Earlier this year, Masala were invited for a rejuvenating staycation at Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok.
Below is our in-depth review of the establishment’s sprawling property, well-appointed guest rooms, and wellness-centric amenities. In addition to being a prime choice for a city-centre staycation, Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok are currently offering a ‘15 Days Homecoming Health Watch’ packages for citizens and expatriates returning from abroad, who are looking to complete their quarantine in comfort:
15 Days Homecoming Health Watch
A 15 days government certified long-stay experience offered by Bangkok Hospital in partnership with Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok, perfect for Thai citizens and expatriates returning from abroad. The resort is ready to welcome you for your 15 days health observation, offering a comfortable garden sanctuary in the urban heart of Bangkok.
The Deluxe Room Package is priced at THB 53,000 for single room occupancy, whereas the Wellness Suite Package is priced at THB 61,400 for single room occupancy. Packages are inclusive of full board (three meals), high-speed Wifi, Smart TV, and in-room wellness amenities.
Bangkok Hospital will provide first night observation stay, and a consultation with a doctor on the first day to confirm eligibility (extra charges may be applied if special services are required). During your stay, you will receive daily monitoring with nurse supervision, supplements to boost immunity, and a Covid-19 test on the 13th day of your stay.
*Confirmation of either package is subject to an initial Covid-19 test at Bangkok Hospital. Transportation from Suvarnabumi or Don Muang Airport to the hospital and hotel will also be provided by Bangkok Hospital.
*Please note, transportation and the initial Covid-19 test are not included in the package price and an additional charge of THB 7,300 per person will be applied. Packages are subject to government established regulations for the health observation for all arrivals to the Kingdom.
For more information, please call +66 (2) 666 3333 or email: resort.bdms.reservation@movenpick.com
Raise your glass to the Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok’s luxurious take on healthy living.
By Aiden Jewelle Gonzales
Bangkok evokes many things: frenetic bustle, a shopping wonderland, a cornucopia of culinary delights. However, when it comes to finding a green haven to rest, rejuvenate, and focus on top-to-toe wellness, it’s not the first destination that comes to mind – that is, until one discovers Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort Bangkok right in the heart of the city.
Tucked away on the sophisticated Wireless Road, the resort immediately greeted me with sprawling space and luxe marble when I walked into its lobby, interspersed with sophisticated grey furnishings and sweeping Thai-style art; an invitation to take a breath after the crowded sois of the metropolis outside. After a refreshing welcome drink, I was ushered into the sun-kissed and tranquil Cilantro Executive Lounge, a perk I was excited to discover I had access to thanks to my Executive Lounge Level suite. ”
From its ample appointments in soothing shades of ecru and marble, to its ever-present and accommodating staff, the space is designed to make you feel you were in your own private haven in this already-exclusive resort. Guests who stay in any of the suites have full access to the lounge with all its complimentary offerings, which range from its own scrumptious breakfast spread, afternoon tea, evening canapés and cocktails, to personalised concierge and laundry services.
The lounge’s express check-in service meant that I was immediately whisked away to one of the resort’s expansive wings, this one reserved for their suites. Walking out of the lift, I was struck with the almost-monastery feel of the vast space, lent by the white arches, recessed lighting and vaulted ceilings, but most of all by the hushed silence carefully cultivated by the design so as not to disturb the guests. The overall feeling was of being cloistered in a sanctuary dedicated to complete rest and relaxation.
The Wellness Suite was, I was delighted to learn, quite different from any hotel room I’d ever been in. Upon entering, the first thing that caught my eye despite the sumptuous elegance of the sitting room was the bright blue exercise ball in the corner, an arresting reminder that if I were to overindulge in the resort’s many toothsome feasts, I could always work out my lunches with some crunches back in the room! A TV of magnificent proportions provides entertainment if the resistance bands and yoga mat I found in the closet weren’t enough to amuse on their own, while the view of the resort’s 100-year old trees and sequestered pool from the wall-to-wall window was enough to keep anyone diverted for hours. Fitted with all the amenities, including an ensuite done up in a restful tropical wallpaper, I was also pleased to discover the living room had a welcome spread of fruit and baked chips; carefully-considered, delicious, and still health-conscious, indicative of the resort as a whole.
The attached bedroom is similarly well-appointed, with a spacious and sun-drenched balcony, but the star of the show and rightfully so is the bed, or rather, the YouBed. Not only can you choose your own premium pillows according to your preference – from buckwheat to goose feather to hypoallergenic if you’re prone to the sniffles, like me – but the firmness of the mattress can be adjusted on either side of the King-size bed, to provide either your shoulders or your hips exactly the kind of support it needs for a dreamless sleep. Who said technology was keeping us up at night? The room is full of numerous little touches that make it clear that its priority is your overall wellness and rejuvenation – from the iHome speaker that can play an array of ambient sounds to aid your sleep, to the tasteful marble bathroom with vitamin water capsules imbedded in the shower to ensure that the water is chlorine-free.
