Recently I was in Bangkok, Thailand and had the opportunity to enjoy the Mandarin Oriental Five Star BMW 7 Series Limousine Service to and from the airport. For the past 15 years, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has been using BMWs to shuttle hotel VIP guests and in 2016 upgraded their BMW fleet to the all-new 7 Series.
A gentlemen dressed in a crisp Mandarin Oriental Uniform met us holding the Mandarin Oriental fan symbol just as we were exiting baggage claim at the Bangkok Airport. He loaded our luggage on a cart, spoke quietly into a radio and escorted us to the curb where our gorgeous BMW 7 Series pulled up. Our 7 Series Limo driver was dressed in bright dress white uniform replete with cap.
As we pulled away from the airport, we were offered cool refreshing towels for our hands, bottled water and our very own WiFi service. The hotspot name was MO Limousine 26 and being BMW’s LTE connection, was remarkably fast. Though the cabin of the 730Ld was a perfectly comfortable temp, I turned on the seat ventilation and massage function to help work away the jet lag.
Our trip to the Mandarin Oriental took about 45 minutes and introduced us to massive Bangkok traffic as well as an epic down pour welcoming us to Thailand’s rainy season.
The part that impressed me most, was how serene it is inside the 7 Series despite all the craziness going on outside the car. Our driver was extremely competent and deft at nosing the 7 in the smallest gaps of Bangkok’s free-for-all style traffic. Once through the gates of a toll booth, we rode a big wave of the 730Ld’s torque and smooth shifting 8-speed transmission to highway speeds on Route 7 to downtown Bangkok.
Rear seat passengers have their own entertainment tablet displays mounted to the back of the front seats. These are controlled by an iDrive controller in the rear seat center arm rest. Should one wish, they can display different media for each passenger. Rear seat passengers can control their own temperatures and enjoy a nice seat massage, too.
We also took the BMW 730Ld M Sport shuttle back to the airport. This 7 Series had 78,000 km and the one from the airport had 105,000 km. I mention the total mileage of the cars because they really rode as if they were brand new. BMW’ 7 Series’ Carbon Core saves weight and adds chassis rigidity. After so many rough miles it is truly remarkable that I didn’t hear a single squeak or rattle and that they rode so well.
The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has a a fleet of twenty BMW 730Ld M Sports that are completely loaded. A trip from the airport to the Mandarin Oriental costs 3,400 THB (about $100 ) and from the hotel back to the airport costs 3,100 THB ($90 USD). Given the luxurious ride and distance covered, it represents a bargain in my book.
