Hotels

InterContinental Sukhumvit hotel review: Picture a woman’s Thai dress and the colour of cloth and silk as you move through the lobby, is what a hotel representative more or less informs Happy Hour Asia, upon entering Intercontinental Hotel Group’s new five-star addition in the capital city Bangkok. At first, this is a bit puzzling, but further inside the lobby it becomes clearer: the backdrop behind the reception desk can clearly be associated with handwoven Thai silk. It consists in an impressive wavy floor-to-ceiling roast red (in daylight) wall that can indeed be associated with a woman’s dress, and textiles. It appears attached to this curve-formed wall stretching up to the ceiling of the mezzanine floor.

 

This interior element represents the elegance – and which will here be a new term for all international visitors – of ’Tor-mue’, a traditional intricate hand weaving technique. This has been used for the hotel by as one of the features through the hotel’s design and touch points. It forms a part in its concept to bring memories from the past into the present, and reflecting this in the design details. Another ingredient is to draw inspiration from the “context of the city”.

 

Welcome to InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit, situated beside the entrance of Thonglor, Soi Sukhumvit 55, Bangkok’s second, and newest, hotel from the brand! In this neighbourhood Bangkok historically connects to Japan, so many expats from that country reside here. Therefore the stylish all-day lounge of the Lobby also celebrates the connection between Thailand and Japan, with original Thai tea on offer alongside a traditional Japanese green tea ceremony. 

 

In addition to that (and while blending contemporary design with Thai-inspired elements), a cosy living room-feel prevails; with patterned mirrors, beige wallpaper, latticework, partitions, chromed shelves and other surfaces in tones of brown. It is a masterfully designed lounge that can be described as luxury contemporary Thai.

 

But what unveils itself as the other definite design component throughout the hotel, aside the Thai silk, is a marble flooring component – found in certain sections of the lobby, the club lounge as well as in the speakeasy bar. Similar to a black-and-white chequered pattern, this polished white marble comes inlaid with rectangular marquina marble sections, bestowing an exquisite character on the environs. One subconscously gets drawn to this timeless, classic and yet so effective flooring design! The black marquina also covers other floor sections as well as surfaces within the various mentioned facilites. The Lobby is also exquisitely deocorated with comfy armchairs and curved corner sofas upholstered in green, blue or grey – paired with curved or round glass tables.

 

To its left inside the entrance doors is a bar, which offers exclusively blended coffee by Sarnies and tea options from well-known tea houses which include Char Flower Tea, TWG, and Peace Oriental Teahouse as well as a selection of Thonglor desserts and Thai craft chocolates from KanVeLa.

 

Afternoon tea is served there, while a happy hour offers local beers, wines and classic cocktails between 5pm to 7pm (Buy 1 Get 1 Free). Upon this visit there is also a ’Gin & Tonic Experience’ and an exclusive ’Penfolds Wine Flight’ tasting experience among the choices.

 

The hotel offers three signature dining options including AVA Brasserie, which presents a brasserie-style international menu inspired by Pan Am’s key destinations including London, New York, Tokyo, Miami, Frankfurt and Bangkok, a nod to the brand’s origin (InterContinental Hotels & Resorts was created in 1946 by Pan Am founder Juan Trippe. It has been part of UK-based InterContinental Hotels Group since 1998).

 

And talking of chequered patterns: In Ava there is another such flooring design; veined marble in hues of white, sandy and dark chocolate. Furniture includes wonderfully rosé-hued, fashion-forward dining armchairs, as well as cappucino-brown designer armchairs with very thick and soft padding, including the back support. Padded sofas come with with cobalt blue seats, biege back support and vintage brass railing on top. Square or round, white marble tables come with a cone-style foot in beige. There are furthermore sectioned mirrors and light brown wall panels with black frames as part of the natural tones.

 

Its dining offers can be mentined: Semi Brunch Buffet (with a main course + semi brunch)

12 noon – 5 p.m., ’Aviation’ Afternoon Tea Set with 1 drink per person (and option for 2 glasses of Chandon Brut or Rose 2- 4 pm),Weekend Surf & Turf ’A Gastronomy Symphony’ (6.00 pm – 10 p.m every Friday and Saturday), and Gourmet Sunday Brunch Buffet (12 noon – 3 p.m).

 

But for this review the brief one night’s stay offered limited time to explore it all in detail, and will thus focus on highlighting two of this hotel’s main attractions: Rogues Bar and Club InterContinental – with the highest quality of F&B experiences and a second-to-none service (butler level all the way)! With the promise of experiencing ”incomparable luxury” InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit certainly sets the bar high in terms of expectations, and admittedly they deliver.

