On the edge

If you don’t like staying at super nice hotels in super fascinating places or enjoy super healthy tasty food – all mixed together with wide smiles, torrential rains, ridiculously good shopping and endless culture shocks, stop reading now. Because today’s entry will probably just bore you.

We must have stayed in at least two dozen hotels – all across Bangkok – during the more than 20 years Charlotte and I have visited the City of Angels/ Bangkok/Krung Thep. Both before we met and since our marriage nine years ago (August 15, 1998). Even Elle has been here countless times since her first visit in 2001.

We just can’t get enough of this place and keep comin’ back for more. If nothing else, than to enjoy a stay at some of the best hotels in the world. And I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout no Holiday Inn here folks. Nosiree.

And after all these years, we’ve finally found it. Nothing less than hotel heaven. Best of all, they had a room for us and provided a very friendly low season rate that included a grandiose breakfast.

So, we are now staying at the lebua in a 66 sq meter, two-room luxury apartment with a fab view of the Chao Phraya River and the sprawling metropolis Bangkok

Our suite is located in one of Thailand’s hottest properties: The State Tower Building on Silom Road. Far from being a petit design hotel, this whopper of a skyscraper (67 floors if you count the buildings beanie/dome) that we now call home, houses the ultimate five and a half star hotel experience. It’s really amazing. The service alone is an indulgence and the friendliness is pampering.

As Borat would of said, “I liiiiiike!”

Here are some of our first impressions:

• The Room – this is almost as big as our apartment in Sweden. Huge! Nicely decorated bedroom and living room (with thick walls). 4Mbits/s of complimentary broadband, a sweet river view, fully equipped kitchenette and a big bathroom (shower+bath) packed with Bvlgari amenities (!)

• The Pool – an Olympic sized, asymmetrically shaped pool and serviced sun deck that rocks the socks off anything else I’ve seen in Bangkok

• The Fitness Center – a glass cubed, hyper modern and air-conditioned gym (by the pool) with all the latest gadgets, gizmos and calorie counters us food lovers demand!

• The Eateries – gorgeous restaurants and bars – not sure exactly how many yet – but each is located at heights that would make even Spiderman woozy. We tried one out for a late lunch yesterday – delicious sushi, oysters, tenderloin, hand whipped ice cream…(hit the treadmill an hour later!)

• The Coffee Shop – with Starbuck’s in the lobby, its kinda sad that we’ve taken a break from the bean

And last but not least,

• The Ride – OTIS precision lifts, the Rolex of elevators. Yes, I’m weird when it comes to these contraptions. Why would you want to ride in anything less than an OTIS – the original elevator?

Anyway, we haven’t fully decided when to fly to Siem Rep (Cambodia) yet. Probably Friday. Staying here seems like such a good idea. Aside from being a perfect home-away-from-home, the State Tower is a great place to make excursions on the river from – and near shop-to-you-drop destinations like Siam Paragon, Central World and MBK.

Today, shopping is on Elle’s mother’s mind. Elle and I will probably tag along for a few hours and then return to the poolside with her new (pink) goggles and some under water swimming below the towering State Tower.