From antiquated interiors to garden patios, the best boutique hotels in Bangkok
Boutique hotels are almost a novelty in Bangkok, a city better known for its colossal high-end stays. But in recent years, travellers have increasingly been looking for rooms that are destinations in their own right. Several restored heritage properties, including a former tax collector’s Italian designed mansion that’s only accessible by boat, can be found along the Chao Phraya River and in Chinatown. Visitors who like things über-modern, can take their pick from several brash and trendy downtown stays with minimalist or retro-fitted rooms. Here's our pick of the best boutique hotels in Bangkok.
Bangkok Publishing Residence
Bangkok, Thailand
9Telegraph expert rating
The Bangkok Publishing Residence is part hotel, part museum, part artist retreat. Once home to a printing press producing popular Thai magazines, the shophouse property has been lovingly restored into an intimate, classy hotel that gives larger luxury properties in Bangkok a run for their money. The rooftop is a particular highlight, part garden, part patio with an excellent indoor library that carries many interesting titles about Thailand and a whirlpool tub outside. The eight rooms have a distinctly cosmopolitan Old World feel with antique furniture and comfortable beds; the breakfast is excellent. Read expert review From £120 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Riva Surya Hotel
Bangkok, Thailand
8Telegraph expert rating
An apartment building has been turned into a modestly elegant boutique hotel with colonial-era design elements and a pool directly by the river. Deluxe rooms offer spacious balconies and splendid river views. The hotel’s combination of chic, affordable rooms and close proximity to Bangkok's historic sites make this a good choice for visitors who want comfort amidst the area's budget vibe. The hotel's restaurant, babble & rum, serves an eclectic mix of Thai and Western comfort food, organic for the most part and largely sourced locally. The freeform pool is just large enough for a swim and surrounded by sun loungers. Read expert review From £89 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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VIE Hotel Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand
8Telegraph expert rating
In the heart of Bangkok's shopping district, the silks and décor of this luxurious design hotel are inspired by the nearby Jim Thompson House. The glass-walled pool is something very special, where you can catch a view of the Bangkok skyline and watch the Skytrain trundle past. There's also a gym with Thai boxing ring and group classes, plus a spa. Generously sized rooms with higher-than-usual ceilings continue the Jim Thompson theme with Thai-colonial fusion décor and plenty of silk. There’s an upscale sushi restaurant serving fresh fish flown in from Japan every day, while La VIE offers beautifully presented French cuisine. Read expert review From £100 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Maduzi
Bangkok, Thailand
8Telegraph expert rating
The Maduzi is a small and elegant family-run boutique hotel in downtown Bangkok, close to public transport, shopping malls and nightlife. The family that owns the property is Thai/Chinese/Iranian, which translates into the beautiful Arabesque patterns of the sun shade in the ground-floor bar and classic Thai paintings and sculptures around the reception. The lift, with its red grill lights, is rather postmodern. The restaurant serves French cuisine with a Japanese twist, an eclectic combination. The circular bar behind the arabesque window shades is the best place for a pre-dinner drink. Read expert review From £102 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Cabochon Hotel
Bangkok, Thailand
8Telegraph expert rating
The Cabochon is a small and elegant boutique hotel in downtown Bangkok, offering retro charm with great attention to detail and friendly service. The owners have created a homely yet salubrious atmosphere, making it particularly popular with design and art professionals. The highlight is the Joy Luck Club, the hotel’s lounge, where guests may recline in deep leather chairs among countless antiques and baubles. Rooms are furnished with beautiful antiques, inviting guests into an ambience that’s part colonial and part Shanghai-chic. The restaurant serves authentic Thai dishes and the rooftop pool offers stupendous views of the city. Read expert review From £138 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Shanghai Mansion
Bangkok, Thailand
9Telegraph expert rating
The Shanghai Mansion offers the right balance between old-world film set feel and modern facilities. Retrofitted in classic Thirties Chinese style, the six-floor building is faultlessly decorated. It’s a little sensual without being vulgar, no mean feat in Bangkok. Antique telephones, carved dragons, blood-red chandeliers, rich tapestries, wooden partitions and plenty of pillars add to the perfectly executed ambience. The Red Rose Restaurant serves good contemporary Chinese cuisine. There’s live Jazz from Tuesdays to Sundays at the Shanghai Terrace which opens to busy Yaowarat Road, the perfect place for a pre-dinner drink. Read expert review From £66 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
