Mandarin Oriental
Bangkok, Thailand
Ever seen The King and I? Well let's just say that at this hotel, you're the king! An amazing property on the banks of the Chao Praya River, the Oriental offers shopping, entertainment, restaurants, swimming pools, and you haven't even left the hotel yet! It boasts some of the best service in Asia and it does treat guests like Royalty. Sometimes I find it slightly pandering and parts of the hotel are showing their age, but overall this hotel is an experience in itself.
It's the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. It's on many a bucket list!
No one said completing your bucket list would be cheap!
We know that the Mandarin Oriental is renowned for its good service, but we found out that they also serve the local community and best of all, they get their team involved. Almost all the community projects that the Mandarin Oriental supported were done on a team basis – company-wide blood drive, led by the hotel manager; a community service outing where they used donations from the hotel and the hotel staff helped renovate a school building; an apprenticeship program that helps local students and involves staff trainers.
I like that the giving from the Oriental is a team affair and gets everyone involved and excited. It's good to know that their reputation for good service goes beyond their own front door!
Reviewed by: Andrea Ross
2009