Above: An Extra Radiance room.

Launched in January last year, the LIT Bangkok is a stylish boutique hotel that offers top-notch service, quirky design, and a more down-to-earth experience of Bangkok than usually found at chain hotels. Located in a quaint alleyway — a short stroll from the National Stadium Skytrain station, MBK mall, and Siam Square — LIT is all about letting guests experience the hustle and bustle of the local neighborhood.

Masterminded by Bangkok-based VaSLab Architecture, the hotel’s open design invites passersby to ascend the grassy stairs and stop at the Fiesta Steppe, the hotel’s open-air cafe, and continue on to the BCDE (Bistro of Creative Drinking & Eating) restaurant via a connecting bridge.

While the LIT promotes a sense of community, guests’ privacy is maintained as visitors to the cafe and restaurant are restricted from accessing other areas of the hotel, such as the adjacent infinity pool. In addition, the LIT’s detached facade, inspired by the metaphor of a bridal veil, shields the accommodation floors (from levels three to seven) from the street and further ensures in-room guest privacy.

The hotel features 79 rooms, giving it an intimate home-away-from-home feel (there are also nice little extras like a daily minibar credit and a free 10-minute foot massage). The units include 25 Extra Radiance rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-plan design (the bathtub sits outside the bathroom); 44 Different Degree rooms with an elongated bathroom that runs the length of the room and a closet that can be accessed from both the room and the bathroom; five Full Spectrum suites where the ambiently lit shower comes as the centerpiece; and five spacious Triple Luxe suites for those who like to travel in threes.

The hotel also features a fitness center and the Kiriya Spa, where many of the treatments have been inspired by Thai performing arts from different regions of the country. For example, the slow and rhythmic moves of the Nora dance from southern Thailand have provided inspiration for one massage.

36/1 Soi Kasemsan 1, Rama 1 Road,
 Pathumwan; 66-2/612-3456; rates range from around US$140 to $226 per night.