Looking for digs at the heart of Bangkok that remove you from the franticness of the city? U Sathorn might just be the urban resort you should be checking in to.
First impressions of U Sathorn Bangkok might confuse the regular Bangkok visitor. Unlike many of the city’s hotels, which welcome guests with a maddening lobby filled with new arrivals, buses, and taxis, and with the onslaught of the Thai capital only steps away, U Sathorn has a distinct resort vibe. Its spacious, open lobby overlooks its iconic swimming pool – the hub of the hotel’s social scene – and is graced with eye-catching art pieces, part of a rotating art series (Arnaud Nazare Aga’s colourful bears were on display during our recent visit).
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The check-in process is more like a resort than an urban hotel as well; staff are happy and unharried, advising on tuk-tuk transfers and cocktail happy hours, and taking preferences on pillows, in-room music, soap, and tea selection as part of the hotel’s U Choose program, before guiding guests to one of just 86 guest rooms. Oh, and did I mention the hotel’s 24-hour check-in policy that offers guests a full 24 hours in their room, no matter what time they check-in?
Rooms range from Superiors (32sqm) through to Suites (72sqm), with some rooms on the ground floor offering direct access to the hotel’s manicured gardens while those above feature private balconies. Each features a large bed, a work desk, tea and coffee selections, flatscreen wall-mounted televisions, plenty of storage space and cavernous bathrooms with vaulted ceilings. Our room is a calming and refined space that’s intuitively appointed; there’s plenty of space on the balcony for sundowners, USB and AC sockets galore, high-speed internet and a rain shower that feels like you’re taking a walk through the rainforest during the monsoon.
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Most rooms look towards the large palm-wreathed pool that dominates the property. Here you’ll have to be quick to claim your sun lounge from sun-kissed lovelies posing for selfies but once you plant your flag you’ll have little reason to move, with attentive pool staff catering to your every whim (you can even organize a poolside massage although the hotel is currently signing up a new spa brand so there might be changes to the treatment menu).
Also overlooking the pool is J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain Proud, a Michelin-starred French eatery that also serves as the hotel’s breakfast hotspot, where the most coveted tables are those that line the terrace. Here, by day you’ll be able to try a wide selection of Thai and western breakfast staples, and by night you’ll be able to discover the delectable cuisine of Burgundy native Lorain and resident chef Amerigo Sesti amidst fanciful interiors reminiscent of a private boudoir.
Downstairs, the recently extended Library is a great spot for Thai or western dishes by executive chef Chatree Wongsriphaisan – think slow-cooked Wagyu beef with fettuccine in a wild mushroom cream sauce; and pistachio-crusted salmon served with grilled asparagus tips, rocket salad and dill-caper cream – as well as old world wines and innovative cocktails.
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To work off those calories between jaunts to Bangkok’s top rooftop bars and eclectic wet markets, there’s also a fully-equipped fitness centre. It is the time of New Year’s resolutions after all.
Note: The author was a paying guest and reviewed this property without the hotel’s knowledge
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