The Okura Prestige Bangkok

Style and Character

The Okura is sumptuous and grand though perhaps a little bit too austere for fun-seeking holiday makers and offers Japanese sophistication and plenty of calm. The high-ceilinged lobby on the 24th floor is spacious, bright and near silent, inducing a feeling of remoteness reinforced by the fact that the entire hotel is located between the 23rd and the 34th floor of a tower block, well removed from the bustle below.

Service and Facilities

Friendly, well-trained, English-speaking staff are always on hand. The waiters in the main restaurant go out of their way to make sure guests are well looked after. The infinity salt water pool offers vertigo-inducing views while the spa offers various massage treatments, some using Japanese techniques, such as the Take relief massage, which includes the use of a bamboo stick rolled across the skin following a Swedish-style oil massage. The gym offers regular simple stretching and exercise sessions.

Rooms

Standard rooms are large and render fantastic views and a serene Far Eastern ambiance. The simple décor, all sombre browns and white tones, is complemented by state-of-the-art amenities including complimentary video on demand and an online press reader. The marble bathrooms come with tubs as well as rain showers, a fully automated loo and Japanese pyjamas. Guests who book Club rooms can avail themselves to some free laundry, an alcohol-free minibar and complimentary cocktails and snacks in the early evenings.

Food and Drink

The Okura has three restaurants. Up and Above offers great views along with international breakfast and buffet lunches as well as à la carte dinners. The dinner buffet on Saturdays focuses on seafood, as does the Sunday brunch and there are always Japanese dishes available. The best place for a pre-dinner cocktail is the Up and Above bar where guests can enjoy a couple of sets from a jazz trio on weekend nights.

Sakura Blossom Afternoon Tea comes with Japanese snacks, and sake if so desired. Yamazato offers great Japanese dining, based on the centuries-old traditional Kaiseki Ryori (Japanese haute cuisine). Sushi, sashimi and several set menus of meat selections are complemented by two teppanyaki tables. The hotel's flagship eatery, Michelin-starred Elements serves eclectic French cuisine with a Japanese twist and has a great wine list.

Breakfast is an elaborate affair with fresh juices, cheeses and yogurts, breads and pastry and a wide selection of à la carte items. Asian breakfast options are also notable, especially the selection of dim sum.

Value for Money

Double rooms from 10,711 Thai Baht (£244) in low season; and from 10,711 Thai Baht (£244) in high. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.

Family-Friendly?

Some rooms have interconnecting doors; extra beds and cots can be provided; young guests receive a special amenities set and there's a babysitting service. The restaurants have children's menus.

Location

The property is just a stone's throw from the thriving downtown Sukhumvit Road area, and a mere few steps from the Ploenchit BTS sky train station and countless shopping and dining opportunities. It's a quick 30-minute taxi ride to the Royal Palace and surrounding historical sites.