A love letter to the hoteliers of Bangkok

As we start to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic here in Thailand, some of us might have the confidence to consider a limited form of domestic travel. But before you look to escape our City of Angels, have you thought of a Bangkok staycation?

I would love to highlight our experiences in Bangkok hotels over the past few months. A handful of hoteliers, often because of their long term guests, remained steadfastly committed to keeping their hotels open, at this difficult time.

This post is a testament and a thank you to the hotel industry staff from housekeeping to the General Managers’ who, when their livelihoods were put at risk, turned up day after day, to greet a handful of guests. Their determination to ‘keep calm and carry on,’ and to provide an outstanding guest experience, when the majority of hotels were forced to close their doors, has been a bright light in our coronavirus days here in Bangkok.

This article was written and published in Expat Life in Thailand and can be found here

A closed Peninsula hotel shows its love for the people of Bangkok

Thailand’s Emergency Decree (20 March – 31 May)

When the Thai government issued the emergency decree on 25 March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, we respected this decision. Homeworking has become the norm, and I have not walked outside my condo building for six weeks. I drive to the supermarket once per week and I support local food establishments for the delivery of takeaway food.

Every Saturday night, however, we switched our social distancing life inside our condo, for a well-chosen and safe retreat. The criteria were to find forward-thinking hotels who had embraced the challenges of operating in such times. We wanted to see how they would rise to the occasion, how they would think creatively in terms of the guest experience. In short, how they could turn the negatives of the pandemic into a learning experience for their staff and potentially develop any valued guests into life long ambassadors.

The list of Bangkok hotels remaining open was small and became an ever decreasing list. As March and April turned into May, smaller boutique hotel closures followed.

Pool and gardens at Kempinski Siam Resort Hotel 

Health and wellbeing of guests and staff.

Our first priority was our personal wellbeing. We needed hotels who could demonstrate extraordinary attention to detail with regard to the health and safety of their staff and guests.

I looked for hotels that had a clear COVID-19 policy for both guests and employees. I checked my trusted Trip Advisor for those who scored highly for cleanliness. We welcomed knowing that some hotels worked to an alternative staff roster and allocated rooms for staff onsite. This reduced the risk to staff, through keeping them onsite and off public transport and away from any potential external COVID-19 exposure.

For any hotels that I felt I needed extra clarification on their cover protection, I arranged for a spot check to see how I was treated on arrival. Was I let onto the premises without having my temperature checked? Was I offered hand sanitiser on arrival? I politely declined any cooling towel that was not disposable. Did all staff wear masks and most importantly of all how were the other guests operating? Were they vigilant wearing masks to/from the dining area for instance?

Arriving and health check at The Athenee Bangkok

The importance of the hotel room: bathrooms, balconies, gardens and great views!

As we were to remain respectful of the Government’s request to ‘stay home’ we looked for resort hotels, or boutique hotels which offered an away from it all feel, with some form of outdoor (inside the hotel) experience. Having our own balcony became important! We wanted to gain a different social distancing view of Bangkok.

Normally I am not one to care much for what we see outside the window, give me a lovely interior any day. We are not usually the types to stay put in a hotel room. During these stays, the view was a deal-breaker. Oh, and as we travelled everywhere with our yoga mats, we needed a room large enough to set up our zen calm.

Most hotels seemed to be offering upgraded rooms, and often we found ourselves skipping around the room in delight. The Anantara Siam Bangkok offered us a corner suite room overlooking the Royal Bangkok Sports Club which was one particular highlight.

Anantara Siam Corner Suite overlooking Royal Bangkok Sports Club

Oh, and a huge bathroom with a gorgeous big bathtub was important too. When you staying in your room virtually 24/7 you use all the facilities!

We looked for staycation hotels with an urban resort experience and large grounds and garden areas and found we particularly loved watching an unusually calm life down on the Chao Phraya River.

How good is that river without the noisy disco boats that normally pulsate up and down? You could seriously perform a whole meditation sequence watching the humungous loads being pulled along the Chao Phraya River by the tiny tug boats.

