If your taxi driver is well aware of the Sathorn
neighbourhood renowned for its maze of narrow lanes and roads which stashes
quite a few hidden gems like unique restaurants and local eateries, small
boutiques as well as art galleries with surprises that are totally off the
tourist beaten tracks to be discovered in this residential neighbourhood, U Sathorn
Bangkok - the city’s urban sanctuary will be your ideal choice for a city
resort hotel staycation. mylifestylenews writes.
Bangkok is moving at a fast pace with new luxury hotel openings, but many of them don’t stand out due to similar locations and other characteristics that give you pause for thought, because you wonder what is different from the last hotel you stayed in. While we all crave for something unique and with numerous design elements, the discreetly sited U Sathorn Bangkok tucked away in a location that is not very far away from Lumpini Park, located in a peaceful part of the capital where natural beauty sits alongside the hustle and bustle of this busy Bangkok district, may change your mind by staying in any regular hotels in the city.
Finding it can be a little bit of a challenge but U Sathorn Bangkok promises an urban resort style of living and is an oasis that is laid out in low rise wings, set in a courtyard style surrounded by restful green areas with a lap swimming pool as the centrepiece. On arrival we were not expecting such a tranquil oasis and the green lawns were heaven sent to add a sense of serenity. This has turned out to be one of the most desirable urban resorts in Bangkok with a truly vacation motif setting to embrace a relaxing lifestyle – your own.
The overall design of U Sathorn Bangkok was conceived in a French Colonial style with a contemporary twist inspired by Sri Lankan Geoffrey Bawa who was regarded as one of the most influential Asian architects of the twentieth century. The design breaks down the barriers between the inside and outside and between interior design and landscape architecture which reduces the buildings to a series of delightfully conceived spaces separated by natural features.
The arrival and departure experience is under the outdoor port cochere and gives you a feeling of being in a resort, rather than a hotel, which is the intended effect. The front desk team were generally welcoming, but not all were showing that seamless service attitude, so some consistency was lacking. Despite the effort being made, we find it strange by being asked what kind soap (and you are only allowed to pick one scent) do we wish to have upon check-in and need to be decided immediately, which is not really the priority especially when you are coming from a long haul flight, yet they did not deliver on our request as a memento souvenir given to all guests before check in.
We were swiftly shown to our room on the top floor and as it happens, almost every room has some view of the courtyard, with ours in particular giving a full depth of view of the entire swimming pool and courtyard and looking beyond the city skyline as a backdrop.
The Library located in a dedicated quiet zone.
Our Deluxe Garden Room is simply laid out, with the main body of the room being the bedroom that has floor to ceiling glass windows and sliding doors with mosquito net protection that look out onto the balcony and courtyard beyond. Off to one side is a separate toilet, which leads to the walk-in spacious shower on the other side screened off from the bedroom.
The interior design is referencing a quirky French provincial style and they have made excellent use of the 32-34 sqm space, so the rooms feel bigger than they are. Empty photo frames above the bedhead adds a quirky design motif adorned with a houndstooth fabric corner sofa lightening up the room with colors on the plush cushions.
Mosquitos are to be expected for intrusion without any warning in a tropical climate in Bangkok which is quite common. Hence, having a sliding door closed at all times is wise and also to keep the room temperature cool while the air conditioning will be automatically paused when it isn't shut properly.
Sauntering through the serene compound surrounded by a garden lush with frangipani trees or simply set your mind free and lay down on the sun loungers soaking up the tropical sunlight was rather a joy and relaxing, except the constant noises being heard from screaming kids. That is the thing for a small resort type of establishment and with the one and only swimming pool as the major attraction, the give and take mentality must be validated.
For dining, there is The Library for light bites throughout the day and breakfast is to be had in the award-winning fine dining restaurant space J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorrain, so you could say that the experience is elevated somewhat. Breakfast covers all your favourites and naturally has a slant toward local Thai food which we very much enjoyed especially while you are seated on the balcony looking down at the lawn and swimming pool to start you exciting day ahead.
Our experience was a complete contrast to other hotels we stayed in very close to this locale and U Sathorn Bangkok stood out for being an urban oasis with land that had been carefully developed in a low rise way and highlight an expanse of green lawn as a key feature, as this really was a point of difference. The service overall was warm and polite, but occasionally you experienced a staff member who was pre-occupied with themselves, rather than focusing on the guests. All in all, U-Sathorn Bangkok continues to thrive on the resort lifestyle infrastructure and offers a unique urban resort staycation in Bangkok. For a tranquil spot to relax and unwind in the city like Bangkok, it is still a well-fitted epitome for an urban resort staycation lifestyle.
Tried & Tested:
Location: 3.5/5
Design & Decor: 3.5/5
Room Amenities: 2.5/5
Housekeeping: 2.5/5
Food & Beverage: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5
Value For Money: 3.5/5
Experience: 3.5/5
105, 105/1 U Sathorn Bangkok Hotel
Thung Maha Mek, Sathorn
Bangkok Thailand
Tel: +66 2 119 4888
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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