After staying in both the amazing Park Hyatt Bangkok, a favorite, and the new Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok, a comparison is in order.
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Location
Both hotels are built in massive new buildings, the Waldorf-Astoria in the Magnolia building, the Park Hyatt as part of the Central Embassy complex.
The Waldorf-Astoria is just 200 meters from the Grand Hyatt Erawan, Central World Mall (everything in Bangkok is in relation to either a mall or the BTS) and not far from the BTS stop Chit Lom. The property overlooks the Royal Bangkok Sports Club and is convenient for most meetings in central Bangkok. The one inconvenience is that the building is new and the taxi drivers don’t yet know where to enter and depart.
The Park Hyatt is more well-recognized and is just a few floors away from shops and restaurants in the mall below. In fact, the food court in that mall was covered in this short post because of its authenticity and uniqueness. This property is located in the embassy district which is convenient for meetings and busy Sukhumvit.
Winner: Park Hyatt Bangkok
Suites
We stayed in suites in both properties. The suite we had in the Waldorf-Astoria had more space, windows and a better view but the property has fewer of them and after seeing some alternative suites, chances are slim that elites will get routinely upgraded to one like ours. We happened to be there during the week following lunar new year when nearly every property in Bangkok goes from oversold to minimal occupancy.
The Park Hyatt Bangkok offered more space in the bedroom but a smaller living room area than the Waldorf. The unique shape of the building buried the bathroom in a wedge at the end of the bedroom though we have been in other suites in the property and found an elongated pattern.
Considering our previous stay and our most recent at the Park Hyatt Bangkok, I would have to give the suite edge to the Waldorf-Astoria. The previous suite had some odd privacy issues and a bathroom that didn’t work as well as it could have. The most recent suite had a better layout but still, the Waldorf put all of the space, windows, and attention in the right spots.
One final note: The Park Hyatt focuses on minimalist design whereas the Waldorf-Astoria feels more like, updated old money. But that design also feels a bit more luxurious than the Park. Those little touches, the color scheme, they really elevate the property.
Winner: Waldorf-Astoria
Bath/Shower Amenities
The amenities inside the suite matter. Waldorf-Astoria’s featured premium bidets (I’ve owned cars that cost less) in both the guest and the master bathroom. However, the bath amenities were just okay at the Waldorf whereas the Park Hyatt uses Le Labo. Any time you have a very frequent hotel guest (around 200 nights per year) swiping the shampoo and asking for extras – you’ve done something right.
Winner: Park Hyatt Bangkok
Food and Beverage
Breakfast
As either a Hyatt Globalist or Hilton Diamond, guests will receive breakfast in the hotel restaurant of either hotel.
The Park Hyatt originally utilized a reduced menu for elites but have since abandoned that and opened the entire menu up in the Embassy room. The Park Hyatt offered more self-service options for those in a rush than the Waldorf-Astoria did.
However, the Waldorf-Astoria had some of the most amazing food I have had anywhere. The French toast I ordered was the best I have had– ever. Even if they gave me the recipe, I doubt I could execute it as well. It was as life-changing as French toast could ever be.
There were some misses on both menus as we made our way through the various items, trying to taste a little bit of everything, but the Waldorf-Astoria executed so well that there is no way I could put the Park Hyatt above it, despite its larger menu and more local options for those who don’t come to Bangkok for French toast.
Winner: Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok
Room Service
We started a new tradition on our 18-day trip. While some judge the hotel based on their club sandwich, a throwback to the most ubiquitous menu item in hotel history, we decided to compare each of the hotel’s Cheeseburger among other local items we would order. We did this in every hotel from Bali (two hotels) to Bangkok (three hotels) to Laos (one hotel).
Prices weren’t particularly better or worse at either property and both were delivered in about 30 minutes after ordered on a hot cart by a white-gloved server.
