![]() What to expect: The grandest of Bangkok’s grande damesīangkok’s hotel scene has exponentially expanded since the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok opened as the Oriental hotel back in 1876.And while the Pen dates back to the late ’90s, its 367 silk-accented rooms feel classic rather than stuffy.Ĭourtesy of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok ![]() It’s all topped off with an inspired activities calendar-all complimentary-ranging from early-morning yoga sessions at a nearby shrine to sourdough-making workshops. The hotel’s commitment to well-being is similarly forward-thinking and manifests as spa programs with guided meditation apps and Ayurvedic sleep patches or entirely plant-based tasting menus inspired by Chinese flavors in a secret vault–like dining room in Mei Jiang restaurant’s kitchen. The hotel’s commitment to contemporary art, for example, is admirable: Not only is it a recurring partner of the Bangkok Art Biennale, but it also hosts quarterly artist residencies where Thai talents take over a suite as their atelier to work on fresh exhibitions to be displayed throughout the property. With its neutral, marble-and-teak interiors and silver-cutlery table settings, the Peninsula Bangkok might no longer be the pinnacle of haute hotel design, but this riverside stalwart has always remained ahead of the curve in other ways. What to expect: A time-tested classic with standout guest experiences.Even if you’re not sleeping over, this hotel is worth a stop for the restaurants alone: Thailand’s first outpost of Hong Kong dim sum powerhouse Mott 32 takes over the second floor, while the gold-hued rooftop lounge on the 76th floor is home to the neo-Mexican restaurant Ojo, which books out weeks in advance. Some of the 155 guest rooms open to snug balconies, and all come with enormous bathrooms clad in terrazzo and roly-poly furniture upholstered in mustard velour. Instead of the fresh orchids and hallways lined with Thai latticework, this hotel-and-hangout has furnished its perch on the lower half of the pixel-twisted King Power Mahanakhon tower with a riot of curved corners, bold patterns, and eye-popping shades courtesy of Spanish artist-designer Jaime Hayon. What to expect: A bold departure from Bangkok’s traditional luxury hotelsįorget what you know about Bangkok’s traditional luxury hotels, because the Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon, the Southeast Asian flagship of this fun-loving, Hollywood-born hotel group, flips the script on Thailand’s hospitality hallmarks.But it’s the 11 riverside villas that put the Siam in a league of its own, with rooftop sundecks, apartment-size bathrooms, and bamboo-fringed courtyards with private plunge pools. The 39 standard guest rooms, lofty abodes with quirky antiques, cloud-soft beds, and freestanding bathtubs, are larger than most Bangkok hotel suites. Upon arrival, the Siam unfurls like an art deco–styled cabinet of curiosities, with retro rockstar paraphernalia (the hotel’s co-owner Krissada Sukosol Clapp is a Thai pop musician) and glass-encased Buddha sculptures dating back to the 16th century.Īncient Thai stilt houses, once the property of American silk magnate Jim Thompson, now double as the riverfront Thai restaurant, while a recent revamp of the lobby lounge changed it into a Mediterranean-inspired dining room with pinstriped floors and lush greenery. The fun of staying here starts well before check-in, when guests board a teakwood-trimmed boat from central Bangkok to the hotel’s pier, some 30 minutes upriver in the Dusit district. What to expect: A cabinet of curiosities with lofty rooms and top-notch serviceīangkok-based hotel designer Bill Bensley still refers to the Siam as one of the projects he’s most fond of, and it’s easy to see why.We’ve tried, tested, and rounded up Bangkok’s best hotels to book. Classics like the Mandarin Oriental and the Peninsula are still going strong, while buzzed-about brands like the Standard (and soon, a hotel from the coveted luxury brand Aman) have entered the Thai capital with their unique takes on Thailand’s renowned hospitality. From indie boutique hotels to marble-clad five-star urban resorts with all the bells and whistles, Bangkok’s hotel scene has a retreat for every type of traveler.
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