This is one of the world’s few luxury hotels that deserves its icon status

The hotel

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Check-in

The lobby – a calm oasis amid the Bangkok bustle.

It was a vain hope that Bangkok’s choking traffic would have improved post-pandemic; it’s as bad as ever in rush hour. But after sitting at endless traffic lights that change from red to green and back again without the taxi moving more than a metre, the eventual arrival at the Mandarin Oriental could not be more of a contrast: cool marble, high ceilings, perfumed air and a flower market’s worth of orchids. Calmly efficient staff quickly relieve you of both your luggage and your frustration, and escort you to your tranquil room overlooking the Chao Phraya river.

The look

Rich in history … the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.

The charming original building with its ornate ceilings, eau de nil shutters and latticework balconies dates back to 1876, and was the Kingdom of Siam’s first luxury hotel when it opened as The Oriental. You’ll find the Authors’ Lounge here, a reference to the many writers who have stayed over the years, from Somerset Maugham to Noel Coward, and the place for afternoon tea.

The more prosaic Garden Wing, built in 1958 and renovated in 2016, stands behind while to the side is the River Wing, built in 1976 and renovated in 2019 at a cost of $US90 million ($140 million), just in time for the pandemic to hit. Unfortunate timing aside, the result is worth the wait: designer Jeffrey Wilkes has replaced the lobby’s former dark teak with river-inspired blues, greens and golds in bespoke rugs and fabrics, with huge decorative bell lanterns hanging in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The room

Deluxe suite … light and spacious.

My refurbished suite is a light and spacious 83 square metres with a separate sitting and dining area. It’s decorated in cool greys and soft yellow ochres, with Thai silk cushions and fresh flowers adding vibrant colour. Beyond the usual minibar and coffee-making facilities, there’s glass-bottled water and fruit, and you can ask your butler to bring other indulgences: maybe handmade chocolates or macarons from the ground-floor shop.

A large marble bathroom has a walk-in closet with clothes steamer, Japanese Toto toilet, double vanities and separate bath and shower with lemongrass-scented La Bottega toiletries. The 180-degree views from a balcony with daybed seal the deal.

Food + drink

Riverside dining with one of the hotel’s cute teak boats nearby.

Despite a choice of 12 venues including the two-Michelin-starred Le Normandie, I’m drawn to the open-air riverside terrace for both breakfast and dinner. From the daytime bustle of commuter ferries and longboats to the neon-lit skyline at night, the setting combines quintessential humid and “fragrant” Bangkok with generously spaced tables, attentive service and an excellent buffet of international dishes, many prepared to order on smoky barbecues.

Across the river at Sala Rim Naam, the hotel’s Thai restaurant, cultural performances are the lively backdrop for a degustation menu of crab dumplings, pomelo salad, grilled river prawns and mango sticky rice. An eight-course seasonal dinner is also served to just 20 guests at the newly reopened Baan Phraya restaurant, in a historic Thai house.

Also check out the legendary Bamboo Bar, where you may find a collab taking place – Milan’s Camparino is mixing Bitter Palomas during my visit.

Out + about

Hop on one of the hotel’s insanely cute teak boats to reach its spa for a restorative signature massage in a heritage mansion. You can also alight at the Icon Siam complex for designer shopping, dining, an art gallery and museum or at the nearest Skytrain station to get to the city’s renowned temples and night markets.

A self-guided walking tour from the hotel takes you down Bang Rak’s historic back streets to the Catholic Assumption Cathedral, the renovated Grand Postal Building (now a design centre), and past churches, food stalls and shrines to Warehouse 30, an industrial space housing independent galleries, creative outlets and a coffee roaster.

The spa is a tranquil retreat from Bangkok’s bustle.

The verdict

One of the few hotels around the world that deserves its iconic status, a stay at this impeccable property is to experience Bangkok hospitality at its finest.

Essentials

48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok 10500; see mandarinoriental.com/bangkok

A Deluxe Premier Room from THB 16,664 a night ($704). A Deluxe Suite starts from THB 41,650 a night including breakfast ($1770). There is one accessible room and one accessible suite.

The score

★★★★★

The writer stayed as a guest of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

Highlight

Two turquoise pools with sun-loungers, vermilion towels and lush surrounds are a luxurious escape from the city’s relentless humidity.

Lowlight

The tourist at the Bamboo Bar asking for a rum and Coke when some of Italy’s best mixologists were in residence.