The DNA of a grand hotel
A small black and yellow Mynah bird, Khun Thongin the lush gardens of the hotel’s original
building chirps and sings to guests as they pass by. Outside of the bird’s weathered white
wooden cage, in the midst of tropical ferns and purple orchids, there is a sign in English and
Thai pointing out its special talent. The bird has the capacity to talk through a lively imitation
of sounds, including the human voice and even cellular phone rings. Curiously, the bird
sometimes surprises people by speaking when they least expect it.
As people walk through the hotel entrance amongst fuchsia orchids and hanging lanterns,
they are graciously welcomed with a ‘‘wai’’ and presented a Thai flower hand garland. Guests
walk into the hotel elevator and are pleased to see that their room floor has been selected for
them. Hotel employees greet guests with their name and title, and often in their respective
languages. These elements make up the recipe which reflects the ‘‘magic’’ of the service
tradition at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. To create these guest experiences, employees
are challenged to maintain standards which require high levels of dedication and often long
hours.
Also known as the ‘‘Grande Dame’’ on the legendary Chao Phraya River, the Mandarin
Oriental Bangkok, previously known as ‘‘The Oriental,’’ is the oldest luxury hotel in Thailand