This well-established downtown Bangkok hotel, with its iconic façade, has a location hard to beat by most other five-star establishments in the Thai capital. Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit is just steps away from the Asok junction with its double stations for the subway and the elevated skytrain. And from Asok the Airport Link train is only two subway stations away! Thus the trip between the hotel and the main airport takes less than an hour using public transportation. And Asok is really at the heart of downtown and its business precinct in terms of venturing out in the city for meetings (alternatively to explore the city during a leisure trip)!
It is worth even stopping by just for coffee and bakery at its lobby café, which is a convenient spot where to do work on the laptop, away from the heat and traffic outside. It’s also a good spot for ‘after hours’ drinks at its lobby bar Inblu!
The closest resemblance for the gleaming modern glass-and-steel structure hotel building is the front of a cruise ship, thanks to its curved façade facing the street. This means – staying guests will discover – that the hotel has a towering atrium, something less and less common in hotels these days (presumably mainly because it “wastes” space). Having an atrium – as is also the case here – gives the hotel certain character, and a sense of open space. After dark the illuminated atrium with its beige, golden and yellow shimmer also feels quite majestic, whether looking down from the highest floor along the glass railing or upwards from the lower floors. The glassed railings along the atrium on each floor also reflect the light, for extra visual effect. The best vintage point is probably from the “balcony” guests find on each floor facing the atrium by the lifts.
Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit lobby
The atrium does however not start on the ground floor, where instead a curved and slightly v-formed ceiling in the lobby has the same shape as the outer structure of the building front.
This wow lobby comes with a round, multi-tiered chandelier with crystal rods, and paintings are hung on its marble wall. It has a beautiful marble floor, with sandy and brown sections, and a wide wallpaper-covered ceiling list.
The check-in desk has a metal wall separator as backdrop, while the ceiling above opens to the all-day buffet restaurant Atelier on the floor above. Lamp stands, as well as a curved partition wall are also made with glass crystal as main material.
Overall the hotel has a palette of beige, dark brown, gold, silver and mustard-yellow – in its textiles, pillows, carpets, décor and furniture. It all feels very inviting. There are also references to Thai design and architecture to notice within the hotel interiors.
The restrooms are striking; designed with unique – Arabic-style – round, light-brown and veined marble washbasins, with floors and curved walls consisting in a crafted mosaic pattern.
It is tempting to sink down, right away upon arrival, in a comfortable armchair at Flourworx – Pullman’s flexible café-cum-deli. The hot latte coffee is excellent and should anyone be hungry upon arrival a selection of soups and sandwiches – aside a a variety of cakes and pastries – are on offer. It’s indeed, as described, the perfect place for business lunches and light meals.
InBLU Bar & Terrace, Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit lobby
Come evening the attention turns over to what is the other ground floor venue: InBLU Bar & Terrace, where appropriately the bottle shelves in the mirror wall bar are neon-lit in the colour of blue. And as any proper lobby bar should do it comes with a black grand piano! The bar welcomes guests via its chandelier-lit entrances on two ends. Here, the hotel’s glass façade serves as “backdrop”, while a curved stairway with frosted, self-luminous steps behind the stage offers direct access between this low-lit, lounge spot and the lively all-day dining restaurant on level 2.
Unwind after a busy day out and about (or by the Antidot Pool – where handcrafted drinks are also served) with snacks, beers and cocktails. Watch the female bartender in action at the bar conjuring up Frozen Margaritas and other fav drinks like Caipirinha, Daiquiri or Negroni. And it is a delight that the hotel offers a generous happy hour during no less than three hour at prime time, 4 pm – 7 pm, which gives guests 50% discount on a selected menu!
The Gin list features the usual well known gins such as Bombay but also other exciting brans like The Duke, Hanami, G’Vine, Whitley Handcrafted, Ferdinand’s Saar Quince, Feel Munich etc.
Snacks are delivered in the form from the hotel’s Spanish restaurant Tapas Vino: Chistorra Sausage Bruschetta, Meat Ball, Trio Croquettas, Calamares, Cheese Board and Cold Cut Board.
A live band performs on stage every Friday – Saturday at 6pm – 11pm, and upon this visit The Bangkok Beatles cover band delivers the entertainment and does it superbly! It can possibly not be closer to the original band than these guys, except possibly the nationality – but which cannot be noticed in their singing even the slightest! The audience is spellbound. The entertainment spreads up to the Atrium and its evening buffet – one that is highly recommended (or the Sunday brunch for that matter)! On Saturday nights enjoy the ‘Atelier Grande Buffet’ and add just bath 699 for2-hour free flow of drinks: house wine, beer!
