In and Around Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom
This is still Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom. We earlier talked about window views from my room. This time, let us look around my room and the hotel which is nothing new!
That's how my room looked like, as I stood by the famed, iconic, protruding window!
Syempre nag-iiba ng konti sa ashtray (minsan ceramic, minsan glass); sa prutas (kasi baka mas matamis ang fruits sa ibang lugar); at sa tubig (depende sa available brand)!
But the gadgets and peripheral access points are generally the same everywhere.
Oh yes, desk lamps, alarm clocks, telephones, writing pads & pens, sometimes even their desks are similar - not just at Holiday Inn facilities but in many of IHG's brands.
Syempre 'wag kalimutan... pati ang magandang basurahan, parepareho!
They're not alone in this, but IHG hotels are also known for "soft" and "firm" pillows!
Those are always embroidered on the pillowcases. Aw ang orchid, Thai culture yan!
On almost everything else, no need to guess, as they should be familiar to you.
Yet their labels aren't too generic for them or anyone to pass those around between branches! Under Holiday Inn, the specific facility, e.g., Bangkok Silom always follows.
Therefore... alams na... souvenir items hahaha!
Hey, an interesting detail: those dainty little bath amenities have braille markings on them! I tried decoding the blue label, it says "bath gel" instead of "liquid body soap"!
The second one says "shampoo". And mind you, those are real bumps on the plastic material of the cute little bottles. Hindi 'drawing', like I've seen at an elevator sa atin!
Nice gesture yan, for our fellowmen who are visually impaired. Di ba? Sana all!
That's it "in" the room, so let's go around!
I only touch what visually appeals to me, so I usually end up saying "food was good".
Well, I do have some personal rules to follow when it comes to breakfast buffets. Aw examples? Omelet: put everything onions, red & green bell pepper, etc. but only 1 egg.
If you use more than 1 egg, you'll have to put a lot of crispy-fried bacon in it! Then, I won't be able to finish it, or I won't have lunch - or both! Maliit bituka ko pag umaga!
Ang kape: I can enjoy and finish 1 cup, not 1 mug, or else mangungurog ako hahaha!
That girl said hap only, can be? I said kap. She smiled and gave me that mug half full!
Oh, don't judge their "food variety" via my pictures. I only pick to peck hehe. I assure you it's always a bountiful buffet with many kinds - comparable to its cousin Intercon and unlike at Express branches.
The printed BBE290619 means 'Best Before End 29 June 2019'. Expiry Date sa atin!
I think in the Philippines we are used to seeing EXP than BBE. We also often see the 'spelled' phrase "Best Before". Did you know, walang global law on how to write that?
Many countries, especially in Europe, write the date in the day-month-year format or DD-MM-YY or DDMMMYYYY etc. But others write it MM-DD-YY, YY-MM-YY, etcetera!
Cause of confusion? Sinabi mo! Kanya-kanyang country kanya-kanyang rules/laws!
I asked around about that sometime ago, and I learned that the ISO 8601 Standard is YYYY-MMM-DD. Then again, ISO just "suggests standards" - hindi yan mga batas.
In the example above, I think (hula ko lang) that's TH standard, not necessarily IHG.
Ako personally, to avoid confusion, as much as possible I observe YYYYMMMDD at walang dash nor slash para clear, kahit historical pa yan. Do you know about those?
YYYY is the year in 4 digits - example 1982 or 2009; MMM is the month in a 3-letter abbreviation and all caps - example JAN or JUN; and DD is the day in 2digits format - example 03 or 31. Thus, if applied to the above example, it should be 2019JUN29.
Anyway and by the way, buffet breakfast is always at The Brasserie (lobby level).
What do you think? Might have there been an "e" after "n" that has fallen off? O baka tinanggal talaga? Whatever. Let's refer to it (in writing) as the Crown Tower anyway.
What's at this Crown Tower? Front desk and lobby, etc. This is the original structure. The restaurant (The Brasserie) where buffet breakfast is served is also in this tower.
The Executive Lounge is on 23rd level of this 27 floor tower (I'm not sure, is that 28?), while the tennis court and fitness center are at 6F. Don't worry, they're all connected!
