Hotel Review: Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park

While backpacking through Southeast Asia, I plan to mix up the accommodations and spend my nights between luxury brand named hotels, bungalows, hostels, family owned bed and breakfasts and maybe couch surf here and there. I know, I know it’s not very backpacker like, but one of the cheapest ways we travel is by taking advantage of free nights booked through free airline miles and hotel points from credit card sign-up bonuses.

A few weeks ago, the new IHG PointsBreak list came out, which is a promotional list of IHG hotels around the world offering nightly award rates of 5,000 points per night. Luckily for us, the Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park made the list so as soon as the list went live we booked 5 nights for 25,000 points. That comes out to about $35 a night when you can buy IHG points for 0.7 cents each using the Cash & Points trick, which is such a steal considering our standard room is usually 25,000 points per night or $150 per night.

Upon check-in we were actually upgraded to a Club Level room on the 31st floor. With the room we had club access and breakfast every morning. This room normally runs around $240 per night and for $35 per night, it’s a steal.

AND now, a detailed review of my stay at the Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park:

Location

The Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini is located right in the middle of one of the most active areas of Bangkok. It’s a few steps from the Sky Tram and across the street from Lumpini Park, which is a massive green space including a pond, running trails, a concert space, cafes and sculptures. A few blocks back is the Night Market and the infamous “pink-light” district and a shopping mall with popular name brand stores.

The Hotel

The Crowne Plaza main lobby is on the 23rd floor, the same floor as hotel’s Panorama restaurant. Immediately you get into an elegant Thai vibe with intricate designs and moldings along the walls, the ceilings and furniture. The floor is slightly dimmed so it feels more personal, rather than walking into a hotel lobby with blinding florescent lighting.

The Room

We were upgraded to a King Club Level Room on the 31st floor which offers a panoramic view of Bangkok, quite the site day or night. Overall, the room is spacious and airy with a king-sized bed, a couch desk and flat screen TV and still open space which makes it impossible for the room to feel stuffy or crowded. The decor is not fancy by any means if anything underwhelming as it is simple with earthy hues very much the opposite ambiance of that in the lobby and restaurant area.

Between the bathroom and the bed, there is a closet that is made to work as a divider. It makes the room feel more like a one-bedroom suites rather than a studio. There is also a mini bar with various bottles of whiskey and cognac as well as teas and coffee.

One thing to note about the king size bed is that it’s a bit short. I am 5’4″ and my toes touch the edge of the bed! With that said, it probably is why the room feels so spacious.

All of the outlets in the suite include a standard American outlets but they accommodate the round European prongs as well which is moreso the standard in Thailand.

One feature that came in handy is that the the closet also serves as a divider between the room and the bathroom, with the closet door facing the bathroom. The created a a mini dresser along the wall so it’s a great place to store my luggage. I rarely use the closets in hotels becomes I’m sure I will leave things behind if I do, so the dresser is a convenient place for me to have easy access to my things, but also keep the suite looking tidy.

The bathroom is a long rectangle which gives it a less boxy feel and not as cluttered. The amenities included are two sinks, a rain shower and separate bathtub. The toilet is a high-tech gadget with a lot of buttons I couldn’t figure out how to function. Fret not, there is an uncomplicated, standard flush option.

Bangkok is a busy and bustling city so I love that whenever I look out my window I get a prime view of the city. Since all of the rooms in the hotel begin on the 24th floor, you’re guaranteed a great view of the city.

Dining

The dining options in the Crowne Plaza are pretty solid and served at the Panorama Restaurant on the 23rd floor, though we only had breakfast there so I can’t speak for lunch and dinner. However, based on the options and service for breakfast, I could predict that lunch and dinner are just as good.

Breakfast is served buffet style with options like eggs, waffles, pancakes, cereal, yogurt, eggs, fresh local fruit, cold cuts, croissant, muffins and if you want an Asian style breakfast there is the option of of pad Thai, fish, fried rice, miso soup, a pork soup, curry and sugar snap peas.

Swimming Pool and Gym

The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool on the 24th floor which has three areas: a standard 4′ deep pool, a jacuzzi and another small pool with a waterfall. I wouldn’t say that it’s very kid-friendly because it seems like a place for adults to go and relax, but because it’s so hot and humid here I wouldn’t imagine a lot of adults retreating to the pool to “cool off.”

There is a also a gym leading into the pool area set up with treadmills and bikes, as well as a few circuit machines. If you usually go for a run in the mornings, but can’t take the humidity, the gym is a good place to get your work out done since it’s an air conditioned room with new equipment.

Crowne Plaza Club Lounge

If you do have access to the Club Lounge, which is basically a place to kick back and eat and drink, the one at the Crowne Plaza is excellent. Free beverages until 11 p.m., coffee, lattes, tea, cookies, pastries, water, soda, fruit, a mac computer and printer as well as free alcoholic beverages and canapes from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. If you rather have breakfast here than in the restaurant, that is also an option until 10 a.m.

My Recap

Overall, I had a great stay at the Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park. The location of the hotel is convenient as since it’s in walking distance to much of the night life and popular restaurants in Bangkok. Lumpini Park is across the street so if you want to throw in a work out early morning and do some Thai Chi with the locals or go for a jog, you don’t have to go far.

The Sky Train is literally steps away from the hotel so if you want to go somewhere outside of Lumpini Park like experience shopping in the Chatuchak markets then just hop on the Sky Train. In addition to the convenience of the hotel’s location, the staff at the Crowne Plaza have been extremely kind and helpful with anything I needed. Would I stay here again? Yes, of course. It’s a wonderful property that offered a great experience.

 

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