Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing my recent hotel stay in Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok.
Most of the tailors I intended to review are located in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok, so I was looking for a hotel nearby. Centara Grand CentralWorld caught my attention because it was next to the CentralWorld mall, which I had wanted to visit anyway. Let’s see how my stay went.
Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok – Video Review
Those interested in viewing some hands-on footage of my stay can watch my YouTube review of Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok below:
Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok – the Brand
Centara Grand at CentralWorld was built in 2008, and underwent a recent renovation in 2020. Boasting over 500 rooms, the five-star hotel places you in the heart of Bangkok, within a 5-minute walk of Ganesha Shrine and Trimurti Shrine. It also has a host of F&B options, with full-fledged facilities such as a gym, pool, sauna, spa, and even tennis courts.
The lead-in category starts from ~S$200 nightly, which is relatively affordable compared to other 5-star hotels in the vicinity. You do have to be a CentaraThe1 member to enjoy the discounted rate, though this isn’t an obstacle as Mastercard cardholders can enjoy an instant upgrade to CentaraThe1 elite status. This also includes perks like room upgrades, lounge access and late check-out, making the deal even sweeter. I would recommend booking directly – the rates are significantly cheaper than on hotel booking websites, plus you get the perks.
Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok – Room Review
Centara Grand CentralWorld is quite a famous hotel in Bangkok (located next to one of its most prominent shopping malls), so your Grab driver shouldn’t face any issues getting there.
Upon entering, guests are greeted by a grand lobby. There’s also a cafe offering Starbucks in the lobby – perfect for those who need a quick pick-me-up after their flight.
I also noticed a variety of seating areas for guests, allowing them to wait in the comfort of the luxurious hotel lobby.
The actual check-in is done on the 23rd floor of the hotel. There are multiple counters available, and little to no queue even though I arrived at the standard check-in time of 3pm. As I’m a CentaraThe1 Platinum Elite member (courtesy of being a Mastercard World Elite cardholder), I was afforded a room upgrade to the Deluxe Twin room and club access.
I requested a high floor beforehand and was thus delighted that my room was on the 46th floor.
First impressions were good – the Deluxe Twin room felt modern and upscale, with plenty of wooden furnishings. The benefits of the recent refurbishment were clear, resulting in an atas look.
The wardrobe space is impressive – easily accommodating clothing of up to three pax. Bathrobes and in-room slippers are provided, as well as a torchlight (in case of a blackout) and a safe for your valuables.
The room also comes with laundry bags, which can be handy since CentaraThe1 Platinum Elite members get one complimentary suit pressing/laundry per day.
As the owner of a dress shoe label, I was pleased to discover the inclusion of a shoe horn, shoe brush, and a shoe shine kit in the room.
On paper, the Deluxe Twin Room comes in at 36 square metres, but the bathroom takes up a large chunk of the allotted space. The results in a cosy bedroom, though it’s far from cramped.
In fact, there’s even a small lounge area comprising a sofa and coffee table, allowing you and your guests to mingle and chill if you don’t want to stain the beds with your “outside” clothes on.
I was impressed by the presence of a welcome fruit platter, which bore a personalised welcome note – it’s these little service touches that differentiate a five-pearl establishment from a four-star hotel.
The bag rest is also spacious, and was large enough to hold multiple bags.
The room is packed with refreshments, all laid out meticulously in drawers.
For example, there were Pringles and nuts available as late-night snacks.
The room also provides a multitude of glassware, allowing guests to drink like civilised people.
There’s also an abundance of tea and coffee sachets, ensuring guests can get their morning caffeine fix with no issues.
The hotel also provides a kettle, Singha filtered water bottles, and an ice bucket.
The mini-fridge was also well-stocked with a variety of drinks and chocolate bars, but to be honest I didn’t touch them as I was unsure whether the beverages were included in the room rate.
The room is also equipped with a Samsung smart TV, which has good picture quality. However, there’s no dedicated desk or ergonomic chair, which makes the room less than ideal for business travellers.
I also noticed the lack of a mirror, which means there are no vanity areas for ladies to do their makeup/touch up their hair.
