The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok — Hotel in Lumphini Subdistrict

Located conveniently near One Bangkok and directly across from Lumpini Park, The Ritz-Carlton’s breakfast buffet is served at Lilly's restaurant on the 7th floor. Walk-ins are welcome, and the buffet is priced at THB 1,118 per person. We arrived around 6:30 a.m., and it was already open.||To summarize upfront — this buffet is absolutely worth the price. I give it a perfect 10 out of 10, no deductions. Let me share why it deserves such high praise.||Ambience & View|The space is spacious with ample seating and a bright, open atmosphere. The highlight for me was the stunning view of Lumpini Park, which added to the relaxing and enjoyable experience.||Food Variety & Quality|As expected from a five-star hotel, the buffet offerings were extensive and of exceptional quality. Some items were common, but noticeably better here. A standout was the smoked bacon from the hot dish section—tender, smoky, and flavorful without being greasy. Sausages were also well-prepared, and crispy bacon was available too.||The cheese selection was diverse and eye-catching. Cold cuts were top-notch, and the buffet even included Iberico ham — sliced from the lean, meaty portion of a 2-year-aged leg, which was aromatic but not overly salty or fatty.||Another unique highlight was kingfish (or "namdokmai fish") smoked similarly to salmon. It was aromatic and delicious.||Salads & Pickled Items|The salad bar was impressively varied, perfect for those who enjoy sampling different combinations. Pickled vegetables, olives, and Middle Eastern offerings were all of exceptional quality. Even items I typically avoid were delicious here, and they paired excellently with the meats.||Made-to-Order Dishes|A major strength of this buffet was the availability of freshly prepared à la carte dishes, which we ordered based on staff recommendations. Often, made-to-order dishes at buffets are average — but not here.||For example, the smoked kingfish salad with pomelo and salmon roe was a fine-dining-level dish, blending Thai flavors beautifully. The soft-shell crab khao soi was superb, with rich, flavorful broth and perfectly crispy crab.||The biggest surprise was the river prawn pad thai — the noodles were chewy yet tender, the sauce was rich, and the prawn was fresh and sweet. Though medium in size, the prawn was expertly cooked with juicy head fat. We even requested a shared plate with three prawns for three people, and the staff happily accommodated our request — excellent value and service.||We also tried Eggs Benedict and the signature Siam Egg variation with curry-flavored hollandaise sauce — uniquely delicious. Although there were many other Thai dishes available, we were too full to try them all.||Bakery Section|Another standout was the bakery section, especially the croissants — beautifully layered, buttery, and aromatic without being greasy. Other breads were also delightful. The Thai tea and chocolate stuffed breads looked dense but were surprisingly soft and generously filled. The shio croissant was flaky and airy inside — absolutely delicious.||They also offered fresh honeycomb, and for the first time, I saw honey infused with truffle, rosemary, or chili — unusual and outstanding.||Desserts|Though we couldn't try everything, I selected three standouts:||Pancakes — extremely fine-textured, buttery, and served with caramelized banana and fresh cream.||Thai Tea Waffle — crispy and fragrant, paired beautifully with mango.||French Toast with Glazed Pineapple — unexpectedly crispy on the edges with a rich caramel flavor.||They also had a variety of ice creams and sorbets, the latter made with fresh fruits only — all flavors we tried were excellent.||Beverages|Drinks were not overlooked — aside from standard water, there was a wide range of health-boosting juices, and both tea and coffee options were plentiful. The signature coconut-roasted coffee was aromatic and rich, using a premium bean (I forgot the name, but it’s a specialty brand). Teas, hot or iced, were refillable upon request.||Service|True to its five-star reputation, the service was impeccable. Staff were friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Special thanks to Khun Dream, who took excellent care of our table with thoughtful recommendations and swift service.||Overall Verdict: 10/10|This breakfast buffet is an outstanding value for the price. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a luxurious hotel breakfast experience. Come early if you’re not a morning person — while it was quiet at 6:30, by 7:30 to 8:00 a.m., the place was nearly full.||Pro tip: After your meal, don’t forget to stop by the hotel lobby — the view there is also stunning, perfect for...

TLDR: Ritz Carlton (RC) in Bangkok is magical, but small teething issues persist since the hotel is less than one year old. Five stars, but let us first address the bad things!

Full disclosure. I am Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite (AE) so maybe I get treated differently but I do not think so as most staff did not know who I was.

Bad things: Bellman service. I dont need someone to hold my door when entering or leaving a car. But why this half hearted service of seeing you coming, let you open the door yourself and then come over slowly and attempt to close the door? In general, they need: A. better training B. Cameras and monitors to show cars arriving from outside and people from inside, so they can open the door main door (heavy) or install a door pump and sensor.

Pool Unruly kids with nannies. Prior to booking I read about some kids screaming at the pool and thought it was some hysterical guest complaining. But guests from the GCC zone who just park their kids with Filipino Nannies who cannot manage these overstimulated and tired kids was unbearable. The first time it lasted for 2 hours with shouting in English, Arabic and Tagalog the whole time. All other kids from Thailand, China, Australia, India, Europe, etc were nicely behaving but this happened twice and made me raise a complaint with management. Second time I just left when it started. Such people need to be told to leave the pool area another time and guests must tell Vivo and his team at the pool about it.

