I have visited the Okura Prestige in Bangkok several times. And I can only say that it was perfect every time. Admittedly it was always a Club Delux suite, but I am sure that the value for money is very good in all categories. There may be better ones out there, but for my simple taste, it's just always been perfect.
I’ve stayed at the Okura 6 or 7 times and am a huge fan. A few notes…1/ Your room was in poor condition but that hasn’t been my experience so I think your room wasn’t the norm. 2/ The rooms are soundproof making it perfect if sleep is important. 3/ The hotel linked to a BTS station and the magnificent Central Embassy mall. This allows for transport, shopping and dining options without being exposed to rain. Love that breakfast. Lunch and dinner a la carte are also excellent.
One or two nights, though I prefer one. Longer stays mean I work less efficiently and there's a high chance of staff catching on to what I'm doing. Thanks for watching 🩴
Club level at this hotel plus an evening meal at the Teppanyaki bar (if they still have it) was simply amazing and costly. My second favourite hotel in BKK.
I stayed at the Okura Tokyo's Heritage Wing last year and it thoroughly impressed me - the staff were so attentive and there were so many feature of the rooms that made me absolutely love it! The space (more than 50sqm - massive for Tokyo's standards), wide panel glass windows, simple Japanese design and especially the steam sauna room! Definitely one of my top 3 stays of all time. This stay left me yearning to try out other Okura's property, but this Bangkok property looks to be terribly poorly maintained.. The state of the room you stayed in was completely unacceptable.. And ants?! I could never 🥲🥲🥲
I've stumbled upon your channel while holidaying in Bali just recently. I wished that I've gotten to watch more of your videos earlier. We were travelling as a family with 2 young kids and after looking through most of the hotels there we settled on the Ayana resort & spa. The 11 pools and kubu beach club access swayed us By the way, do you think it's worth paying extra for club / lounge access ? Thanks and keep the videos coming . Cheers
Generally, I think club access as an added fee is a waste of money unless it's going to serve as a meal that wasn't otherwise included- and even then, it depends how much it costs. I forget the exact location- somewhere in Caribbean or Mexico, but there's a Ritz Carlton somwehere... it's a resort and it's not a cheap one... maybe $700 per night. Club access was available for anyone for a $125 fee pp/d. There's unlimited alcohol and bites and stuff and breakfast. My thought is: I would rather take that $250 per day (assuming 2 ppl) and use it to extend my trip by one night... or get a better room... or get a better hotel. All just depends on your priorities.
The Park Hyatt next door is awesome! Probably one of the best and most exclusive feeling PH in ASPAC, just as competent as PH CGK and right behind SZX and SHA. Of course it’s not as zen-vibed (but much cheaper) than the Japanese PHs, but still definitely worth an experience!
BKK prices at the moment are absurd so you’ll get less than usual. Park Hyatt and Rosewood are best in the area, Hyatt Regency for lower price. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Bangkok and some other cities as far south as Saigon have rainy seasons during the southwest monsoon from May until November. Typically, tropical afternoon showers are the predominant feature and won’t derail a holiday. The hottest months, April & May should be avoided by those not used to the heat though. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Hi Kev, any word on when Okura Saigon is scheduled to open? And also the Mandarin Oriental for that matter. Things in Vietnam seem to take sooo long haha
Nah, no news that I have seen- also included for the Hilton Saigon, Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Marriott Exe Apts, Grand Hyatt............ Yes things do take long in VN but all of this is specifically because of a sharp right turn that the government took early on in COVID when they essentially said "we don't need tourism like all of our neighbors, we can grow our economy even without it"- this was happening as the trade kerfuffle between the US and China was brewing and so the government was very much so proven correct. There are around 30 hotel projects in the country that I know of that are all stalled becuase regardless of if there's a demanding market, the confidence in the government's commitment to tourism didn't start rising until very late in COVID (if at all... VN still hasn't even gone back to pre-covid visa policies). My best guess is the visa policies will change in the middle of 2023, which will spur progress announcements at the projects and we will start seeing things open Q4 2023 and beyond.
Appreciate the detailed reply. Well in that case I’ll just keep my eyes peeled. My next visit to Vietnam is in May, so hopefully there’s somewhere brand new to stay by then. Looking forward to your upcoming vids in SEA this year. Cheers and all the best for the channel.
