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Bangkok’s new international airport – Suvarnabhumi – opened officially on 28th
September 2006 with the touchdown at 03:02 of a Lufthansa cargo plane.
The airport is set to become one of the world’s most important aviation hubs,
and with Bangkok a key hub for flights to Europe, the Middle East, the Indochina
region and the rest of Asia, the airport opening will have particular
significance for travellers from Australia. In particular, it will open up new
stop-over destinations in Thailand, such as
Pattaya, which will now be just 1½
hours from
Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Initially, Suvarnabhumi Airport is expected to handle up to 45 million
passengers annually, based on two parallel runways with a total capacity of 76
flights per hour. Upon full completion, it will have four runways ankd passenger
terminals capable of handling 100 million movements a year.
The first major component of the airport precinct – the
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel – opened earlier this month and
experienced its first 100% occupancy, with the 612 room hotel forced
to turn away many extra requests.
The ultra-modern hotel is located just a three-minute walk from the airport’s
main terminal connected by a 200 metre, air-conditioned underground walkway. A
direct rail link currently under construction will connect the hotel to existing
transport systems, downtown Bangkok and its central business districts by early
2008.
The Novotel complex is made up of two square-shaped five-storey buildings,
covering 10.5 hectares, with large open atrium areas in the centre of each
structure. The two buildings are also joined by another massive glass atrium
designed as the hotel lobby. With a lobby covering 2,800sqm five-stories in
height, the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel boasts one of the largest hotel
lobbies in the world.
The unique design allows for greater environmental control and incorporates
the outdoor atrium areas for swimming and recreation.
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel is aiming to establish itself as the
airport’s premium dining area with four restaurants and a bar. The Novotel
brand’s innovative all day dining outlet, The Square, serves a variety of
popular Western and Asian dishes from an open show kitchen a la minute,
showcasing world cuisine with monthly food promotions and specials. Authentic
Thai cuisine is offered at Sala Thai Pavilion, while guests can enjoy a choice
of either Cantonese cuisine at Gold Village Chinese Restaurant or Sushi and
Teppanyaki at Kinsen Japanese Restaurant. The hotel’s Atrium Terrace Lobby
Lounge adds a perfect venue to unwind and relax.
Leisure facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool surrounded by tropical
gardens, fitness centre, beauty salon, shopping arcade, Dolfi Kid’s Corner and
babysitting service.
A spa centre specializing in jet-lag treatments will open in October for both
overnight guests and transit passengers. Packages to be offered include:
- Jet Lag Recovery Package - 2hours @ Baht 3,400++
- Jet Lag Recovery Express Treatments in 30 minutes (starting from Baht
900.00++)
The spa centre will also offer treatments for guests who are flying into
Thailand and need to prepare their skin for the hot, sunny conditions.
Treatments will include waxing, tanning, body wraps and exfoliating body scrubs.
Until the opening of the spa Thai massage & foot massage will be offered as
an in-room guest service
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel caters to Bangkok’s growing meeting and
event markets with more than 2,400sqm of space including a pillar-less ballroom
for up to 800 people and 6 additional meeting rooms. It is also well positioned
for delegates attending events at the nearby BITEC Convention and Exhibition
Centre.
The hotel joins an extensive network of over 60 Accor airport hotels in 18
countries, including 20 under the Novotel brand. These include hotels at some of
the world’s busiest airports in cities such as Paris, London, Frankfurt, Chicago
and Sydney.
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel is Accor’s second major airport hotel
opening in Asia this year following the opening of
Novotel Citygate near Hong
Kong International Airport in April. The third, Novotel Baiyun Airport
Guangzhou, is scheduled to open in November this year.
A side benefit of the opening of the new airport will be the close proximity
of eastern beach destinations such as Pattaya and
Rayong. Pattaya is a famous
Thai beach destination that has recently upgraded its image, attractions and
tourism infrastructure. Pattaya will now be just 1½ hours (instead of three)
drive from the airport, and two Accor hotels – the Sofitel-managed
Garden Cliff
Resort & Spa and
Mercure Pattaya – have opened in the past year to cater for the
growth in domestic and international visitor numbers. Accor also operates the
beachfront
Novotel Rim Pae Rayong, a short drive from Pattaya. |
