Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom - Views
Wasn't I lucky again that my party was happening here? Yes I was, so I booked here. But let me tell you first, "little some things" that I know, about how this hotel started!
Hindi ko inabot lahat ng iyan ha, huwag kang ano!
I do remember, in the '90s it was already named Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. I think the Holiday Inn part of the name was chosen to remain (in 2003) because Crowne Plazas at that time, were being re-positioned by IHG as their higher-end or upscale product.
Remember the Pan Pacific Hotel at the other end of Silom (Rama IV Road), which is 2kms away from here? It became Crowne Plaza Lumpini Park in 2011. Timely di ba?
I am mentioning these, so you don't get confused, because this is different from the 'Holiday Inn Bangkok' (2005) on Phloen Chit Road, that started as Crowne Plaza too!
There is in fact a 3rd one: Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit (2013), dun sa ma-sosyal na area, malapit sa Philippine Embassy! Di pa kasama yun madaming HIE (Express)!
IHG has a lot of hotels in Bangkok including Intercons, HIEs, Indigo, Kimpton and so many more of their brands! But, this property in Silom is oldest that is still standing!
Sa dami kong alam, parang ka-sosyo na ako 'no?! Ahehehehe, anyway...
I know this now Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom did some sprucing-up in 2015 and even last year (2017), but the room layouts and the legendary windows remain the same.
You will agree, most immediately noticeable is that 'squarish' corner sofa (staff call it diamond-shaped, oo nga naman)! That's part of what makes this hotel a 'hot topic'.
That sofa's form was influenced by the triangular 'window bay' that protrudes out.
Can you see it? If not, just look up the ceiling. You'll see, the windowsill is triangular, and jutting out of the wall. That, was talk of the town then, still quite a topic these days.
The architect purportedly thought of those angled window bays as 'triangular sails' of a boat, when viewed from outside the building - so structurally expressive during his time ('70s to '80s), making the building instantly recognizable on Silom, Bangrak.
Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of how those windows look from the outside, but you should be able to view many pictures and videos online, e.g., via google search.
*Update 2024 I saw and grabbed this pic w/o permission from a Taiwanese travel site:
You can see the "angular windows" up there. Actually, nothing new to us, right? There are/were many buildings with windows like that, that you and I have seen way back.
Remember The Regent of Manila? Yung nasunog? It is now Heritage Hotel. Tingnan nyo mga bintana, ganyan din, mas malalaki pa yata. But this was a first in Bangkok.
In the 70s and 80s, it was called "architectural modernism leaning into postmodern expression". O di ba ang deep! Bagong style kasi ng bintana yan during those times.
It actually increases the "field of vision" from that room window - for nicer views.
Actually, to savor the best views from a room, you've got to go around that sofa and stand close to the glass. If only I could turn the sofa around, I would sit there all day!
I requested this during reservation btw.., a room facing west (Chao Phraya River) and on the highest floor possible at the Crown Tower (let's talk about those 'towers' later).
I'll be honest, at first I said to my self 'this isn't gonna be a wonderful vantage tonight', although I was happy to still be able to identify some of the highrises in front of me!
Somehow conceding this room won't have good views of new year's eve fireworks at ICONSIAM, I focused elsewhere, like down at the Silom & Surasak road intersection.
Well... I noticed it wasn't at all too bad with my phone's camera! Analyzed a bit, and I realized: lights from inside the room bounce on the glass pane, creating reflections.
Solution? Ah, just like shooting from an aircraft window: 1) prop the camera lens as near to the glass as possible; and 2) kill all light sources from behind and above me!
The result? Amazing OMG whohoa! This was the view to my "significant left"!
At ano iyang pa"significant significant left" na nalalaman? Aw, the area lang to my left where there would 'probably' be fireworks from the river! Not all the way left, but just a bit far beyond, behind Lerdsin Hospital - the white/salmon/green colored building.
If you look at the left edge of that hospital you should see a part of the Chao Phraya River. It runs to the right behind these buildings, where fireworks will explode tonite!
So, if I could barely see the river, I wouldn't see fireworks from it later? That's what I thought at first. Then it came to mind, fireworks rise up to the air prior to exploding!
Oo nga naman pala! No need to worry being covered by that 68 floor State Tower!
Alright, I panned my camera to the right, approximating the location of IconSiam.
Hmm! I didn't expect that wonderful golden wash of sunset! And come to think of it, I could actually see a part of IconSiam from this vantage! It's behind the CAT Tower!
But where's that CAT Tower? Aw hehehe, the light-colored building that caught most of the sun's golden light. Look down to its left side lowest level, that's the river bank.
Those 2 slender but taller towers are across the river, and 'at their feet' is Icon Siam. Their "new year celebration countdown and fireworks" is to be held there - as usual.
