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4JanuaryFebruary2012IspentaweekinthemiddleofBangkokandsawnosignsofflooding.ThedowntownareaswheremostpeoplegotostayandplayandeatallthatincredibleThaifoodwereuntouched.TheincrediblebeachestothesouththeislandsreachableviaanhourlongplaneflightthebeautifulhillsandjunglesinthenorthandtheSuvarnabhumiAirportwereallunaffected.Soyoucanrestassuredthatyoucanenjoyyourholidaywithoutfacinganywater-relatedinconveniences.AndnowthatyouknowBangkokisreadythequestioniswheretostayWellletmeanswerthatquestionwithaquestion.WhynotstayatthenumberonehotelinthenumberonedestinationinSouthEastAsiawhichaccordingtotripadvisor.comistheHansarhansarbangkok.comTherankingsonthewebsitearebasedonactualtravelerreviewsandnotonadvertisingdollarsspentoronthepreferencesofprofessionaltravelwriters.SoofcourseIhadtoseeformyselfhowthissmallboutiquehotelofwhichIwasunfamiliarmanagedtoovertakethebetterknowngiantsinthehotelindustryand648otherstoberankedasthebesthotelinacityof6millionpeople.AfterashortstayIfoundahostofreasonspunintended.TheHansarisideallylocated.TheviewfrommyroomoftheBangkokskylineneartheRoyalBangkokSportsCenterwithitshorseracetrackandgolfcourserivalsanyotherinthecity.LettheregulartouristsstayintheovercrowdedriversidehotelswheretheyhavetospendhalfoftheirtimegettingtotheheartofBangkokx19saction.ItismuchmorepreferabletobeonaquietsidestreetoffRajadamriRoadthatisclosetotheBTSSkytrainstationandashortwalkorshorterSkytrainridetoBangkokx19sbestshoppingandeatingatSiamParagonandCentralWorldshoppingcenters.Youcouldfindmeeverydayatthesetwoplacestryingnewrestaurantsandstrollingthroughcountlesshighendshops.ThedozensofrestaurantsandfoodsellersinSiamParagonprovidedmewithmyfavoritediningvenuebecauseofthesheervarietyoffoodavailable.TheroomsandamenitiesattheHansarblowawaythecompetition.Iwasthrilledwithmysuitethatconsistedofacomfortablebedroomhugebathroomchangingroomofficehiddenwasherdryerandaminikitchenthatwasreallyhandyforre-heatingthedeliciousleftoversfrommyfavoriterestaurantsandstreetvendors.Itfeltmuchmorelikeanexecutiveclubapartmentthanastuffyhotel.Alltheroomsareaccessiblethroughanopen-airbreezewaythatisspeciallydesignedtokeepthebuildingcoolnaturally.ItisquiteunlikeanyotherhotelinBangkokandwasdesignedbyWOHAarenowneddesignandarchitecturalfirminSingaporeresponsibleforsomeofthemostcutting-edgebuildingsinAsia.TheDirectorofRoomsNirunChompootookmeonatourofthedifferenttypesofspectacularsuitesthatweremuchlargerthanhotelroomsandsuitestowhichweareaccustomed.Someincludedenormousofficesandloungingareasthatmorecloselyresembledfashionablelibrariesdeckedoutinmodernfurnitureandbeautifuldarkrosewoodshelvesandhardwoodflooring.Thex1cVertigoSuitex1dhasfloortoceilingwindowsthatenableyoutolookstraightdownasifyouareontheedgeofacliff.x1cTheLoftSuitex1dhasanupstairsbedroomareathatappearstohanginspaceoffthesideofthebuildingwithviewsonbothsidesofthebed.Eachroomofferedstellarviewsbigsoftbedsrainshowerheadsoversizedmarbletubssubtlerecessedlightingsophisticatedfurnishingsandplushcarpets.Thesmallpoolareafeelsveryprivateandalsoseemstohangontheedgeofthebuildingseveralstoriesup.Whiletherewasplentyofroomtoswimlapstherearealsoquietenclavesbetweenwalleddividersintowhichyoumayretreatthatseparatethesunbathingareaintoseveralmini-terracesformoreprivacy.Thehotelx19srestaurantEveoffersaFrenchinspiredmenuthatcompetedquiteeffectivelyformyappetiteagainstallthedelicioustraditionalThaifoodavailablealloverBangkok.IwasrewardedwithoneofthebeststeaksIx19veeverhadandcomplementedwithexcellentfishermanx19ssoupcrabcakesandcalamari.Theopenkitchenallowedmetowatchthechefsinaction.Itshouldbenotedthatforthenormallypedestrianbreakfastsservedateventhefinestestablishmentsthesechefsdeliveragourmetspreadworthyofatelevisedcompetition.Forexamplethehoneywasnotjustfreshx14itwasactuallydrippingfromabeehiveminusthebeesofcourseintoacontainer.WhileitissafetosaythatallthenicehotelsinBangkokhavegoodspastheLuxsaSpaattheHansarprovideswhatmaybethebestmassagesyouwilleverexperience.EventhoughmywifeandIhadjustspentacoupleofweeksinBaliwheremassagetherapyisanartformwebothagreedthatthetreatmentattheLuxsaSpawasexceptional.Therelaxingroomsskilledtherapistsandthearomaticproductsprovidedtheperfectcombination.TotellthetruthIx19mabitofamassagesnobandcanusuallyfindfaultwithalmostanyspatreatment.ThefactthatIvisitedLuxsaSpatwiceintwodaysspeaksvolumes.LastlytheflawlessserviceprovidedbythestaffattheHansarwasuncompromisingandasperfectasanyIhaveexperiencedinmytravelaroundtheworld.Bytheseconddaymanyofthestaffknewmynameandmypreferences.Nirunconfidedinmethatalthoughmuchofitcomesfromtrainingtheunderlyingattitudehastocomefromtheheart.Icouldtellthatheandhisstaffcaredabouteveryaspectofmyexperience.ItwasnotjustajobbutareflectionofThaihospitalityandaprideinbeingthebest.MakeItHappenThereisnoshortageofflightstoBangkok.Comparefaresatkayak.comandthendoublecheckwithyourfavoriteairlinewebsites.IflewJapanAirlinesjal.comthistimebuthaveenjoyedflyingKoreanAirkoreanair.comonthelastseveralvisitstoBangkok.CathayPacificcathaypacific.comisalsoworthalook.TheBTSSkytrainnowofferstrainservicefromtheairportintothecitybutataxibetween300to500ThaiBahtx14about10to15dollarsincludingairportfeeandtollfeeswillgetyoutherequicker.JustbookataxithroughthekioskoutsideLevel1signsareinThaiandEnglishandmakesuretheyusethemeter.HansarHospitalityWinsHeartsBangkokx19sBestTRAVELAfterthefloodingthatdelugedBangkokandlargeportionsofThailandthispastyearyoumaybewonderingwhenitwillbesafetovisitagain.HavingjustreturnedfromBangkokIcantellyouwithouthesitationthatnowisagreattimetovisit.Whilecertainpartsofthecountryweredevastatedandafewwonx19tbereadyforvisitorsforawhilemostofthemainpointsofinterestthatattractanestimated14milliontouriststoThailandeveryyearareingreatshapeandreadyforyoutoexplore.byMATTSIMSWhileitissafetosaythatallthenicehotelsinBangkokhavegoodspastheLuxsaSpaattheHansarprovideswhatmaybethebestmassagesyouwilleverexperience.HansarBangkok3SoiMahadlekluang2RajdamriRoadBangkok10330Tel6622091234hansarbangkok.com