@@tfft The Shangri La Bangkok is wonderful. Stayed twice 17 years apart and the hotel is still on point. There are many nice 5 stars in BKK. Our last 2 were Sukhothai and the Banyan Tree. They are next to each other, but very different. At $140/night including the ++, they were bargains.
100% , at this price point I would expect the room to be immaculate. Otherwise the hotel looks great. Think I’ll keep my options open for now and look at some other properties before confirming a booking. Including those two over the road. Excellent review as always.
What a pity about the room….I generally love the style, quality and vibe of everything Japanese. Looking much forward to a review of a Rosewood hotel. It is very high on my list to book for one of my future travels. Just curious whether it lives up to the hype. Thank you for the review!
Waiting for Bangkok prices to cool off a bit- they’re peaking in ways I never imagined right now. When the MO and Capella in Bangkok are nearly as expensive as Raffles Singapore, something’s wrong 😅 Thanks as always for the support 🙏🏻
The hotel public spaces looked amazing. The room, less so. Ants in the sugar bowl 🤔 TBH, that would be enough to turn me off from the hotel, for good. Although some of the room issues were more about maintenance, the dirt made no sense. Cheers!
Was thinking about booking a room during my stay in march but now I’m in doubts 😅 anyway still want to try it only for the stunning swimming pool 😂 who cares bout the room
That's an easy one, the Kimpton Maa-Lai ua-cam.com/video/OdKUk53KwXo/v-deo.html or if you're willing to splash out a bit more, the Rosewood perhaps. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I used to patronize the Okura very often, like 10 years ago. It was always fantastic, but a not very satisfactory stay a few years ago made us move to Siam Kempinski, where the rooms may not be much better, but the whole experience definitely was. However, I used to love their breakfast and I still believe their pool is one of the best in Bangkok. Oh, I reckon my room was always of a higher category than yours, probably affecting as well the experience.
@@tfft I saw the hotel being built as we often stayed in an apartment nearby. The problem is the resort is more adult oriented, which is not (yet) our way.
Every time your camera lingers over an extensive breakfast buffet, I find myself hoping it will find a corned-beef hash - but it never does. I like Asian food but can't bear the thought of it for breakfast. Nice review.
Not sure what upgrade you’re speaking about. If the room is fine for you then be my guest, but I could name a dozen or two hotels off the top of my head that are in the same price range and don’t have so many wear and tear issues in the room. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
A pair of ants at a beach side villa I would never even make a note about, but in a high rise, if there's 2, it means there's a whole bunch more in the shadows and there's a reason why. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Thanks
Love how detailed your review is. And it's also enjoyable to watch
Appreciate that!
Very nice review I liked most the photography & playback music. Also you covered all aspects of a hotel from room to lobby & cuisine. Good work.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I have visited the Okura Prestige in Bangkok several times. And I can only say that it was perfect every time. Admittedly it was always a Club Delux suite, but I am sure that the value for money is very good in all categories. There may be better ones out there, but for my simple taste, it's just always been perfect.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
simple suite for a simple mind
I’ve stayed at the Okura 6 or 7 times and am a huge fan. A few notes…1/ Your room was in poor condition but that hasn’t been my experience so I think your room wasn’t the norm. 2/ The rooms are soundproof making it perfect if sleep is important. 3/ The hotel linked to a BTS station and the magnificent Central Embassy mall. This allows for transport, shopping and dining options without being exposed to rain. Love that breakfast. Lunch and dinner a la carte are also excellent.
Thanks for sharing ✈️
I enjoy your humorous commentary..
How long do your typically stay in each hotel?
One or two nights, though I prefer one. Longer stays mean I work less efficiently and there's a high chance of staff catching on to what I'm doing. Thanks for watching 🩴
Rosewood afternoon tea set rocks, and their bar is cool
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Very helpful video. Thank you,
Wow!! We stayed down the street at Hotel Indigo Wireless Road and thoroughly enjoyed our stay!!!
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Club level at this hotel plus an evening meal at the Teppanyaki bar (if they still have it) was simply amazing and costly. My second favourite hotel in BKK.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
What's your most favorite hotel in BKK?
