The Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Carlton Hotel Group's first property in Thailand, opened its doors on Feb 19. Located between Asok and Phrom Phong, the 34-storey building promises "upper-upscale" hospitality.
Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit definitely puts on an architectural show. You can't help but notice its undulating copper-finned exterior and cascading curves. Inside the spacious and stylish lobby, your eyes will be drawn to handblown glass ornaments that twirls across eight floors. It's supposed to look like a dragon, but perhaps a very abstract one. There are many more impressive art pieces to feast your eyes on.
There are 338 guestrooms and suites, starting from the 37m² Deluxe Room to the 129m² Two-Bedroom Carlton Suite. A few of the Deluxe units come with connecting doors for families while four of them have disability access. Stand next to the floor-to-ceiling soundproofed window in the bedroom for a view of the city and the main 30m-long swimming pool (and possibly another of a nearby property). Extra touches of luxe come in the form of an electronic toilet, bathtub, rain shower and 49-inch smart TV with Chromecast mirroring and Apple TV. A family of four can comfortably fit in the Family Room, which doubles in size compared to the Deluxe. The master bedroom has a queen bed and the other has twin beds. A family of six can opt for a Family Room and a Deluxe Room through a connecting door. All leisure facilities are on the 10th floor, including the swimming pool with sun loungers and cabanas, a 24/7 fitness studio, a kids' zone and Let's Relax spa.
F&B-wise, Carlton has brought its famous Wah Lok restaurant from Singapore to Bangkok. To ensure its legacy, chef Lam Kok Weng, who helped open the original Wah Lok at Carlton Hotel Singapore 30 years ago, has been flown in to supervise the opening of Bangkok Wah Lok. Of course, here you can find delectable dim sums such as Deep-fried taro with seafood (in the shape of swans), Vegetarian dumpling with bamboo fungus in truffle oil or Deep-fried chilli crab spring roll. The restaurant seats almost 200 people. The other outlets to whet your appetite include the all-day dining Plate, which serves international, Thai and Peranakan cuisines; coffee bar Tuxedo in the lobby; and the rooftop bar, Cooling Tower. The latter will be on the 34th floor and be up and running by late April. Moreover, they take hosting events seriously with rooms and facilities across the eighth and ninth floors. Whether you want a boardroom meeting for 30 people or a grand event for 600 guests, they can make it happen. Carlton isn't firing on all cylinders yet but it's off to a promising start. g
Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 491, Sukhumvit 27-29 / 02-090-7888, www.carltonhotel.co.th.
Flying for (Almost) Free
AirAsia's Big Sale / AirAsia / Until Mar 15
AirAsia's Big Sale returns to offer more than 6 million promotional seats on the airline's year-end flights, to both domestic and international destinations across Asia. Flights only start at B43 per ticket, so book fast! If you are AirAsia's Big members, you will get to enjoy a discounted domestic/international short-haul flights, from as low as B0 starting per ticket. Flights include trips from Bangkok to Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Phuket, and also from Chiang Mai to Pattaya, as well as international routes from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane and Siem Reap — to name a few. If you like to buy baggage, the airline also gives a 10% discount for 25kg and above. However, you will have to buy it at the same time as when you're booking your flight and it has to be during the promotional period. Tickets can be booked until Mar 15, with a travel period between Sept 7-Jul 1. Note that the fares do not include taxes and fees, and baggage discount is not applicable for flights to/from Japan.
