By Sarawan on February 7, 2011
A very vocal African Grey
I hadn’t stepped foot in the Ambassador Hotel since my visits to Bangkok as a child, back in the 80s. Back then, it was one of the few places we could get Western food, which was always a special treat. When we entered today, I wondered briefly if I had mistaken the hotel – the spacious white foyer did not at all match my memories of dark halls and vaguely brown decor. But as we made our way to the aviary, I realized some things never change – the slightly dingy coffee shop, with its offerings of dubious pastry and thin white bread sandwiches, was straight out of an older Bangkok.
Your first glimpse of the aviary itself is a small enclosed courtyard next to the cafe. The birds aren’t easy to spot at first glance, so it looks like just another hotel garden until a gust of wind startles them all into flight. Except for those rare moments, my toddler wasn’t very interested – she found the nearby fish tanks far more exciting.
These funky chairs double as climbing gym after your child becomes bored with the birds
More fun is to be had on the 3rd floor, which opens up onto a rooftop area near the pool. There, you can peer from above into the courtyard and wander among several large cages showcasing colorful tropical birds and flocks of songbirds. My daughter stopped and chatted to a stately African Grey, who gave us a startlingly good imitation of a cat’s meow; peered curiously at an odd-looking hornbill; and was entranced by a pair of brilliant and very noisy macaws. Then, like any good toddler, she just forgot about the birds and started to run and climb, which the space was well suited for.
Bottom line
Worth stopping by if you’re in the neighborhood, but don’t make a special trip. Still, it’s easy enough to get to from the Nana skytrain stop, and is a great place to kill time if you’re doing some shopping at the Villa Market next door.
How to get there
BTS Nana is the nearest stop – take the exit onto Soi 11. Ambassador Hotel is on the right hand side, about 5 minutes’ walk down the soi, past Villa Market.
Contact
3rd Floor
The Ambassador Hotel Bangkok
171 Sukhumvit Soi 11
Tel: 0-2254-0444
Email: info@amtel.co.th
Website: www.amtel.co.th
There is no charge for visiting the aviary.
Posted in Out & About, Places to visit |
Half-Thai by birth and all American by upbringing, Sarawan came to Bangkok in 2001 after brief stints living in Budapest and Milan. Her attempts to learn Thai and dig deeper into Thai culture have been, um, less than successful, but always met with humor and encouragement by the Thais around her.
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