Checking in: St. Regis Bangkok offers the best of Thai hospitality in the heart of the city's shopping district
Dark wood accents and lavish furnishings infuse the rooms here with a timeless sophistication. The Caroline Astor suite, where I stayed, was impressively spacious—with a separate living and dining area, and a bedroom that offers panoramic views of lush vistas thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the space on two sides. In the massive marble-clad bathroom, a deep and roomy tub overlooks the city skyline. What makes a stay here even more enjoyable is the exceptional 24-hour butler service, which includes everything from evening turndowns to assistance with unpacking and packing of luggage upon request. The relaxation area at the Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie. Courtesy of The St. Regis Bangkok The outdoor pool at The St. Regis Bangkok. Courtesy of The St. Regis Bangkok Amenities check
The St. Regis Bangkok is home to world-class spa and aesthetics clinic Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie—the acclaimed brand's first flagship outside Europe. The relaxation areas here are incredible, equipped with amenities such as Thai herbal steam rooms, twilight rasul, vitality pools and a foot reflexology water walk. A wide range of massage treatments and facial experiences await—the latter of which makes use of the brand's premium skincare products. It's a sanctuary of rejuvenation so blissful that you'll find yourself struggling to leave. Igniv Bangkok is helmed by head chef Arne Riehn. Courtesy of The St. Regis Bangkok The food
The true highlight of my stay here, however, was undoubtedly the hotel's impeccable dining offerings. All-day dining destination Viu has one of the most incredible breakfast spreads in the city, with everything from local delicacies like khao soi and a delicious rendition of pad thai encased in an omelette, to international favourites such as Indian cuisine and dim sum . For an especially indulgent breakfast affair, look to the mango sticky rice cart, the french toast station, and a wide selection of cheeses and honeys. Lunch and dinnertime see the restaurant serving up delectable Mediterranean dishes that marry Italian, French and Spanish culinary traditions—from slow-cooked veal eye rounds in velvety tuna-based sauce with crispy caper flowers, to pearl barley 'risotto' in a bell pepper and tomato broth topped with stracciatella. Eggplant—Trang Pepper—Mole on Igniv's spring menu. Courtesy of The St. Regis Bangkok The chocolate in the Truffes Schnitte—Rhubarb is locally sourced. Courtesy of The St. Regis Bangkok
There's also the hotel's brilliant fine-dining establishment. As renowned chef Andreas Caminada's first venture outside of Switzerland, one-Michelin-starred Igniv Bangkok presents an innovative menu of contemporary European plates that incorporate local ingredients in thoughtful ways. Think eggplant paired with trang pepper and mole, and desserts that incorporate locally sourced chocolate. Dishes here are elegant and full of finesse, designed to be shared between two to foster conviviality. To end the meal, a 'candy store' invites diners to take their pick from a decadent spread of chocolates, candies and sweet treats to take home.
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
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'For big-brand hotels, customers already have very high expectations that they will get excellent levels of service. It's very hard to surprise them,' she said, adding that this may explain why newer hotels such as Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore sometimes rank higher than longstanding luxury brands like Shangri-La. Statista's Ms Angelixa said luxury hotels dropping in the rankings was not due to a decline in their performance, as they maintained a similar likelihood of recommendation as in 2024 . 'However, competitors improved their scores, with other industries placing greater emphasis on customer service,' she said, adding that this heightened competition in the premium segment made it more challenging for luxury hotels to remain among the top 10 brands. Only two hotels made the cut in 2025 . While newcomer Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore clinched the top spot, returning entrant Marina Bay Sands placed 10th on the list, down from third place in 2024 . Other new faces in 2025 include eyewear retailer Paris Miki in third place, perfume and cosmetics brand Jo Malone in fourth, wedding planner Rosette Designs and Co in fifth, furniture retailer Nitori in eighth, and moving company Assalaamualaikum Enterprise, which ranked ninth. Online stores to grow in presence Ms Felicia Wee, marketing course chair at Temasek Polytechnic, said online retailers are likely to feature more in future rankings as companies invest in user-friendly platforms to improve customer experience. 'It's the convenience of it all, and the speed with which you can purchase something,' she said, adding that these features can sometimes outshine in-store service. But success also depends on seamless online and offline strategies, such as after-sales services and a willingness to invest in data-driven insights to understand and act on consumer feedback. Ms Wee said: 'If they are fully online companies, they must take note of customer feedback. That's critical to how they would function as an online business, about how they've been serving their customers online.' New categories introduced in the ranking in 2025 were language e-learning platforms, maid agencies, as well as wedding planning and entertainment. According to Statista, five categories saw their average score improve: moving services, eyewear retailers, men's apparel (online), dry cleaning services, and pharmacies and drug stores. Ms Angelixa said the improvement was mainly due to better accessibility. 