The Cabochon Hotel spreads across two floors of the elegant Walpole Building. Majestic cream columns and stately balconies transport you back to yesteryear- 1920s Shanghai to be exact. And it doesn’t stop there. Upon entering the Cabochon, the grittiness and grime of Bangkok’s streets fall away as you take in the tiled entrance complete with a whimsical mosaic of a dandy’s cane, umbrella and hat, the soft lighting and the marble staircase leading up to the rooms.
The welcoming staff usher us into the library and bring us the best welcome drink I have ever had in Thailand. No cloying fruit juice here, instead an ice-cold, fresh coconut is placed before us whilst they organise check-in. The library contains all manner of curiosities, as does the rest of the hotel- Louis Vuitton trunks, animal skulls, tortoise shells, taxidermy, giant conches and model planes- there is something to look at, at every turn. Eugene Yeh, architect and antique collector and the owner of Cabochon has created a space that encapsulates a sense of liveable luxury. The staff explain that breakfast is from 7:00am to 10:00am and can be taken in the the library, The Joy Luck Club (the Cabochon’s bar) or outside, before we are shown to our room.
Our queen studio is the perfect size for our six night jaunt in Bangkok. It contains all the modern amenities you might require to stay firmly in touch with the outside world- dependable wifi, a flat screen television and a telephone which offers unlimited local and international phone-calls. Double doors open out to a small, black and white tiled balcony containing a table and chair- perfect for enjoying an afternoon G&T.
The bed is a firm queen size and lined with fresh, crisp linen, the wardrobe contains a good number of coat hangers, jandals for the pool, a hairdryer, robes and a safe. An orchid perches on the desk and an oil burner imparts a subtle tropical scent, the room is simple but sophisticated.
The bathroom is an adequate size for the room- I liked the side table next to the sink which was handy for placing our toiletries on and the rain shower was heavenly.
Our breakfasts were enjoyed in The Joy Luck Club most mornings and were eagerly awaited. Given the size of the Cabochon (eight suites/studios), the options at breakfast were superb. A continental buffet was offered (pastries, toast, yoghurt, cereal, congee and accompanying condiments) as well as your choice of an a la carte Western or Asian dish together with juice and coffee or tea. Over the course of our stay we sampled the noodle and fish ball soup, French toast, the full English and my favourite- the pork skewers, rice, soup and eggs, cooked to your liking- I was prone to ordering the steamed egg which included a bit of minced pork and spring onion. The French toast and Asian breakfasts were winners. We did however think the range of jams and spreads was a bit limited but other than that, breakfast was brilliant.
The Cabochon’s restaurant, Thai Lao Yeh serves traditional Thai and Laotian food for lunch and dinner and is certainly worth a visit if venturing out seems too tedious. We dined at Thai Lao Yeh and sampled an array of tantalising dishes which were delicious and memorable. See our blog post about our dinner here. The Cabochon’s bar, The Joy Luck Club is the place to rendezvous after a day out to enjoy a G&T or cocktail.
To top it all off, the Cabochon has a rooftop pool- a refreshing way to end a day of shopping and eating in the heat. Towels and bottles of water are provided and there are a number of loungers available.
But what bound our whole visit together and made it excellent as opposed to just great, were the staff. They were interested, kind, and genuinely wanted us to have a marvellous stay. They couldn’t do enough for us, even emptying out the pool changing room of the sun-lounger cushions so we could shower before our late flight home. Without a doubt we will be staying at the Cabochon whenever we visit Bangkok. It’s chic, comfortable and a true home away from home.
Good to know:
Cabochon Hotel
14/29 Sukhumvit 45 Road (10 minutes walk from Phrom Phong and Thonglor BTS station)
Klongton Nua
Wattana
Bangkok
Telephone +66 2 259 2871-3
Rates: at the time of writing, we booked via the hotel website and obtained a Queen Studio 3 night’s special for 3600THB per night. This included welcome drinks, breakfast, free wifi, special cable TV, free local and international phone calls, a complimentary fruit basket, free mini bar (non-alcoholic beverages).
Images: Thomas Southam