 

The afternoon arrival perfectly begins with afternoon tea in the executive lounge, as of course private check-in is also offered there (guests aged 20+ are welcome to enjoy the perks of this refined club lounge), combined with panorama views of parts of downtown and towards the river.

 

That signature black-white marble pattern covers the floor in its check-in desk lounge and stretches along the entire club lounge, which is in perfect size to still feel exclusive. Other floor floor sections have greyish abstract carpets, and come in either wood or marquina. The lounge reception also has a black wall panel in sections with a distinct Thai pattern. By the lift, find two beautfil cobalt blue designer armchairs. Soft seating options are along the wall or directly by the windows, with beige or turquoise two-seater sofas and textile armchairs in grey or beige. White-grey-veined marble tables come with brass frames and cone foots. Abstract wall paintings are combined with leather, curved textile silk screen wallpaper, as well as blonde natural wood wall panels, and also here the colour scheme stems from natural tones.

 

Enjoying afternoon tea while the afternoon sunset is getting closer to golden hour, sends yellow sunrays onto the interiors.

 

Choices of tea include: Solo Herb (soft and soothing, TWG chamomille); TWG Loose Tea

Pink Flamingo; Eternal Summer Tea (fragrant South African red tea with notes of summer rose blossoms, with an aftertaste reminiscent of ripe Tuscan peaches); Green Tea selection: jasmine,

Moroccan mint tea or Emperor sencha; Blue Tea: Imperial oolong; or Red Tea: Vanilla bourbon tea!

 

There are also a wide selection of coffee choices: cappucino, cafee latte, mocha, chocolate, decaffeinated, ristretto, espresso, espresso macchiato, americano and flat white. Aside scones and jam, the afternoon tea items are themed based on seasons international cities:

Spring

New York: Asparagus bundle with Parma ham and truffle oil and crispy baguette

Bangkok: Spicy Chiang Mai sausage rolls

Summer

Miami: Caramelized pineapple crumble

London: Mini berry tarlet with basil custard

Winter

London: Salmon and egg may sandwich

 

There are also choices of Thai herbal drinks to go with the afternoon tea: pandanus, lemongrass, ginger lemonade and aloe vera!

 

After this relaxing and pleasant start it’s time see if the accommodation can also deliver on one’s antipication…

 

And what reveals itself is a very pleasant colour scheme (beige and black textile wallpapers;, beige bathroom slide doors; diagonal dark wood flooring, and sandy marble and blue-tiled in-bathroom wall) and practical interiors with relatively masculine touches.

 

It includes a well-stocked mini-bar (with spirits and mini-wine bottles), crystal glasses and shaker allowing to mix one’s own in-room drinks and a large coffee machine. There is a leather stand for the luggage, while the corner near the window is furnished with two stylish black-and-white chequered armchairs and a black granite table (doubling as work desk). On its opposite side find a modern chaise lounge where to relax and read books. Also, there is a creamy white bed bench facing the wall-mounted TV and with the slide doors open one can also wath TV from within the oval bathtub.

 

The room looks especially inviting evening time, with for instance the bedside semi-transpararent black lampshade contrasting against the blue leather headboard padding. Above the bed is also a padded Thai textile section. The bedding is needless to say superb, reinforced by a comprehensive pillow menu that includes synthetic/firm pillow, soft, memory foam, contour, buckwheat, body long, pregnancy, natural latex, cooling urethane, and head support pillow! In fact, InterContinental offers a ’Sleep Well’ programme – curated to induce relaxation and promote sound sleep, with also a pillow spray menu, calming ambient lighting and a bedtime tea set. Toiletries are from Byredo (Sweden).

 

After unpacking and settling in, it is time to head back to Club InterContinental for sunset evening cocktails 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. And here you will be in for a surprise: an unbelivablly generous bar selection (also serving as an ideal warm-up for more discerning later at Rougues bar), not limited to but including the following spirits selection from which to request your favourite cocktail mix: 

Aperitif menu: Aperol, Campari, Pernod; Gin: Roku, Tanqueary Gin; Rum: Mekhong Gold Rum Pharaya Elements Rum, and Bacardi White Rum; Vodka: Lanna Vodka, Ketel One Vodka, and

Grey Goose; Whisky: Monkey Shoulder and JW Black Label, Scotland; Tequila: Jose Cuervy Silver, Don Julio Blanco Tequila; Liqueur: Malibu, Southern Comfort and Amaretto.

 

But first: sparkling wine or a signature cocktail? Why not both! The well-balanced dry Zonin Prosecco Brut is a perfect aperitif. And taking cue from Thai culture what can be more appropriate than having one of the signature cocktails decorated with edible gold leaf! The ’Thonglor Sundown’ cocktail is made with Thai gold rum, fresh lime, honey, soda and gold leaves – which offers a refreshing citrus flavour. The second signature is Thonglor Sunrise, also with gold leaves,Thai gold rum, red wine, fresh lime, honey and soda.

