Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers

Anna Coleman

We stayed here for one night and had a fantastic stay. The hotel is immaculate and rooms were a good size with a lovely river view. It is in a great location and feels like an oasis amongst the chaos of Bangkok. It’s wonderful to be able to eat breakfast in the morning, sat watching the boats passing on the river. The best part of the hotel has to be the staff. The front of house team - valet, concierge and front desk team were all absolutely outstanding. Probably the best service I have experienced at a hotel. They were so attentive from start to finish. A fantastic stay from start to finish!

David

I've stayed on 2 separate occasions and while I'm generally satisfied, I am not sure if I would return for a third time. Staff: everyone from the valet parking to the reception desk are exteremely polite and welcoming. They are the true gems of the hotel. Location: great, right next to river city. Good boat access. There's a very cheap and quick laundry service just a few minutes away, and magic hands gives you great massage. I loved the live Thai music in the lobby (a couple of hours in the evenings). I like that they have 2 pools, one catered more towards families and the other with a max depth of 3m. This was the biggest reason for me coming back. However, they removed the smoking area which was right next to the terrace pool, which is quite disappointing. Thara Thong is a great restaurant and during my 3 visits there, I always left satisfied. That said, the hotel is in no way 'brand new' and it is visibly dated. The room is comfortable but the leather of the chair was peeling off, there was plastic visibly coming out of the chair, and the shower hose was either loose or torn (so water would come out both from the shower head as well as the stem of the shower hose where it connects to the shower head). The bed is just ok, and not too comfy. Breakfast is also rather disappointing. There's neither an impressive variety nor excellent quality. I would have liked more Thai options, instead of having several types of sausages. During my first visit, there was a slight mix-up and some of the bills from restaurants that I had settled on the spot were also charged against my room. When I raised this, staff were quick to fix the bill. However, this is rather concerning because I had not signed the receipt when I settled the individual bills, and they were still charged on my room. During my first visit last year, the kitchen by the garden swimming pool was quite dirty. There were a LOT of dirty pans that were piled up in the sink, and pigeons were feasting there. The quality of guests also seems to be going down hill. For example, this time around, there were a group of Chinese people having a party in the lobby at night, some of them half naked. No one seemed to care. All in all, I'm not sure if I will return. For the same price, there are other options in the area. I would like to say again however that staff are lovely.

Jasmin

Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers boasts a prime riverside location along the Chao Phraya River, offering picturesque views and a serene atmosphere. Its setting allows guests to conveniently travel to various attractions by boat, adding a unique and charming touch to the Bangkok experience. The hotel is also situated close to major shopping centers, providing easy access to retail and entertainment options. The property features a large swimming pool, perfect for relaxation while enjoying the tranquil riverfront ambiance. Breakfast offers an extensive selection of dishes to suit diverse tastes, and the riverside restaurant provides a delightful dining experience with scenic views. The front desk staff are exceptionally welcoming and attentive, ensuring guests feel well cared for throughout their stay. Overall, the hotel combines comfort, convenience, and warm hospitality in a beautiful waterfront setting.

Gregor Waldhauser

A Wonderful Hotel for Noise Enthusiasts, Small Children and Broken Technology The Royal Orchid Sheraton is an excellent choice for anyone who finds peace, quiet and functioning equipment terribly overrated. The hotel is particularly family-friendly—very, very family-friendly. During our stay, it seemed especially popular with European families travelling with two or three children, preferably all under the age of six. At breakfast, the youngest guests are apparently encouraged to develop independence by roaming freely through the restaurant, running between staff, tables and the legs of other guests. Parents can therefore enjoy their breakfast without the inconvenience of supervising them. My wife and I appeared to be among the very few European guests not accompanied by a small kindergarten group. The hotel seemed especially popular with visitors from the Netherlands, France and Italy, while the weekend brought additional groups of Chinese and American guests. Anyone searching for an adults-oriented or peaceful riverside hotel may therefore enjoy the surprise. There is also no danger of the evenings becoming too quiet. Live music is provided at the restaurant every night, generally until around 11 p.m. On Saturday, the performance continued until approximately 1 a.m., which is ideal for guests who consider sleep an unnecessary interruption to their holiday. The hotel’s technical maintenance also provides an entertaining element of unpredictability. The electrical outlet in our bathroom did not work, although this turned out not to be an immediate problem because the hairdryer was broken as well. After my wife called the front desk, a member of staff arrived around fifteen minutes later—not with a replacement, but to explain to her how a hairdryer works. This was a thoughtful gesture, since after decades of life she had apparently reached the Royal Orchid Sheraton without mastering this advanced technology. It took another ten minutes before the possibility of an actual defect was accepted and a functioning hairdryer was finally provided. In-room dining is another beautifully nostalgic experience. There is no accessible menu in the Bonvoy app or on the hotel website. The QR code supplied for the menu leads to a broken link and a page that no longer exists. The proposed solution was delightfully traditional: someone could telephone us and read the entire menu aloud. This is perhaps perfect for guests who miss the days before websites, smartphones and searchable documents—or who simply have several hours available before deciding between a sandwich and a curry. Breakfast also offers the opportunity to observe certain airline crews in their natural habitat. Some uniformed staff from KLM and Lufthansa/Condor moved through the hotel with the confidence of people who appeared to believe they had acquired the property as part of their employment contract. Their presence added a pleasant touch of aviation aristocracy to the already peaceful atmosphere. All in all, I would strongly recommend the Royal Orchid Sheraton to families with several very young children, enthusiastic fans of live music late at night, lovers of constant background noise, people who consider a shopping-mall shuttle an adequate substitute for public transport, and anyone who enjoys reporting broken equipment repeatedly before it is replaced. Please continue booking it. That way, the quieter and better-connected hotels may still have rooms available for the rest of us.

Ben Farrell

We loved our family stay at the Royal Orchid Sheraton. There is something genuinely special about the hotel’s atmosphere, particularly the beautiful views over the Chao Phraya River. Sitting by the river and watching Bangkok pass by gives the hotel a character and sense of place that is difficult to replicate. All of the staff were absolutely lovely throughout our stay. Everyone we encountered was warm, friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The food and atmosphere at Thara Thong are sensational. The traditional setting, riverside location and overall experience made it one of the highlights of our stay. The location is also incredibly convenient for exploring Bangkok. The public ferry pier next to the hotel and the hotel’s shuttle boat make travelling along the river very easy. Places such as Wat Pho, the Grand Palace, Khaosan Road and MBK are all accessible by ferry or a relatively short tuk-tuk ride. There are a few areas that could be improved. Service around the pools could be more attentive, and it would be great if the Garden Pool stayed open later. We were also surprised that food and drink service at the Terrace Pool finished so early in the evening, as this is such a lovely time to relax by the river. The rooms could benefit from a refresh, particularly with more conveniently located power sockets and USB outlets, although they are still spacious and comfortable. The showers do need attention, however. In both rooms we stayed in, the water temperature repeatedly fluctuated between hot and cold. Overall, these points did not detract from what was a wonderful family stay. The lovely staff, riverside ambience, excellent location and memorable dining experience make the Royal Orchid Sheraton a very special Bangkok hotel, and we would happily stay again.