Cheese station, buffet at Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit
Buffet and brunch at Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit
Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit is an established popular buffet and brunch locale highly appreciated among locals for its affordable price. And while they munch on the seafood some others have our eyes on the cheese table and its irresistible aged Swiss hard cheese Gruyère, as well as Parmesan. The seafood on ice spread, with ready-to-eat shrimp, mussels, crab and squid is also a big draw and of course perfect with well-chilled white wine.
The miso soup is delicious and so is the Pan-fried fish with lemon butter. There is a grill station with Beef sirlion, Chicken breast and Pork neck in the selection. Grilled pork with mushroom sauce and Stir-fried shrimps with chilli paste are among some of the hot dishes. The pasta station offers delicious black ink spaghetti with garlic, dried chili, bacon and cream – in other words a carbonara. There is also a fresh coconut juice station – with whole coconuts served
While experiencing this buffet it is also a noteworthy “ingredient” for the overall experience how perfect the music selection is, played from an excellent speaker system. There is ample seating and one sofa with velvet purple-pink upholstering runs the length of the wall. Other furniture includes wooden custom-made chairs with black, gold and silver hues. The dinner tables come with black counters. The pattern of the blond and brown wallpaper resembles a chess board.
Above Atelier the first accommodation floor forms the bottom of the atrium. And unlike most hotels the front of this building is generously set aside as a glass facade to let in daylight into the atrium, instead of being dedicated to maximise rental space. Rooms are instead configured in a u-form.
Next to each guest room entry door is a wooden wall panel with a traditional hand-drawn Thai pattern. This painted décor gives the hotel en enhanced Thai contemporary feel.
Room detail, Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit
Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit Deluxe Executive
For guests who seek heightened level of comfort – which our readers are recommended to do – opt for a The Deluxe Executive Room (situated on the highest floors 24 – 28) among this Pullman hotel’s many accommodation choices, as it comes with access to the exclusive perks of the executive lounge!
This generous guest room is inviting and outfitted for maximum comfort. It certainly offers a great escape for busy executives (as well as holidaying couples). Calming brown earth tones dominate, including the brown and beige wallpapers; the square-patterned leather headboard; the light-brown timber flooring; and the dark brown bedroom bench, work desk armchair mini-bar cabinet and the wooden cabinets with frosted glass. The room is accented by lamps in silver and – also in silver – the Thai pattern that is common in throughout the hotel appears on the wallpaper to the left and right of the bed. The flat screen TV is mounted on a wooden wall facing the bed.
Given that this hotel has quite many years on its neck the room is also well kept. And not always reaching full satisfaction in terms of ergonomics the work station in this room is designed to take care of work in true comfort! The leather chair has very high quality, combined with a curved, frosted glass work desk on perfect level, and with all necessary connectivity right by its wall. Good complimentary Wi-Fi is of course also included
The work desk is also large enough for serving of in-room afternoon tea for two, also with two fresh coconuts, mango sticky rice dessert, and a classic three-tier set, including of course the ubiquitous scones with jam and whipped cream, mini cakes, tartest and canapés with salmon and egg.
By the window is another smaller round table decorated with a bouquet of carnation flowers, also perfect to place the tea cups on. There is also a big lounge chair with great pillow back support foot stool, in red and purple textile upholstering. Behind this, the corner of the room has wide floor-to-ceiling mirror, creating visual space. A glass-partitioned bathroom corner, revealing the bathtub, also makes the room feel larger.
The bathroom counter is sandy and quipped with a white sink, yellowish water drinking glasses and a shaving mirror.
Situated between the 24th and 28th floors of the hotel, these spacious Deluxe Executive rooms not only offers excellent soundproofing and ample space (38 sq m) but – this high up – also offer great views of the surrounding downtown.
Last, but not least, Executive Club Lounge on level 24 offers equal city views, with ‘Complimentary Social Hours’ between 5pm to 7pm. The club lounge has a round room at the centre with a round golden ceiling structure accented by a circular floor carpet at its centre. Also here the dominant interior consists in brown wood, with the flooring in a shiny chocolate brown, and partly covered by diagonal, yellow square-patterned rugs. Guests are seated in chocolate brown upholstered armchairs, with wooden tables and glass tops.
By 5 pm daily a mini-buffet is ready, cocktails are mixed upon request and wine is reserved, here red and white of the Australian Bandicoot. Fill, and refill, your plates with Assorted cheese, Dried fruit, Biscuits, Cold cuts, Beetroot salad, Sautéed mushrooms with chicken, Sautéed mushrooms with paprika, Steamed fish with broccoli or Salad of mushroom, cherry tomatoes and rocket salad etc.
It’s a setting to savour, with decent privacy and plenty of corners where to enjoy one’s company or do some laptop work while enjoying drinks and food. Pullman delivers once again.