Having explored my suite’s unique gadgetry to my heart’s content, I headed down to explore the dining options, and I believe that this is where Mövenpick BDMS truly shines – in its range of delicious but healthy culinary delights for hotel guests and day visitors alike. Its all-day dining restaurant, Tamarind, is surrounded by end-to-end glass windows that bring the outside in, and to tranquil effect. If you choose the al fresco option, you’ll be ensconced in lush verdure, but more importantly, the greens on your plate are GMO-free, organic, and carefully chosen to promote balance and whole-body wellness. The menu provides not only a calorie count but also the ways each dish can aid your body – with that in mind, I especially recommend the Raw Zucchini Pad Thai (THB 320), light in calories but bursting in flavour, with tamarind to help in losing body weight just in time for swimsuit season.
Tamarind also provides themed buffet dinners, and I was fortunate enough to be able to try their Seafood Buffet, an offering that’s a particular favourite of mine. Priced at THB 1,500++ per person, you’re surrounded by bountiful amounts of bounty from what seems to be the seven seas – from Louisianian Jambalaya rice to French Bouillabaisse to fresh Irish and Korean oysters. To quench your thirst while you savour the savoury tastes of the oceans, drinks options abound, from the Unlimited juice deal (THB 250++ per person) to the perfect wine pairing with seafood.
If the seafood buffet isn’t enough for you, however, I would steer you towards their Sunday Brunch Buffet (THB 2,500++ per person) which is the seafood buffet taken up to another level. Lively strains of jazz music filter through the air from the lobby above, played by expert musicians on the drums, piano, and – a particular charmer – a double bass to double the pizzazz. Although every dish was exquisite, my definite recommendation would be the live grill and barbecue station outside under the canopy of leaves, which offers such delights as Tiger prawns, U.S. Angus Rib Fillet, and my personal recommendation, Maine Lobster, succulent and cooked to perfection.
For those wanting to explore a slightly less lavish meal option, the Rim Klong Café was an unexpected treat: from its black-and white patterned floor to the pops of turquoise blue on the chairs, the atmosphere in the space immediately arrests you with its cheery vibes and tranquil atmosphere. When I turned the corner, I was greeted with an unexpected surprise – end-to-end windows frame a direct view of the khlong and I spent a very relaxing couple of hours watching boats zip by as I enjoyed one of the famed Mövenpick coffees, together with a delicious – but still healthy – ice cream made in-house.
Deciding that one could never treat oneself enough, especially after so much healthy eating, I headed down to Cinnamon Lobby Bar in the resort’s lobby for their complimentary chocolate hour for guests, where I enjoyed a decadent range of chocolate preparations while sipping a tipple from their array of cocktails by their resident mixologist.
Of course, after all that sybaritic self-indulgence, albeit ones that are as healthy as they can be, I needed to head down to the resort’s gym, located above their connected BDMS Wellness Clinic which includes such amenities as an organic kitchen and a Villa Market. The gym itself was sophisticated and modern, with gleaming walls and floors, and gentle recessed lighting to guide you to the sprawling space with equipment of every size and description; a gym-buff’s wonderland. I was greeted affably by personal trainers who offered me a fresh towel and water; one of whom I could have hired to help me with the suite of top-of-the-line David machines that help every minute detail of your workout – up to and including compensating for which half of your body is the weaker half! After half an hour in the gym I can truly say that I have never been so eager to work out again.
That night, I indulged in a dinner I had been looking forward to all weekend, at Khum Hom, Mövenpick BDMS’ newly-opened restaurant that is the magnum opus of their already-unparalleled F&B scene. Literally, ‘aromatic bite-sized portions,’ the restaurant’s menu was carefully crafted by the acclaimed Chef Ian Kittichai, of Iron Chef Thailand fame. The space greeted me with elegant Thai-style furnishings with a contemporary twist: the soft glow of rattan lanterns contrasted with the deep navy of the chairs and more playful prints on the walls. Friendly wait staff expertly walked us through the concept of the restaurant, from its focus on sustainability to its organic ingredients, to its roots in ancient Siamese cuisine.
I tried their offerings from their Farmer’s Menu, replete with plant-based and gluten-free options, and in my personal opinion, the star of the night was the Yum hed, a hedgehog and king of oyster master salad that transported you to another plane of flavourful existence with every bite. However, each dish was equally aromatic and rich in flavour, a triumph of traditional Thai cuisine paired with well-being.
Overall, the experience at Mövenpick BDMS left me nourished, rejuvenated, and most importantly, ready to face the city with new spirit.
MÖVENPICK BDMS WELLNESS RESORT BANGKOK
2 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
Tel: 02 666 3333
Facebook: @MovenpickBDMSBangkok
www.movenpick.com/en/asia/thailand/bangkok/bdms-wellnessresort-bangkok/
