Four Seasons Bangkok vs Grand Hyatt Erawan- Part 2

This is the second part in a series of posts comparing two of the most luxurious hotels in Bangkok, The Grand Hyatt Erawan and The Four Seasons Bangkok.

You can see part 1 of the series, where I discuss the location, exterior, and lobby and of the two hotels at Four Seasons Bangkok vs. Grand Hyatt Erawan part 1.

In this review I’ll be comparing the standard room types at both properties, the Grand King at the Bangkok Hyatt and the Superior Room at the Four Seasons, which both offer 40 square meters.

Guestrooms at the Four Seasons Bangkok, with their wood paneled and wallpapered walls, silk paintings, and plush, upholstered chairs offer a classy and classic, old world feel.  Guestrooms at the Grand Hyatt Erawan on the other hand reflect a more contemporary feel, with the white painted walls and plenty of indirect lighting.

Layout
Despite the floor area in both room types being the same, rooms at the Four Seasons definitely feel roomier, possibly because of the unusual external structure of the Hyatt, which encroaches into the rooms.

Both hotels share a similar layout, with a bathroom on one side of a short hallway upon entering the room, and in the case of the Four Seasons, ample storage space, mini bar and tea/coffee making facilities on the other side of the entrance way, facing the bathroom.

In both properties, moving further into the room past the bathroom, the big queen-sized bed sprawls with bedside lamps and a telephone, with a television on the opposite wall facing the bed.

Beyond the bed and TV you will find the “living area” with a work desk, chairs and panoramic windows. The windows at the Grand Hyatt are larger, stretching wall to wall, and from ceiling to about a foot off the floor. While the windows at the Four Seasons are smaller, the views of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club (in rooms at the front of the hotel) are expansive.

Storage

The Four Seasons definitely wins in the storage department, with 5 floor to ceiling closet spaces, on both sides of the mini-bar. The Hyatt in contrast, has one closet space, and while deeper, holds a lot less than at the Four Seasons.

In-room media

While both hotels naturally provide flat screen televisions, The Four Seasons boasts a larger, wall-mounted set.  I appreciated the iPod jack at the Four Seasons, allowing me to listen to my own music through the in-room BOSE audio system. The Hyatt also provides an iPod docking station, but only “on request”.

Work desk

The external shape of the Grand Hyatt Erawan, jutting in and out along the face of the building, calls for some imaginative use of space within the guestrooms.

The work desk consists of a thick slab of dark smoked glass protruding from the low windowsill, and while my description, as I read it back, makes it sound horrible, it really isn’t.  The high-backed reclining leather work chair made me feel like a boss, as I reclined back and swiveled around, while the adjustable contemporary desk lamp took up no room, leaving plenty of room to get work done.

Over at the Four Seasons, a more traditional work desk awaits, constructed of wood with a glass top, and two chairs with wooden armrests and upholstered backrest.

Sitting Area

The sitting area is one aspect of our room at the Four Seasons that I really enjoyed. It features two comfortable upholstered armchairs, each with a plump cushion, and a small coffee table between them. The room lamp behind them makes this a great spot for reading while drinking a cup of tea or coffee – which is complimentary and delivered to your room upon arrival – a great touch. Don’t forget to put your feet up on the leather ottoman.

While the sitting area at the Four Seasons is built for two, the Hyatt provides one armchair, placed by the window with a large footrest.

I found ordering room service at the Four Seasons more comfortable as there is plenty of room to eat. At the Hyatt there is really only one place to put the tray and that is on the work desk mentioned above.

Four chairs adorn the room at the Four Seasons, two at the work desk and the two lounge chairs. This provides a choice of taking room service at the more conventionally shaped work desk, or if it’s just tea or coffee, while relaxing in the two lounge chairs.

Incidentally, room service at both hotels was prompt and efficient, arriving within 15 minutes of ordering in both instances.

Bed

In keeping with the more classical feel of the room, The Four Seasons has two free standing lamps on either side of the bed.  The teak paneling on the wall behind the bed also features a traditional Thai silk painting above the bed.

When we arrived in the room, there were four large pillows stuffed with down feathers and two throw pillows. The down pillows were actually longer than I have ever seen before and of course were extremely soft and comfortable.

Over at the Grand Hyatt, there were also four plush feather pillows, however there were no cushions or throw pillows, just invitingly crisp, high thread-count white sheets and pillowcases.

The bed at the Bangkok Hyatt is great for people who like to read in bed, and also for their partners. There is a large teak headboard with bedside individually controlled lamps attached.

One of my personal favorite things about the rooms at the hotel though, is the little powerful reading lights that are embedded in the headboard. No more huffing and puffing from somebody on the other side of the bed as they try to sleep, and you try to get some bedtime reading in. The light shed by these little beauties is highly focused and fully adjustable in all directions.

That isn’t all bedtime readers will appreciate. The aforementioned teak headboard has a padded leather backrest so you can comfortably sit up in bed.

Bathroom

Guests at both hotels can feel pampered in sizable all-marble bathrooms with separate bathtub and shower, shaving mirror, scales, telephone, thick terry bathrobes and complimentary amenities.

The Hyatt provides their own soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, with a mix of Aloe Vera, mint and rosemary. I must admit, when they introduced this line of bathroom products a couple of years ago, at first I wasn’t too impressed. It has however grown on me over subsequent visits, so much so that I ask for (and receive) a few small bottles of the body wash to take home every time I stay. The minty scent enveloping me after a shower is a perfect remedy to the sticky mess that the Bangkok humidity tends to leave me in.

French L’Occatane shower products are the brand of choice at the Four Seasons Bangkok, with shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, as well as L’Occitane soap bars provided in-room, and replenished throughout the stay.

In the next installment of this series I will be looking at the pool and seeing how they stack up against each other.

Have you stayed at either or both of these hotels? How do you think they stack up? Do you have a preference? Has this comparison review of the Grand Hyatt Erawan and the Four Seasons Bangkok helped you decide which hotel to stay at next time you are in Bangkok?  Was there something that you wanted to know about the rooms that was not covered here? Let me know in the comments below.

You might also like:

• Four Seasons Bangkok vs Grand Hyatt Erawan part 3 – The pools
• Four Seasons Bangkok vs Grand Hyatt Erawan- Part 1
• Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Review
• Video tour of Grand Hyatt Erawan + Wish list