'In Singapore, 76 per cent of people own a smartphone, enabling consumers to access product information any time via search engines and other online channels,' she said. She added that with widespread internet use, strong digital infrastructure and government support, brands are now more accessible round the clock. While this benefits all categories in the survey, these five saw the most notable improvement, compared with 2024 . How companies are chosen and ranked The ranking for Singapore's Best Customer Service 2025/2026 was based on the results of an anonymous online survey commissioned by The Straits Times in partnership with Statista. The survey covered more than 1,800 retailers and service providers in 102 categories, providing results for a broad spectrum of customer experiences in traditional retail, online and services segments. More than 10,000 respondents took part in the survey, and evaluations from the 2024/2025 edition were also considered with a smaller weightage, resulting in over 100,0000 evaluations of customer service being analysed. Those who were polled comprised customers in Singapore who had made purchases, used services or gathered information about products or services in the past three years. For each category, the most relevant brands were included in the scope of the survey according to reputation, turnover or market share. Only companies that offer services in Singapore were taken into account. Calculation of scores The final ranking was based on how likely customers would recommend a company to others. This made up 50 per cent of the total score. The other half of the final score was based on five criteria, with respondents giving ratings on a scale of zero (worst) to 10 (best). The criteria were: Quality of communication, which considered whether the contact – via e-mail, phone or face to face – was friendly and polite; Professional competence, which measured the quality of information received and whether questions were answered correctly and in sufficient detail; Range of services, which considered the variety of solutions available to meet customers' expectations; Customer focus, which looked at whether the customer felt acknowledged and important; and Accessibility, which measured the availability of customer service in a shop or on a helpline. The top three or top five brands – based on category size – receiving the highest scores in each category were awarded the Singapore's Best Customer Service 2025/2026 title.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Thailand to allow foreign tourists to convert crypto to baht
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The Thai government wants to promote innovation and support the use of digital assets to stimulate Thailand's tourism industry. Tourism-reliant Thailand will relax restrictions on foreign visitors converting digital-asset holdings into the baht to fund their travel expenses and spending while in the country. The government wants to promote innovation and support the use of digital assets to stimulate Thailand's tourism industry while offering convenient payment options for foreigners, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira told a press briefing on Aug 18. The so-called TouristDigipay programme will start its 18-month trial period through a regulatory sandbox in the fourth quarter, he added. Digital assets cannot be used directly as a means of payment for goods and services – only for conversions into the baht – and merchants will receive payments only in baht, according to officials. 'We want to take every action to facilitate foreign tourists for their stays in Thailand,' said Mr Pichai. 'This new programme adds a new innovation to replace overseas visitors' cash and credit card use here.' South-east Asia's third-biggest economy is trying to lure international tourists from a wider range of countries, with visitors from China slumping amid safety concerns. The government hopes to boost the flow of tourists from the Middle East and South-east Asia to help offset a 33 per cent drop in Chinese travellers in the first half of 2025, following news of Chinese actor Wang Xing's kidnapping near Thailand's border with Myanmar. On Aug 18, Thailand's main planning agency lowered its foreign tourist arrival forecast to 33 million in 2025 from 37 million earlier, citing a slump in the number of Chinese visitors. The tourism industry makes up about 12 per cent of Thailand's gross domestic product. Year-to-date tourist arrivals have topped 20.2 million as of Aug 10, down 6.9 per cent from the same period a year ago. Foreign tourists who wish to convert digital assets into the baht to pay for goods and services must transact through licensed digital-asset business operators and e-money service providers, according to a finance ministry statement. Spending through the programme is limited to 500,000 baht (S$19,750) per month. Those limits, alongside strict requirements around opening new accounts and activating e-wallets, are designed to prevent money laundering, according to Mr Pichai. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Spain's party island Ibiza also suffers housing crunch as rents soar