Given the high floor of the room (46th floor), the view from the room was quite spectacular. In particular, it overlooks one of the most popular temples in downtown Bangkok, which juxtaposes stunningly with the surrounding skyscrapers.
The Deluxe twin room comes with two Queen beds, though the staff were nice enough to set up an extra bed as I booked for three. The bed themselves were immensely comfortable and pristinely clean, and I had no issues sleeping at all.
There are also bedside controls for room lighting, a power socket (with two USB slots) to charge your electronics and a room phone.
I was impressed by the modern nature of the phone – guests can access specific options (such as in-room dining) from the phone menu.
I was also impressed by the spaciousness of the bathroom – it’s one of the largest hotel toilets I’ve been in. With luxe marble furnishing, the bathroom feels even more upscale than the bedroom.
I loved the separate shower and bath – a must-have in a 5-star hotel room. Combined shower and bathtubs are a pet peeve of mine, so I’m happy to see that’s not the case here. The shower area is even enclosed in glass to prevent any spillage into the bathtub. Both the bath and the shower cubicle are quite spacious, and can easily fit two people.
Furthermore, the modern aesthetic of the wall-hung concealed toilet complements the contemporary look of the room well. There’s also a bidet – essential for a 5-star hotel.
Last but not least, the bathroom is equipped with a massive mirror. There’s also plenty of lighting, making taking mirror selfies an ease.
A whole suite of toiletries is provided – one can bring no toiletries and still stay comfortably.
Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok – Amenities
Being a five-star hotel, there are plenty of amenities on the premises for guests to enjoy.
Firstly, there’s an outdoor pool. Though not the biggest (let’s just say Joseph Schooling would be disappointed), the pool does exude resort vibes due to it being flanked by palm trees.
There’s also a changing room, which is equipped with showers, a steam room, an indoor jacuzzi, and a sauna.
I’m pleased to report that the gym is large, with plenty of equipment (free weights, machines, benches, etc) for a full-fledged workout.
There were even personal trainers in the gym to aid guests in their workouts, with an option for paid private sessions as well.
Thai massages are renowned globally, so of course there’s a spa in the hotel. I didn’t try it as the prices were on the higher side, but it is an option for those seeking comfort without leaving the hotel.
Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok – Food and Beverages
Being a five-star hotel, there are a variety of restaurants and bars on the premises – a total of ten, if you include the club lounge.
As mentioned earlier, I was accorded club access due to my status as a CentaraThe1 (I would rework the name) Platinum elite member. The club lounge offers four services – breakfast, afternoon tea, evening cocktails, and a post-dinner service.
I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast in the club lounge – I couldn’t get enough of the pastries (pancakes, waffles, doughnuts, etc), which were served with delightful whipped cream. The lounge also served Starbucks coffee, which tasted exactly like the latte I would order in Singapore.
Interestingly, the afternoon tea options included dim sum, alongside Thai staples such as moo ping (grilled skewers) and fried rice/noodles. While decent, it was no Tim Ho Wan.
My favourite service was the evening cocktails, where guests can choose from a variety of Centara’s iconic cocktails, as well as staples from the bar. My favourite was a mango-infused cocktail that reminded me of an alcoholic mango sticky rice – I helped myself to multiple glasses.
The club lounge is located on the 52nd floor, providing a panoramic view of the Bangkok skyline. I remember sipping the abovementioned Mango cocktail while watching the sunset, thinking: “Life can’t get much better than this”.
I was getting a tad woozy after multiple cocktails, and was delighted to find out that the club lounge serves char siew soup noodles for their post-dinner service – the perfect hangover food. While nothing to shout about, the brothy noodles helped me sober up quickly.
I also tried out some of the hotel’s restaurants, such as Ventisi – a buffet restaurant which focuses on Italian and Thai food. The all-inclusive buffet (with free-flow alcohol) costs 1655 THB, with an option to top up to a special menu – featuring dishes such as red curry brown crab, grilled river prawn, and even lobster thermidor – for an additional 999 THB.
My favourite on the menu was the Sole meunière – the flavours were amazing.
Most of the buffet dishes available were staples, such as Thai boat noodles and Italian pasta. While there was a great variety, I will be honest and say that you can probably get better boat noodles and pasta in CentralWorld Mall.
