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Defying the regional economic slump, the Peninsula Group opened its
new five-star property directly opposite that grand old dame of
Bangkok's hotels, The Oriental. The Elephant compared their
relative merits in 1999.
Despite the wide range and diversity of luxury five-star hotels
in Thailand's capital city, many business travellers have for ever
maintained that there is really only one place to stay in Bangkok -
The Oriental on the banks of the Chao Phrya river.
These days, if nothing else at the hotel has changed, the
outlook from the riverside terrace certainly has. Directly across
the river stands the 37-storey Peninsula hotel which celebrated its
Grand Opening last month.
New Kid in Town
The 370- room hotel, built at a cost of over US$ 175 million,
sits squarely in the sights of The Oriental on the opposite bank of
the river. As Mr. Jonus Schuermann, Hotel Manager of The Oriental
says of the new competition on his doorstep: "If you see the hotel
everyday, it certainly keeps you focussed." He adds however that,
with a General Manager - Mr Kurt Wachtvetl - who has been at the
hotel for over 30 years, The Oriental has "a lot of experience with
new competition".
In many ways, Mr. Schuermann is quite complimentary about his
friends across the water. " The new hotel brings prestige to the
area. Competition can be very stimulating," he says.
Likewise, The Peninsula's General Manager, Mr. Heinz Waldvogel,
comments that although the two hotels are chasing the same market
in terms of guests and visitors, "it is not my intention to compete
directly with The Oriental."
Mr. Waldvogel goes on to say that he considers The Peninsula and
The Oriental to be "the best two hotels in Bangkok. No doubt about
it." This confident statement, made so soon after the hotel's
Grand Opening, would appear to be borne out by the facts.
Indeed, while The Oriental has been honoured numerous times in
recent years (and too many times to count before then) with
industry awards including "Best Hotel by City" (Euromoney, 1998)
and "Best Business Hotel in the World" (Business Traveller,
Germany, 1998), The Peninsula has already joined these hallowed
ranks with a listing on Conde Nast Traveller magazine's "1999 Hot
List" where it featured as an "Instant Classic" hotel. Praise
indeed for so young an operation.
So, where does this leave the business traveller looking for the
best deal at the top of the range in Thailand? First impressions
would suggest that there is still no real contest for the number
one spot in Bangkok. The very location of The Peninsula on the
"wrong" side of the river would appear to be a distinct
disadvantage from the start. But first impressions can be
deceiving.
Location, Location, Location
Mr. Waldvogel admits that "The perspective is that The Peninsula
is too far away" from the airport and business and shopping
districts of Bangkok. While it is true that it can be problematic
crossing the river by way of the road bridge during rush hour, when
traffic all but grinds to a standstill, the hotel boasts a very
efficient river shuttle to its own terminal just next door to the
Oriental Pier on the city-side of the river.
For urgent airport transfers, The Peninsula also offers -
uniquely in Bangkok - a heliport on the roof of the hotel, complete
with private lounge and check-in area. Time to the airport is just
eight minutes, though transfer prices are steep.
The Oriental, on the other hand, is very well served by
Bangkok's expressway, and transfers by limousine to the airport
take just 25-40 minutes, with an exit from the toll way just behind
the hotel. Likewise, The Oriental is well positioned for easy
access to the commercial district of Silom Road in the centre of
Bangkok, as well as the shopping and entertainment venues in the
same area.
Attention to Detail
In terms of accommodation, The Peninsula benefits from the
latest in state-of-the-art technology. Every room is equipped with
what the hotel describes as its "box of delights", a bedside
console that controls the lighting, room temperatures, TV/
video/hi-fi consoles, telephone system and even the curtains. Each
room features a dedicated fax machine, concealed in an oversize
business desk, two telephone lines, a dual-line data-port, and five
telephones - three (one hands-free) in the bathroom alone.
Meanwhile at The Oriental, the hotel's age is beginning to show
(this article was written before the hotel refurbished its rooms in
2000). The desks in standard rooms are not particularly large, the
telephones, despite featuring voice mail and messaging facilities,
are rather dated (and the voicemail was inoperative during this
correspondent's stay). That said, the levels of attention given to
messages for guests are impressive, with bellboys constantly
roaming the hotel seeking absent executives to take urgent calls
from head office. In this respect, it's more a question of
technology versus the personal touch. Both hotels score highly in
their respective disciplines.
Down to Business
Business facilities are somewhat more advanced at The Peninsula,
which is already enjoying considerable success in the conference
and incentive travel field. The hotel boasts modern conferencing
facilities for up to 650 delegates, a fully equipped business
centre with secretarial support etc., a boardroom and four meeting
rooms.
In contrast, The Oriental's business centre is situated away
from the main areas of the hotel. It also offers the usual range of
facilities and equipment, but once again, these can hardly be
described as cutting edge technology. True, the equipment does the
job, but it all feels a little down at heel when compared to that
at The Peninsula.
Free Time
When the work day has ended, The Oriental offers a host of
recreational facilities and wining and dining options. The hotel's
restaurants enjoy enviable reputations among Bangkok's cognoscente
for quality of food and service. A highlight of any stay at The
Oriental is the riverside buffet dinner, served on the terrace
overlooking the Chao Phrya, Bangkok's unique working river.
The hotel's famous Bamboo Bar, and the adjoining cigar
lounge/shop, provide the perfect means of unwinding after the
business day.
Hotel guests can also enjoy two swimming pools set amidst mature
tropical gardens, take afternoon tea in The Author's Lounge, work
out at the hotel's Sports Centre (complete with tennis and squash
courts) or unwind at the beautifully appointed Oriental Spa.
Spouses accompanying business travellers can also take advantage
of The Oriental Thai Cooking School and various culture programmes.
The main shopping areas of Silom and New roads are just a short
walk or taxi ride from the front door, and the hotel offers river
cruises to historic sites around Bangkok on its own luxurious
boat.
The Peninsula has a very pleasant swimming pool, and also offers
al fresco terrace dining by the river, together with a choice of
three main restaurants, a bar and lobby lounge. However, these
venues need to settle down a little, and find their niche. The
youth of the hotel shows at present in rather slow service in all
but one of the food and beverage outlets.
This is a minor niggle, and in stark contrast to the excellent
levels of service provided by front of house staff in reception and
at the concierge's desk, and will doubtless sharpen with
experience and time.
In conclusion, it is apparent that both hotels live up to their
global reputations, and that both offer distinctly differing
products. The Peninsula is perhaps the modern, slightly brash and
very efficient newcomer that will certainly give The Oriental a run
for its money.
Meanwhile The Oriental, that grand old dame of Bangkok and Asia,
retains the classic charm and very personal service that will be
hard to beat anytime soon.
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