplomatic quarter.

Where to Stay in Bangkok

Oriental Residence Bangkok is located in the heart of the Thai capital’s diplomatic quarter. The property offers the best of best two worlds: food and beverage outlets worthy of a five star hotel and the convenience of a serviced apartment.

I spent two nights at the Oriental Residence Bangkok during a familiarization trip to Bangkok, Thailand. I was accompanied by a food blogger from Hong Kong. Our stay was complimentary.

The Entrance …

My traveling companion and I arrived at the Oriental Residences Bangkok by taxi. We were helped with our bags and walked inside.

The Lobby …

The property’s lobby exuded a quiet elegance. It had high ceilings, pale marble flooring, and clap-board walls painted off white, which were reminiscent of a Thai-style country abode.

The Welcome …

We were greeted by the friendly staff at the front desk, filled out the requisite forms, and headed for our room, which we would call home for the following two nights.

Our Room …

Our Grand Deluxe Room had a queen-sized bed. Because there were two of us, we requested an additional single bed. The flooring was made of dark hardwood.

The Kitchenette …

Our Grand Deluxe Room had a kitchenette with a small sink, a microwave oven, and a two-burner stove. It was suitable for preparing simple meals, heating things up, or preparing beverages.

The Bathroom …

Our bathroom was covered is beige marble. There was a separate bathtub and walk-in shower as well as a spacious walk-in closet.

The View …

Our room had a view of a Bangkok’s diplomatic quarter. Was that an ambassador’s residence or a foreign embassy across the street?

Accommodation Overview

The property has 145 rooms and suites. All of rooms and suites have fully equipped kitchenettes, hardwood flooring in the living and dining areas, walk-in closets, marble bathrooms, and complimentary wi-fi.

Grand Deluxe – we stayed in one of the 41 grand deluxe rooms, which measure 45 square metres. They can sleep up to two adults or three persons. Because there were two of us, we requested an additional single bed. The kitchen has a two-burner stove. The bathroom has a separate bathtub and walk-in shower.
One Bedroom Suite – there are 70 one bedroom suites measuring 70 square metres. They can sleep up to four persons or three adults. The living area has a dining room table seating two people. The kitchen has a two-burner stove. They have a work desk and a balcony with city views or park views. Corner units have views of the city and the park.
Two Bedroom Suite –there are 30 two bedroom suites measuring 120 square metres. They can sleep up to six persons or five adults. The master bedroom has a king-sized bed and a bathroom with a separate bathtub and walk-in shower as well as double sink vanity. The second bedroom has twin beds and a bathroom with a walk-in shower. The kitchen has a two burner stove.
Three Bedroom Suite – there are four three bedroom suites measuring 160 square metres. They have separate living and dining areas. The dining room has a dining room table seating six people. The kitchen has a four-burner stove. The living room has a sofa seating three people and two arm chairs. All of the bedrooms had en-suite bathrooms.

The Breakfast …

There was an extensive display of both hot and cold entries as well as cold cuts, smoked salmon, cheese, and salads; fruit juice and fresh fruit; pastries and breads – the list goes on. For a serviced apartment, the breakfast buffet was far above average.

Eggs cooked to order were among several items that could be ordered from an a la carte menu. But there was more to it than that!

I ordered the Belgium waffles, which few hotels in Asia get right (the only exception to that seems to be Japan). All I can say is, the waffles looked great, and they tasted great, too. They were served with maple service and topped with fruit. YUM!!!

Breakfast was served at Café Claire, one of the hotel’s four food and beverage outlets. In addition to breakfast, it is open for lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. The eatery serves Thai as well as international cuisine.

The hotel also has a fine-dining restaurant called Savelberg Thailand, which serves haute cuisine in elegant surroundings at lunch and dinner.

Oriental Bar, which is situated off the lobby, serves cocktails and other beverages until 11.00 pm. And then there is …

The Play Deck …

Located on the fourth floor, The over-air Play Deck serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and quick bites. It overlooks …

The Swimming Pool …

Located next to the bar, there is a partially covered outdoor swimming pool with cabanas and egg chairs. It is long enough to do proper laps in. Unfortunately, I didn’t find time to use it.

The Fitness Centre …

There is a small fitness room with cardio-vascular equipment, free weights, and a couple of multi-system machines. It is open 24 hours.

Personal trainers and coaching courses are available. Unfortunately, I didn’t find time to use the fitness room, either.

The hotel also has meeting rooms, and wedding receptions for up to 120 guests can be arranged.

The Neighbours …

How could I not feel right at home? The residence of the American Ambassador to Thailand was just a couple of doors down the street at 208 Wireless Road.

I discovered the residence on my way to have dinner at Central Embassy with a friend that lives in Bangkok. When I looked through the fence, I was surprised to see peacocks roaming the grounds.

The ambassador and his family live in a traditional Thai-style wooden clapboard house, which is set amid 10 acres of rain trees and manicured lawns. These, in turn, are surrounded by a moat-like canal.

The house itself, which dates back to 1914, is built on stilts. The compound includes a tennis court, a guesthouse, a swimming pool, a sala (a Thai style outdoor gazebo), and a Khmer style spirit house to house the spirits displaced by the construction of the house.

Every time I passed the residence on my way to and from the hotel, I peered through the fence and contemplated what life would have been like if I had become a diplomat rather than a writer.

The U.S. Embassy, which is located nearby, is one of the largest embassies in the world.

Location, Location, Location

The property is located in an upscale part of Bangkok, where many foreign countries have their embassies. The Netherlands Embassy is to the right; the U.S. Embassy is across the street.

The All Seasons shopping mall is directly across the street. It has an excellent supermarket and several food and beverage outlets.

Central Embassy, Bangkok’s newest large-scale shopping mall, is a 10 minute walk down Wireless Road. Lumpini Park is an eight minute walk in the other direction.

The Verdict …

The food and beverage outlets were above average for a serviced apartment. I particularly liked the breakfast buffet. The service, however, was a bit slow.

The neighbourhood was especially nice – lots of trees and relatively little traffic. For a long-staying guest, having a full-service supermarket across the street would be an undeniable plus.

Transport

The property is 750 metres from the Phloen Chit BTS station and 1 kilometre from the Chit Lom BTS station.

The property is equidistant from Bangkok’s two international airports.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport is 30 kilometres away. Don Muang International Airport is 27.5 kilometres away. The drive to either takes about 45 minutes.

Click on the above links for more airport information and to book flights.