Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit 55 — a proper Japanese onsen inside a 5-star, right in the heart of Thong Lo
When Bangkok travellers ask which 5-star in Thong Lo actually earns its keep in real guest reviews, Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit 55 keeps coming up. The hotel holds 9.2 out of 10 from 1,734 Booking.com reviews — one of the highest counts and scores you will find in the district. It opened in 2016 with 442 rooms across a 30-storey tower, an entire spa floor given over to Let's Relax Spa & Onsen (think: genuine Japanese mineral bathing, not a hotel add-on), a Sunset Pool overlooking the skyline, and a Kids Club. Rooms start from approx. ฿3,200/night for a Signature Deluxe at 40 sq m. A free tuk-tuk shuttle runs to BTS Thong Lo every few minutes from 07:00 to 20:00.
Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit 55 does not try to win you with a concept or a stylish Instagram lobby. What it does instead is deliver consistent five-star fundamentals across nearly 1,800 guest reviews: clean rooms that are larger than their category usually promises, attentive staff, and a wellness offer that has become its calling card across the Bangkok hotel circuit. A score of 9.2 from 1,734 Booking.com reviews — accumulated since 2016 — is hard to fake.
The centrepiece is Let's Relax Spa & Onsen on the fifth floor, an entire hotel level reserved for Japanese-style bathing. Five mineral baths sit alongside a steam sauna, a cold-plunge room and private Tatami relaxation suites where you rest after the circuit. Thai massage and an array of spa treatments are layered on top. For travellers who have sampled Tokyo or Kyoto onsen and want something comparable in Bangkok, real guests report this comes close — without leaving the building.
"The rooms are genuinely spacious, the views are stunning and the onsen was the highlight of the whole trip. I did not expect a Bangkok hotel to pull this off so convincingly." — Booking.com verified review
The room range runs from Signature Deluxe at 40 sq m — where most reviewers say the space surprises them at the price — up through the Deluxe Onsen category (same footprint, onsen-access privileges included), then 70 sq m Executive and Grande Corner Suites on higher floors, to the Two Bedroom Family Suite at 110 sq m which splits into separate sleeping areas for parents and children. Every category faces the Bangkok skyline; every room has a bathtub, smart TV, fridge and an automatic-flush toilet seat.
Families tend to gravitate here for the Kids Club and the outdoor Sunset Pool — a proper swimming pool (plus indoor and outdoor jacuzzis) perched above Thong Lo with views across the city. One detail that catches guests off-guard: the hotel is entirely alcohol-free. There is no bar, no wine list, not a drop served anywhere on the property. Several reviews mention they would have appreciated clearer disclosure at booking. If you want a sundowner in the neighbourhood, Thong Lo is absolutely packed with bars and rooftop venues a few minutes away — but not here.
The Thong Lo address puts you in one of Bangkok's most liveable and food-forward districts, surrounded by independent cafés, Japanese restaurants, community malls like The Commons, and boutiques that attract a local crowd rather than a tourist one. BTS Thong Lo is roughly 800 m away — walkable in cooler months, very sweaty in April. The hotel's free tuk-tuk shuttle bridges the gap comfortably between 07:00 and 20:00. After that you rely on Grab, which is never hard to find in this part of the city.
Where the experience frays slightly, according to a minority of reviews, is in pool-side food service (slow to arrive despite staff being visible), occasional inconsistency in breakfast quality during peak hours, and some instances of front-desk communication that felt rigid rather than guest-led. These are not dealbreakers at this score, but they surface often enough to mention. The honest overall read: an unusually good-value 5-star for families and wellness-focused couples who can make peace with no alcohol and the tuk-tuk commute to the BTS.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Rooms are genuinely large for a Bangkok 5-star at this price — 40 sq m standard, panoramic city views
- ✓ Let's Relax Onsen on the 5th floor is a genuine highlight that many guests call the best part of their stay
- ✓ Staff consistently praised for friendliness and speed of response
- ✓ Breakfast variety and Kids Club setup appreciated by families
- ! Entirely alcohol-free — no bar, no wine with dinner; not disclosed prominently enough for some guests
- ! BTS Thong Lo is ~800 m away; free shuttle helps but stops at 20:00
- ! A handful of reviews note slow poolside service and occasional front-desk rigidity
- ✓ Room size is a consistent surprise — most guests say they expected less at this price point
- ✓ Onsen and spa experience feels authentic, not a hotel-lobby gimmick
- ✓ Thong Lo neighbourhood: excellent restaurants and cafés within walking distance
- ✓ Free tuk-tuk shuttle is a genuine convenience, not just a marketing claim
- ! No alcohol anywhere on the property — plan evening drinks at nearby Thong Lo venues
- ! Pool food and beverage service can be slow during busy periods
- ! Onsen is age-restricted (10 years and older) — families with young children use the outdoor pool instead
- 💡If you drink and want a bar in the hotel — this is a strict alcohol-free property with no bar, no room-service wine, nothing. Thong Lo has excellent bars a short Grab ride away, but not here. Decide if that matters to you before booking.
- 💡If you need to walk directly to the BTS — it is ~800 m, which is 10 minutes of Bangkok pavement. The free tuk-tuk shuttle covers 07:00–20:00; after that, Grab is easy. Not a dealbreaker, but not a hotel you can roll out of bed and onto a train.
- 💡If you have children under 10 and the onsen is a key reason you booked — the minimum age for Let's Relax Onsen is 10 years. Younger children get the outdoor pool and Kids Club instead, both of which draw strong praise in family reviews.