 

Other classic cocktails on offer in the leather menu book are Aperol Spirtz and the all-French cocktail Kir Royale.

 

Carefully selected range of snacks and canapés/tapas prepared by the Executive chef include: Tomato and mozzarella brushetta, Cold cuts, Assorted cheese, Confit duck with orange jelly, Papaya salad rolls, Cucumber gazpacho, Greek salad, Salmon and avocado cocktails, Tomato salad, Edamame hummus with nori and sesame seeds, and Prawn in lemongrass.

 

With this is also premium wine on offer: Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, and 

De Bortoli Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Pleasant hours like these move fast, but one can linger in the club lounge, over private conversasions and drinks until 10 pm. But there is one more discovery on the agenda this evening, so the journey moves on to the mezzanine floor, in order to explore also the Rouges Bar experience, as part of this ’all-nighter’.

 

This exclusive ’high-energy’ cocktail bar is certainly out to build a reputation for itself in the zone known for its abundance of cocktail bars, dining and other nightlife – that is Thonglor. The vintage-stylish speakeasy Rogues presents curated cocktails, an exclusive sake selection, and whiskey collections – accompanied by live jazz performances.

 

This incredible bar is sophisticated beyond imagination; with wooden walls; ceiling with tinted mirrors; curved leather sofas in cherry/wine red; brown wooden and marquina flooring; brown rush seats; and Round green-veined marble tables.

 

Among the cocktails there are many interesting findings that draw curiosity. ”From classic cocktail elegance and timeless allure of gin tonic, combining the best of both worlds”, is the description of ‘Mischief Hendrick’, with Hendricks Gin, homemade cucumber syrup, lemongras ssyrup, fresh lemon juice, celery bitter and tonic. It comes with a huge ice cube that keeps the drinked chilled in a long sophisticated glass

 

’Chaos Libre’is a Rogues home blend rum infused with vanilla, homemade cola syrup, lime juice, its glass rimmed with salt and topped with cola.

 

And when in Thailand, where this special fruit is found in abundance, opt for a classic ’Porn Star Martini’ (here done with Absolut, passionfruit, vanilla, syrup, lime juice and prosecco). Hanky Panky, Negroni and Cosmopolitan are some of the other classics here.

 

From the bar food menu the following dishes are two interesting ones: Al Capone (Fried aglio oli spaghetti with walnut crumb, which was apparently Al Capone’s favourite meal), and ’Sailing in the night romasco’, which – difficult to tell from looking at dish cold dish – includes grilled octopus tentacle with romasco sauce and soft brioche roll.

 

The morning after, and to end things on a high, Club InterContinental also serves sparkling wine at breakfast. And now the tables are set with white tablecloths, and the attendant presents an ample choice A la carte breakfast menu. For any lover of Mediterannean food the Spanish tortilla is a must, or the Italian Frittata (open omelet with asparagus and parmesan cheese), or Huevos Rancheros (fried egg with avocado, black beans, salsa and cheese on a crispy tortilla)!

 

The impressive list of breakfast items goes on: Smashed avocado on toast (crispy sourdough, avocado guacamole, confit cherry tomato and crumbled feta), Scrambled tofu (curried tofu with mixed vegetables and roasted chickpeas on crispy sourdough), Savoury croissant (buttery croissant filled with creamy scrambled egg, parma ham and rocket salad), Benedict royal with cured Scottish salmon, Shakshuka (Middle Eastern vegetable in spiced tomato sauce and egg served with sourdough), and Ruhrei (buttery scrambled egg with crispy bacon and sourdough).

 

For Sweet treats, there are pancakes (with strawberries), French toast, and the Thai classic Mango and sticky rice to choose from. What a sparkling start of the day!

 

This stylish club lounge alone with its lavish food and beverage offers form a good reason to return to this a hotel for repeat and even more of its pleasant experiences on offer, including an aquatic retreat in the form of a built-in pool, a gym and of course also a spa: THE SPA by HARNN (Thai brand) where Japanese and Thai traditions converge for tranquility and rejuvenation. This spa redefines wellness, which seems evident from its Signature treatments including The Origami, in which – inspired by the traditional Japanese paper folding and Thai garland knitting – the therapist employ a combination of massage techniques, including Japanese Shiatsu and Thai soothing massage. 

 

An already pleasant hotel destination experience will then be enhanced even further from a refreshing spa treatment – combined with good sleep: remember also this hotel’s healthy sleeping rituals through a calming environment using a combination of light and sound therapy, within the soothing accommodation of InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit. It’s already a favourite, just as the entire brand is!