Detailed Review
The Metropolitan Bangkok is located in the heart of the city – in the Central Business District, minutes from Bangkok’s major shopping areas and buzzing nightlife. The hotel has 171 rooms, including four penthouse suites and a two-bedroom presidential fiefdom. All rooms feature a sleek, contemporary aesthetic created by Kathryn Kng, Singapore’s most innovative interior architect. Luxury details range from mosaic and limestone bathrooms, to private terraces (select suites only), to Thai silk cushions and curtains, and COMO Shambhala bathroom amenities. Floor-to-ceiling windows are another conspicuous feature. But it is not just design that has secured the Metropolitan Bangkok’s iconic status. The second-to-none service is energetic, with consistent attention to detail. Cuisine also is a key element of the hotel experience. At the headline restaurant Cy’an’ Executive Chef Amanda Gale serves fresh Mediterranean cuisine whilst Glow’ focuses on organic, healthful food. There is also a Met Bar – a chic bar, open to members and hotel guests. It is a dynamic, private place to party, where mixologists create specialist Martinis. To provide a counterpoint to this urban energy, Metropolitan Bangkok has a substantial COMO Shambhala Urban Escape designed for guests seeking greater health through yoga and related treatments. There is a yoga studio, fully equipped gym, hydro pool and a 20-metre outdoor pool.
Press Quotes
"Part of the boutique hotel empire of Christina Ong, is an oasis of urban chic in the busy Silom neighborhood. The sleekly elegant Cy’an restaurant (with several tables overlooking the hotel’s inviting pool) is a popular hangout for the young and the gorgeous." New York Times 08
Independent Reviews
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"A clean-lined designer hotel with Zen-like charms, the Metropolitan is an ultra-hip refuge from the heat and hustle of Bangkok."
The Metropolitan
By Terry Blackburn
Once a YWCA, The Metropolitan instantly entered Bangkok’s premier league of style hotels when it opened in 2004. It’s also one of the few hotels to successfully pull off the ‘Asian minimalism’ style that’s now de rigueur from Hong Kong to London. The staff wear Yohji Yamamoto, the business centre is full of Imac’s and white is the colour. The cavernous lobby is not somewhere to linger, but that’s unlikely to be a problem, as you won’t want to leave your room much. The rooms betray their YWCA origins insofar as they’re about twice the size of an average hotel room. Unlike in their previous life though, they now boast CD players, broadband connectivity and individual yoga mats for early morning sun salutations. Beautiful teak beds and selective use of Thai silk add warmth and style.
Signature restaurant C’yan joins the fusion wave that is sweeping the city at the moment, but pulls it off more successfully than most. Created by Australian chef Amanda Gale, the seafood-heavy menu has strong Mediterranean and Moorish influences, which blend perfectly and playfully with Asian flavours.
As in London, a stay in the hotel will guarantee you the privilege of buying a few expensive cocktails at The Met bar. In common with its British counterpart the Met attracts a crowd of the idle rich, C to A list celebs, bemused tourists alongside young expat and Thai media types. Despite its members only policy (highly unusual in Bangkok) the bar manages to avoid being overwhelmed by pretension and once you’re in the door, the friendly staff will offer faultless service irrespective of whether you released a new album last week. The design is faultless: several comfy sofas line the back wall, the bar is long with plenty of seating and there’s a minuscule dance floor tucked away at one end of the room. The cocktails aren’t amazing, but in a city that’s not renowned for its mixologists, they’re a cut above average. Its big selling point over many similar bars in the city, is that the music, although frequently provided by visiting international DJ’s, is played at a controlled volume, so unless you’re on the dance floor, it’s possible to hold a conversation.
The one potential downside is the location: Sathorn Road is in the heart of Bangkok’s business district, which is obviously fine if that’s what you’re in town for. If not though, the lack of a skytrain or underground station within walking distance can necessitate some pretty slow taxi rides, especially around rush hour.
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