Instead of the usual choices for a hotel in the heart of
vibrant, why not be more daring and stay in a themed roomed ‘Haus’ reminiscent
of Broadway Bangkok (to be precise, Sukhumvit district, Thonglor). The vivid
design boutique hotel PlayHaus Thonglor allows mylifestylenews
to “play” a part in their dramatic act during our recent visit……
PlayHaus Thonglor is where your performance (and fun) begins! This design boutique hotel is tucked away just off the main thoroughfare of Thonglor, a very popular precinct for renowned restaurants, street food, lifestyle shopping and some great bars (a stone throw away from the renown Iron Ferries Jazz Bar) , offering a playground of urban exploration. Hence, there are many reasons to call this playful accommodation your own “stage” for a stay with a difference.
The exterior of the building is designed to look like a Broadway theatre façade and is very eye-catching (especially at night while the light is lit) from the main bustling Soi 55 and suppose to be easily found. It can be quite annoying if your Thai is lacking in practice and less fluent and when you are with a cab driver that is not familiar with the neighborhood, you may properly ended up driving around along the two way traffic on Soi 55 by just missing the right turn to find the exact location of PlayHaus Thonglor.
After a few “road-check” with the local motor-taxi drivers who stationed along the roadside waiting for their next passengers, our not so clever driver reached PlayHaus Thonglor in one square piece with the direction we gathered mostly by ourselves from asking around. Not to mention that a more than 20 minutes wasted on the road with the meter running.
The guest rooms are built around a selection of four famous musical plays which create the inspiration for interior design: <Romeo & Juliet>, <Mary Poppins>, <Aladdin> and <The Four Reigns> - a famous Thai musical. The 20 stylish, yet intimate rooms will surely revitalize your senses from the moment you open the ‘theatre door’ with your heavy iron theatrical key that is designed is like a theatre ticket.
The old adage of ‘bigger is better’ does not always equate with a great stay in our experience, so eschewing the international luxury branded experience for a change for this intimate accommodation more than met our needs. We chose the <Aladdin> themed room for no other reason than it was pleasing to the eye with some its burlesque design execution, eliciting notions of the mystical Arabian Nights with images in rich colours on the wall behind the bed. The bathroom is simple in design with enough basic supply of vanity, for a themed hotel like this, you really won’t miss or need the big brands luxury marble bathrooms and amenities, as you will be spending most of your time checking out the local scene.
The lobby is intimate, equally dramatic and attractive as you immediately feel like you are stepping into a theatre play house with props and posters adorning the walls and tables. Plus, there is the hotel bar titled “Behind the Scene” to add further whimsy to the theme of theatre, which is designed to look like a dressing room with big light bulbs and mirrors as well as red velvet draperies cushioning the backstage theater mood. The bar adds a touch of intimate glamour off the small lobby to complement the hotel’s overall theme and a place to sip a locally inspired house specially made exotic cocktails. They totally nailed these design with lots of characters.
The neighborhood is the star of this show/location, as there is quite a performance going on right on your doorstep. For a change we did not miss the usual big brand amenities and shock of shocks, no in house restaurant nor swimming pool, but right outside the hotel is so much to experience and feed your appetite on so many levels, starting with some exceptional local Thai street food, which is just a few steps away from the hotel. This street food is seriously good and running the business at all times of the day and night with different vendors.
Sometimes a holiday is not about staying in a hotel and taking advantage of all the amenities on offer, but getting out and about and exploring something new where the urban playground is at your fingertips and there you have hotel like the PlayHaus Thonglor which is fun and quirky yet with a sense for a whimsical experience and be a part of it, this place is a real find.
Tried
& Tested:
Location: 3.5/5
Design
& Decor: 4/5
Room
Amenities: 3/5
Housekeeping:
3.5/5
Service:
3.5/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Experience:
4/5
Highlights:
205/22-23 Sukhumvit Soi 55
Thonglor, Bangkok
Thailand
Tel: +66 2467 3443
Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
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