Dateline: Bangkok, June 12, 2007
A four-minute read

A few weeks back, Patrick Ghielmetti, the General Manager, and head of the 4 Four Seasons hotels and resorts in Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, and the Tented Camp in the Golden Triangle), invited Tan and me to spend the night to celebrate Tan's birthday and to check out the recently refurbished and redecorated Four Seasons Bangkok.

I’ve been staying at the Four Seasons Bangkok since it was still-born as The Peninsula, was rechristened and flourished as The Regent, and more recently, morphed into the Four Seasons Bangkok. Go through the index to read my previous reports.

Now I live directly behind the hotel, and as soon as I see a vacant sun bed at the pool, I’m there in 4 minutes.

This is the view from the balcony of my library...

I have always loved this hotel. It is low-key and dignified, and sensitive to Asian cultures. As such, it is the hotel of choice for the chairmen and CEOs of the worlds’ top companies, old-money travelers, and Thai socialites.

A position at the Four Seasons Bangkok has been the reward of many exceedingly talented and dedicated managers, and I have had the honor of knowing many of them. While it is the style of the Four Seasons world wide to operate as swans...appearing to glide effortlessly across the pond, I’d like to introduce you to some of the current managers whose feet, underwater, are actually paddling like hell:

The hotel has several fine restaurants, many private meeting rooms, dedicated Room Service, a huge banquette demand, and an outside catering business. It excels in all, thanks to Mr. Malcolm Omond, the Food & Beverage Manager.

The food in Spice Market, managed by Khun Surang Talabnak, is considered by many to be the best Thai food this side of New York. My favorite dish anywhere is its braised lamb in red curry. The American Ambassador often hosts “visiting firemen” here...

Spice Market

Biscotti, under the management of Mr. Gianni Costa, with innovative cuisine by Chef Danilo Aiassa, is one of the top six Italian restaurants in town, and is usually filled with rich, young Thais...

Biscotti

Madison is the most soignée steak house in Bangkok. The manager, Mr. Reza Jafari, is equally soigné, and the brilliance of Chef Anchalee Ponrungsit always ensures your dinner will be memorable...

Madison

The main lounge with its soaring, hand painted ceiling is quiet and sophisticated. Each member of the staff is more gracious than the next, whether serving high tea accompanied by a white-tie, string quartet on the minstrel’s gallery, or after-dinner cordials to the swing of an international saloon singer...

Lobby Lounge

Mrs. Titiya Chooto, the hotel manager, seems to be everywhere at once, and the whole place runs like a Swiss watch. We were amazed that everyone everywhere knew it was Tan’s birthday...very touching indeed.

As for the refurbishments, the new hallway carpeting and gilded wood panels are wonderful improvements.

Here is our (“Premier”) bedroom with a totally new look...

The view

Details:

Softly textured carpeting sculpted in waves
Mahogany wood work
Coffered ceiling
All lamps on dimmers
Partners' desk
Cream-colored, silk draperies
Smoky-colored, ray-skin textured wallpaper.
Sliding “bread-board” shelf in bedside tables...

Room Service doesn’t have to move the telephone, or lamp, or Bose radio/CD player to make room for a coffee cup, or a nightcap, or...the chocolates.

And the hand-painted headboard recess...

“Bear” has been traveling with me for 20 years.

On the desk was an invitation to The Executive Club with our names printed on it — a thoughtful touch, as was the recorded message on the phone from Akira of The Executive Club urging us to come for a (free) drink. When we met her later, I awarded her one of Four Seasons Singapore’s “Praise Dollars”...she was genuinely thrilled! (Breakfast here the next morning was also “knock-out!”)

The Executive Club

Examples of other refurbished rooms...

A Deluxe bedroom

The sitting room of one of the newly refurbished suites

The bedroom of one of the new suites; the red building out the window is where I live.

The bathroom of one of the new suites

Finally, I’d like to tip my hat to Khun Nimit Maneekit. He was manning the Concierge Desk on my first visit more than 20 years ago, and this afternoon, wai'ed "hello again" with his charming, welcoming smile. His loyalty and professionalism says it all. This is a very special place.

The view from my bedroom at home: looking over the Four Seasons, the Royal Bangkok Sporting Club and Golf Course, and on to The River of Kings beyond.

Next time you’re heading for Bangkok, do yourself a favor and let all the wonderful folks at the Four Seasons give you the coddling you deserve. You'll be swanning in luxury!

All the best,

Uncle Ted

Four Seasons Bangkok website

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