Riva Arun – Chao Phraya River view

Our staycation survival kit

On arrival, we performed an extra clean of rooms ourselves. In short, there was no point switching our careful social distancing condo life, only to contract COVID-19 on a Saturday night.

My staycation survival kit starts with my anti-bacterial spray, my plastic gloves, my alcohol wipes and my hand sanitiser and ends with my harmony chakra balancing spray, massage oil, face packs, body scrubs and scented candles!

Have sanitisers, Rescue Remedy and relaxing bubble bath can travel!

Dining options

Whilst in-room dining was on offer at every establishment, we took the view that dining in a restaurant would be a highlight. Oh, the joys of sitting at a table together that was not our home dining table and not eating takeaway. So part of the pre-stay check involved seeing what the dining arrangements would be.

When we stayed at the Shangri-La it was after a tropical storm, there was a cool breeze alongside the Chao Phraya River that night and we had a magical evening enjoying ‘mocktails’ and hors d’oeuvres.

For those not in the know part of the Thai Government’s Emergency decree was the introduction on a ban of alcohol sales

Our rooms at the Anantara Siam and Shangri-La came with an early morning wake-up call and a pot of English Breakfast tea delivered with the Bangkok Post and pastries on a tea tray with a starched white serviette. Picture us in our bathrobes with masks! It seemed a world away from our lockdown life and I will be forever grateful.

Morning tea in bed at the Siam Kempinski – what a treat.

Social distancing at a hotel

Our aim was a sanity break from apartment confinement, to support local hotels, and to put some money back into Thai tourism at a time where we felt this would be most appreciated.

We never left the hotel grounds and found social distancing was way easier because of low hotel occupancy rates than at home in our congested lobby or garden. We were only ever part of a handful of guests within hotels some of which had 500 plus rooms.

I will never forget driving up to the front doors of the Anantara Siam and the Siam Kempinski and leaving the car at the front door as no one else would be arriving by car. We felt like movie stars.

Bathrooms were important – Siam Kempinski

The benefits of supporting Thai tourism

Without exception the hotels that we have supported offered us the most incredible hotel experiences that we will ever have.

So grateful for our attendance, we have found that If you are brave enough to offer your support we were rewarded by suite rooms outside our financial budgets, Champagne chilling in the room, and more importantly than all of this, the grateful welcoming smiles behind masks, of the reception staff.

However, for us, it was, without doubt, the simple things that we once took for granted, that we loved and will remain with us forever. For instance a cup of coffee together beside the Chao Phraya River, where we could actually sit down at a table! Or a moonlit rooftop bubble bath Jacuzzi overlooking Wat Arun at Riva Arun.

Jacuzzi Suite at Riva Arun

How about the thoughtfulness of the outdoor exercise bike set up in the grounds of the Siam Kempinski, when all Gyms in Bangkok were closed. Or the entire staff at the Avani Pattaya, our last getaway before the emergency decree was announced, singing happy birthday to me.

Even the excitement of getting the dry cleaning done when everything was closed was a highlight!

I have absolutely adored having these hotels virtually all to ourselves. Of course, we welcome, for their sakes, when they will be able to fully reopen and the tourists gradually return. But boy, has it been great being home alone in these fine establishments, to get to know them better, to get to know how they operate, what makes them special.

Executive River View Suite – Shangri-La, Bangkok

Shout out to the staff

We have found that the staff selected to who, or in many cases who had volunteered were exceptional in their customer service orientation. There was a high degree of English spoken.  We applaud their efforts, this was an exceptional time and it took exceptional staff.

We felt so privileged to have been able to support these hotels and to have seen firsthand the appreciation and commitment of their staff. Through this time we have had access to some of the top hotel’s executives, where we have enjoyed some fabulous conversations about the future for the Thai hotel profession and the ambitions for their hotels and their industry.

Let’s support our Bangkok hotels

For those of us currently in Bangkok, I hope you will consider supporting our local hotels. We certainly found that you do not have to leave Bangkok to have a good time, or indeed to feel like you are at one with nature. You will find these city resort hotels can offer a lot in these circumstances.

For those who are planning a future trip to Bangkok, You can find more details of our staycation experiences here.

Linking with thanks to all the hosts at Our World Tuesday and Wednesday around the Globe