However, I did enjoy the tiramisu, and helped myself to multiple servings.
Alcoholic cocktails are also available, and I ordered multiple to try them out. I particularly loved this orange spritz – it was light and complimented the heavy tiramisu perfectly.
For lunch the following day, I tried out Uno Mas, a Spanish & Mediterranean restaurant that was previously awarded the Michelin Plate. I had high hopes for the restaurant, given that the Head Chef is Spanish, and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe.
Given Uno Mas’ pedigree, I was expecting to walk into a stuffy fine dining restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised at the casual decor of the space, with floor-to-ceiling windows that bathe the restaurant in warm natural light.
I decided to opt for the Weekday Set Lunch, which costs 790 baht and comes with three courses and a glass of Sangria. For starters, I got the salmon chowder, which had a depth of flavour without being too “seafoody”.
For my main, I chose the Iberico pork chop. While the meat was well seasoned, it was unfortunately a tad tough, and I was slightly disappointed by the small portion size as well. However, the potatoes were to die for.
For dessert, I had chocolate mousse. I would say it was above average – nothing memorable, but nothing to complain about either.
To me, the highlight of the meal was the sangrias. Uno Mas offers three different types of sangrias (red, white and fruity), and my table decided to order one of each to try. All three tasted heavenly and transported us instantly to Spain – it was well worth the 100 THB (~S$4) top-up.
For afternoon tea, I decided to head to Tea and Tipple, the hotel’s lobby lounge. There, there was a chocolate afternoon tea bliss (for 2 pax), which cost 1490 THB for two (inclusive of tea). The chocolate desserts were pretty to look at (very Insta-worthy), but it can get jelak after a while.
I enjoyed the floral tea, which helped alleviate the cloying feeling from the rich chocolate desserts somewhat.
The highlight of the afternoon tea set was the dark chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream, which is presented with smoky dry ice. It’s a sight to behold, and a delight on the palette as well.
Later on in the night, I headed to Centara Grand Centralworld’s rooftop bar, Cru Champagne Bar.
Specialising in Pommery champagne, the bubbles (Pommery Brut Royal) tasted great, with a 3.9/5 score on Vivino. However, the price is a tad steep (1190 THB a glass), and the food options were mediocre. Still, the rooftop view was amazing – reminiscent of the view from the MBS Infinity pool. If you’re willing to pay for the “top of the world” feeling, then there’s nothing better than enjoying a glass of champagne from one of Bangkok’s highest rooftop bars.
After a glass of champagne, I headed downstairs to Cocoa XO, which focuses on premium chocolate and cognac.
The unique selling point of Cocoa XO is its Chocolate Cave, which features a plethora of chocolate varieties – essentially heaven for chocolate lovers.
There’s even a chocolate fondue station, where guests can have their fill of chocolate-coated fruits.
Personally, I preferred the food and drinks of Cocoa XO over those from Cru Champagne bar. The chocolate cognac cocktails are interesting, and there’s even an option to imprint a photo on your drinks. I also enjoyed the skewers and sweet potato fries, which were great complements to the boozy cocktails.
Conclusion – so Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok “shiok” or not?
Overall, I find Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok to be great value for money. For roughly S$200 a night, the hotel is a solid value, especially considering its prime location next to CentralWorld Mall. The value skyrockets if you’re a CentaraThe1 Platinum Elite member, which grants club access and a room upgrade (subject to availability). Spilt amongst 3 pax, that’s less than $70/night each! The room was also clean, modern, and well-furnished, with the spacious bathroom a particular delight. I also enjoyed the variety of amenities and F&B options on the hotel premises, which differentiates Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok from other 5-star hotels in the area. If you value convenience and seek a luxurious stay without breaking the bank, then I would certainly consider Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok.
Those interested in booking a stay with Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok can book directly with the hotel – and enjoy the best rates – here. As a reminder, Mastercard is offering instant CentaraThe1 Platinum elite status, so be sure to secure your Platinum elite status before booking to enjoy the aforementioned benefits.
Centara Grand CentralWorld Bangkok Location: 999/99 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