But the pyrotechnics display do not necessarily emanate only from that spot. Those are fired up from the middle of a long stretch of that river, probably a kilometer long!
Where would that "long stretch" be? Somewhere in the 2 photos above!
So okay, happy na, crossed fingers! And as if praying I said to my self sana makatalilis mamaya from my own party, back to this room, watch fireworks, then back to the party!
Nice grand scheme di ba? Hahaha, let's see what happened...
What immediately came to mind was: "baka hindi sila parang sa Pilipinas, na grabe sa dami magpa-putok kung new year". Sa atin pag January 1, tanghali na smoggy pa rin!
That view above was about 45° to my left, because my room's true front was this:
Fireworks were best to see from this vantage but.., look closely, there's that "corner" (glass-joint) on my window. That's the famously protruding angular faceted windows!
Oh, 45° to my right, since I captured it yesterday, here's how it looks in the morning.
Compared to yesterday afternoon's pictures, you'd see that the CAT Tower isn't gold anymore, it's brown! But behind it (across the river, actually) there's something "gold". That is the façade of IconSiam - where last night's countdown & fireworks was held.
As I said, fireworks were not released from just one point of the river - as you would have seen at Singapore's Marina Bay, Manila Bay or at Taipei 101. Here in Bangkok, it was from a long stretch of the Chao Phraya River, left to right, the 3 photos above!
I'm guessing, that would have been 2 to 3 kilometers of exploding spectacle. Which, as I did, was best seen away from the river itself and at an elevated distance. Di ba?
Note: they refer to it as "Lobby Level" not "Ground Floor", probably beacuse from the Bangkok street level's point-of-view, it is already on a "2nd floor height level". Clever!
Para cuentas claras ba hehehe! Sa ground level kasi, puro tindahan at restobar.
If you can still read the street signs (naaapuhap pa ba?), that's the 'busy' intersection of Silom and Surasak Roads. Busy? Yep, but at breakfast time, Silom isn't heavy yet!
Well, even Surasak wasn't that busy yet - probably because this was January 1.
I'm not sure if it's still the same these days (siguro naman), but I observed years ago, many of the commuter buses of the city (ay, more than 10 routes) pass via this road!
Weh, nasaan sila, aber?!
Eto ang dalawa natsambahan ko while merrily trying the hotel's buffet breakfast!
That orange bus is/was popular among foreigners, since it passes via many of the usual tourist haunts, like here (Silom), Victory Monument, Pratunam, Chatuchak etc.
That pinkish/purplish mini-bus (sa likod, katabi ng white car) is infamous in Bangkok. A reliable source told me, mga kaskasero daw ang drivers at no aircon ang mga yan.
Plus, other negative things more heheh. Many of them hate that pink mini-bus ('pink' mismo ang tawag nila dyan). To the extent that (the reliable source told me), those are by-and-by being replaced! But I didn't clarify kung bus and/or driver ang pinapalitan!
Anyway, I already saw some of those replacements to the pink bus. They are the big type, air-conditioned, brand new and colored navy blue. Ah they look definitely better!
Wasn't that great knowing "many things Bangkok" just from this hotel's windows?
Alright.., let's talk about my room and elsewhere.
In the next story na. Praaamiiis!
Historical and still in business!
It's been a hotel for decades now, starting as Rama Tower Hotel (1970s) owned by a local operator/s, becoming a Crowne Plaza in the 1980s and as Holiday Inn in 2003.Hindi ko inabot lahat ng iyan ha, huwag kang ano!
I do remember, in the '90s it was already named Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. I think the Holiday Inn part of the name was chosen to remain (in 2003) because Crowne Plazas at that time, were being re-positioned by IHG as their higher-end or upscale product.
Remember the Pan Pacific Hotel at the other end of Silom (Rama IV Road), which is 2kms away from here? It became Crowne Plaza Lumpini Park in 2011. Timely di ba?
I am mentioning these, so you don't get confused, because this is different from the 'Holiday Inn Bangkok' (2005) on Phloen Chit Road, that started as Crowne Plaza too!
There is in fact a 3rd one: Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit (2013), dun sa ma-sosyal na area, malapit sa Philippine Embassy! Di pa kasama yun madaming HIE (Express)!
IHG has a lot of hotels in Bangkok including Intercons, HIEs, Indigo, Kimpton and so many more of their brands! But, this property in Silom is oldest that is still standing!
Sa dami kong alam, parang ka-sosyo na ako 'no?! Ahehehehe, anyway...
I know this now Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom did some sprucing-up in 2015 and even last year (2017), but the room layouts and the legendary windows remain the same.
Legendary windows!
This was my 26th floor room (top-most is the 27th floor) as I entered upon check-in:
That sofa's form was influenced by the triangular 'window bay' that protrudes out.
