Where to stay in Bangkok
The Siam
OK, so it’s expensive, but for a luxe stay, this is the place. Six years in the making, this Bill Bensley-designed passion project of local celebrity, actor and former indie rocker Krissada Sukosol Clapp is chockablock with antiques. The resulting property is remarkably atmospheric, especially on the serene verandah overlooking the Chao Phraya. Guests can learn to fight like a champion with an Olympic Muay Thai trainer or even pick up a sacred sak yant tattoo from Ajarn Boo, a master of this ancient art.
• Doubles from £295 room only, thesiamhotel.com
Cabochon Hotel & Residence
A night at this colonial mansion might evoke memories of a stay at an eccentric uncle’s, if said uncle were the swashbuckling, well-travelled type and a bit of a hoarder. The place is crammed with curios, ranging from the intriguing (retro typewriters) to the downright kooky (cheetah skulls). It’s got character to burn, not to mention a rooftop pool, a restaurant serving Isaan and Lao cuisine, and prime location just off of Sukhumvit Road.
• Doubles from £93 B&B, cabochonhotel.com
Inn A Day
Signs of this riverside boutique’s previous existence as a coconut sugar factory are everywhere, from the original storage tins in the walls to the oversized wheels of jaggery that serve as tables in the restaurant. Each of the rooms is named and colour-coded to different times of day, starting with 7:00 AM in early-morning hues and ending with the crepuscular-tinted 5:00 PM. If the budget allows, spring for one of the “later” suites, which feature lovely views of Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) at sunset.
• Doubles from £80 room only, innaday.com,
Riva Arun
With floor-to-ceiling windows in its 25 rooms and a lively rooftop restaurant with river views, the new Riva Arun makes for a great spot to soak in the scenery.
• Doubles from £72 room only, snhotels.com
Budget bunks
Travellers needn’t spend a fortune to sleep comfortably in this town, thanks to a spate of design-forward hostels opening in trendy neighbourhoods. Decked out in warm wood tones and sporting a craft beer bar, co-working space and third-wave coffee shop, ONEDAY (dorms from £9) is as hip as they come. In Ari, a lively residential area with tons of street food, The Yard Hostel (dorms from £13), made of upcycled shipping containers, quickly established itself as a neighbourhood haunt, as well as a social stop for wayfarers. Considerate extras – bicycles for rent, two-month luggage storage, barbecue equipment for impromptu grill parties – and a friendly staff add to the experience. In Chinatown, Loftell 22 (dorms from £7) offers comfy dorms and private rooms in two previously abandoned historic buildings in Talad Noi.