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SANT ANTONI DE PORTMANY, Spain - It's another night, another party at a hotel in Ibiza. The international clientele dances to the house beat while laser lights reflect on the curvy swimming pool and on a sea of sunglasses worn after dark at the open-air venue. Many party-goers wear all-white; some show signs of altered perception. Ask those queuing outside this place and some of the Spanish Mediterranean island's legendary nightclubs and they'll say they're spending a lot but the experience is worth it. However, behind Ibiza's clubbing scene and beaches a housing crisis has forced many locals and seasonal workers to share cramped apartments, commute from off the island or stay in tents and motorhomes in unauthorised encampments. Ibiza's problems reflect a broader issue in Spain, where a lack of affordable housing in cities and popular coastal destinations has sparked protests to demand rent controls and denounce overtourism. Activists accuse landlords of preferring short-term tourist lets to less-profitable extended leases. On Ibiza, nearly 800 people have resorted to living in makeshift settlements, according to local authorities' figures from last year, which don't include an estimated 200 who lived in shacks, tents and vans at the "Can Rovi 2" camp before being evicted last month. "The island is paradise, the most beautiful place I've ever seen. But it has a flipside," said Jeronimo Diana, a 50-year-old water technician from Argentina who stayed at Can Rovi 2. A normal monthly rent would swallow most of his 1,800-euro salary, Diana said. Ibiza's average rents peaked at 33.7 euros per square metre in July last year, a 23% rise from July 2023, data from property website Idealista shows. That translates to about 1,500 euros ($1,756) for a small one-bedroom apartment. Spain's national minimum wage is 1,381 euros per month. In one possible knock-on effect, Ibiza is seeing a growing shortage of teachers and health workers, according to regional government data. Some public servants commute from neighbouring Balearic islands Menorca and Mallorca. Maria Jose Tejero, a 24-year-old emergency medical technician, said she shares a small flat with two housemates to make ends meet because the rent is twice her salary. Crewing an ambulance at night sometimes makes her feel "like a babysitter", Tejero said. "People come here, drink, take drugs and think life's just a party when that life can also end." Deflated balloons litter a bar-lined street in popular tourist town Sant Antoni. Dealers discreetly inflate the balloons with nitrous oxide - laughing gas - selling the brief high for 5 euros a pop. Lia Romero, a 28-year-old nurse from Spain's Canary Islands who sometimes moonlights as a dancer at Ibiza's club Amnesia, said she also shares a flat and can't afford bar cover charges or dining out. "Ibiza is all about posturing and displays of wealth," she said, "leaving no room for ordinary people". According to the regional statistics institute, Ibiza received 3.28 million tourists in 2024, 76% from outside Spain, while the island's resident population reached a record 161,485. Jonathan Ariza, a mechanic and construction worker from Colombia who said he is seeking political asylum in Spain, lives in a trailer near the island's main hospital. "As long as tourists keep coming, there'll be people willing to live in precarious conditions to be employed," he said. Alejandra, a 31-year-old Colombian with a residence permit, lives in a shelter managed by Catholic charity Caritas after failing to secure a rental. She said she slept in a tent with her 3-year-old son David until they were evicted. Alejandra said she had a new hotel job and wanted to move out of the shelter, but worried about losing work "for being slow" as she raced to log the Social Security contributions required to renew her permit. Social workers Gustavo Gomez and Belen Torres, who run the Caritas shelter, said landlords routinely discriminate against families with children and evict tenants to replace them with tourists during the more lucrative summer months. Local authorities are cracking down on illegal tourist rentals, imposing fines that start at 40,001 euros on those who post them. Vacation rental companies have agreed to automatically withdraw advertisements officials deem illegal instead of waiting for a slower judicial ruling, said Ibiza Council Vice-President Mariano Juan of the conservative People's Party, which governs the wider Balearic region. In Juan's view, high demand and limited buildable land result in "absolutely illogical" rent prices on Ibiza. At a national level, the centre-left government has pledged to triple the state housing budget and speed construction of social housing. But a 2023 law that introduced some rent controls has seen limited success, as many opposition-controlled regions decline to apply the rules given they have a high level of autonomy in housing policy. National landlord lobby ASVAL rejects rent controls, arguing they shrink supply and raise prices. It says the best ways to bring down rents are public incentives and more construction. Saray Benito, 32, said work as a contortionist and torch juggler at the famous Cafe del Mar is scarce in winter. Over 12 years in Ibiza, she said she has had to move 20 times and sometimes sleep on balconies. Italian drag performer Eva Cavallini, who is famous in the LGBTQ-friendly La Virgen district near Ibiza Town's port, lamented that soaring travel and accommodation costs dissuade other artists from visiting. "Ten years ago, we were around 200. Now it's just me - the only survivor here. If things keep going this way, the island is finished." REUTERS