The architect purportedly thought of those angled window bays as 'triangular sails' of a boat, when viewed from outside the building - so structurally expressive during his time ('70s to '80s), making the building instantly recognizable on Silom, Bangrak.
Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of how those windows look from the outside, but you should be able to view many pictures and videos online, e.g., via google search.
*Update 2024 I saw and grabbed this pic w/o permission from a Taiwanese travel site:
Remember The Regent of Manila? Yung nasunog? It is now Heritage Hotel. Tingnan nyo mga bintana, ganyan din, mas malalaki pa yata. But this was a first in Bangkok.
In the 70s and 80s, it was called "architectural modernism leaning into postmodern expression". O di ba ang deep! Bagong style kasi ng bintana yan during those times.
It actually increases the "field of vision" from that room window - for nicer views.
Afternoon Views from my room!
Oh views ba 'kamo? Aw.., tinabig ang kortina, at aba, maganda ang city views ko!
I requested this during reservation btw.., a room facing west (Chao Phraya River) and on the highest floor possible at the Crown Tower (let's talk about those 'towers' later).
Somehow conceding this room won't have good views of new year's eve fireworks at ICONSIAM, I focused elsewhere, like down at the Silom & Surasak road intersection.
Solution? Ah, just like shooting from an aircraft window: 1) prop the camera lens as near to the glass as possible; and 2) kill all light sources from behind and above me!
The result? Amazing OMG whohoa! This was the view to my "significant left"!
My fireworks vantage!
Here's another shot with Lerdsin Hospital and the 'giant' State Tower on foreground.
So, if I could barely see the river, I wouldn't see fireworks from it later? That's what I thought at first. Then it came to mind, fireworks rise up to the air prior to exploding!
Oo nga naman pala! No need to worry being covered by that 68 floor State Tower!
Alright, I panned my camera to the right, approximating the location of IconSiam.
But where's that CAT Tower? Aw hehehe, the light-colored building that caught most of the sun's golden light. Look down to its left side lowest level, that's the river bank.
Those 2 slender but taller towers are across the river, and 'at their feet' is Icon Siam. Their "new year celebration countdown and fireworks" is to be held there - as usual.
But the pyrotechnics display do not necessarily emanate only from that spot. Those are fired up from the middle of a long stretch of that river, probably a kilometer long!
Where would that "long stretch" be? Somewhere in the 2 photos above!
So okay, happy na, crossed fingers! And as if praying I said to my self sana makatalilis mamaya from my own party, back to this room, watch fireworks, then back to the party!
Nice grand scheme di ba? Hahaha, let's see what happened...
The Fireworks View from my room!
Aw, you have seen them in a separate story. If you haven't yet, click here!Morning Views
The day after... as in 8AM lang, on the first morning of the year 2019, ang aliwalas!From my room
These are similar pics from yesterday (photos above). Only difference is time of day.
That view above was about 45° to my left, because my room's true front was this:
Oh, 45° to my right, since I captured it yesterday, here's how it looks in the morning.
As I said, fireworks were not released from just one point of the river - as you would have seen at Singapore's Marina Bay, Manila Bay or at Taipei 101. Here in Bangkok, it was from a long stretch of the Chao Phraya River, left to right, the 3 photos above!
I'm guessing, that would have been 2 to 3 kilometers of exploding spectacle. Which, as I did, was best seen away from the river itself and at an elevated distance. Di ba?
From the restaurant
The Brasserie - the buffet breakfast restaurant located at "lobby level" of the hotel.
Para cuentas claras ba hehehe! Sa ground level kasi, puro tindahan at restobar.
If you can still read the street signs (naaapuhap pa ba?), that's the 'busy' intersection of Silom and Surasak Roads. Busy? Yep, but at breakfast time, Silom isn't heavy yet!
Well, even Surasak wasn't that busy yet - probably because this was January 1.
Weh, nasaan sila, aber?!
Eto ang dalawa natsambahan ko while merrily trying the hotel's buffet breakfast!
That pinkish/purplish mini-bus (sa likod, katabi ng white car) is infamous in Bangkok. A reliable source told me, mga kaskasero daw ang drivers at no aircon ang mga yan.
Plus, other negative things more heheh. Many of them hate that pink mini-bus ('pink' mismo ang tawag nila dyan). To the extent that (the reliable source told me), those are by-and-by being replaced! But I didn't clarify kung bus and/or driver ang pinapalitan!
Anyway, I already saw some of those replacements to the pink bus. They are the big type, air-conditioned, brand new and colored navy blue. Ah they look definitely better!
Wasn't that great knowing "many things Bangkok" just from this hotel's windows?
Alright.., let's talk about my room and elsewhere.
In the next story na. Praaamiiis!
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