On our family whistlestop tour of South East Asia, we decided to make stop in Bangkok enroute to Bali. As part of a family holiday, it’s always good to mix it up a bit for the kids and throw in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and show them a city I enjoyed as a backpacker even if it is just for two nights. Bangkok is the rite of passage for any traveller (think Khao San Road!) but travels with a family is different where you still want the culture but also ensure that the wife and kids are looked after at the same time. Like Singapore, it is a great hub to travel around neighbouring countries with one fundamental difference – it has more character, it has more flavour.
No matter how many times I’ve visited this sprawling city, it’s a place where I always feel lost. It is one of the few cities that live up to the claim of being a twenty-four hour city. Markets and shops open late into the night, and the nightlife never seems to stop. What other place would my kids be able to experience a ride in a tuk-tuk and then hop on a boat to visit temples and a floating market on the same day?
Not a dystopian future but Bangkok!
We decided to base ourselves at The Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok for the escape of an outdoor pool and the convenient location in the trendy Phrom Phong district. The hotel is surrounded by a throng of instagrammable cafes and eateries. The hotel itself is fresh and modern and feels a world away from the snail's pace of Bangkok traffic and the incessant blaring horns. The Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok is not only served by a wonderfully authentic Italian/Mediterranean restaurant called Scalini but is it connected to the DoubleTree by Hilton so you can also choose to dine at Dee Lite where we had one of our favourite Thai cuisines. Signature dishes from all the regions of Thailand are cooked in front of you by the chefs in an open kitchen.
Lunch at Dee-Lite
Once you explored the Japanese influenced Phrom Phong district, you’ll find the BTS Skytrain is only 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel. This is the best way to explore Bangkok and circumvent the impossibly slow traffic. All the notable shopping districts in Siam, Chit Lom and Asok are situated on the same line and can be reached in the time you wait for a Grab Taxi to arrive. The Skytrain will also connect you to the Grand Palace as well as the famous temples of Wat Pho and Wat Arun. It is cheap, clean and rapid. It’s either that or walk!
As with family travel, hotel room space is a luxury but we were comfortably accommodated in two connecting rooms by The Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok and the rooms were nothing short of expectations from the consistent brand.
Due to the plethora of spas in the area, there were no spa facilities at the Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok. Being spoilt for choice for spas, we found a reasonably priced but aesthetically pleasing (as all good spas should be!) one about two blocks away called Once Upon A Thai Spa (Phrom Phong). Make sure to book in advance.
During our stay at The Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, there was a Japanese market set up in the foyer with stalls selling anything from high-end Japanese patisserie, jewellery to clothing. It’s great to see hotels involving themselves with the local community.
We really enjoyed our stay at The Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, the ideal base to explore such a vibrant and chaotic city!