I decided to try out the Aloft Bangkok as I was travelling with a group of friends who had a tight budget. All of us also happen to be within the age range of 20-25, and fit the target market that Aloft appeals to – the millennials.
A week before arrival, I emailed them to make a very simple request: I would like connecting rooms of the bed types that I booked (Three 2 Queen bed rooms). The request was not fulfilled during check in and we were given 2 Queen bed rooms and a King bed room instead. Having stayed in countless hotels, every single one of them from Hiltons to Hyatts to Holiday Inn Expresses could block out rooms from their inventory, but the Aloft Bangkok with 297 rooms cannot. During check-in, the front desk agent told us to check back the next day to see if there were any availability. We did that for all 5 days during our stay and nope the request was never fulfilled.
Secondly, I believe it is common understanding that a hotel is meant for sleep and as such, the room should provide as conducive an environment for rest as possible, but this was not the case in one of the room we got.
The moment we stepped into room 1607, we were immediately overwhelmed by a smell of dampness. It was so strong, it was as if the carpet was soaked thoroughly with water and did not have time to dry. Thinking that the smell will go away after a while, we decided to leave the air conditioner switched on while we headed out to explore Bangkok. When we came back from dinner, the same smell was still there and it was as pungent as ever. Immediately, we called down to ask for a room change, because we did not pay good money to be tortured. Turned out the hotel was sold out and there were no 2 Queen bed rooms left. Again they told us to check back the next day and promised to work something out. In the mean time they will send something up to alleviate the smell. After waiting for what seemed eternity, no one came up and the smell was still there. Not wanting to make a fuss because it was already so late and all we wanted to do was sleep, we went to 7/11 to get an air refreshener. I am strongly convinced that we are not the first person to face this problem in that particular room and as such, the hotel should not have sold the room in the first place until they have rectified the problem.
Anyhow, if I were to review the property objectively, based on the room which was normal smelling and the facilities, I would say that this is a solid four-star hotel.
Located in Sukhumvit Soi 11, the hotel is surrounded by plenty of nightlife, street food and bars. It is also only a 5 minutes walk away from Nana BTS Station making it very accessible to the rest of Bangkok.
The lobby smelled great and was very edgy. The staff were dressed in polo tees and short sleeve shirts which made the setting less formal. There were tons of sitting area around and the place was so full of energy. Further back there was the re:fuel cafe selling everything you need from cupcakes to sandwiches and drinks. There was also a Nintendo WII and a pool table. The space was clearly meant for guest to hang-out and socialise.
The Chic room that we got was compact, but the space was very efficiently used. Bed was comfortable and there was plenty of sitting. The room also featured an ergonomic workspace where I did majority of my work. If not for the smell, I would be very satisfied with the room.
The bathroom was bright and relatively spacious for the space. Instead of a closet, there was a suspended closet bar. Toiletries were from Bliss Spa and bath products in the shower came in the form of environmentally friendly refillable dispensers.
The pool was small but sufficient. I do not think people come to Bangkok to swim anyway. The view of the Bangkok skyline was pleasant and I spent a few afternoons lazing on the sun bed doing absolutely nothing.
The gym was also small but well equipped. One great thing about the gym was that it was open 24/7.
I doubt I will be returning to this property ever again. Average night here cost about THB2750++, and I would rather pay slightly more for Platinum benefits at the Westin, Sheraton or Le Meridien. Also while reading in-depth of the property on TripAdvisor, I realised that the mildew smell (thats what they call the damp smell) is rampant and it seems to affect many rooms. I was thoroughly disappointed by the way the hotel dealt with the issue and their service recovery. Aloft Bangkok needs to step up their game before even SPG loyalist will give this place a miss totally.