Luxury Hotels in Bangkok

I'm in love with Bangkok and what the city has to offer. It has seen significant development over the past 20 years, with high rise office buildings, state of the art shopping centres, luxury condo schemes and some beautifully designed hotels.

For me, choosing the right hotel is crucial in enhancing your travel experience, and Bangkok has some truly wonderful hotels to choose from.

Here, I highlight five luxury hotels that offer a mixture of elegance, heritage and modern luxury, all with outstanding service:

1. Mandarin Oriental

Overview:

• Location: Situated on the Chao Phraya River, in the Bang Rak area of Bangkok, near Silom.

• Rooms: Spacious and comfortable rooms, with an elegant Thai design.

• Dining: High class and award winning on site restaurants, serving Thai, French, and international cuisine.

• Facilities: Spa & wellness centre, gym, outdoor swimming pool and free on site parking.

• Design: Elegant traditional design with modern amenities.

• Service: Absolutely amazing personalised service. Staff are attentive, professional and very friendly.

The Mandarin Oriental is perhaps one of the most iconic and historic 5 star hotels in Bangkok, being built in 1876. The hotel has a beautiful traditional design, showcasing colonial architecture and is surrounded by tropical gardens. Rooms are a blend of traditional Thai design and modern amenities, with some rooms having private balconies overlooking the river.

The cost to stay at the Mandarin Oriental certainly is on the higher end of the scale, but it does promise a one of a kind experience, with its river location, fantastic restaurant options, first class spa, beautiful design and the impeccable service you are provided during your stay.

Price Range:

• Deluxe Premier: Approximately $600 - $1,000 USD per night (rates can vary depending on season).

• Suites: Ranging from approximately $1,500 - $3,000 USD per night (rates will vary depending on season and suite type).

Silom

2. 137 Pillars Suites & Residences

Overview:

• Location: Situated in the Phrom Phong, Sukhumvit, area of Bangkok, not too far from the shopping malls, nightlife and BTS.

• Rooms: Modern design with high end amenities and private balconies. 137 Pillars offers a mix of 1 & 2 bedroom suites and 179 residences.

• Dining: Bangkok Trading Post Bistro & Deli on the ground floor and Nimitr fine dining restaurant/bar, situated on the rooftop, serving Thai cuisine.

• Facilities: Two infinity pools, gym, spa and meeting room.

• Design: Modern and elegant high end design.

• Service: Staff are very friendly and attentive, and there is the added benefit of 24 hour butler service.

137 Pillars Suites & Residences is a fantastic place to stay in Bangkok. You have the option of spacious 1 or 2 bedroom suites, and 'residences' which come with living areas and kitchenettes. The hotel is very sophisticated, with it's high end modern design and 24 hour butler service, which makes you feel very exclusive. There are 2 rooftop infinity pools with amazing views across the city, and the Nimitr restaurant is a great place to eat/drink watching the sunset. The hotel is well located in the Phrom Phong area, with only a 10 minute walk to a couple of the shopping malls and BTS. The road 137 Pillars is on does however get very congested with traffic during peak hours, so can be a bit frustrating if you were planning to drive anywhere.

Price Range:

• Suites: Starting from approximately $300-$450 USD per night (rates will vary depending on season and suite type).

Phrom Phong

3. The Peninsula

Overview:

• Location: Located on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River, near the iconic IconSiam shopping mall.

• Rooms: Large scale hotel with 370 spacious rooms. Mixture of traditional and modern decor, with plenty of amenities.

• Dining: Good selection of restaurant venues to choose from, such as Mei Jiang (Cantonese cuisine), Thiptara (Thai cuisine), and the River Café and Terrace for all day dining.

• Facilities: Beautiful riverside swimming pool, gym, luxury spa, and meeting/event spaces.

• Design: Sophisticated traditional design, with high end furnishings.

• Service: Very attentive staff, who go above and beyond to ensure you have an enjoyable stay.

The Peninsula is situated in a fantastic riverside location in Bangkok, giving you sweeping views of the Chao Phraya River. The hotel is very grand and each room is spacious, with a more traditional design, having cream coloured walls and dark wood furnishings, but does have modern touches, such as bedside controls for lighting and sound systems. To some the hotel may be a bit too traditional and considered outdated, but others may find it warm and comfortable.

There are fantastic restaurant options on site, with Mei Jiang offering refined Cantonese dishes and Thiptara providing high end Thai dining in a beautiful setting overlooking the river. Finally, The River Café and Terrace is a great all round choice for all day dining and has a great extensive breakfast buffet.

One of the standout features of the hotel is the three tiered outdoor swimming pool overlooking the river.

Room Price Range:

• Deluxe Rooms: Starting from approximately $300-$600 USD per night (rates will vary depending on room type and season).

Siam

4. Banyan Tree

Overview:

• Location: Situated in Sathorn, Bangkok's business district. Close to Lumphini Park.

• Rooms: Spacious suites, starting at approx 48sqm, all with separate living areas.

• Dining: Good choice of dining venues, including Vertigo and Moon Bar rooftop and Saffron (Thai cuisine).

• Facilities: Luxury spa, outdoor swimming pool, gym and meeting and event spaces.

• Design: Modern upscale design

• Service: Friendly and attentive staff, which give a very personalised service.

The suites at Banyan Tree are particularly impressive, due to the thoughtful design, with expansive living spaces, floor to ceiling windows, large bathrooms and upscale amenities. Highlight for me at this hotel is the rooftop bar/restaurant Vertigo, this is one of the best sky bars in Bangkok, with its fantastic cocktail selection and stunning views across the city. You could easily spend an entire day lounging around at the hotel, by indulging yourself at the award winning spa, having a relaxing swim in the outdoor pool and then having an afternoon of exercise at the on site health club, before winding down in the evening at one of the amazing restaurants.

Room Price Range:

• Suites: Starting at approximately $200 to $350 USD per night (rates will vary depending on suite type and season)

Sathorn

5.The Carlton: Sukhumvit

Overview:

• Location: Situated in the Sukhumvit district, close to Terminal 21 Shopping Mall and Asok BTS sky train.

• Rooms: Total of 338 rooms, that are all elegantly designed with modern amenities.

• Dining: Good choice of on site restaurants, including Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant, Plate Restaurant for all day dining and the Cooling Tower Rooftop Bar.

• Facilities: Outdoor swimming pool, well equipped gym, spa, meeting and event facilities and kids play area.

• Design: Ultra modern and upscale design.

• Service: Staff are very accommodating, friendly and helpful.

I have stayed at The Carlton several times, and is definitely my top pick in the Sukhumvit area. It is situated in a prime location near the Asok BTS station, close to multiple shopping malls, restaurants and various nightlife spots. The rooms are all a good size, with a very modern design, high end amenities and extremely comfortable beds. One of the highlights for me is the outdoor pool (pictured) area on the 10th floor, benefitting from all day sun, plenty of sun loungers and a 30m pool to swim in.

Price Range:

• Deluxe Rooms: Starting at approximately $150 to $220 USD per night (Rates will vary depending on room types and season)

• Executive Suites: Starting at approximately $220 to $350 USD per night (Rates will vary depending on room types and season)

Asok