CITY GETAWAY
Vacation in the heart of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park
More often than not, when one thinks of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, one thinks of a prime site adjoining a leafy square that is Benjasiri Park in the city centre, within walking distance of numerous attractions in Sukhumvit Road. Bangkok foodies, however, would picture Goji Kitchen + Bar, which features a quality international buffet and Akira Back, an American-Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant.
First impression
Boasting a total of 1,388 rooms, the hotel would certainly be considered large. It is made up of two contiguous towering buildings that share a capacious ground hall, which houses a lobby lavishly adorned with crystal chandeliers. The hotel’s interior has a blend of classical features, polished contemporary design and soft lighting. This makes for an exclusive and slick ambience. A team of attentive staff are always ready to help, without being intrusive.
Staying in
The rooms have a masculine feel, with their earthy-hued decor, practical furnishing and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the city. All of them have gleaming marble bathrooms, which are equipped with Thann bathroom amenities.
The M Suite, which I stayed in, comes with a separate living room and bedroom, plus a sizeable bathroom with a bathtub and a separate shower. Guests who book the suite will get to enjoy unlimited access to the M Club Lounge during their stay. The lounge access includes daily breakfast buffet at Goji Kitchen + Bar, complimentary snacks, tea, coffee and soft drinks from 10.30am-8pm, evening cocktails from 5.30-7.30pm and free-flow alcoholic beverages from 5.30-8pm. If you feel like you deserve to splurge, I recommend reserving this suite. Right now the hotel is offering an exclusive rate that starts at B3,000 a night.
During the stay, guests can also make the most of the hotel’s facilities, which include a 24-hour fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool and a spa that offers a vast selection of rejuvenating treatments, therapy baths and steam rooms.
With six restaurants and bars, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it is time to eat. If you have to pick one, I suggest you check out the innovative cuisine at Akira Back. It serves iconic dishes like wagyu bulgogi tacos and tuna sashimi pizza with white truffle oil. For a more formal experience, head to Pagoda Chinese Restaurant, where the kitchen doles out classic Cantonese recipes with a twist.
Final verdict
I wouldn’t judge you if your main targets of a staycation at Marriott Marquis are the endless breakfast buffet at Goji and the scrumptious dinner spread at Akira Back. They both were actually my top two highlights. Staying in the heart of town enjoying attentive hospitality did not hurt either. In addition, the room rates are now far lower than what one might have seen pre-pandemic. So there is really no better time than now to enjoy a staycation at one of Bangkok’s finest hotels. Foodies staying here would be delighted by the variety of cuisines inside the hotel and the areas surrounding it, including French, Italian, Japanese and Indian.