There's something different about the Le Méridien, Bangkok. It might be the faint sound of crickets chirping in the lobby which sometimes turns into that of running water, then again of a busy market.
Things are no less impressive visually.
The rooms are sleek and modern.
A gigantic 19m-long reproduction of legendary photographer Ralph Gibson's shot of a man smoking a cigarette while clutching a dog welcomes me at the entrance. This is no ordinary hotel. The Le Méridien, Bangkok differentiates itself from the competition with playful displays.
According to sales and marketing director Tan Jee Hoong, "The overall concept of the hotel was designed by Wilson and Associates. The overall feeling is contemporary and modern with a touch of sophistication."
Creative energy is evident throughout the hotel. This doesn't stop with the art work; these days, most five-star hotels worth their salt are veritable galleries anyway. No, the Le Méridien, Bangkok ups the ante several notches.
For example, they commissioned several eminent individuals, including Taiwanese artist Michael Lin, artist and musician Hisham Bharoocha and photographer and writer Sam Samore to design the guest room key cards.
Besides their utilitarian function, the key cards also provide guests access to the Thailand Creative and Design Center, which is described as a "theatre of the mind". Exhibitions at the centre have a pop culture flavour with incisive themes like the social effects of cosmetic surgery on Thai society.
The rooms are sleek and modern. There's a beautiful verse by poet Sunthorn Pu etched on the wall above my bed, waxing lyrical about "far away music that calls dazzling dew upon dancing leaves". Also on display are exquisite clay figurines, which Tan reveals, "some guests go crazy over and ask whether they can purchase."
My Vista room, one of 282, has a partial city view. Electric blinds offer a sense of seclusion, and the astounding technology available in the room allows one to effectively transform it into a virtual office, if one so desires. There's a Cisco touch screen IP phone, iPod charger, video on demand, broadband and Wi-Fi, as well as a cordless phone that works anywhere in the hotel.
The bathroom is an exercise in understated luxury. Gleaming black Italian marble exudes timeless appeal. The rain shower and the free-standing bath tub should make jet-lagged travellers jump for joy. It's equipped with Kohler fittings and a generous selection of personal care products.
This is pretty much the ultimate bathroom.
Tailor-made experience
Bamboo Chic is just the place for pre-dinner drinks.
The hotel brought together highly specialised individuals to personalise the Le Méridien experience. These include Le Labo perfumers Eddie Roschi and Fabrice Penot, who crafted a signature scent comprising patchouli, vanilla, frankincense, iris and musk, as well as Andrea Illy, who heads Illy Coffee, who oversaw the hotel's selection of java.
Interestingly, the proverbial breakfast buffet also gets a make-over.
The person responsible for this is three-star Michelin Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. His culinary creations are available at Latest Recipe restaurant and features such dishes as Smoked Salmon and Silken Tofu, Espresso-steam Eggs, Warm Goat Cheese Custard and Spinach and Herb Buckwheat Crepe.
Latest Recipe also offers eight LM Eye Openers, which are fruit juice blends served in a chemistry lab-like tube. I sampled the buckwheat crepe, which in theory sounds to die for but in reality was a bit oily.
Then again, I'm more of a granola-and-yoghurt person, early in the morning, that is.
Michelin-rated breakfasts aside, the other thoughtful touches in the hotel include their very well-designed, square-shaped pens that are a dream to write with and the fantastic sachets of the Arabica granules that one brews with the in-room coffee press. One sip, and you are guaranteed to be wide awake in the morning.
The hotel's bar and restaurant Bamboo Chic is just the place for a pre-dinner drink.
A combination of moody lighting amidst a colour scheme of luminous green and yellow sets the scene for Bangkok's hip set. It was conceptualised by Orbit Design, the firm responsible for the renowned nightspot, the Bed Supperclub. Bamboo Chic is the perfect spot for sitting back, relaxing and enjoying a drink and some bar snacks.
While there might be a lot going on in the hotel, the surrounding areas too provide lively distractions. Right on its doorstep is the Patpong entertainment district. The night market, where you might score a bargain or two, is down Surawong Road and its adjacent snaking alleyways.
For the spiritually inclined, the Pratumwanaram and Hua Lampong temples are also close by.
The area is a curious mix of restaurants and street stalls, offering an amazing variety of cuisines. Take in the sights, indulge in a foot massage, and when things get a bit too hectic, you can always retreat to the hotel and its cocooned comfort.
This article was first published in The Star on Jan 31, 2009.
