Singapore has the legendary Raffles Hotel and Bangkok has the Mandarin Oriental. (Wish we had the same kind of old world elegance in Manila, but we don’t.) Just take a look at the awards won by the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok in 2012:
DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2012:
Best Hotel in Bangkok
The Gallivanter’s Guide 2012
3rd Best City Hotel Worldwide
2nd Best City Hotel in Southeast Asia
Editor’s Choice Award for O-Zone: Commitment to Staff
Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2012
Best for Food
Best for Service
I was lucky to be a guest of Louis Vuitton in one of the world’s best hotels.
Right in front of the entrance is a little Louis Vuitton shop.
Grand flower arrangements will greet you at the lobby
Everyday there are bodyguards all around as royalty goes in and out of the hotel. It’s my first time to encounter many sheiks in white robes. This hotel seriously reeks of wealth. I feel like a peasant in CDG.
They handed me this fragrant sampaguita thingy upon arrival. I super love sampaguita.
After checking in, we were led to the old wing of the hotel, down this hallway and all the way to the end
So excited to go up this loft
The door opens to a living room and study
And this old TV with a wonky remote control that needs updating 
They bring up our bags
I check out the bathroom. It needs updating too, and certain corners need to be seriously cleaned. But for four nights, I can take it.
I just have to close my eyes or look away when showering and try not to see the black mildew formed at the bottom of the glass enclosure
The toilet is really clean
and the amenities really classy
The airconditioner needs to be checked as its temperature was inconsistent—cold in the living room and hot in the loft bedroom. Maybe the beds need lighter sheets?
The best thing about this place is really the room service. Because I don’t eat on the plane, I was starving by the time we checked in. I was excited to eat because I know that my favorite Thai chef in the world, Chef Sumet Sumpachanyanont, is based here.
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s Thai master chef and TV culinary show host Sumet Sumpachanyanont was a guest chef at the Mandarin Oriental Manila earlier this year
Room service was quick and served in a breakfast nook facing the poolside
Jeroen and I shared the Thai pomelo salad with chicken, shrimp, crisp-fried shallots and herbs
The grilled beef sirloin salad with onions, tomatoes, celery, chillies, lime juice was our favorite. Ate this everyday with Hom Mali rice
The mango sticky rice at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is the best in the world. Ate this twice a day and gained 2 lbs.
Overall we had the best time and will be back with the kids. More on Bangkok in a few.
