Bangkok -- Rembrandt Hotel: a Maharajan Masterpiece?

When talk comes up of The Rembrandt, people quickly enthuse about its restaurants: 'The Rang Mahal is the best Indian in Bangkok', 'You want good Mexican, oh, Senor Pico's', or 'The Red Pepper for great contemporary Thai.'

All this talk of food. Excuse me while I just wipe this little bit of saliva from the side of my mouth ... aah, that's better.

So as much as I knew its restaurants, I'd never actually ventured into the rooms here. And I must say I was pleasantly surprised. My suite was spacious, done out in rich reds and greens and browns. Plenty of room to set up shop with my laptop and blog away. And a large bathroom too (for me it's always about the bath tub.)

Even from this mid-level floor the views of Sukhumvit area are informative ... you can see the BTS snaking its way through the skysearching if not skyscraping buildings in the neighbourhood, and make sense of the confusing conurbation that is Bangkok.

Rembrandt is set back off Sukhumvit Road, a little way in to Soi 18 past the throngs of Indian tailors and massage places, a coin toss between Asok or Phrom Pong stations. In any case, their cute little tuk-tuk will run you to the end of the road if your legs are not up to it.

But the one thing that stood out to me at The Rembrandt is something that most might not even notice because it's subconcious ... the subtle sounds of nature emanating from the corridor and lift speakers. Babbling brooks, chirupping crickets, whistling birds. Aaaaaah, I was wondering why this hotel had such a soothing effect on me. That's it. Simple yet effective, especially in the middle of go-go-go Bangkok.

A masterpiece of thinking whoever came up with that. Jing jing!