The Sukhothai Bangkok Hotel Review and Honest Cost Guide
I’m checking into one of Bangkok’s top luxury hotels. In fact, this hotel has been ranked the number one hotel, not just in Bangkok, but in the whole of Southeast Asia and was even ranked as the 24th best hotel in the entire world. It’s considered one of the best hotels in the world and is a surprisingly affordable option for luxury travel. The big question is, Is it actually worth it to stay somewhere like this?
The Sukhothai Bangkok and Its Urban Oasis
The first thing you’ll realize as you enter this hotel is how carefully designed it is. This is easily one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed in. It calls itself Bangkok’s urban oasis, and it’s easy to see why. As soon as you step in, you’re transported away from the chaos of the big city. You can’t hear the roar of Bangkok traffic here, and you’re not going to be hassled to get into a tuk tuk as soon as you step outside your room.
This isn’t a big hotel. It’s a low-rise building, which makes it really stand out from the rest of the city’s towering skyline. One thing that really sets the place apart is the design. Instead of some towering high-rise, the hotel is made of elegant low-rise buildings spread out across lush gardens.
As you wander through the stone walkways, you’ll pass tranquil lotus ponds, shady courtyards, and the kind of greenery you just didn’t expect in Bangkok. It almost feels like you’ve stumbled into a secret garden. What I love most is how they’ve woven the traditional Thai architecture into the look of the hotel. Some of the buildings even remind me of classic Thai temples with their beautifully carved pointed roofs.
My Executive Room at The Sukhothai
This is The Sukhothai Bangkok, and it’s one of the most beautiful hotels in the city. One of the things I think makes this place stand out compared to other hotels in the city is how far removed it feels from the craziness of the city. It feels like you’re almost on holiday and somewhere much more peaceful and relaxing than Bangkok, but you still are pretty close to some of the other major landmarks in the city. It’s named after the ancient capital of Sukhothai, which is one of the most important places in Thai history and culture. You can see the style here reflected in the curved, pointed roofs that almost resemble temples.
This was hands down the biggest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. We were lucky enough to get upgraded to one of the executive rooms, and it was absolutely massive. The bed was super comfy, as you’d expect from a hotel of this level.
But what surprised me was the extra space. We basically had a full living room right there in the bedroom, complete with a giant TV, which we never actually touched. Honestly, in the past, I couldn’t ever imagine needing this much space. But now that I’m traveling with a baby, it’s a game changer. This room was so spread out that we could set up a crib and not constantly trip over each other. And somehow the bathroom was even bigger.
The Garden Pool and Hotel Facilities
The pool is one of the better pools that I’ve ever seen in any hotel in Bangkok. Usually, Bangkok hotels are on the rooftop, so they’re much smaller than this. This one has a much larger area and is a much larger pool for swimming in.
What I like most about it is the garden area that surrounds it. We’ve got cabanas over there, and it’s a really big, comfortable area to sit. The Bangkok skyline contrasts with the nice garden, with the skyline in the background.
Dining at Lascala and Celadon
The evening before we had eaten at the hotel’s Lascala restaurant, which is a stunning fine-dining Italian Mediterranean restaurant that is recognized by the Michelin Guide as being one of the best in the city. I don’t usually actually like eating at hotel restaurants as I prefer to get out and explore the city, but this restaurant was worth breaking that rule for as it’s one of the best meals I’ve had in Bangkok.
And if you prefer to eat actual Thai food whilst in Thailand, they also have another restaurant called Celadon, which is similarly highly rated and focuses on Thai specialties.
Lumpini Park and Patpong Nearby
By far the closest major landmark to The Sukhothai is Lumpini Park. Lumpini Park is the biggest open green space in the heart of Bangkok. It’s by far the biggest park, but I think the main reason to visit here is that it is home to one of the city’s most interesting residents, which is the monitor lizard.
You can see monitor lizards here, like all over the place, and it’s a really quite unique sight in the middle of Bangkok. The monitor lizards here can grow up to about 6 ft long. They’re just everywhere in this park. And it’s one of the most unique sights you could see in the whole of Bangkok. Don’t get too close.
Additionally, not too far away from The Sukhothai, and ironically kind of because it’s considered the oasis away from everything, is Patpong Night Market and Patpong, which is one of the most debaucherous areas of the city. So, even though it is the urban oasis and isn’t far away from everything, you’re only about a 15 to 20 minute walk from one of the wildest areas of Bangkok.
Getting Around Bangkok from Lumpini MRT
That being said, no matter where you stay in Bangkok, you’re always going to be presented with a challenge. And that challenge is getting around. No matter where you stay, if you’re looking to explore the whole of Bangkok and see different areas of it, you’re always going to have to travel because the city is so huge.
Actually, this hotel is in quite a convenient location because Lumpini MRT is nearby. If you go two or three stops one way, you end up at Asok, which is the heart of the Sukhumvit area. This is the biggest area for downtown and it’s got the best restaurants. It’s got the best sky bars and it’s also got some of the best nightlife.
If you go in the other direction, you end up in Chinatown, which is the best area to explore the city’s temples and street food crawl. Go one or three stops more and you end up at the riverside, with places like Wat Arun and the Grand Palace. So, you can easily explore some of the biggest landmarks with a short ride in both directions. In that sense, it actually is in quite a convenient location, even if it doesn’t have everything around it, even though it doesn’t have everything on its doorstep.
The Cost and Who Should Stay Here
Prices at this hotel start at around 7,000 Thai Baht per night, which is around $230, and range up to around 44,000 Thai Baht per night, which is around $1,300. And honestly, if you can get it at the lower price point, that’s an absolute steal.
Some of the other hotels in the city that are also considered the best, like the Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, or Capella, start at around $600 or $700 per night, which is much higher than this. So, whilst it isn’t cheap, it is actually very good value for money, especially when you consider the awards it’s won.
Is it really worth it to stay here? And who should stay here? Well, that depends. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys staying in beautifully designed luxury hotels without spending thousands of dollars, then this could be for you. If you’re at all intimidated by or just can’t be bothered with the chaos of Bangkok and are okay traveling a short distance to experience the city’s best landmarks, then this works perfectly. It’s a great place to unwind after exploring the city for the day. And it’s also a great romantic setting for honeymooners or romantic getaways.
But if you’re looking to be a bit closer to the action or if you’re looking for somewhere a bit livelier, then you might actually want to pick somewhere else. Personally, I think first-time visitors to the city might not enjoy it because they will want to be outside experiencing the city all day.
