The Duchess Hotel and Residences

The Duchess Hotel and Residences is an upscale apartment hotel housed in a 28-story tower, with a large parking and drop-off area out front and the terrace seating area of the hotel's Stone House restaurant off to one side. Guests enter into a low-key, but chic, lobby with mid-century modern-style brushed-velvet chairs in hues of gold and purple matched with low dark-wood furniture. Low ceilings with recessed lighting and light-wood wall paneling add to the contemporary look. The hotel attracts international and domestic guests alike, with a good number of Chinese, Japanese, Western European, and North American visitors in town for work or leisure. 

The Duchess is located in the chic Lumphini neighborhood, on a broad boulevard filled with upscale residences, hotels, and a handful of restaurants and mini-marts -- but none of the seediness of nearby Sukhumvit to the east. The area is popular with expats, and many of Bangkok's major embassies are concentrated here: both the United States and United Kingdom embassies are within 10 minutes of The Duchess on foot. It's a seven-minute walk to the Ratchadamri BTS station (via a back road), while the Phloen Chit BTS takes closer to 12 minutes to reach by foot. Nearby shopping and dining here is concentrated in the numerous malls in the area, including the upscale Central Embassy, full of designer shops with a food court on the ground floor. Mercury Ville has all sorts of bars and cafes serving everything from Thai fast food to vegan pastries. Sprawling Lumphini Park is an eight-minute walk south of the hotel. Bangkok's most famous tourist attractions are concentrated to the east of the hotel. Both Wat Arun and the Grand Palace take around 15 to 20 minutes to reach by taxi, traffic permitting. 

The Duchess offers three types of room: Studios, which measure 31 square meters (334 square feet), One-Bedroom Superiors, which range from 52 to 59 square meters (560 to 635 square feet), and 75-square-meter (807-square-foot) One-Bedroom Deluxe units. Decor is similar across room types, with lovely multi-toned wood floors, classic dark-wood furniture, and soft lighting, plus beige accent walls. All rooms feature similar amenities: robes, slippers, safes, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with cable. Note that they automatically turn on to a channel that shows guests the front desk security camera, which some might find unsettling. Studios have small kitchenettes with toasters, microwaves, coffee- and tea-making facilities, and full-sized refrigerators. The other room types feature full kitchens with cutlery, cookware, and four-burner stoves. Bathrooms feature walk-in rainfall showers or separate showers and tubs, and violet-scented toiletries are provided, as are hairdryers. Many units have excellent views out over the city, but some face a construction sight or neighboring buildings. 

The Duchess offers great amenities, starting with the Stone House that opens early for breakfast and stays open late through the night, with live music on weekend evenings. Breakfast is served buffet style, with a mix of noodle dishes and continental items (think breads and cereals) along with congee and decent coffee. It's included in some rates, but it's overpriced for those who have to pay separately. Lunch and dinner are served a la carte, with room service available.

There's an enormous fitness center with a great range of cardio equipment, plus free weights and cross-training machines. There's also a roomy cedar sauna for guest use along with a lovely outdoor pool with a fountain feature and built-in whirlpool jets. While there are a few lounge chairs, the pool area is blocked by nearby buildings and thus doesn't get much sunlight. For business travelers, there's a small business center with a computer and printer, plus free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. Meeting space is available for rent and there's plenty of free on-site parking in a secure underground lot. Coin-operated laundry facilities are available for guests who don't want to pay hefty fees for the hotel's valet laundry and dry cleaning service.