Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 4

I stayed in this hotel during my Ayutthaya day trip tour with Take Me Tours. Novotel 4 is placed within an incredibly convenient location in downtown Bangkok given that it is nestled within the bustling business and entertainment center of the city, with malls, shops, great food and nightlife all available at a mere arm’s reach. Despite being a quite recently built hotel, just having opened its doors in October 2018, it shows lots of promise which is no surprise given that Novotel has many other hotel branches in multiple Thailand cities, all having stellar reviews worthy of their “4-star” hotel rating.

In addition, the hotel seems to have it all – it has a fitness centre, a beautiful pool with a view, well-furnished rooms with complete amenities, and an up-and-coming rooftop bar with international selections.

This was actually my 3rd trip to Bangkok this year. The first one was for my birthday trip, when we went to visit the west Thailand town of Kanchanaburi. The second was with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, where we explored many of the attractions which are recommended for first timers, new tourists, and families to visit when they arrive in the capital city.This time, however, we flew to Bangkok in order to celebrate Tina’s birthday since she hasn’t been to the city in so long.

We flew via the Air Asia airline and found out that our arrival time was actually quite early – earlier than the typical check-in time of the hotel which is at 2PM. So, the day before I decided to write an email and had asked the hotel if it was possible that we could do an early check in so we didn’t have to wait too long in order to get settled in. I immediately got a reply after sending it, so it was nice to confirm that the hotel had already been expecting us, and has such great and speedy customer service.

 

The Location

 

Again, the convenience that Novotel gives makes it quite a valued location. It’s just a 5-minute walk away from the Nana and Ploenchit BTS stations, but if you don’t want to walk, then they also have a free shuttle service to take you there – just ask the receptionist for a booking, the shuttle boards every 15 minutes.

Want easy access to the airport? No worries, Novotel is close to the expressway, accessible to both the Don Mueang International Airport and Suvarnabhumi International Airport so you don’t need to worry.

There are lots of restaurants and convenience stores littered around if you don’t want to go too far for your Thai food fix, or if you’re maybe having late night cravings. It’s also 4km away from the Lumphini Park and 3 km from Pratunam Market – great strolling and shopping areas. MBK, Siam Paragon, The EmQuartier and Terminal 21 are some malls very accessible to the hotel.

 

The Check-In

 

When we arrived at Novotel, Tina and I were immediately and warmly welcomed without any problems or hassle experiences. The staff were so courteous and they made sure to comprehensively explain to us all of the rules we needed to follow – particularly, no smoking and no durians – which made sense given the fruit has a tendency to leave a long and lingering scent, which is hard to remove. Tina loves durians but no worries, because she doesn’t like bringing them into the room either way. Our key cards were given to us in a flash, and we were able to head up to our rooms to get settled and ready to explore the hotel amenities.

The lobby was also very sleek and professional, walking in you definitely feel as if you’re about to stay in a high-end and professional hotel.

The Room

 

The rooms at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit are quite versatile – they have rooms good for singles and even families. There are a total of 185 different rooms with are all blessed with great views! – which is surprising given that a good amount of hotels at the same price point don’t have all of their rooms featuring skyline views of the city.

Our room was spacious and was well-lit, especially in the mornings because the windows were very big, bringing in some natural light coming from the outside – great for those who plan to get some work done in their hotel rooms. The view is also stunning, offering views of the Bangkok skyline which look terrific especially at night when all of the city lights are on. The room is fully air-conditioned. As for the amenities, the room included a big bed, bedside table, lounging couch, large flat-screen television (a Smart TV!), work desk, luggage rack, refrigerator, ironing board, safety deposit box, and a minibar complete with tea and coffee-making essentials – even a Nespresso coffee machine. If you’re travelling with young children, they also have a baby bed available for your convenience. They have pretty art placed on the walls as well as some houseplants to liven up the atmosphere inside.

 

It really is a room business travelers will love. Aside from the terrific lighting that won’t strain your eyes like artificial and too-bright lighting will, the work desk already has a lamp and electrical socket for a productive session. There is free WiFi available in your room as well.

 

The toilet and bath area is clean, sleek, and modernly-designed. It comes with complete toiletries (toothbrushes, soap, face wash, body lotion, even a comb and sewing kit!), a bidet, hair dryer, and a shower with both hot and cold water. Given the completeness when it comes to bathroom essentials, you likely won’t even need to stop at one of the city’s beauty stores to get the skincare products you need.

 

The Breakfast Buffet

 

Their breakfast buffet, which is served at their in-house restaurant called the Food Exchange, opens at 6AM which really is just the perfect time, considering that our Take Me Tour was to begin at 8 in the morning. Plus, it makes it easy for guests to fill up early in the morning and then make the most out of the remainder of their day just exploring and enjoying Thailand.

