Review: Madi Paidi Bangkok, Autograph Collection

On a trip to Bangkok earlier this year, I decided to stay at the Madi Paidi, a newish hotel that opened in September 2023 as the first Autograph Collection Hotel in Thailand. 

Normally, the impeccable Waldorf Astoria would be my property of choice in Bangkok, but I had a Marriott gift card to spend, plus some shiny new Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status to test drive. Besides, the hotel looked pretty darn good in the photos, and I wanted to see if it could live up to the billing.

My conclusion? It doesn’t offer all the frills of a big box hotel, but the Madi Paidi is still an excellent choice for anyone tired of cookie-cutter Marriott properties. 

Booking the Madi Paidi Bangkok

Award nights at the Madi Paidi range from 27,000 to 37,000 points per night, but for this stay I booked a Marriott Luminous rate via HoteLux, which cost a total of 8,184 THB (~S$300) after taxes and included the following perks: 

• Room upgrade (subject to availability)
• Daily breakfast for two adults
• THB 750 F&B credit
• Early check-in (subject to availability)
• Late check-out (subject to availability; though my Marriott Platinum status made it guaranteed) 

Since Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members get breakfast, 4 p.m check-out and room upgrades (in theory!), the incremental benefit here was the F&B credit.

One point worth noting is that I didn’t manage to finish the F&B credit, but the hotel applied the remaining balance to my room rate. I can’t tell you whether that was deliberate or an oversight, but it was appreciated either way.

Madi Paidi: Arrival and check-in

The Madi Paidi — the name comes from a combination of Thai words wishing guests  “ma dee” (a pleasant arrival), “yoo dee” (a pleasant stay), and “pai dee” (bon voyage) — is located in the Thong Lo district, known for its many cafes and cocktail bars.

It’s about a five-minute walk to the Thong Lo BTS station, close enough that you don’t actually need a tuk tuk service. Just one train stop away is the EmSphere, EmQuartier and Emporium shopping cluster.

This is one gorgeously-designed hotel, no doubt about it. For those who have stayed in one chain hotel too many, this was like a breath of fresh air, a world away from the cut-and-paste designs of Marriotts and Sheratons. 

Another cool feature of the lobby was an elevator with curved sides. It’s a cheap thrill I know, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these outside of a bubble lift. 

Welcome drinks and cold towels were served on arrival – greatly appreciated as Bangkok was going through a heatwave at the time, with the heat index going as high as 52°C. 

A hotel associate sat down with us and went through our benefits as Platinum members, which consisted of the standard perks plus a daily “evening cocktail” with three snacks and three alcoholic beverages daily per person. Complimentary laundry service was also offered for two items of clothing per day. 

Madi Paidi: Topaz Superior Room

The Madi Paidi has a total of 56 rooms and suites, split into the following categories:

I was hoping for an upgrade on account of the Luminous rate and the fact we were staying on my birthday (actual day), but the hotel was fully booked so we had to make do with the lead-in Topaz Superior.

That said, it’s still a very nice room indeed. It doesn’t reinvent the standard hotel room layout, but the furniture, upholstery and wall claddings give it a sense of personality. 

The Madi Paidi is a relatively low-rise hotel, so don’t expect much of a view. Also, there’s no outside area as such; while it may look like the room has a balcony, you can’t actually go outside (not that you’d want to, given the air quality and heat in Bangkok).

The king-sized bed, on which some celebratory balloons and a towel cake had been placed, was comfortable with high thread count bedsheets and fluffy pillows. You can also request other pillows including latex, contour, memory foam, body, bolster and buckwheat. 

Each bedside had a universal power outlet with one USB-A and one USB-C charging port. A docking station speaker with a wireless charging pad had been placed on one bedside. 

Over at the mini-bar were two complimentary glass bottles of water (you could always request for more at no charge), tea, and a Nespresso capsule machine. The mini-fridge had a little bit of storage space for personal items, and wasn’t one of those bobby-trapped versions where moving an item causes it to be charged to your bill automatically.

The room doesn’t have a proper work desk, but a circular table with a day bed in the corner gets the job done, if inelegantly. A small piece of cake had been placed here together with a birthday card.

Wi-Fi speeds were very snappy, measuring in at 93/94 Mbps up and down. 

The bathroom had a single vanity (where countertop space was somewhat lacking), and a TOTO electric bidet seat, the kind that automatically raised when it detected your presence and pre-misted itself to prevent…sticking.

The wet area had a rain shower, hand shower and squarish tub that was just about right for one. Water pressure was strong.

Bulk-sized shampoo, conditioner and body wash from ERB, a local wellness brand, were provided. These lathered well and were gentle on the scalp. 

