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President Solitaire Bangkok


Its great downtown location on Sukhumvit Soi 11 is just an added bonus. President Solitaire has raised the bar far beyond the home-away from-home concept too, with 134 lavishly-appointed luxury suites that are quite unlike your average serviced apartment. Factor in the attentive service, long list of in-room features - including 42-inch Plasma TV and complimentary wireless Internet - and excellent recreational facilities like the renowned Ananda Spa, and it begins to sound like something different entirely. In essence, it resembles a place any aspiring king or queen, and accompanying entourage, would simply love to call their castle...

Nestled at the quiet end of Soi 11, it's well situated, both away from the hustle and bustle of Sukhumvit Road and yet very close to it. The limitless shopping, dining and entertainment options provided in this part of town is but a 10-minute stroll away, as is the ability to navigate the city using its quickest and undoubtedly coolest mode of transport, the Skytrain (BTS, Nana station).

Up in the suites, spacious comfort combined with homely mod cons and frills, make an alien space seem instantly familiar and cosy. Sizes range from the ample 43-square metre Executive Suite all the way up to the palatial 80-square metre Solitaire Suite, with its separate living area and bedroom. What strikes most forcefully, however, and stretches from the lobby up into each of the grandly furnished rooms, is the President Solitaire's consistently elegant aesthetic and wonderfully luxurious d-cor.

Motifs seen in the spacious lobby like the use of marble, traditional Thai paintings, plush rugs and, moreover, a decidedly classical ambiance, carry through into each of the 134 suites. Each, for example, has its own marble foyer - a feature that lends a welcome dash of grandiose homeliness - as well as its own large marble-lined bathroom (upper range suites come with private jacuzzi).

Furnishings are simple, uncluttered and all the while elegant, allowing guests ample room to enjoy their surroundings without being overawed by them, much as they would expect at home. Sitting cozily amongst the rich wood paneling, cream walls, warm lighting and hard-wood flooring that defines the suites' classical ambiance, is stately furniture including antique writing desks, plump sofas, coffee tables and luxurious rugs. Scattered liberally here and there also are Thai undertones, the odd piece of distressed furniture or artwork depicting scenes from ancient mythology and Buddhist iconography. In the Solitaire and Platinum Suites, the four-poster king-size beds are agreeably snug, but the plump linen-lined mattresses found in all should have the most hardened of insomniacs sleeping soundly (the choice of six pillows should help aid blissful slumbers) .

As impressive as the classical ambiance is the way modern trappings crop up, helping ensure guests receive the ultimate in comfort and contentment. While on the face of it steadfastly traditional in design, rooms are resolutely modern, if not down-right innovative. Alongside typical hotel-type features like a minibar, free daily newspaper and complimentary maid service, come practical, homely ones like a fully-fitted kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave oven, electric hob, storage cabinets, as well as table and kitchen utensils. The Platinum Suite even comes with its own compact but cheerful dining area.

And then there are the hi-tech accoutrements that drag every residence gleefully into the 21st Century. Each comes with wireless internet, DVD player, 30-channel satellite television, electronic safe and a bedside control panel that gives you mastery over everything from lighting, temperature to your alarm call (yes, here you truly are the all-powerful king of your castle). And not forgetting the President Solitaire's strongest selling point: the huge 42-inch plasma screen TV that graces every room (and may well make it hard for you to leave yours).

Pleasures to be divulged from a stay here stretch far beyond the walls of your own individual realm. Located on the mezzanine floor, the fashionably elegant environs of the wood-struck The Dining Room, with its wide selection of Thai and international culinary bites, and where a complimentary buffet breakfast is served, is a great choice any time of day. On top of that, a 24-hour kitchen and room service means there's no reason for you to go hungry any time of night either. Also located on the mezzanine floor are the inviting sandstone swimming pool, tranquil lounging deck and fully equipped gymnasium, where you can enjoy the underwater music, soak up some sun or flex your muscles with guidance from the resident personal trainer.

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