Ambassador Hotel Has Long History In Bangkok, Thailand

For great information on Thailand, go to www.ugothai.com The Ambassador Hotel is located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 and it may be the best hotel location in all of Bangkok from a traveler’s point of view. It has a Chinese restaurant, an international restaurant, a spa, a fitness club, a pub and an outdoor beer garden. And it has that location. What a location, too. You can walk to so many of Sukhumvit Road’s attractions such as restaurants, bars, entertainment areas and even some shopping. For places farther afield you just have to walk up to Sukhumvit Road, which takes about two minutes, and you’re at the Nana Skytrain station which will take you to many places including the MRT underground system which is only one stop away. This really is one of the most convenient locations in the city. The Ambassador is one of the grand old ladies of the Bangkok hotel scene, having come to life in the early 60s. In one of its first incarnations it served as a rest and recreation (r ‘n r) hotel for American GIs during the Vietnam war. Legend has it that after the was over the owner contacted the U.S. government, complained about the damage that the troops had inflicted on the hotel, and received a large payment from the U.S., thereby fueling his expansion into the large property that it became. It’s hard to tell if this was actually the way things happened but one thing is certain: the owner expanded his property holdings all the way to Sukhumvit Road (about 150 meters) and eventually owned all of the land between Soi 11 and Soi 13. The hotel continued to expand and today there are several wings and a circular tower, all of which contain 820 guest rooms and suites, some of which are serviced apartments. And over the last 18 months or so the hotel has undergone an almost complete renovation with guest rooms and common areas receiving a new, updated look. So along with the convenience of the hotel, its new look makes it an even more attractive alternative to the five-star hotels up and down Sukhumvit Road. The Ambassador, you see, is actually about a three-star property and the prices reflect this. So if you stay here you’ll get a five-star location at three-star prices. It’s a good deal. There are a fair number of facilities here too, including a spa and fitness club and a nice outdoor pool area. I was a member of the fitness club for several years because I lived down the street and the membership price there is inexpensive and the club is uncrowded and big. The equipment is not new but the machines work fine and there are plenty of free weights and bars. There are also a number of treadmills for aerobic exercise and a squash court and aerobics room with daily classes and a steam room and Jacuzzi. The spa is not large but has enough treatment rooms and offers a wide variety of facial and body treatments. The food and beverage outlets here offer a pretty good variety of food with the AM Café providing most of that. It’s an all-day dining room serving all three meals with both buffets and ala carte dishes and the food ranges from Thai and Chinese to western dishes including steaks, pasta and many European specialties. Hong Teh is the Chinese restaurant and it offers Cantonese cuisine and a daily dim sum buffet lunch at 359 baht++ that’s a very good deal. Bits and Bites is an outdoor, covered space that has draft beers and a decent selection of food including burgers, sandwiches, barbecued meats and fish and a Thai menu also. There’s also a bakery/coffee shop that has very good pastries and a good selection of coffee drinks. And let’s not forget about the Dickens Pub, a place that has its roots back in the 60s when the hotel was about the only one on Sukhumvit Road and the Dickens Pub was the place to be if you were into the nightlife scene of the times. It still has a live music every night except Sundays and a small pub menu. Ladies night is Wednesday with half price drinks and happy hour is from 4-8 pm daily. The Ambassador is not as glamorous as some of the glitzy five-star places on the immediate vicinity but it has a lot to offer, and at the prices that you can get here you’ll certainly receive good value for your money as well as a location that will allow you to easily explore all of the fun spots that Bangkok has to offer.

171 Sukhumvit Soi 11 O2-254-0444