There are a couple of reasons why Singaporeans love visiting Bangkok — the vibrant city offers an abundance of good food, plenty of shopping options whether in spacious malls or bustling night markets, as well as value-for-money massages. In other words: indulgence. And while we’d typically step into a five-star hotel to unwind, Marriott Hotels presents quite the unusual experience within their luxurious rooms — an escape room.
No, we don’t mean an “escape” from the bustle of city life, but instead, an interactive room experience where you and your friends or family members get to solve a series of clues, in an elaborate game designed by TED’s educational arm TED-Ed.
Called ‘The Curiosity Room by TED’, it had debuted earlier in August at one of Bangkok’s landmark hotels, the centrally-located Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, with reservations open till 15 November 2022. Currently, the experience is only available at three cities around the world — San Francisco, London, and Bangkok.
If you’re, well, curious about what it’s like to navigate an exclusive themed hotel room, here’s a quick, spoiler-free overview: recommended for families and friends aged seven and up, the immersive experience involves cleverly hidden puzzles among various elements of the room, with a major highlight being an illustration of Bangkok and its famous landmarks across an entire feature wall and cushions. Read on for our full review of the experience.
OUR EXPERIENCE
Bring your brains. That’s the one thing I’d recommend based on our experience of The Curiosity Room. While one might not expect much from what can be considered a curated escape room experience, without the grit and anxiety-inducing nature of a countdown clock, TED and Marriott certainly did not underestimate our intelligence here. The puzzles were appropriately challenging, yet not overwhelming, while you’re free to take your time to solve them over the duration of your stay.
For us, the adventure started the moment we entered the room, which was dressed in red, black, white, and grey, the colours associated with TED, along with an unmissable light-up sign of their logo. A feature wall of Bangkok’s skyline, seen also on cushion covers, also greeted us, and was a nice touch that reminded us that we were in the heart of Thailand’s capital city.
We won’t reveal much so you can enjoy the experience for yourself, but I particularly enjoyed the variety of puzzles we were privy to. These were ranked in terms of difficulty levels, so we had to work our way up, and challenged our different skillsets, everything from a treasure hunt that tested your observational skills, uncovering hidden messages hidden in plain sight throughout the room, to more high-level logic and deduction puzzles.
It wasn’t just a series of numbered padlocks either; the puzzles involved nifty features such as magnets, heat-reactive materials, and electronic elements, for instance, and the smart use of existing features already present as part of the room’s decor made it feel more immersive and authentic to the location.
What I also enjoyed was having a Curiosity Journal in hand while we went about solving the riddles. This was available as both a physical and online guide, which helped with noting down our clues as we uncovered them, while also providing hints should one require a helping hand.
If you do feel at a loss at any point, know that this is totally normal — there is value in teamwork after all, while the challenge was made more fun with a bunch of competent group mates who were 200% on board. Once the final challenge has been completed, you’ll receive a certificate, a special prize, and a complimentary dessert at the hotel’s restaurant.
Here’s a video that sums up our experience:
@nylonsg We got to experience ‘The Curiosity Room by TED’ at BangkokMarriottMarquis, a fun and interactive themed room concept where guests get to solve clues and puzzles. The rooms are only available at three cities around the world — San Francisco, London, and Bangkok — available for booking from now till 15 November 2022, via marriott.com. @Marriott Hotels @Marriott Bonvoy #MarriottHotels #MarriottxTED #hotels #experience #travel #fyp #sgnews #bangkok #bkk #review
The Curiosity Room by TED is available for booking from now till 15 November 2022, online at marriott.com. Rates start at THB 16,100++ (about SGD608), which includes a two-night stay for up to 4 guests, a dinner at Goji Kitchen + Bar, and a treat from the Siam Tea Room’s bakery.
THE HOTEL
Once you’ve made your “escape”, you’ll find that there’s plenty to love about the hotel as well. Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park is a choice stay, first for its location at Sukhumvit Road, one of the city’s major commercial streets, and second, the impressive array of facilities and restaurants all under one roof. It also has the distinction of being the largest hotel in Bangkok, and the first Marriott Marquis hotel in Asia Pacific.
