Where to Stay in Bangkok
Located in the the North Tower of The River Condominiums in the Thai capital’s Klong Sarn district, klapsons The River Residences Bangkok is targeted primarily at long-staying expatriate business travelers – both families and couples.
Why I’m Here
I spent two wonderful nights at the property during a visit to Bangkok. I was accompanied by another travel blogger, who is also based in Hong Kong. Generally speaking, longer stays are required. And believe me, I would have LOVED to have stayed longer!
The Entrance …
klapsons The River Residences Bangkok can be reached by taxi, on foot, or by boat. There is a strip mall with a market near the entrance. There is a reception desk just inside the front door.
The Lobby …
Because the residences share a high-rise building with private condominiums, klapsons has its own lobby on the 23rd floor.
Open 24 hours a day, the colourful lobby has comfortable seating and complimentary beverages. The friendly front desk staff offer many of the services you would expect of a five-star hotel. Just don’t expect room service. – except for breakfast, of course.
The Grounds …
The building is set amid lovely landscaped grounds. There is manicured, tropical vegetation, numerous water treatments, and the occasional sculpture.
Our Room …
My traveling companion and I were housed in room 2515, a two bedroom apartment with a comfortable living room, a kitchen table with four chairs (mah-jiongg anywone?), a flat screen television, and a fully equipped kitchenette.
The kitchenette had a stove, an oven, a microwaves, a toaster, a coffeemaker, a generous amount of storage space, and a full complement of china, cutlery, and cooking utensils.
There was even a washing machine and an ironing board, which I put to good use. No matter how carefully I pack, dress shirts always arrive wrinkled, and I had dinner reservations at one of the hottest restaurants in town, Lenzi’s Tuscan Kitchen!
klapsons the River Residences Bangkok has one, two, and three bedroom units measuring from 58 to 156 square meters. They occupy the building’s 23rd to 31st floors.
The Bedrooms …
Our apartment had two bedrooms. One of our bedrooms had a king size bed. The other bedroom had double beds.
My bedroom had a spacious work station, which offered plenty of room for me to spread out my reference materials.
The Bathrooms …
Both of the bedrooms in our two-bedroom apartment had en-suites bathrooms with white fixtures and marble-clad walls and counter tops. Both the the bathrooms had separate bathtubs and showers with rain shower heads.
The Breakfast …
Simple breakfasts delivered to the room are included in the price of accommodation. We got phone calls the night before asking what time we would like our breakfasts delivered. Wi-Fi Internet was complimentary.
The View …
Our apartment had floor-to-ceiling picture windows affording a spectacular view of the Chao Phraya River and downtown Bangkok on its opposite shore. We also had two balconies.
The Facilities …
klapsons Bangkok has one indoor and two outdoor infinity swimming pools. The outdoor pools are set amid tropically landscaped gardens, and one of teh outdoor pools is long enough to do serious laps in.
Other fitness and well-being facilities include a well-equipped fitness centre, two multi-purpose courts, and a sauna. There is also a children’s pool and a children’s playground.
A river ferry shuttles hotel guests from a dedicated pier on the riverfront in front of Klapsons to Sathorn Pier, which is just a few steps from the Saphan Taksin BTS Station.
Boats operate from 6.30 am to 9.45 pm every 15 minutes most of the time and never more than 30 minutes apart. The voyage takes about 3 minutes.
The Location …
The hotel is located on the same side of the river as the Mandarin Oriental. Asiatique is a 10 minute voyage by boat.
By toll road, the hotel is located 36 kilometres from Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport – BKK. With optimal traffic, the trip takes about 51 minutes – longer during traffic jams.
Also by toll road, the hotel is 33 kilometres from Don Mueang International Airport – DMK. The trip takes about 75 minutes, longer if there is heavy traffic.
BKK is used mostly for international flights. DMK is used mostly for domestic flights. Most budget airlines also use DMK.
The Unique Selling Proposition …
I’m an avid swimmer and I love doing laps in infinity swimming pools, so I’d have to rate this hotel’s three infinity swimming pools as its unique selling proposition.
One of the pools was especially long – too bad I didn’t bring my tape measure! It was surrounded by beautiful landscaping. Best of all, I could pause at one end of the pool and take in the view if I wanted to take a breather!
The Verdict …
I really loved this place! It really felt like a home away from home, and – if I can mix my metaphors, it really did represent the best of both worlds – a hotel and an apartment.
I understand the excitement of staying at a hotel, especially a five-star hotel with the buzz and the services. But I also like to unpack my bags and settle in when I travel.
I like to pretend that I am living in a place, and that it exactly what klapsons, The River, Bangkok, offered: a chance to unpack and settle in.
As an avid swimmer, I loved the swimming pool. It was long enough to do serious laps in, and it didn’t fall under the shadow of nearby high-rise buildings, as happens at many Bangkok hotels.
I also loved the path from the building to the pier, which meandered through tropically landscaped gardens. It provided a lovely transition from a quiet abode to one of the world’s most exciting cities.
Serviced apartments tend to offer much larger rooms, and the price – when calculated at a per-night basis – tends to be much lower.
Where
klapsons The River Bangkok – 110 – 727 Soi Charoennakorn 13, Charoennakorn Road, Klongtonsai, Klong Sarn, Bangkok, Thailand. Telephone: (66 (0) 2803-8100.
Check room rates and hotel guest reviews on your favourite hotel booking website: TripAdvisor or Hotels.com