IT WAS quite unusual. I stepped into an executive suite and first thing I noticed was the selection of exercise gears in the spacious living area. What message was being relayed?
To a former gym junkie who hasn’t touched a gym apparatus in two years, it may just be the sign to get back to the fitness groove. Or to traveling gym rat, the gadgets are “served on a silver platter” so you won’t miss a workout session.
Well Hotel Bangkok has got it figured out—healthy living while on the road.
By fashioning itself as a lifestyle wellness destination, Well has managed to distinguish itself from the rest of the accommodations in its vicinity, perhaps even in the city.
“Well is a lifestyle hotel with a distinct wellness concept that caters to the health-loving guests and the new generation of internet-savvy travelers. The hotel may have 235 rooms, but it exudes the feel of a boutique hotel,” said marketing communications manager Mandy Itthikaiwan.
Through a well-curated menu of nutritious food and beverages; facilities, which include a spa, a well-equipped gym, and a rooftop salt water swimming pool; and more importantly, an offering of fitness and wellness programs, guests can indulge in a well-balanced lifestyle even when traveling.
Well-connected. Well Hotel Bangkok is situated in the heart of Bangkok on Sukhumvit 20 Road. Its close proximity to the Asok Station BTS Skytrain gives guests easy access to Bangkok’s must-see destinations or you can opt to walk to the nearby Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Benjasiri Park or the shopping malls of Terminal 21, Emporium and EmQuartier.
Well-set. Within the two Post-Modern architectural structures (the original structure, the Memory Wing, was renovated and the new one, Welcome Wing, was fashioned after the original) with interior design fusing the old and the new dabbed with touches of Art Deco, the hotel’s 235 rooms and suites are ready to accommodate its guest’s urban and trendy lifestyle.
Each room is fitted with the essential appointments both the businessman and leisure traveler need. From entertainment to bath indulgence, from in-room dining to baby-sitting services, the wealth of convenience and comfort is at the fingertips.
A wealth of delights awaits diners at the Eat Well Café and Twist Bar & Bistro. The healthy lifestyle manifests on the menus of the two restaurants.
Eat Well Café highlights food therapy via Thai and Asian Fusion dishes.
“The culinary team believes that providing an Eat Well experience is nothing beyond using the right and high quality produce, so the team plucks the freshest ingredients from the local sources, add the local spice and herbs to create simple yet authentic, healthy and delicious Thai and Asian fusion dishes aiming to delight the taste bud of the hotel guests and Bangkok foodies,” shared Mandy.
Ingenuously, the café had crafted a food therapy menu to ease some of the most common symptoms found in the urban dwellers—computer vision syndrome, migraine and headache, office syndrome and sore throat. They carefully select all ingredients to create anti-inflammatory food choices for the diners.
Among the must-try are the Quinoa Mango and Prawn Salad, Thai Pomelo Pomegranate and Chicken Salad, Salmon Red Curry with Grain Coconut Cream topped with Kaffir Lime Leaves.
The Twist Bar &Bistro is all about western delights with a French twist, as created by French Chef Gregory Caplot.
“The menu changes seasonally and daily specials with fresh ingredients are offered to surprise your tongue,” said the chef, who combines his love for the French home cooking style with the popular western classic dishes to entertain the palate.
Not to be missed are the Parisienne Witloof Salad, Wasabi Tuna Tartare and the Prawn Bisque Soup with Crab Meat, Lamb Shank Provencal Stew, among others.
For the bistro’s array of delicious homemade burgers and sandwiches that includes the Farmer Angus Beef Burger with bacon and Emmental Cheese and the Le Parisien Jambon Beurre Sandwich, I got to sample the Salmon Burger, which was good.
The pasta came with a twist—The Tom Yum Goong Pasta, which combines the tasty tom yum flavors and the creamy Carbonara style sauce. This one is delicious!
To achieve the Well-balanced lifestyle, an oasis was customized on the top floor where guests can retreat to release pent-up energy, relax and rejuvenate after a day in the big city.
Unique in Bangkok is the salt water pool. The pool filled with mineral rich healing liquid exudes an ocean vibe in a metropolis. Beside it is a well-equipped fitness center, which can give the full-body workout that one needs, and finally, there’s Well Spa, which can aid in balancing the chi while entering the sate of bliss.
Essential Oils have healing and purifying effects on the body and this is what’s special about Well Spa.
The spa offers 100 percent natural therapy and uses natural ingredients like ground coffee, organic brown sugar, lime, and essential oils in all treatments and massages. Well-trained therapists will custom blend massage oil according to the guest’s current condition—stressed, anxious or exhausted.
I needed to relax and from the menu, which includes the Jet Lag Therapy and Warm Candle Massage, I opted for the 60-minute Well Stress Relief Massage, an extremely relaxing aromatherapy massage that relieves stress and encourages restful sleep.
And a restful night I got, a hearty meal at the Eat Well Café and Twist Bar & Bistro before that, too. As to the exercise equipment in my room, I never got touch them. The hours of walking around Bangkok were good exercise for me. I can still call the entire experience well balanced, thanks to Well Hotel.
Well Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 ia at Sukhumvit 20 Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok. Visit the website: www.wellhotelbangkok.com
Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com. For more lifestyle & travel stories, visit www.ofapplesandlemons.com&www.jeepneyjinggoy.com