The M Club Room gives us the best views of the city, complete with access to the exclusive M Club Lounge, while it’s also nice to note the Thai influences throughout the room and the rest of the hotel as well. At the lobby, towering teak pillars give an old-world feel to the generous space while serving as a nod to the hotel’s former decor, though these are encased within mirrored frames for a more contemporary point of view.
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We aren’t kidding when we say you barely need to leave the hotel — there’s the renowned Akira Back restaurant, for instance, while facilities include two swimming pools, a 24-hour fitness centre, and the Quan Spa for a more relaxing kind of escape. It’s also an easy five-minute walk to nearby mall EmQuartier, and easily links up to the Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain station.
akira back
Of the host of restaurants and facilities located within the hotel, one major highlight would be modern fusion restaurant Akira Back. This is the first Akira Back restaurant in Thailand, a brand known worldwide for its east-meets-west approach that features modern fare with Japanese and Korean elements.
Think Tuna Pizza, a delectable signature dish that’s topped with white truffle oil; the Toro Tartare, prepared tableside and served with caviar and wasabi soy on brioche toast; as well as AB Tacos and Una-Q, where the later serves up unagi and foie gras between thin slices of cucumber, made to look like a Mexican-style taco. Along with these, their maki-style sushi rolls are quite the crowd-pleasers — ‘Brother From Another Mother’ is aptly named for its combination of freshwater unagi and anago, a saltwater eel, while ‘Hot Mess’ delivers on that spicy kick with crunchy crab tempura and avocado, sashimi poke, and spicy ponzo aioli.
Akira Back opens from 5.30pm – 11pm, daily.
abar rooftop
Rooftop bars are a quintessential Bangkok affair, and you won’t have to venture far for a taste of nightlife. ABar Rooftop, located on the 38th floor of the hotel, offers spectacular views of the city in a stylish open-air setting, while boasting one of the largest selections of gins within Bangkok as well.
Its collection currently consists of over 80 different gin varieties, including craft labels such as ‘Saneha’ from a Phuket-based gin distillery. Go for a signature G&T if you enjoy your floral cocktails, or try one of the innovative cocktails on their extensive menu while looking over an illuminated city skyline.
ABar Rooftop opens from 5pm – 12mn, daily.
SIRIMAHANNOP — DINING ON BOARD A SHIP
On top of the myriad of experiences you can indulge in within the hotel, here’s something unusual that might float your boat — dining aboard a ship. Sirimahannop is the city’s latest dining and entertainment venue that transports you back into the golden era of Thai heritage, as you board a grand three-masted vessel that’s now permanently docked at ASIATIQUE The Riverfront, right by the city’s famed Chao Phraya River.
The ship itself is an authentic replica of a Royal Thai Navy ship that dates back to the reign of King Rama V, with plenty of nautical fittings, done elegantly, and even a mini photo gallery that chronicles the cabin crew’s seafaring adventures. It is managed by Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, so members of Marriott Bonvoy and Club Marriott get to enjoy special offers when dining aboard the Sirimahannop.
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While dining alfresco at the top deck, we got to indulge in fresh local seafood and tapas-style plates, which we heard reflect the ship’s voyages across the international waters. This included house-cured dill salmon; a sharing seafood basket of shrimps, scallops and whelk clams on ice; a beef cheek green curry basket served with griddled roti; Copenhagen-style stir-fried calamari; along with baked pork chop on the bone. On the drinks menu, expect rum-based drinks and cocktails inspired by Thai woods, alongside craft beers and fine wines.
Sirimahannop opens 4pm – 12mn, daily.
The Curiosity Room by TED, at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, is available for booking from now till 15 November 2022, online at marriott.com.
Rates start at THB 16,100++ (about SGD608), which includes a two-night stay for up to 4 guests, a dinner at Goji Kitchen + Bar, and a treat from the Siam Tea Room’s bakery. Visit TEDRooms.Marriott.com for more information.
All photos, courtesy of Marriott Hotels.
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