The burgers at both were excellent in different ways so we had to move to other measures. Carly ordered crab fried rice at the Waldorf-Astoria from room service and it too did not disappoint. The Park Hyatt, however, delivered the wrong burger initially, and while they made it right, it only took the Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok one attempt.
Winner: Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok
Service
The bell service at both hotels was fantastic, though the Waldorf had one particular bell woman who was a complete boss, while at other times we couldn’t find anyone to greet the car or in the lower lobby. The Park was always packed with staff though no individuals standout.
The service at the Park Hyatt is simply better. Both hotels went out of their way to make Lucy feel special, but the Park Hyatt was just more personal. They took the time to learn our names, they invited us to an event we had no business being at, whereas the Waldorf had an exclusive bar at the top floor with a secret entrance and it felt like they wanted it to remain a secret to me personally.
Winner: Park Hyatt Bangkok
Pool
Both of these hotel pools are outstanding. The Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok features a view of the sports club, rests well above the BTS and is open-air yet private. Service at the Waldorf-Astoria wasn’t unfriendly, just not overly welcoming. They brought fruit skewers and waters during one of the visits but weren’t otherwise around taking orders or bringing water.
At the Park Hyatt, the view is one of the city and some of the embassies at the edge of the infinity pool which won’t suit everyone. Both pools had a zero entry option. Service at the Park Hyatt Bangkok was exemplary with drinks put down right away and attentive staff.
Winner: Park Hyatt Bangkok
>Read More: Review: Waldorf-Astoria Bangkok Suite Upgrade
>Read More:Park Hyatt Bangkok: Suite and Bitter
Winner
It was a tie and I really didn’t want it to be. It could come down to the nature of your trip in terms of which you’d enjoy the most. If you’re in Bangkok for business, the Park Hyatt is probably better (given its proximity to Wireless Road) while the Waldorf-Astoria may be better for leisure visits.
What do you think? Have you stayed at these properties before? Do you disagree with my assessments? Tell me why!
UPDATE December 28th, 2020: Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, guests are encouraged to please check your dates of travel. If the online Hyatt account system is offline, please call 1 800 304 1234 or your nearest worldwide reservations center. As the date you selected may no longer be available, please select a valid date. For Hyatt Globalists, contact your World of Hyatt account concierge. If you’re considering a stay at the Park Hyatt, LiveAndLetsFly recommend you join World of Hyatt.
I see Matthew didn’t want to leave the safety and security of Saudi Arabia… and forced you to take the incredibly dangerous journey into Thailand. Thank God you survived!
I rebutted this here: http://bit.ly/2WeDybI
That was an excellent rebuttal & this is an excellent review. Thanks for your work(s).
Cheeseburgers? Room service? With such awesome local food in all those places, seems like many opportunities missed.
Thanks for your comment, I have some fair responses for you. Lucky and others have chosen a consistent measure by which to judge a hotel’s food and beverage regardless of where it is in the world – the classic measure was the club sandwich. We like club sandwiches fine, and it’s true you can still find them on almost any hotel menu in the world (unlike tacos, chicken tikka masala, or pasta bolognese) but cheeseburgers are a better barometer for us. We also highlighted that we ordered local favorites including the best crab fried rice (a local Thai specialty, not an American-Chinese food dish) she’s ever had and qualified that we have lived in Thailand in the past.
This was at the end of a 17-day trek to Asia. I covered restaurants like Gaggan (http://bit.ly/2tQ99k9), and the local sampling at the Hyatt Regency (http://bit.ly/2ELeUWE) which was from the same chef as Bangkok favorite Nara/Apinara too, but after three meals a day with chopsticks, there’s no shame in wanting some flavor from home delivered right to your door.
I missed those other reviews, so thats good to hear. And I get it, comparing hotels you need to pick something comparable to compare, and lots of business travelers are often going to rely on room service (as I do). I guess I just had a knee-jerk reaction of “NOOOOO go eat the local food its SO much better!!!” Especially in Bangkok where you can just walk outside, find some street food and it’ll generally be awesome (and cheap!!!).