Pathumwan Princess Hotel

The Pathumwan Princess Hotel doesn't exactly show off its true colors from the outside. It's set in a large building that looks more like an office tower than a hotel -- a sign on a cascading waterfall pond is the only indication of the hotel inside. There are several places where guest gather, from the small seating area near the concierge desk to the larger lobby that's one flight up. The look is sharp, with colored lights that dance across the white tile floor, elongated designer lamps, and metal stools that are set on both sides of the small cushioned bench seating in the middle of the room. It's a small area for the number of rooms here, and may be best avoided during the main departure times throughout high season as it gets crowded. The hotel has a definite upscale atmosphere inside, and the wealth of features -- from a massive modern gym to multiple dining outlets and a pool with whirlpools -- make this a standout even in a city filled with other four-pearl options. With this in mind, the hotel attracts business travelers and well-heeled leisure travelers alike.

The Pathumwan Princess Hotel is located adjacent to the popular MBK Shopping Mall, with it's own direct entrance right into the shopping center. The hotel isn't in the dining and drinking hotspots of Sukhumvit or Silom roads -- which tend to be more popular areas of town for travelers -- but this is a fine home base, and accessing those neighborhoods is easy by using the National Stadium Skytrain station that's a five-minute walk from the hotel. There are plenty of other malls in the area, including Siam Square. The complex is 10 minutes from the hotel on foot and is home to the Siam Paragon Mall, which houses Siam Ocean World, a large multiplex cinema, a massive food court, and lots of shops. There are plenty of local cheap Thai restaurants all around the hotel, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center is just up the street, and both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang Airports can be reached in 30 minutes to an hour by car, depending on traffic. While Phayathai Road outside the hotel can have lots of dense traffic throughout the day, the hotel sits back from the street and is insulated from the noise.

Rooms are smart, spacious, stylish, and quite modern. Rooms feature polished wood floors, luxury bedding, and large work desks. They are dominated by warm chocolate browns, with white walls and pops of color like burnt orange. Dark wood paneling is used in abundance and there are sharp accent panels above beds in most rooms. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, large safes, minibars, electric kettles, and free Wi-Fi. Even the entry level Superior Rooms have large windows with excellent city views, but the views get even better the higher the room category. Deluxe Rooms are similar, but have a bit more space, DVD players, and an iron and ironing board. Marble bathrooms feature a separate bathtub and walk-in shower in most rooms, though Superior Rooms only have a shower/tub combo. Fixtures are contemporary and include rainfall showerheads. Vanities have a decent amount of counter space as well.All of the Suites at the Pathumwan Princess are extremely large and elegant, and in addition to the aforementioned amenities, they also come with coffeemakers, iPod docks and speakers, and separate bedrooms. Some of the suites, like the Executive Plus Rooms, are even set up for families, with colorful beds made up with cartoon bedding for the children in one room, in addition to the master bedroom. Views from the suites are even more memorable than in other categories, taking in most of the central Bangkok skyline, with a panorama of many of the city's tallest skyscrapers spanning the horizon. The suites also include the choice of several free cans of beer or soda from the minibar which are refilled daily.

The Pathumwan Princess has an extensive array of features, even when compared to higher-category hotels, making it a fantastic place to stay for those seeking on-site facilities. For fitness buffs, the hotel is a dream. It sports one of the largest fitness centers of any hotel in the country. With 9,000 plus square meters of space, the Olympic Club is a proper gym. Large rooms have rows of running and cardio machines, weights, and aerobics classes, plus steam and sauna facilities. The only problem here may be the crowds, as the fitness center is open to local membership and not only hotel guests. There is also a set of tennis courts, squash, and badminton courts, plus a small basketball court, a boxing area, and table tennis. The adjacent swimming pool is also large, with lanes for swimming laps, although it doesn't have a children's section. There are two whirlpool tubs just next to the swimming pool and a sun lounging area.For fine dining, this hotel has a fantastic range of options. Downstairs, the hotel's main restaurant, Citi Bistro, serves gourmet buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While not all room packages include free breakfast, it's well worth it, as the array of dishes served is staggering. On the second floor, Kongju offers Korean barbecue and cuisine, while next door, Ping's Thai Teochew Seafood & Hotpot is actually two restaurants, one which serves Thai-Chinese cuisine, and the other which has similar offerings yet done in hotpot style, with self-cooking at the table. Upstairs by the pool is Loop, a contemporary Italian restaurant, which has both alfresco dining overlooking the pool, as well as a snazzy indoor section. Drinking options at the hotel include the intimate Studio Bar as well as a variety of fine coffee, teas, and pastries served in the lobby lounge, an ambient lit spot in the hotel entrance, where a live pianist performs.Other facilities at the hotel include a spa, a business center, as well as a ballroom and meeting rooms for conferences and functions. Wi-Fi throughout is free.