Hospitality Review South Africa

Bangkok's grande dame gets a nip and tuck

For 140 years authors have gravitated to the elegant calm and sweet-scented air of Bangkok's famous riverside hotel, The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Today this property, operated by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group which has 47 hotels around the world in 25 countries, is among the most sought after places to visit.
Bangkok's grande dame gets a nip and tuck

Built in 1876 on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, known as the River of Kings, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has been an inspiration to writers such as our own Wilbur Smith and John Le Carre among many others.

It has a global reputation for exquisite service, style and grace and its facilities, including eight restaurants. It is listed as the number one hotel in Bangkok by TripAdvisor.

The hotel’s private teakwood launches provide daily access to their world famous Thai Cooking School, the hotel’s Thai restaurant, the award-winning Oriental Spa and Health Centre located across the River; as well as the nearest sky train station (SaphanTaksin) and River City Shopping Centre.

An affinity with the literary world

The renowned Authors’ Lounge – a favourite destination for afternoon tea, society weddings, and elegant events – has been restored to its classic late-nineteenth-century design and has been further extended to flow seamlessly through to the hotel’s riverside terrace and gardens via four salons named after famous authors who were guests of the hotel: Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, Noël Coward and James Michener.

Bangkok's grande dame gets a nip and tuck

Here the famed hotel’s longstanding affinity with the literary world is exemplified with images of these literary greats juxtaposed with scenes taken at the hotel during those eras, quotations from their books, and in some cases, signed books on display. The hotel’s famous seafood buffet restaurant, Lord Jim’s is named after a Joseph Conrad character.

Guests can celebrate Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s 140th Anniversary in 2016 in Oriental style with an exclusive two-night consecutive stay that includes luxurious accommodation with personal butler service, daily buffet breakfast for two at The Verandah, and afternoon tea for two at the historic Authors’ Lounge. Guests will also receive Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok’s commemorative homemade jam in 140th-anniversary packaging to take home.

For more information or to make a booking, please email moc.ghom@snoitavreser-kkbom or visit The Mandarin Oriental site.

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