Suite Staycation: A ‘Quirky Retreat’ at Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road

Every Bangkokian knows that life in our crazy, fast-paced city wouldn’t be possible without a break every now and then. That’s why we’re bringing you our new “Suite Staycation” column, a sneak peek into some of the finest or coolest hotel suites in Bangkok and beyond. This time round, we checked in to Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road.

If you think of all the roads in Bangkok, one that always stands out as being one of the prettiest is Wireless Road, a boulevard lined with tall green trees and home to some of  Bangkok’s sexiest properties and wealthiest too. Some have gone as far as saying it has a Madison Avenue air to it – well, we wouldn’t stretch it that far but we do get why they said it. Wireless Road was christened as such as it was home to Thailand’s first ever radio station. The area is also a great part of town to be in if your usual abode isn’t there, as it sits in a friendly neighbourhood area at the heart of Bangkok’s CBD that means your just a quick ride or walk away from all the city has to offer in terms of nightlife, restaurants and shopping. 

Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless has been open for four years now, so it isn’t the new kid on the block. But, it is doing a lot of new things to capture the hearts and imaginations of today’s busy bee, inspiring a stay that will stop your mind from running at a hundred miles per hour, and start appreciating life’s luxuries and quirks a little bit more. There’s something different and eccentric about the design-led hotel – obviously inspired by Thailand’s first radio station as well as some pretty groovy pop art – that makes it the perfect place to consider if you’re looking for a sweet staycation and some breathing space from your usual routine. Read on to see why we enjoyed our stay at Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road.

The Suite

The make or break of any staycation is obviously the room you stay in. Let’s be honest, that’s where you’ll be spending most of your time, either living it up in the bathtub, ordering room service like a Queen or binge-watching the latest movies you missed while you were too busy working. We entered our suite at around 6pm – the Royal Ratchapruek Suite – and were greeted with gold walls peppered with colourful and locally inspired pieces of art and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the distant warm lights of Bangkok traffic – this was the first time perhaps that Bangkok traffic looked mildly attractive. 

With quaint charms, a plush mahogany chesterfield and vibrantly coloured armchairs, a sophisticated writing table to send off last-minute-emails – and maybe even write a handwritten letter? – an artsy and out-of-the-ordinary bed surrounded by works of art and artistic flourishes in every corner, it felt like we were in a Gianni-Versace-inspired boudoir, which definitely beats your usual humdrum hotel stay. This may have been because we had most recently watched The Assassination of Gianni Versace on netflix, but the interior design of the suite was, quite literally, a work of art. Those looking for a more visually subdued stay, perhaps a stay in one of the hotel’s other suites would be more suited to you.

With a spa-inspired bathroom featuring beautiful mirrors, two bathtubs – one more separate and private – plush bedding, dining space and a balcony overlooking the greenery of Lumphini park and the American Embassy, our suite provided the perfect sanctuary to escape from it all.  

The Refreshments

Although in-room dining was one of the highlight of our stays, it must be said that Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road is the perfect place for a food-infused staycation. Yes, you will have to leave your suite, but no, you won’t have to leave the building. Our favourite place to start off in the morning was at Metro on Wireless, providing an international and Thai a la carte and continental breakfast that ensured we began the day right, with enough energy for all the sleeping we intended to do. With the gift of a breezy Bangkok morning, it was the perfect chance to sit outside on the balcony overlooking a leafy green Wireless Road. Any hotter and it may not have worked out, but the temperatures proved that Bangkok’s scorching heat does subside every so often.

The second and last evening of our stay was spent at CHAR Bangkok. We started off with cocktails at the rooftop bar overlooking a magnificent and glimmering Bangkok skyline. We were enjoying a particular Old Fashioned far too much, not just because it arrived in a creative swirl of smoke under a glass bell jar, but because it was a refreshing reminder of how anything truly good will stand the test of time. The Old Fashioned is forever a darn good drink. Again, temperatures were perfect.

We then went down to the grill restaurant on the floor below to be greeted with the culinary finesse of Hawaiian Chef Nikolas Ramirez, or as we like to call him, Chef Nik, who works best around the concept of a ‘Surprise Menu’, something he can offer to all guests of the restaurant. With this Surprise Menu, a 9-course-meal is served for THB 3,000++ per person, and of course, no 9-course-menu is ever the same. You tell Chef Nik what your food preferences and allergies are, if you have them, and he will create something incredibly magical, using the experiences he gained working in California, before training at Gaggan, moving onto  the Dusit Thani Hotel, and cookings for monks in kitchens overlooking the mountain ranges of Japan. Although no surprise menu is the same, just to give you an idea of Chef Nik’s capabilities, we enjoyed dishes such as potato tarte with Norwegian salmon, delectable chicken tacos as an amuse bouche between meals – we could have had many more of these – and Lobster from Maine with truffle honey. Paired with the chef’s personal taste of wine, this was a meal we will never forget.

The Perks

One of the main perks of Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road is its location, which makes it a perfect base for exploration. Just a few minutes walk from Ploenchit BTS, you can enjoy shopping sprees at the notorious Rajaprasong District or live like a true tourist and explore the historic Rattanakosin island, get on a longtail boat expedition along the Chao Phraya or more simply, go for a nice walk in the green shade of Lumphini park. We guarantee, there’s no place in central Bangkok these days where you’ll get more fresh air.

The hotel’s infinity pool on the 25th pool is not only a great place to unwind and soak in the views, but with unicorn pool floats available, it’s the perfect place for some awesome instagram photos. Be warned, it does get a bit crowded during the weekends, which was unfortunate, as we did want the pool and the unicorn to ourselves! But, that’s life. The state-of-the-art gym has everything you need for a good cardio or weights-focused workout and again, the view makes the time spent in the gym so much more riveting. Our gym session was a full 30 minutes longer than usual, so 30 minutes in total.

With spa-inspired bathrooms – featuring a shower area that looks more like a steam room than just any normal rainfall shower, as well as Panpuri spa products to use – we can understand why the hotel doesn’t have it’s own dedicated spa. In-room pampering has never been so fun, however, we would say that if the hotel actually had a spa, this may be the thing to give it an extra star.

Verdict

Although Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road may not be the most luxe hotel you’ll find in Bangkok, we say it’s definitely getting closer to being such. This is the type of hotel we’d recommend to, not only Bangkokians looking for a sweet staycation, but friends and families visiting Bangkok for the first time, or on the regular. Its location, eccentric interior design and creative take on food and current fashions paves the way for a staycation (or vacation) you won’t forget.

Prices for rooms start at THB 5,500++ to THB 8,500++ per night and the Royal Ratchapruek Suite starts at THB 20,000++ per night. For more information, please visit bangkok.hotelindigo.com.