The concept for Plaza Athenee Hotel's design is "The Reflection of Princess Valaya Alongkorn". The goal is to let all guests sense "Thai Traditional Nobility" as if they have travelled back into her time. The era when classical Western art was brought into the exquisite beauty of Thai motifs, creating one of the most influential design landmarks throughout the history of Thailand.
Plaza Athenee is situated upon Kantawas Palace, Wireless Road, once the palace where Princess Valaya Alongkorn lived.
Princess Valaya Alongkorn was the 43th daughter of King Rama V and an aunt to King Bhumibol.
Princess Valaya Alongkorn was educated in England, and was well versed in the use of the English language. She was also influenced by Western, especially European cultures from a young age, leading her to develop a preference to style unique to her own based about combinations of Thai and European art. Princess Valaya Alongkorn was fond of playing chess, and engaged in many artistic crafts, including arranging bouquets, collecting books, making tableware and jewellery, and fashion design. As a respectable designer of her time, Princess Valaya Alongkorn pioneered the fashion industry of Thailand by adapting the traditional Thai motifs into European style clothing resulting in a unique elegance not found anywhere else.
Plaza Athenee Hotel is situated at the heart of the Business & Commercial areas of Bangkok, Wireless Road. Its immediate surrounding is also lined with Raintrees and within close proximity of the American Embassy, making Plaza Athenee location equivalent of an oasis in the Bangkok metropolis.
Plaza Athenee Hotel's design reflects the palaces built during King Rama V and Rama VI's reign, which combines traditional Thai and European architecture into the unique Thai Colonial style, of which Princess Valaya Alongkorn herself visited and lived in. Furthermore, the interior decorations such as lamps and bouquets are inspired by Princess Valaya Alongkorn's style of elegant craftsmanship.
The guestroom's designs are integrated with light colored Thai Pattern panels (Lai-Kan-Yang-Bai-Thed and Lai-Ku-Dan-Kan-Yang) that is installed along the sides of the bed, and the Thai pattern embroided on the two-toned curtains.
This combination of Thai cultural motif and refined western influence delivers a unique atmosphere of elegance and luxury for the guests of Plaza Athenee.
Bangkok is the traditional, cultural and religious center of Thailand. The people of Bangkok are filled with energy, constantly interacting and engaging in activities. Because of this, Plaza Athenee Hotel's location is powerful and full of energy, filled with guests and visitors, both Thai and foreigners, attending social events and cultural festivals.
Among the most important and famous of these festivals are Songkran Day (the Thai New Year) and Loi Krathong Day. These festivals are not only attractions for visitors of Thailand, but they also inspire many aspects of traditional Thai aesthetics. Because of this, we incorporate the spirit of these festivals into the aspects of Plaza Athenee Hotel including color, scent, taste and sound, such as the use of glass facades to create a sensation of transparent beauty for visitors both on the inside and outside.
During the coronation of King Rama VI , Princess Valaya Alongkorn personally welcomed the guests who were Princes and Princesses from many European countries, as well as the Representative from the United States of America. Like those who Princess Valaya Alongkorn herself welcomed, guests are welcome to indulge in the contemporary relaxation yet immersed in the traditional nobility of the palaces of Thailand when in Plaza Athenee Hotel, and enjoy the rich cultural heritage and energetic lifestyle of Bangkok when outside.
