Think old European romance with understated Thai flair. The Peninsula Bangkok, which recently turned 25, treats travellers to spacious, well-appointed suites and rooms with unobstructed view of the river out of floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a variety of dining options that include refined Thai cuisine by the river at Thiptara Restaurant, authentic Chinese at Mei Jiang and a selection of afternoon tea sets, including a plant-based one.
The hotel is also renowned for the wellness offering and programmes, especially the annual wellness festival, which is a three-day event with guest speakers, workshops and holistic-related activities. On a regular basis, The Spa, housed in a three-storey colonial Thai house, offers a vast array of pampering treatments and wellness sessions that blend several different healing arts.
Culture buffs can also choose to go on cultural tour of Thonburi neighbourhood, the up-and-coming hip area of Bangkok, or join other activities such as Muay Thai class and a Thai history day-tour.
The Siam
2. The Siam
Escape the city buzz and take refuge in this urban sanctuary. This highly Instagrammable property is probably one of the earliest establishments in Thailand’s hospitality scene to invoke the art deco spirit. With a black-and-white palette accented with scattered bursts of bold colours, The Siam is a destination in its own right, and offers suites and pool villas with views of the well-manicured tropical garden designed by famed landscape artist Bill Bensley, and/or views of the majestic Chao Phraya River.
Dining options include Chon Thai Restaurant, that serves flavourful Thai dishes; The Story House with refined comfort dishes; and the not-to-be-missed The Pier, a lounge-bar by the river that provides the perfect spot for a sundowner. It’s not all about indulgence, though; the hotel’s award-winning Opium Spa offers pampering treatments for adults, children and teens, as well as yoga and Muay Thai classes.
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
3. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
This newbie only opened in 2020, but it has all the top-notch luxury and exquisite service that you’d expect of the Four Seasons anywhere around the world. Stay in one of the contemporary rooms or suites with the river view, or splurge on the Riverfront Penthouse with a vista that takes in the river bend and the city beyond, and really soak it all in.
The property is located on the lower stretch of the Chao Phraya River right in the middle of a residential area, so you can expect a different riverside vibe: more tranquil, more local and more secluded, with element of water incorporated subtly in its architectural design.
Dining options here are extensive. Guests can dine at one Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Yu Ting Yuan, the riverfront French and Italian outlets, Brasserie Palmier and Riva del Fiume Ristorante, and sip decadent cocktails at the opulent BKK Social Club. They can also simply venture outside and browse through the street food galore in the vicinity.
If you are charmed by the allure of the river, but also favour a view of foliage to heal and uplift your spirit, Capella Bangkok is the ideal choice. Set on a particularly leafy stretch of the Chao Phraya, rooms and suites have panoramic views, while the property has echoed the naturally growing greenery beyond its borders throughout the hotel; you may even forget you’re in the city. For an even more indulgent, private experience, check in to one of the villas on the river’s edge that come either a private balcony or a veranda with a jacuzzi plunge pool.
Pamper your body and mind at The Spa, set among the verdant garden, which offers an array of treatments based around Thai ingredients and traditional therapies. When night falls, enjoy homemade Thai dishes at Phra Nakhon or Riviera-inspired dining experience at one Michelin-starred Côte by Mauro Colagreco, then treat yourself to a nightcap and some live jazz at Stella, a ritzy, sultry salon inspired by stories of iconic women in western history.
This riverside gem has been around for almost 30 years and is still considered one of Bangkok’s most popular hotels by both locals and visitors alike. The massive property has three connecting colonial-style buildings in a lush tropical setting overlooking the curve of the Chao Phraya River; and should you tire of staring at the views, there are ample other distractions.
Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort has more than a dozen dining venues to choose from, including a teppanyaki restaurant, an international buffet, authentic Thai cuisine and pan-Asian selections, as well as several bars and a nightclub where you can shake things up after the sun goes down. Not to be missed is the Manohra Dining Cruise that offers an unforgettable dining experience along the Chao Phraya on a beautifully refurbished traditional rice barge. The hotel also offers several private cruise packages, treatments at Anantara Spa and a menu of preventive care programmes at BDMS Wellness Clinic Retreat.
