Above: A Chinese Villa courtyard.
Bangkok is a ton of fun, but it’s also a hectic modern city that doesn’t feel much like the real Thailand. The Siam, a new 39-room boutique hotel, delivers the best of both worlds.
The property is set to soft-launch on June 11. Located on 1.2 hectares along the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok’s royal Dusit district, the luxury hotel is not too far from the noisy city center. Yet in style and ambience, it’s worlds away.
To the four Thai-American siblings behind the project — the children of Thai singer/entrepreneur Kamala Sukosol — the Bangkok hotel is both a labor of love and a place to showcase the antiques and curios they’ve collected on travels around Asia and Western countries.
Architect Bill Bensley designed the property, melding Eastern opulence, turn-of-the-century colonial charm, and Art Deco influences.
The much-anticipated property includes 28 suites, 10 villas, and one cottage. All the rooms feature high ceiling fans and king-size beds, and each one is uniquely designed with old artwork and curios.
The suites range in size from 80 to 100 square meters and feature either a colonial veranda or Art Deco-style salon. Some face the river.
The 10 villas offer 130 square meters. Each features internal gardens, a private pool, and an open-air roof terrace. They vary among Thai, Chinese, and colonial design themes.
The cottage is essentially a Thai heritage house that had earlier been transported downriver from the ancient capital of Ayutthaya and is now outfitted with modern amenities.
The property features a private pier with a Thai barge and a high-end speedboat available for transporting guests and providing bespoke river tours.
Also on the grounds are restaurants, a cooking school, bar, café, spa, gym, yoga terrace, muay thai boxing ring, beauty salon, library/cinema, infinity pool, and gift/antiques gallery.
Included in the rates are breakfast, butler service, free Wi-Fi throughout the property, and boat rides to the Saphan Taksin central pier.
The property is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
See also: The Siam Offers 50 Percent Off
