Colonial-era class with a touch of Art Deco decadence
Situated right at the top end of Thong Lor’s Sukhumvit Soi 55 (at Petchaburi Road), the location alone makes the recently opened 116 room Metropole a perfect city accommodation option. It’s one of four properties bracketed under The Crest Collection label, and the rooms here range in size from the 27 sq.m Studio to the 67 sq.m One-bedroom Premier. All the rooms and suites are outfitted with luxurious amenities, including washing machine and fullyequipped kitchen—great for long stay guests—as well as plush bedding and a range of hi-tech gadgetry, such as touch control lights, free Wi-Fi, toilets with heated seat and bidet functions, and flatscreen TVs. The neutral tone décor, creams and whites offset by dark wood accents, lends the rooms a sophisticated and decidedly masculine feel, while the vintage B&W photos of Bangkok (which decorate the halls and stairways as well) add the all-important Thai touch.
The dark wood furnishings and old-world stylings are carried on The Metropole Colonial-era class with a touch of Art Deco decadence throughout the rest of the hotel, with some lovely Art Deco touches evident in the geometric patterns of the floor tiles and the clean lines of the woodwork. Add to this an elegant colonial-era grandeur, most obvious in the plush leather couches, grand bookshelves, and antique knick-knacks that populate the lobby lounge and adjoining bar area, and the atmosphere conjured up makes one feel like it’s 1910 all over again.
Of course, modern amenities are also evident here, including a compact gym and workout room, and a narrow but deep swimming pool—both located at the south end of the hotel. There is also a sauna and cold water onsen bath for guests, but these two luxuries are only found in the gentlemen’s shower and locker room area (sorry ladies!).
Fans of Bangkok’s vibrant nightlife scene will appreciate that the hotel is within strolling distance of some of Thong Lor’s most celebrated nightlife enclaves, including 72 Courtyard and The Commons. However, dinner property profile and drinks can also be had at Chow, the independently run restaurant that occupies a portion of the hotel’s ground floor, and also serves as the hotel breakfast area. The lunch and dinner menus here offer inventive Asian-fusion fare—perhaps best described as ‘Hipster Chinese’—such as pastrami eggrolls, softshell crab fried rice, potstickers (oversized gyozas), and classic Lo Mein noodles. The bar also whips up some creative cocktails, of which the Straight From The Hive—a mix of bourbon, Drambuie, lime juice, passion fruit juice, honey, and cinnamon—is a definite must-try.
NOTE: The hotel is also home to Prim Nurture Retreat, an independently run on-site spa.
The Metropole
2802 New Petchaburi Rd.
Tel: 02 314 8555 | www.the-ascott.com, www.hivesters.com
