Prince Palace Hotel

The four towers that compose this hotel look like any of the other late 20th-century high-rises that clutter the Bangkok skyline. Inside, however, each building has a grand lobby lined with high windows, marble floors, warm hardwood, recessed ceilings, sparkling crystalline chandeliers, ornate antique vases, and tropical plants and flowers—it feels very "The King and I" in a good way. The hotel has several restaurants and bars, none of which stand out from the rest, mostly because they all share a similar design aesthetic as the hotel’s lobbies, albeit with far less glamour. China Palace and Shinsen Sushi Bar nod to their respective Chinese and Japanese themes with decor the evokes those nations, like the high-backed red and gold chairs at China Palace, and lanterns with Japanese lettering at Shinsen Sushi Bar. But like many aspects of this hotel, the restaurants feel mostly anonymous and functional, a product of the many group tours that pass through here.

The streets around the hotel are swarmed with traffic and market stalls, as well as the locals and traders that cram the wholesale Bobae Tower mall occupying the hotel’s first several floors. Overlooking Bangkok’s Mahanak Canal, the hotel is within the city’s most geographically central district, Phra Nakon, but reaching many major sights requires a taxi or canal ferry ride. The Bobe Market ferry stop is a five-minute walk from the hotel and reaches Hua Chang in just six minutes, from where high-end Siam Paragon shopping mall and various skytrain stations are within 15 minutes away on foot. The historic area surrounding the Grand Palace is a 15- to 20-minute taxi ride from the hotel, while Don Mueang International Airport and Suvarnabhumi International Airport are both about 30 to 50 minutes away depending on traffic.

Guest rooms are clean and comfortable, but the grandiose atmosphere of the hotel’s lobbies does not translate to its rooms, which are in good shape, but look a bit stuffy and dated. Decor varies from tower to tower, but the rooms strive for old world glamour. Based on what we saw in Tower A, many rooms have striped carpets and soft orange-and-gold paisley wallpaper that feels unintentionally antique when combined with light oak furniture, vinyl-upholstered chairs, and slatted doors. All rooms have TVs (most are flat-screen, though some suites have tube-style TVs), mini-fridges, safes, bathrobes, electric kettles with coffee or tea, and decently comfortable double or king beds with silk bed runners, throw pillows, and headboards. Dark gray floor-to-ceiling granite in the bathrooms gives them a cramped, '80s look, making the white sinks, shower/tub combos, and toilets stand out in an unappealing way. We also noticed some dirty grout around the tub basins in some rooms when we visited. Rooms on higher floors have great views of Bangkok, and the hotel has several larger two- and three-bedroom suites that can accommodate groups of up to six people. Prince Suites, which include the multi-bedroom units, have cordovan wood floors and feel a bit more contemporary, though the decor—mostly white linens and walls—is extremely sparse and the furniture is chunky and outdated (we saw tube-style TVs in the Three-Bedroom Family Suite). We also noticed a musty smell from several carpets and a few air-conditioners that didn’t seem to work very well.

One of the hotel’s standout features is its fitness center, which is close in size to a true gym, and has plenty of equipment and natural light, as well as two hot tubs, a sauna, and steam room. The hotel has two on-site pools, the Coconut Pool, which has a bar with poolside drink service and a livelier atmosphere, and the Darawadee Pool, which is calmer and has several lounge chairs spread along a wide stone terrace. The Darawadee Spa offers Thai oil treatments and massages in a slightly claustrophobic setting, though outdoor massage tables in its Thai garden are lovely. Prince Cafe, a nice if mostly functional buffet space, serves a good breakfast buffet with hot and cold options that is only included with some bookings. Shinsen Sushi Bar and China Palace offer Japanese and Chinese menus for lunch and dinner, while Krua Mahanak serves Chinese and Thai dishes in the evening and has karaoke. The Palace Bar offers coffees and cocktails throughout the day and night. There are 16 ballrooms and event spaces on-site that have the same old-school glam vibe of the hotel’s lobbies—from paisley carpets to extremely high ceilings and chandeliers—for all manner of events. Guests should keep in mind that Wi-Fi is only free in the hotel’s lobbies and is expensive when ordered in guest rooms. The hotel can arrange car services and airport transfers, while laundry and dry cleaning services are also available. Concierge services are provided by the 24-hour front desk, babysitting services can be arranged with advanced notice, and there is also an on-site hair salon.