BANGKOK, 25 April 2018: In its hey day the President Hotel, at Bangkok’s Ploenchit junction, was flagged a Regent and one of the city’s top hotel addresses, until the Holiday Inn took over the management around 18 years ago.
It is now celebrating yet another major refurbishment that was undertaken without closing the property and ensures it meets Holiday Inn’s latest product guidelines.
The hotel’s storyteller says the property is “fully reopening its doors to offer warm and friendly service”.
In reality, the doors were never closed as reviewers of TripAdvisor attest with more than 1400 comments on the hotel service and facilities during the refurbishment period.
The remake concentrated on guest rooms, restaurants and lobby with reviewers giving the result a 4.5 star rating with complaints limited to “pillows too soft, pillows too hard” plus a few gripes on service lapses.
The property is judged to be number 146 out of 906 hotels reviewed in Bangkok.
The only downside to this property is its DNA. The structure was built in the 1970s in a simple style reminiscent of the post Vietnam War era where hotel were blocks of neatly stacked shoebox rooms with low ceilings.
But the refurbishment did a marvellous job, short of re-engineering the core DNA and this is evident in customer reviews.
One highlight of the remake is the open style lobby. Another is the redesign of the 379 rooms that have been given a contemporary style package that fits a busy urban lifestyle.
Holiday Inn Bangkok has pedigree, not because of the brand, but due to the loyalty of its long-serving staff who have worked there regardless of what brand flew its colours on the hotel mast.
It has a perfect location right in the heart of the city and offers affordable rates that swing from as low as THB 2,427 (IHG rate) to around THB 3,000 on TripAdvisor ( see booking box on TTR Weekly homepage).
Compared with other Holiday Inn properties it definitely wins rate wise and also due to its superior location. The nearest would be the Holiday Inn Express Siam at THB 2,101 if you can accept a serious drop in service content.
Two dining venues have been added: Ginger, the all-day dining connected to the pool area (previously a meeting room) and Beer Republic a 1920’s European industrial inspired warehouse serving 70 beers some craft varieties and bar tucker.
Conclusion:
Apart from the storyteller getting carried away on doors open or closed, the refurbished Holiday Inn Bangkok is an excellent choice due to its downtown location. It’s a pity the “President” heritage has been lost to a faceless US brand, but don’t let that stop you enjoying a great rate and location.
A bonus; travellers staying at the hotel can nip across the courtyard and enjoy the up-market poolside facilities at the InterContinental.
