The Disappointing Renovations at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
I first stayed at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok last summer and loved it! The first time I was upgraded to a an amazing Grand Executive Suite complete with mini kitchen and dining table. The second time they were pretty full, so I got to check out the newly renovated twin room that I had originally booked.
The club lounge had been closed for renovations so lounge service was provided in part of the restaurant on the second floor. I loved it! The staff were unbelievably attentive. The hotel lobby is beautiful, and there’s a host of fun shops, restaurants, and wine bars on the floor level.
So for one of my nights in Bangkok, I had to stay there and I used an Suite Upgrade to make sure I got an amazing room. I was confirmed into the Grand Executive Suite! Yay!
We arrived at 11:30 AM on a Thursday, and they had no problem checking us in. We were guided to the lounge on the 17th floor and served tea while they processed all our paperwork. When we had finished one of the staff led us downstairs (the 16th and 18th floors can be accessed from the lounge by a lovely staircase) and showed us our room.
It was not what I expected.
The decor was the same as the twin room earlier, but the actual rooms were not the same type of suite I had stayed in last time. It was spacious, but missing the enormous living room, dining table, and kitchen. 🙁
When you enter, you walk into a small foyer with a guest bathroom off to the side.
And a decent living room though not the one I expected.
And then the bedroom, which is definitely different then before. AND not all the new style was good. There was a crazy old fashioned dressing table mirror with lights which looked awful.
And mirrors played a big part of the decor in the bathroom. Highly polished mirrors that made it look like you could walk through a doorway, when really you were just smacking your nose into the wall.
When the master bathroom door was closed, also mirrored, it felt a bit like a fun house. Add that to the intricate, bold black designs on the tile and the narrow tub half blocked by a wall and it was fairly claustrophobic. Apparently a theme of my hotel stays on this trip!
We went up to the lounge for evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and I got a better chance to look at it. I was rather disappointed. It felt very modern and fresh, and very impersonal. It could have been any hotel business lounge anywhere. And the staff, while pleasant and accommodating, were not as proactive  as my last stays.
The food spread feels like a lot because it’s spread out, and while sufficient, wasn’t as appealing as when it was down in the restaurant. There were two hot options, a bunch of breads and cheeses, hummus, cut veggies, etc.
We returned again for breakfast the next morning and I discovered the one hot option that was out was congee. Later I observed folks ordering eggs from the chef, so apparently that was an option, but it wasn’t immediately apparent and no mention had been made.
They definitely had a nice variety of juices, yogurts, pastries, etc. The lounge was busy both times and I got the impression taking pictures would be frowned on which is why I only have one or two.
I had a great stay at the Grand Hyatt Erawan and the location is amazing, but I wasn’t as captivated as I was the previous two times. The renovations took away some of the charm and overall it just felt more impersonal.
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I am there in a week so your report was most timely. I looked today and the basic suite (Grand Suite) used for suite certs seems to be the one you were booked in to. The larger suites seem to be called ‘Executive Suites’.
It is several years since I stayed here, and despite the current problems I am looking forward to going back. Massage already booked!
Thanks for the info about the eggs at breakfast.
You’ll have a great time! It looks like the only difference between the “Grand Suite” and the “Grand Executive Suite” is the latter is a little bigger. I was in the Grand Executive — it turns out what I had last time has now been renamed to be “Premier Suite”
Agree with @MilesFromBlighty, those are two different types of suites.
Hmmmm. My reservation said I was in a Grand Executive Suite, don’t know if they downgraded me without mentioning it.
Grand Executive Suite are just basic suites located at the executive floors. And all their bigger suites are on the top few floors and they are still under renovation
No the Grand executive suites are not the same as the Grand suites… The exec suites are much bigger and totally different that the grand suites. Yes you were downgraded to a grand suites whihc are loacted on floor 10-11 and 16-22 in the corner of each floor. The exec suites are on floor 18-22 in the middle and have a two door entrance.
Stayed at Le Meridian Bangkok couple of months back. Awesome breakfast, Awesome Suites if you get to go back soon……
Do you know when the renovations will be completed?