Where to Stay in Bangkok
The Lancaster Bangkok opened in November 2017. A five-star property, the hotel has 231 rooms, three food and beverage outlets, a rooftop swimming pool, a spa, and a spacious, well-equipped fitness centre. Check out this updated review!
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The Lancaster Bangkok is an award-wining hotel located in an up-and-coming district in Bangkok, Thailand.
I stayed there for the first time a few months after it opened in 2017. I liked it so much, I decided to stay there again during a return visit to Thailand a year and one-half later.
Since then, the hotel has found considerable favour with travelers, getting rave reviews from such booking websites as Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and I Prefer.
Hotel History
In 1967, the Sihanatakul family opened the Siam Hotel on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok, Thailand, Martin Hurley, General Manager of the Lancaster Bangkok explains.
The Vietnam War was in full swing, and the hotel became famous as an R&R stop for GI’s taking two weeks leave from the conflict.
Twenty years later, the family opened the Landmark Hotel and Plaza between Soi 4 and Soi 6 on Sukhumvit Road.
In 1994, the family turned its attention to London, purchasing the Royal Lancaster Hotel. In the following year, the family bought the Regent Hotel Marylebone and renamed it Landmark London as a reference to their Bangkok property.
The Siam Hotel was demolished in 2007 to make way for a new, more sophisticated five-star property, and – in the interests of balance – it was only right to name it Lancaster Bangkok.
The Arrival …
Following seven nights in the beach resort of Pattaya, I had the hotel arrange for a taxi to drive me to the Lancaster Bangkok, which is located in the heart of the Big Mango’s Makkasan District.
The trip from the Amari Pattaya to the Lancaster Bangkok took approximately 90 minutes.
The Welcome …
Upon my arrival, I was asked to take a seat in the spacious lobby. Within minutes, I was served a delicious mocktail. Then a waiter from the restaurant asked if I’d like him to show me the food and beverage outlets.
My Room (in August 2019)
On my second stay at the hotel in August 2019, I stayed in room 1403, a spacious 40-square-metre deluxe room with a king size bed. Deluxe rooms with twin beds are also available.
I was welcomed with fresh fruit and some delectable sweets.
My room had a soft beige, gray, and yellow colour scheme with chocolate brown accents and dark brown wooden cabinets.
There was an armchair with a footstool and a small table. There were floor to ceiling windows.
There was a flat screen television and complimentary wi-fi. I particularly liked the spacious workstation, which had sufficient space to put my laptop computer and reference materials.
The hotel has a total of 231 rooms and suites as well as apartments suitable for long-staying guests.
Measuring 54 square metres, Family Rooms have a second bedroom and a mini lounge.
With kitchens, Jacuzzi baths, and walk-in closets, Suites measure 66 square metres.
Designed for long-staying guests, Apartments measure 70 square metres. They have kitchens, walk-in closets, dining areas, and entertainment centres.
The Bathroom …
The bathtub had an old-fashioned bathtub. I couldn’t resist taking a bubble bath!
The View …
My room has a pleasant view of the office buildings across the street.
My Room (in February 2018) …
On my first stay at the hotel in February 2018, which was similar to room 1403.
The only difference, really was the view.
The Bathroom …
The View …
The Food and Beverage Outlets …
The hotel has three food and beverage outlets – an all-day dining restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and two lounges.
Siam Brasserie …
Siam Brasserie – serving international and Thai dishes, Siam Brasserie has a show kitchen.
Click HERE for a first-hand review of the restaurant – and a look at the mouth-watering breakfast buffet.
The Lancaster Bar
The Lancaster Bar – located off the lobby on the ground floor, The Lancaster Bar serves craft cocktails, local beers, and high tea.
High Bar – located next to the swimming pool on the 12th floor, the High Bar serves fresh juices, smoothies, tropical drinks, exotic cocktails, beers and wines as well as light bites.
Scroll down for pictures and more information.
The Wellness Floor …
At the top of the hotel is the wellness floor, which houses the hotel’s spa, fitness centre, swimming pool, and the High Bar.
The Spa
The hotel has a full service spa with an extensive menu of spa treatments.
I had a traditional Thai foot massage, which lasted 30 minutes.
I was first asked to select the the oil i preferred. Then I was offered a refreshing glass of fruit juice and a cold towel. Then I was escorted to the therapy room.
My treatment began with a foot bath. Unlike day spas, which give foot massages sitting down, I was asked to lie down on a massage table.
I quickly fell sound asleep, so I cannot comment on experience itself. But that is usually the sign of a good massage.