This is the tower with the "sail windows" where I stayed.
This tower has also been a 'talk-of-the-town' upon construction and opening, due to its equally iconic 'circular windows'. I think they call those kinds 'porthole windows'.
Those windows mimic the round windows of a ship. And true to its 'naval' theme, at the 6th floor you will find the hotel's swimming pool and poolside bar (open 'til 8PM).
Those round things are the room windows. They're catchier viewed from the street!
From the street? Sori na, wala akong picture from that far. Di kasi ako lumayo.
**Update 2025**
Here's an aerial view (probably from another building?) I grabbed from booking.com
Hard to miss the Plaza Tower. Anyone will easily recognize the round windows! The swimming pool (6F) is behind it - that's the tennis court (6F) you see on foreground.
At left, the Crown Tower is more prominent with that green Holiday Inn logo.
Anyway, aside from those at Crowne Tower, the Plaza Tower also has events halls.
If you did not know yet, this place had been a favored function/event venue in Silom for many years now, for many institutions, especially the Gems & Jewellery industry.
Did you know that? Silom was (still is) where most of the jewellers in Bangkok are.
It has proliferated in this area, and they're now all over Bangrak. Most of their stores or headquarters are in this area - you'll often see them meeting at this hotel's lobby!
It's not just for checking in or out. The lobby is so spacious with lots of areas where people can huddle and/or relax yet still exclusively. Thus, there's the Orchid Lounge.
At a corner, there is The Bakery - ay, they make croissants so heavenly un-breadlike! Great snacking on breads & pastries at the lobby while watching people come & go!
Remember the lobbies of Manila Peninsula, Manila Hotel or even Waterfront Hotel? Ganun na setup, pang-people-watching paparazzi style (ibig sabihin pang-tsismoso)!
Some of my ka-party last night boarded these for their respective tours. Ako, iniwan!
I could not anymore join in the fun - pauwi na sa ating inang bayan maya-maya lang!
But... I also had my joy-ride (free)... to the Surasak BTS Skytrain Station, and back!
Where'd I go? Wala lang. Pasyal lang! O di ba? Classic, classy and a real headturner! I rode to that skytrain station (along Sathorn Road), looked around and returned in it!
Tunay na "joy ride". They were one of the first to have a "Tuktuk Shuttle"!
Hey, I have to tell you, BTS Surasak Station isn't on Surasak Road but Sathorn. Stairs (me elevator din tulad s'atin) going up, is still 150m from Sathorn cor Surasak Roads.
Just saying hehe!
Oist tara, let's go home na!
My Room
Oh yes, my room! I need to tell you about it, right? Well, to make the long story short, my room was mainly like other Holiday Inns I've stayed at. Their brand is consistent!
Amenities
Very IHG, very Holiday Inn: furnishings, amenities are generally the same anywhere.
But the gadgets and peripheral access points are generally the same everywhere.
Syempre 'wag kalimutan... pati ang magandang basurahan, parepareho!
They're not alone in this, but IHG hotels are also known for "soft" and "firm" pillows!
On almost everything else, no need to guess, as they should be familiar to you.
Therefore... alams na... souvenir items hahaha!
Hey, an interesting detail: those dainty little bath amenities have braille markings on them! I tried decoding the blue label, it says "bath gel" instead of "liquid body soap"!
The second one says "shampoo". And mind you, those are real bumps on the plastic material of the cute little bottles. Hindi 'drawing', like I've seen at an elevator sa atin!
Nice gesture yan, for our fellowmen who are visually impaired. Di ba? Sana all!
That's it "in" the room, so let's go around!
Elsewhere in the hotel
Though unable to explore that much, I still saw some parts of the hotel, of course!Buffet Breakfast
You already know this... I always don't have many things to say about food hehe!
Well, I do have some personal rules to follow when it comes to breakfast buffets. Aw examples? Omelet: put everything onions, red & green bell pepper, etc. but only 1 egg.