Madi Paidi: Swimming Pool

The rooftop swimming pool offered a refreshing dip amidst Bangkok’s fierce heat. There was also Vitamin Dee, a poolside bar where you could order drinks and snacks, though it wasn’t manned during my visit.

The swimming pool is on the small side though, so it’s not really a place for a serious workout, more for lounging. 

Madi Paidi: Gym

The 24-hour gym was located next to the swimming pool, and kitted out with Life Fitness equipment. These machines have Netflix, Spotify, YouTube and all other kinds of entertainment options to make working out less mundane. 

As you’d expect for a new hotel, all the equipment was in pristine condition. The gym was well stocked with towels, fruit, bottled water, and orange-infused water from a dispenser. Sanitised headphones were also available upon request. 

Madi Paidi: Breakfast

Breakfast is served at EKKALUCK in the lobby from 6 a.m to 10.30 a.m (11 a.m on Saturdays and Sundays), and is complimentary for Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador members. If breakfast isn’t included in your rate, the cost is THB 753++ per adult.

Breakfast is semi-buffet style, featuring a cold continental buffet and an a la carte menu of made-to-order hot items.

The buffet had juice, baked goods, cereal, cold cuts, salad, and cheese. However, it wasn’t as big a selection as that which you’d find in a larger hotel, and the lack of cut fruits was a surprise.

On the other hand, this buffet did have self-pour prosecco. It’s not Robert Parker 95 points stuff, but come on, how often do you get free bubbles at a Bangkok hotel breakfast?

Besides, the real attraction was the a la carte menu, where guests could order as many items as they wanted (ignore the price tags, it’s all included with breakfast).

Portions are small, which allows you to sample more items without filling up (and if you like something you can always order it again). My personal favourite was the egg with anchovy butter and coconut brown bread French toast.

Despite the somewhat small buffet selection, I’d give this breakfast high marks. I like that all the hot items are made-to-order; certainly better than overcooked eggs and dried out pancakes sitting under a heat lamp for hours on end. The staff were also very receptive to substitutions and special orders, like some extra sliced avocado. 

Madi Paidi: “Evening cocktails”

The Madi Paidi Bangkok does not have an executive lounge, but I love that it still makes an effort to provide something for its elite members. 

Every day from 12 p.m to 8 p.m, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador members, as well as guests booked into a club room or suite, get to enjoy “evening cocktails” at EKKALUCK Bar (or Vitamin Dee pool). Since it was so ridiculously hot, we went to the air-conditioned EKKALUCK Bar in the lobby. 

The snack selection features three different small plates, which rotated daily. 

The food was so-so, but what really stood out for me were the drinks. Each guest could order three alcoholic beverages – a generous allowance – and not just cheap house wine or beer, you could even get cocktails.

We were even able to enjoy this benefit on our day of departure as we had 4 p.m late check-out. We sat at the bar with the affable bartender who was testing out some new creations, which we were only too happy to help him review!

Madi Paidi Bangkok: Service

I want to give a special shout out to the service at Madi Paidi, because from start to finish it was superb. 

There are some hotels where you feel like they’re waiting to slap extra charges on your card. Move a drink in the mini-bar ever so slightly? Charge! Free tap water? No, still or sparkling only! Order a drink two minutes past happy hour? Pay full price!

Contrast that with the Madi Paidi, where the spirit of hospitality and generosity prevailed. Want to enjoy your evening cocktails at lunchtime? Sure! Want an extra serving of snacks? No problem. Heading out? Wait- let me grab you some bottles of water, it’s hot outside! 

There was one incident I particularly remember. We decided to grab a quick lunch at the hotel before heading to the airport, and ordered some pad kra pow. The kra pow itself was what you’d expect, but what I’d never seen before were the accompaniments. There was this one snack featuring a leaf encased in clear, crunchy wrapper. 

For the life of me I cannot remember what this is called now, but it tasted amazing and we polished off the small portion in no time at all. I asked the staff about it, and they brought us an additional serving at no extra cost, even apologising that this was all they had at the moment as the process to make it was very labour intensive.

It’s little things like that which leave a lasting impression, and if anything it puts you in the kind of mood where you feel like being generous in return. I certainly spent more than I would have at a place that was out to nickel and dime me at every opportunity.

Conclusion

Great design, stellar service and a solid F&B programme make the Madi Paidi a worthy addition to the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio in Bangkok. The main drawbacks relate to its size- because it’s a small hotel, you can’t expect the largest pool or the variety of dining and recreational options that a bigger property might offer.

Still, some would say that’s a feature not a bug, and if you want a break from the usual, I’d recommend this hotel in a heartbeat.