I stayed at the Okura Tokyo's Heritage Wing last year and it thoroughly impressed me - the staff were so attentive and there were so many feature of the rooms that made me absolutely love it! The space (more than 50sqm - massive for Tokyo's standards), wide panel glass windows, simple Japanese design and especially the steam sauna room! Definitely one of my top 3 stays of all time. This stay left me yearning to try out other Okura's property, but this Bangkok property looks to be terribly poorly maintained.. The state of the room you stayed in was completely unacceptable.. And ants?! I could never 🥲🥲🥲
Agree this one doesn’t come close to the Okura Tokyo.
I've stumbled upon your channel while holidaying in Bali just recently.
I wished that I've gotten to watch more of your videos earlier.
We were travelling as a family with 2 young kids and after looking through most of the hotels there we settled on the Ayana resort & spa. The 11 pools and kubu beach club access swayed us
By the way, do you think it's worth paying extra for club / lounge access ?
Thanks and keep the videos coming .
Cheers
Generally, I think club access as an added fee is a waste of money unless it's going to serve as a meal that wasn't otherwise included- and even then, it depends how much it costs. I forget the exact location- somewhere in Caribbean or Mexico, but there's a Ritz Carlton somwehere... it's a resort and it's not a cheap one... maybe $700 per night. Club access was available for anyone for a $125 fee pp/d. There's unlimited alcohol and bites and stuff and breakfast. My thought is: I would rather take that $250 per day (assuming 2 ppl) and use it to extend my trip by one night... or get a better room... or get a better hotel. All just depends on your priorities.
The Park Hyatt next door is awesome! Probably one of the best and most exclusive feeling PH in ASPAC, just as competent as PH CGK and right behind SZX and SHA. Of course it’s not as zen-vibed (but much cheaper) than the Japanese PHs, but still definitely worth an experience!
On my list! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
It’s nice but I was constantly getting lost trying to access the mall, or exit the building. Rooms are great.
Im looking for a hotel in Sukhumvit, 5-stars around this price range. Do you recommend any other hotels?
BKK prices at the moment are absurd so you’ll get less than usual. Park Hyatt and Rosewood are best in the area, Hyatt Regency for lower price. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Is there a “rainy season” to avoid when visiting Bangkok?
Bangkok and some other cities as far south as Saigon have rainy seasons during the southwest monsoon from May until November. Typically, tropical afternoon showers are the predominant feature and won’t derail a holiday. The hottest months, April & May should be avoided by those not used to the heat though. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Thanks for the review. I wish Okura Bangkok would renovate the room. Many things is still in good condition but it needs the renovation.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Hi Kev, any word on when Okura Saigon is scheduled to open? And also the Mandarin Oriental for that matter. Things in Vietnam seem to take sooo long haha
Nah, no news that I have seen- also included for the Hilton Saigon, Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Marriott Exe Apts, Grand Hyatt............ Yes things do take long in VN but all of this is specifically because of a sharp right turn that the government took early on in COVID when they essentially said "we don't need tourism like all of our neighbors, we can grow our economy even without it"- this was happening as the trade kerfuffle between the US and China was brewing and so the government was very much so proven correct. There are around 30 hotel projects in the country that I know of that are all stalled becuase regardless of if there's a demanding market, the confidence in the government's commitment to tourism didn't start rising until very late in COVID (if at all... VN still hasn't even gone back to pre-covid visa policies). My best guess is the visa policies will change in the middle of 2023, which will spur progress announcements at the projects and we will start seeing things open Q4 2023 and beyond.
Appreciate the detailed reply. Well in that case I’ll just keep my eyes peeled. My next visit to Vietnam is in May, so hopefully there’s somewhere brand new to stay by then. Looking forward to your upcoming vids in SEA this year. Cheers and all the best for the channel.
Hello, have you or will you ever cover Shangri-la Bangkok?
I don’t have plans for the Bangkok property as of now but I do have two other Shangri-La properties coming in 2023. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
@@tfft The Shangri La Bangkok is wonderful. Stayed twice 17 years apart and the hotel is still on point. There are many nice 5 stars in BKK. Our last 2 were Sukhothai and the Banyan Tree. They are next to each other, but very different. At $140/night including the ++, they were bargains.
Very nice hotel, I like the room and comfortable chair : ) Agree with the location of the sink that is just not practical.
Thanks for watching 🩴
You should review the BKK Peninsula... It's sublime.