If you use more than 1 egg, you'll have to put a lot of crispy-fried bacon in it! Then, I won't be able to finish it, or I won't have lunch - or both! Maliit bituka ko pag umaga!
Ang kape: I can enjoy and finish 1 cup, not 1 mug, or else mangungurog ako hahaha!
Oh, don't judge their "food variety" via my pictures. I only pick to peck hehe. I assure you it's always a bountiful buffet with many kinds - comparable to its cousin Intercon and unlike at Express branches.
Lessons from a margarine!
Oist! Here is some new dagdag-kaalaman as many are not familiar with this yet...
I think in the Philippines we are used to seeing EXP than BBE. We also often see the 'spelled' phrase "Best Before". Did you know, walang global law on how to write that?
Many countries, especially in Europe, write the date in the day-month-year format or DD-MM-YY or DDMMMYYYY etc. But others write it MM-DD-YY, YY-MM-YY, etcetera!
Cause of confusion? Sinabi mo! Kanya-kanyang country kanya-kanyang rules/laws!
I asked around about that sometime ago, and I learned that the ISO 8601 Standard is YYYY-MMM-DD. Then again, ISO just "suggests standards" - hindi yan mga batas.
In the example above, I think (hula ko lang) that's TH standard, not necessarily IHG.
Ako personally, to avoid confusion, as much as possible I observe YYYYMMMDD at walang dash nor slash para clear, kahit historical pa yan. Do you know about those?
YYYY is the year in 4 digits - example 1982 or 2009; MMM is the month in a 3-letter abbreviation and all caps - example JAN or JUN; and DD is the day in 2digits format - example 03 or 31. Thus, if applied to the above example, it should be 2019JUN29.
Anyway and by the way, buffet breakfast is always at The Brasserie (lobby level).
There are two 'towers'
Not many know, that this hotel is made up of 2 tower buildings (as if it matters 'no?)!Crown Tower
Some people write it as Crowne (with the "e"), perhaps because of its former name.
What's at this Crown Tower? Front desk and lobby, etc. This is the original structure. The restaurant (The Brasserie) where buffet breakfast is served is also in this tower.
The Executive Lounge is on 23rd level of this 27 floor tower (I'm not sure, is that 28?), while the tennis court and fitness center are at 6F. Don't worry, they're all connected!
This is the tower with the "sail windows" where I stayed.
Plaza Tower
This is the newer building (circa late '80s) and is only (I think) 15 floors.
Those windows mimic the round windows of a ship. And true to its 'naval' theme, at the 6th floor you will find the hotel's swimming pool and poolside bar (open 'til 8PM).
From the street? Sori na, wala akong picture from that far. Di kasi ako lumayo.
**Update 2025**
Here's an aerial view (probably from another building?) I grabbed from booking.com
At left, the Crown Tower is more prominent with that green Holiday Inn logo.
Anyway, aside from those at Crowne Tower, the Plaza Tower also has events halls.
Did you know that? Silom was (still is) where most of the jewellers in Bangkok are.
Lobby and entrance
A real Lobby Lounge
Reminiscent of the old grandiose style of hotel lobbies, Holiday Inn Silom is still "it"!
At a corner, there is The Bakery - ay, they make croissants so heavenly un-breadlike! Great snacking on breads & pastries at the lobby while watching people come & go!
Remember the lobbies of Manila Peninsula, Manila Hotel or even Waterfront Hotel? Ganun na setup, pang-people-watching paparazzi style (ibig sabihin pang-tsismoso)!
Entrance/Exit for people and vehicles
Other than the poolside, this is my favorite tambayan when not in my room. There's an ashtray, a sitting area for smokers - then, you watch vehicles/people come & go!
But... I also had my joy-ride (free)... to the Surasak BTS Skytrain Station, and back!
Tunay na "joy ride". They were one of the first to have a "Tuktuk Shuttle"!
Hey, I have to tell you, BTS Surasak Station isn't on Surasak Road but Sathorn. Stairs (me elevator din tulad s'atin) going up, is still 150m from Sathorn cor Surasak Roads.
Just saying hehe!
Oist tara, let's go home na!
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