Spiral Breakfast, Sofite Manila

Spiral's breakfast buffet is a delight.  Similar to their lunch and dinner buffets, they have a good spread but everything is well placed so you don't feel overwhelmed.  We asked to be seated at the bar area, natural light flooded the entire space, it just seems to be the perfect place to enjoy our first meal of the day. 

One thing I loved about the buffet is that they have free drinks available.  If you want fresh orange juice, they have the orange juicer that you see in supermarkets nowadays. 

Special healthy drinks are available and they go around giving every table the special drinks served in test tubes. 

Champagne is also available.

I also liked the fact that they have three egg stations.  In every breakfast buffet, the egg station always has the longest queue so it was good thinking on their part to have more than one station and to spread it out. 

The Japanese station looks beautiful, you can really see the effort the restaurant makes in making sure that you have an extra wonderful experience. 

There are lots of choices for the healthy eater, several kinds of yogurts and cereals take the area where the desserts are supposed to be. 

As for me, I wanted a Filipino fare that day so I went straight to the Filipino station and had the sinangag, tocino, tapa and bangus (not in photo). 

I also didn't miss the taho that is served traditional style. 

Fresh fruits were served nicely (a whole bunch of mangosteens were available the next day). 

For your sweet tooth craving, there's a waffle station, ice cream / sherbet station with my favorite ice cream toppings, almond slivers, pistachios and walnuts.

I also found out that the bicycle near the entrance serves its purpose every morning. 

Service is top notch.  I stood up to get myself some mangosteens, in anticipation of the mess that I will be making, I went back to our table to see several packs of wipes neatly arranged.

Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park

Em-J suggested booking a room at the newly opened Crowne Plaza Lumpini Bangkok because we always get a better deal using the IHG Friends and Family Rate.  The hotel is very accessible with the Saladaeng BTS walkway just a few steps away from the hotel’s main entrance. 

As the hotel just opened, we hit a minor problem checking in as the staff were not familiar with the IHG Friends and Family program.  They insisted on asking for the IHG voucher that I've never printed from all my previous IHG stays and asking for my referrer's IHG email address.  

The ground floor lobby is modern and clean.  They also have a small bakeshop which serves very affordable sandwiches and desserts. 

To get to the hotel rooms, you have to take two lifts.  One lift that takes you to the 23rd floor and then you have to take the lifts there that take you to your room.  The 23rd floor serves as the main lobby of the hotel as this is where the front office is located.  The furnishing is even more tasteful and classier than that on the ground floor’s. 

Upon getting to our floor, we were a little surprised as it looks a bit dated.  The layout is also unusual.  I later found out that that hotel used to be Pan Pacific and has been in existence for quite some time.  

The room is spacious and doesn’t feel cramped.  

The toilet has a separate shower and bath.  We particularly love the modern heated toilet seats.

Bath amenities are the standard hotel fare but have cheeky names. 

The mini bar is also well stocked, it even has a convenience kit available. 

The hotel feels like it’s in a compound as there is a huge wall surrounding the property.  A garden is beyond the walls which is perfect for having a few drinks or just being lazy. 

It also has a small mediterranean inspired pool and a small gym. 

As mentioned, the location is great.  There’s a great tasting pizza place just beside it.  Just around the corner is the bustling Silom night life.  There is a grocery that is open till late and a Starbucks just a few steps away.  The BTS station is a few steps away and a newly opened mall just across the street.  Reputable money changers are also nearby.

Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini

952 Rama IV Road

Bangkok, Thailand

Dream Hotel, Bangkok

Just on the opposite side of Sukhumvit road where Galleria 10 is located, a few steps further down into one of the Soi's is another boutique hotel, Dream Hotel.  The hotel is teeming with so much personality, it can be a bit overwhelming.

The hotel's primary blue hue adds to the overall funky vibe of the hotel.  The room is a bit small but is clean.  We were also surprised to see a welcome fruit bowl upon check-in.

It is also very unique as you can sleep with the room bathed in blue light.

The staff are all friendly but are quite strict when it comes to visitors.  We had a friend who missed his flight and visited us and we still had to register and explain why he was there. 

Not to be outdone, the hotel's restaurant where breakfast is served is furnished lavishly.  I feel as if I'm in a cabaret.

Choices are limited but given how delicious looking the waffle is, all is good.

They also have a tuktuk which can take you to the nearby BTS station but prior reservation is required. 

Location is good and Healthland Spa, one of Bangkok's most popular and reliable spas for great massages is just around the corner.  My personal favorite, Urban Retreat, is also just beside the BTS station. 

Dream Hotel Bangkok

10 Sukhumvit Soi 15

Klongtoey Nua, Wattana

Bangkok, Thailand

www.dreamhotels.com