There are many reasons as to why Thailand has such appeal as the ultimate holiday destination for those of us living in Hong Kong. Besides its convenient proximity, year-round tropical weather, rich heritage and mouthwatering cuisine, there’s that paramount Thai hospitality that just keeps us coming back for more. Apart from the obvious aforementioned draws, sustainability has also become a hot attraction for eco-conscious travellers. In our latest visit to the Thai capital, we check in to the Bangkok Marriot Marquis Queen’s Park to experience just how green their new hotel initiatives are.
Location: 9/10
Located in the heart of the city, on Sukhumvit Road, Marriott Marquis Bangkok Queen’s Park surrounded by Bangkok’s most vibrant shopping, business and entertainment districts. A three-minute walk to Phrom Phong BTS Station, you can get anywhere around the city via the Skytrain and skip the notorious Bangkok traffic congestion. Luxury malls like EM Quartier and Emporium Shopping Complex, recreational parks, restaurants and bars can also all be found in the neighbourhood.
Design: 7/10
To contrast the hustle and bustle of the city, Marriott Marquis is appointed with modern and intuitive comforts to offer a tranquil escape. Bright tones and warm lighting open up spaces to create a relaxing ambiance throughout the hotel. Subtle accents of Thai influences are cleverly integrated into the minimalistic design to echo the prominent traditions of Thailand. Unbeknownst to most guests, eco-stations (including green walls and micro gardens) fill spaces around the property and behind-the-scenes spaces have been converted to focus on the hotel’s sustainability efforts (greenhouse rooftops, herb sheds, and more).
Ambience: 7/10
Once inside the Marriott Marquis, a pleasant air of comfort resonates through the hotel lobby; with the openness of its lounge area, its charming little Siam tea room, the check in and out desks, guests feel welcomed and at ease. The floor to ceiling windows let in the abundant views greenery from the open areas of the hotel. During our stay, we were amongst families, business professionals, couples and a few tour groups.
Rooms: 7/10
There are eight types of rooms ranging from the humble Deluxe to the most luxurious Sky Suite. We stayed at the M Suite; a 947 sq. ft. room featuring a separate bedroom and living room, along with a spacious bathroom, separate bathtub and shower. Furnished in soft neutral tones paired with industrial dark metals, the design gives the space a sense of modern luxury. All rooms currently come with luxury amenities in travel size bottles, but will soon be replaced before the end of 2020 to more environmentally-friendly packaging to reduce waste.
Service & Facilities: 8/10
As the Marriott Marquis is designed for every traveller in mind, their variety of facilities accommodate to business travellers and families. There are two outdoor swimming pools (which comes with their own poolside bar and sundecks), a 24-hour fitness centre, a kids’ club to keep the little ones entertained, and of course no Bangkok hotel would be complete without a spa in place. The menu at Quan Spa has everything you need to unwind and experience authentic Thai massages, oil treatments and rejuvenating facials. If you’re visiting for business or a special occasion, the hotel offers three grand ballrooms and three meeting rooms available to book out for events.
Food & Drink: 7/10
Executive Chef Michael Hogan has dedicated his efforts to creating amazing food as sustainable as possible. The green and sustainable approach adopted by the hotel is taken seriously at the restaurants and bars too – from modern Japanese with an American twist, to authentic Cantonese with a contemporary flair, to all day casual dining – all outlets are making positive changes to reduce waste and conserve energy to ultimately minimise carbon footprint. Chef Hogan sources locally when possible, eliminates unnecessary plastics, grows his own produce, and is involved in a food donation program to give back to the needy within the community. While the sustainability concept scores top marks, we were hoping to find more local flavours that visitors will likely anticipate in Bangkok.
Rates: start from approximately HK$1,495/night for a for a Deluxe Room to HK$102,195/night for the Club Suite (prices may vary depending on availability and season).
Rating: 7.5/10
Perfect for: a relaxing stay in Bangkok where sustainability and green approaches are front of mind.
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