Staff orders at breakfast. Some orders are lost in translation or delivered wrongly. But the breakfast area is also the epitome of Bangkok energy with multiple cousines being cooked fresh. They might want to slim down the offering to increase the quality.

Now all the good things!

The building. Less than one year old the RC Bangkok is an immaculate experience of luxury. Nothing can be said about any part of the building.

Team The team were super nice! Niki at Front desk does all to make you feel welcome. I offered to pay for an upgrade but they gave it complimentary.

Rooms First had a deluxe room with view over Lumpini Park. Very spacious. Then asked for the cost of an upgrade and they gave the Amarant Suite which is a lifetime experience. To sit in the Bathtub at the corner of the building in the dark and watch Bangkoks bustling life race by down below will be a memory that will stay with me forever.

Breakfast World class. Can get a bit full on the weekend when you come late. But then the team of Tan, Riwieki and the French chap quickly arrange that you are offered a table at the Lounge on 24th floor. The offering at Breakfast is just world class in terms of range and service.

Spa Plum and her team at the Spa was just unreal. The quality of the spa and the treatments made me feel hypnotised. Their internal lift down to the gym was just like a villain HQ wanting to take over the world! :))

Lounge Stunning views from 24th floor. When staying on 20th floor and above it does not make much of a difference. I tried it once for the breakfast and it did the trick but downstairs breakfast has a much bigger spread. In general I feel the price of almost THB 3000 per day all in to get access to a super beautiful but airport lounge kind of offering is not worth the time / money.

Fitness Went for my first Tai-Chi session with "Popper" the super friendly trainer. Never before have I gotten up to attend a 07:00 fitness appointment. This experience takes place outside next to the pool on a secret platform overlooking Lumpini Park. If I could, I would go tomorrow just for this session with Popper. Magical!

Pool Beautiful and very high service by Vivo and his colleagues. Delicious food served quickly. The only issue was with a few kids who were escorted by their nanny instead of parents. All other times it was fine. The Cabana and Sun chairs are handled first class. I do not know what people are expecting. This is a city hotel and not a beach resort.....

I will be...

The Gardenia Suite is the entry-level suite category, consisting of two rooms facing Lumpini Park. There’s a balcony in the living room area, but not in the bedroom. You can request turndown service here, and there’s also a morning call. A staff member escorted me to the room, though they didn’t give any introduction or explanation about the room features, which I think would’ve been a nice touch.||(Since around August, the first two suite categories no longer include club lounge access — it starts from the third category onward. If you’d like club access, it’s 3,000 THB per person or 6,000 THB per couple. Interestingly, room rates haven’t decreased despite this change, and the price difference between a type 2 suite with added club access and a type 3 suite that already includes it is only around 1,000 THB. So, it makes me wonder — wouldn’t it make more sense just to book the type 3 suite instead?)||The Club Lounge offers five dining presentations throughout the day, with alcohol served all day long.||Breakfast|06:00 – 10:30 (extended to 11:00 on weekends or public holidays)|• The selection was limited and lacked any signature dishes. There were porridge, noodles, eggs benedict, a few hot dishes, and some pastries.||Light Lunch|12:00 – 14:00|• As the name suggests, it’s more of a light meal — salad, curry, fruits, and a few desserts.||Afternoon Tea|14:30 – 16:30|• Nicely presented on a stand, but still felt rather minimal. Personally, the scones were a bit too soft and moist — if they were slightly firmer and crispier, they would’ve been perfect. I also wish there had been ice cream available.||Cocktails / Hors d’oeuvres|18:00 – 20:00|Desserts & Cordials|20:00 – 22:00||The long-awaited champagne hours — I had two glasses. The food that day included beef and northern-style sausage (sai ua), both of which I don’t eat. I vaguely remember mentioning my dietary restrictions when booking, but apparently it wasn’t noted. The hot dish was another curry, which I couldn’t eat either, so that was frustrating. Thankfully, the chef prepared a special scallop dish for me, so at least I had something to enjoy.||To be honest, the lounge seems more suited for those who enjoy drinking. For non-drinkers like me, it doesn’t feel quite worth it. Across the five meal presentations, the food tends to repeat itself — fruit, salad, and curries. I even saw the same sai ua from dinner reappear during lunch the next day. The fruits were just rotated between sides, but clearly the same ones. I wish there was more variety between sessions. I understand the space might be limited, but I’d like to see more distinct offerings for each time slot. Also, for dinner, there should be at least one or two alternative dishes for guests who don’t eat meat. Luckily, the chef’s special saved the night.||Overall, I believe it’s fair to expect better given that club access here requires an additional payment.||Service|Since the club offers five meal periods, I ended up spending more time there than in my room. The staff deserve praise — everyone was genuinely attentive and service-minded, especially Irene, Kaew, Kat, and others. I also met Khun Juice, the duty manager, whom I coincidentally knew from Park Hyatt — small world!||Summary|To be frank, the room felt a bit plain compared to its price. The wood-patterned floor looked somewhat odd, and the overall common area felt rather empty. The pool also faces toward residential buildings, which isn’t very appealing. The club was average, particularly for someone like me who doesn’t drink much, and the food lacked variety.||Staff service was warm and well-intentioned, but not yet as polished as at other ultra-luxury brands.|If I stay again, I’d probably just book a regular...