Terrible Name; Terrific Hotel

There can be few more appalling names for a luxury hotel than the Pullman Bangkok King Power. But while it sounds like dodgy massage parlour meets duty free emporium, it is actually one of the better situated hostelries in the Thai capital with welcoming staff and affordable rooms. Just around the corner from Victory Monument, it is big but with excellent facilities and a huge range of places to eat and drink.

Stylishly decorated and with free Tuk-Tuk transportation to the nearby Skytrain station, the Pullman is an ideal base for exploring Bangkok and its many markets and temples. 

There are 386 rooms, distinctively Asian and very stylish, and the complex is adjacent to the massive King Power duty free shopping mall (hence the absurd name). But despite its central position the hotel is something of a pleasant refuge in a frenetic city.

Of the several restaurants, my favourite is the cosy Wine Pub (below) , where the list ranges from local wines to more familiar names like Howard Park, Felton Road, Zind Humbrecht and Fairview from South Africa. All wines are sold at virtually cost price – a bonus in a country where the taxes on wine are high – and there are some enticing tapas dishes on offer.

Urban and contemporary Asian in design, the King Power has six dining venues in all. Also recommended are Chaan for authentic Thai cuisine and Deja Vu for traditional French cooking. 

The rooms are spacious and feature marbled bathrooms with separate bath and a shower room with a rain shower head. All are fully IT-equipped (with free wifi), and include a movable workstation and flat-screen TV, and room service is available 24 hours at day. There’s a swimming pool and an excellent on site spa offering a range of treatments.  

Bargains like a current offer on the hotel website with a double room for $95 per night plus taxes leave more money to spend on food – and Bangkok is one of the world’s great culinary destinations.

From street food costing a couple of dollars served from makeshift stalls on wheels to some of the most sophisticated eateries in Asia the simple rule is to eat at the places that are the busiest. No matter their budget, Thais tend to know their food.

Pullman Bangkok King Power, 8 Rangnam Road, Bangkok. +66 2680 9999. For information and bookings see www.pullmanbangkokkingpower.com/