The dining area is very spacious and cozy, making breakfast time relaxed and luxurious – a great place for a nice and slow morning paired with their selection of beverages – coffee, juice, and tea. They serve up a variety of international and Asian dishes ranging from your typical sausage, bacon, and eggs to more elaborate choices like salads and fancy cheeses. There were fresh fruits, cereals, pancakes, croissants, toast, jams, desserts, and more! Really a great start to the day.

On our second day staying at Novotel, we were so busy working in the morning so they kindly brought us breakfast in bed, or room service – a great option for those busy working travellers. Their room service is available for 24-hours so you can have their delicious international cuisine options at any time of the day. They also have lots of promotions on many sites like eatigo or KLOOK for discounts on their lunch buffets which have lots of delicious options – like authentic Thai meals and favorites and even drinks and an oyster bar, so be sure to avail them for some of the best deals on great international cuisine.

The Amenities

 

The Gym

 

The hotel gym, called In Balance, is ready with complete equipment, from exercise balls, stationary bikes, and yoga mats to weights and treadmills. It has a very new and modern design as well as a refreshing view of the greenery and city outside.

 

The Pool

 

We spent most of our time in the pool area. I really loved the view – it was on the same floor at the RedSquare rooftop bar so you could swim a couple of laps before drying off for a round of drinks. The sunset was particularly amazing, framed by the beautiful Bangkok skyscrapers in the foreground. The pool is designed to look like an infinity pool which seems to just go on forever and forever into the view – great for picture sessions, especially at night or sunset when the lighting is the best!

There are a good amount of poolside benches and chairs available in case you just want to sit back and enjoy the panoramic view, or maybe get a suntan while you’re at it.

 

RedSquare Rooftop Bar

 

They also have the RedSquare rooftop bar where we spent most of our nights, trying their wide menu of drinks, especially during the sunset. I really loved it! It’s a comfortable and open-air area with a terrific view of the city particularly during the night where you can see all of the buildings light up and make the skyline even more dazzling – sit by the pool, listen to their lively curated music with a fruity drink and just look over the stunning Bangkok skyline.

It’s a really hip hangout or pregame place, or a venue for a simple and chill night with some good close company. It’s known as the first rooftop vodka bar in Bangkok, and they really live up to that title because their vodka is amazing! And they have such varied selections you wouldn’t be able to taste them all in just a single night even if you tried.

My good friend Aiz, who I’ve known online for years but have never actually met in person, both finally met up here in the flesh for the first time in the rooftop bar and she loved it too! It’s a good place for some high-quality drinks, to catch up with friends all while you watch the beautiful city turn from dusk to dark, the city lights illuminating the view. The servers are also very nice and are more than willing to give you suggestions on some of their bestselling beverages.

 

Drink Menu

The following are the drinks that we tried out for ourselves:

Mojito Skyy – A North American twist on the classic mojito

White Russian – Your standard, classic Russian vodka

Siam Angel and Red Square – Asian Siam Lanna vodka

Siam Sunrays – A Thai vodka inspired by Kristall V

The Canadian Canon Rock shot – A North American drink inspired by Crystal Head Vodka

The Ultimate Martini Twist – A European vodka inspired by Ultimate Vodka

Seriously, I loved all of it!!!!! They were all so good. White Russian is a normal drink for me but the rest had either chili or a kick. Their vodka was terrific and if you’re fond of the drink, it’s honestly worth going just for their unique selections which originate from all over the world – certainly a good destination for enthusiasts; they have over 35 different vodka labels you can choose from. Vodka, while their speciality, isn’t the only thing the RedSquare has on the menu however. They also have selections from gin, beer, rum, juices, whiskey, brandy, and tequila. There are also some non-alcoholic but still delicious drinks on the menu so you can still enjoy without having to sacrifice a tasty refreshment. Yummy snacks and finger foods are also served.

It was really a perfect staycation venue for Tina and I. The Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 is really complete with all the essentials you r need – a good room to work, play and relax, a beautiful pool and rooftop bar with delicious drinks and a view, a fitness gym where you can workout with ground-views, very friendly and accommodating staff, and of course – the extreme convenience of the prime location. It was just one ride away from many different and relevant landmarks, including the Terminal 21 Bangkok shopping mall in downtown Bangkok where we ate at the Penguin Eat shabu, since I was craving for it – we also ate here during our last visit. It was also just an 8-minute walk to the Let’s Relax Spa where we ended up having a really good Thai massage.