It’s in my list! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
You just saved me money for my next trip. I think there are better choices for the same price range.
Agreed! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I’m in BKK now as well
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Yamazato is awesome quality and taste
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
waiting to visit Athnee hotel Bangkok
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Thank you
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
100% , at this price point I would expect the room to be immaculate. Otherwise the hotel looks great. Think I’ll keep my options open for now and look at some other properties before confirming a booking. Including those two over the road. Excellent review as always.
In the same(ish) price range the Kimpton is the easy winner for me. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
What a pity about the room….I generally love the style, quality and vibe of everything Japanese. Looking much forward to a review of a Rosewood hotel. It is very high on my list to book for one of my future travels. Just curious whether it lives up to the hype. Thank you for the review!
Waiting for Bangkok prices to cool off a bit- they’re peaking in ways I never imagined right now. When the MO and Capella in Bangkok are nearly as expensive as Raffles Singapore, something’s wrong 😅 Thanks as always for the support 🙏🏻
@@tfft 😳
My thoughts exactly lol
The hotel public spaces looked amazing.
The room, less so. Ants in the sugar bowl 🤔 TBH, that would be enough to turn me off from the hotel, for good.
Although some of the room issues were more about maintenance, the dirt made no sense.
Cheers!
Agree! Can’t wait to visit the Okura in Tokyo and hopefully have a very different in room experience. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Nothing in life compares to The Marina Sands Singapore. The hotel cost over 7 billion to construct.......$7,000,000,000.
I don't think anyone was trying to compare this to MBS lol
Was thinking about booking a room during my stay in march but now I’m in doubts 😅 anyway still want to try it only for the stunning swimming pool 😂 who cares bout the room
I do lol. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Going to BKK in august with my s/o for 4 days and was thinking of The Okura. What would you recommend Otherwise within The same Price category?
That's an easy one, the Kimpton Maa-Lai ua-cam.com/video/OdKUk53KwXo/v-deo.html or if you're willing to splash out a bit more, the Rosewood perhaps. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
@@tfft Awesome thanks for the suggestion, will definitely look into it. Great videos btw, very extensive and well put together :)
I used to patronize the Okura very often, like 10 years ago. It was always fantastic, but a not very satisfactory stay a few years ago made us move to Siam Kempinski, where the rooms may not be much better, but the whole experience definitely was. However, I used to love their breakfast and I still believe their pool is one of the best in Bangkok. Oh, I reckon my room was always of a higher category than yours, probably affecting as well the experience.
You should check out the Sindhorn Kempinski which I think has nicer rooms than the Siam. Thanks for watching & Happy New Year 🎉
@@tfft I saw the hotel being built as we often stayed in an apartment nearby. The problem is the resort is more adult oriented, which is not (yet) our way.
Siam is more like a mini resort , best for families. For couples its definitely the sindhorn
Nice hotel, shame about the room 😬. Do you ever contact the hotel directly to tell them about your experience, good or bad? Just curious.
Every time your camera lingers over an extensive breakfast buffet, I find myself hoping it will find a corned-beef hash - but it never does. I like Asian food but can't bear the thought of it for breakfast.
Nice review.
I love corned beef hash, but I wouldn’t depress myself getting it in a buffet, I need lots and lots of crispy bits haha. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
What is your favourite hotel in Bangkok, and Thailand?
Impossibly to answer such a general question for me. Need to know specifics about the trip and expectations. Happy to discuss in detail on Patreon.
Same opinion about the room
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
The room looks tiny in comparison to other BBK rooms.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I stayed there 2 years ago and found all the defected the same .
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
you should be hired as a stealth grader for management
Haha perhaps I’m building my resume now 😅 Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
room looks fine..maybe this time no upgrade..thats why its bad..?
Not sure what upgrade you’re speaking about. If the room is fine for you then be my guest, but I could name a dozen or two hotels off the top of my head that are in the same price range and don’t have so many wear and tear issues in the room. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
more like 70 than 82
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I may tolerate a pair of ants because it’s a tropical city,but the dirt, and that tea cointainer… nothing “prestige” about it…
A pair of ants at a beach side villa I would never even make a note about, but in a high rise, if there's 2, it means there's a whole bunch more in the shadows and there's a reason why. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