Following the treatment, I was served some yummy cookies and a cup of hot tea.
The Rooftop Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool – with a length of 20 metres, the rooftop swimming pool was perfect for a swimming enthusiast such as me to do laps in.
The pool was also suitable for leisurely swimmers or sunbathers. Views from the deck enhanced the experience.
The Fitness Room
Fitness Centre – the 500-square-metre Viva Jiva Fit fitness centre is one of the best equipped hotel gyms I’ve ever worked out at. There were floor-to-ceiling windows along two walls of the gym.
In addition to the 12 treadmills, cross-trainers, and stationary bikes were rowing machines, eight strength machines, a free weight zone, an activity room, and a functional training area.
Personal training is available, along with four group classes per day including yoga, pilates, spinning, and aerobics, which are all free of charge to hotel guets.
Viva Jiva is a part of the group’s own wellness chain. There is a spa at the Landmark Bangkok, which has a Fitness First outlet in the hotel.
The High Bar
The High Bar is located next to the rooftop swimming pool. It serves bar snacks, cocktails, and other beverages.
I couldn’t resists ordering a mojito following laps in the swimming pool. It was served with some yummy nuts – including my favourite, wasabi peanuts!
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty
When I experienced some unexpected technical problems with a newly acquired Samsung mobile device, I got more help from a waiter in the hotel’s all-day-dining restaurant than I did at Samsung’s Customer Service Center in downtown Bangkok.
I had mentioned the problem I was having with my device to him over breakfast before heading off to see about getting the problem resolved at the nearest Samsung outlet.
When I returned after being told they couldn’t (wouldn’t?) help me because I hadn’t bought the device in Thailand, the waiter came up to me and said he had researched the issue on line.
It was apparently a common problem to that specific model, he said, because many other end-users had asked for help on line, and he showed me what I had to do to fix it.
Surely that was above and beyond the call of duty for a waiter at a hotel restaurant!
Another waiter had come up to me as I was checking into the hotel and asked if I’d like him to show me around the hotel’s food and beverage outlets.
Talk about enthusiasm! I was really made to feel very welcome at this very charming hotel.
Meet Your Hotel General Manager!
Born and educated in Liverpool, England, Martin Hurley has enjoyed 30 Years in the hospitality industry.
After graduation, Martin took a trainee position at an independent hotel in Liverpool and never looked back.
Having worked as a Front Office Manager, Head of Sales, Chef, Bar and Nightclub Manager, Brand Consultant, and General Manager, Martin has a broad experience in the hotel industry.
After working for IHG, he moved to the K West Hotel and Spa in London. K West is a lifestyle hotel popular with music and entertainment clients and is part of the Landmark Lancaster hotel group, which has hotels in London and Bangkok.
After three years at K West, Martin transferred from the UK to Thailand to open Lancaster Bangkok.
I must say, Martin seems uniquely qualified for the job. He is very friendly, very down-to-earth, and very professional.
After meeting me, instead of simply inviting me to have dinner with him at the hotel’s own restaurant, he asked which I would rather do: dine at the hotel or go to an inexpensive eatery where the locals eat for some “genuine” Thai cuisine.
Of course, I said I’d rather do the latter. He took me to a nondescript eatery nearby, where he was OBVIOUSLY well known.
The restaurant didn’t have an English menu so he had someone write down the dishes he wanted to order in Thai.
And we enjoyed a very yummy dinner – and some very spirited conversation.
The Location …
The Lancaster Bangkok is located in the heart of the Big Mango’s Makkasan District.
The nearest BTS station is a nine minute walk from the hotel. However, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle service to the station.
The shuttle doesn’t run on a fixed schedule. Instead, hotel
The hotel is 24 kilometres, or 40 minutes, from Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport (BKK) and 25 kilometres, or 33 minutes, from Don Mueang International Airport (DMK), taking toll roads.
BKK is used mostly for international flights. DMK is used mostly for domestic flights. Most budget airlines also use DMK.
The Verdict …
I really liked this hotel’s unique personality, gorgeous interior design, and usually friendly and helpful staff.
I was also blown away by the hotel’s fitness center – surely well above average for a hotel gym. The swimming pool was also perfectly suited for doing laps.
I’ll give this hotel two enthusiastic thumb’s up!
Click of the following link for more first-hand information on the Lancaster Bangkok …
Where
Lancaster Bangkok – 1777 New Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok, Thailand. Tel: +66 (0) 2262 8000.
Check out your favourite hotel booking website for guest reviews and hotel room rates: TripAdvisor.com or Hotels.com
I was hosted by the Lancaster Bangkok for two nights.