Editors’ Note

Kurt Wachtveitl worked at several premier Swiss properties before joining The Oriental, Bangkok, as General Manager in 1967, and in 2007 he celebrated his 40th anniversary with the property. He studied at the University of Madrid and Rome’s Dante Alighieri School, and graduated from the Lausanne Hotel School in Switzerland.

Property Brief

Built during the last quarter of the 19th century on the banks of Bangkok’s picturesque Chao Phraya River, The Oriental, Bangkok (www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok), is consistently ranked as one of the world’s best and most luxurious hotels. It features 393 rooms and suites, each with a state-of-the-art entertainment system and a fusion of colonial-style and Thai furnishings, reflecting its legendary past; a high-tech business center; eight renowned restaurants; the deluxe Oriental Spa, a Thai health and beauty center; and fully equipped meeting and banquet rooms, which can host up to 500 guests. A founding link in the Mandarin Oriental chain, the property has undergone extensive renovations over the past six years totaling $85 million.

What recent changes will your returning guests notice at The Oriental, Bangkok?

We celebrated our 130th anniversary in 2007, and we have completed a series of renovations to the hotel, which includes the total transformation of the Thai restaurant Sala Rim Naam, the Barbecue Terrace, the swimming pool, the China House, and of course the addition of the new Ayurvedic Penthouse.

Thailand has a number of high-end luxury properties focused on a similar market. How challenging is it to define the elements that make The Oriental, Bangkok unique?

In the 130 years of its existence, The Oriental, Bangkok has become a legend, and an institution that is linked with the history and tradition of Thailand itself. The Oriental has grown and developed alongside the city of Bangkok for over a century, all the while maintaining its rich sense of tradition and literary culture. It is a luxury product and a lifestyle, that our guests are happy to visit and revisit. Our employees have worked an average of 14 years with the hotel and our main focus is on consistently maintaining the highest quality of service for all of our guests. We are in a prime location by the river and we employ over 1,200 motivated employees for our 393 rooms. Our main focus is the happiness of our guests, and all of our staff are deeply committed to maintaining a close and warm relationship with our guests.

What changes should guests expect to find in your food and beverage offerings at The Oriental, Bangkok?

The China House, one of our eight food and beverage outlets, has long been the mainstay of traditional Cantonese cuisine at the hotel. It has recently been redesigned and revived into an avant-garde eatery inspired by the vibrant ’30s Shanghai Art Deco period, and serves classic yet contemporary cuisine in a refined atmosphere.

Sala Rim Naam, housed in a completely renovated mini Thai Royal Palace, and lovingly crafted in teak, marble, and bronze, offers a classic Thai dining experience, serving a daily buffet lunch and set dinner with the most spectacular Thai classical dance show.

The Riverside Terrace hosts The Oriental’s barbeque dinner buffet, featuring some of the best grilled seafoods and meats and a large, mouth-watering selection of international delicacies, from kebabs to Chinese-style noodles. One can enjoy alfresco dining on the spacious Riverside Terrace by the River of Kings, accompanied by live jazz music.

Many leading properties today have placed a major emphasis on offering high-end spa and fitness facilities. What makes The Oriental Spa special?

The Oriental opened The Oriental Spa in 1993 and it has since been continuously voted as one of the best in the world. The Oriental Spa is completely made of teakwood and was built with self-contained rooms with no need for our guests to move around every 20 minutes. The management and staff at the spa always use Thai products, except for facials, all produced exclusively for The Oriental Spa with herbs and flowers from the Royal Projects in Northern Thailand and parts of Northern Myanmar.

The Oriental, Bangkok unveiled its newest wellness facility in November 2006, the Oriental Ayurvedic Penthouse. A holistic center of tranquility, located above The Oriental Spa, The Oriental Ayurvedic Penthouse is the first of its kind in Bangkok, and offers the most exclusive selection of healing and natural rituals in the city. An extensive range of private or group yoga sessions are conducted by yogic specialist Neelam Khatri, who trained with The Art of Living organization in India, which is world-renowned for promoting stress relief, and a peaceful and joyous way of living based on special breathing techniques.

How much of an impact is technology making at the property, and how do you balance providing the technology offerings while at the same time making sure you keep the personal touch and human contact that The Oriental is known for?

The Oriental, Bangkok always strives to keep on top of the modern world, and technology is a big part of everyday luxury travel. We are able to offer wireless Internet access to our in-house guests in many of our public areas, such as the Verandah Terrace, the Lobby, The Authors’ Lounge, the Business Centre boardroom, the swimming pool area, and the Barbecue Terrace, in addition to Internet access in all guest rooms.

The Oriental, Bangkok unveiled its brand new business service center in November 2006, which has been transformed with state-of-the-art technology and office equipment. It is comprised of three exclusive meeting rooms and four Internet stations, which are perfect for private meetings or personal office space.

People who know Kurt Wachtveitl say that you will never slow down. Do you still enjoy the business today as much as in the early days?

I feel a sense of pride and happiness in every aspect of my job: when the hotel caters for the Royal Palace, when we receive guest letters raving about how they love it here, when we receive members of the same family for generations, and when we win awards year after year for being one of the best hotels in the world. I feel that my relationship with my staff is also one of the key points – we have become one, building on a great warm and caring attitude. I believe it is always important to remain passionate about the things you do, and passion is certainly paramount to running a legendary hotel like The Oriental, Bangkok.