Bangkok, Thailand
The Siam
City Splendor
What it is
A family-owned, ultra-pampering hideaway with an infinity pool on three verdant acres of gardens abutting the Chao Phraya River.
What it isn't
Architecturally blasé. They hired none other than AD Top 100 architect Bill Bensley to perfect the Art Deco-inspired property, and he did.
What we think
If The Siam feels more like a manicured botanic garden than a hotel, that’s by design. You’ll likely notice your blood pressure dropping the second you step foot in the leafy atrium, where mirror-still ponds reflect skies above the glass roof. Tailored black and white rooms are equally serene, whether you opt for a suite or a villa, and trust us—you can’t go wrong (all stays here come with everything from butler service and daily breakfasts to gratis shuttle boat rides between the hotel and Saphan Taksin pier). The hotel’s expertly planned experiences include sunset cruises on a restored rice barge and Thai cooking classes in a teakwood house (tuk-tuk trips to the market with their chef optional!), but if you decide to toss on a Siam robe and slippers and raid the complementary mini bar (containing complimentary water and a curation of locally-made snacks), we won’t judge.
You're here because
The hotel offers sacred Sak Yant tattoos—a Tai tribal tradition for millennia—by master artist Ajarn Boo on-site. (Yes, it’s a five star luxury hotel with what amounts to a tattoo parlor, and yes, that’s probably a first).
The Moment
You knew this wouldn’t be dinner-as-usual the second you stepped foot in the lofted teak wood house of Chon Thai Restaurant. The Tom Yum Goong lemongrass soup and Phad Phak Tarad wok-fried dish were the best you’ve ever tasted. But it wasn’t until your waiter brought over dessert—tub tim grob, or pomegranate jelly coated water chestnuts with jackfruit atop coconut milk ice—that it hit you: you’re in Thailand. And it’s everything you ever could have hoped.
Restaurants & Bars
Chon Thai Restaurant - Thai
Deco Bar & Bistro - International comfort food
Cafe Cha - Afternoon Thea
Bathers Bar
Location
Set against the Chao Phraya River, The Siam is reportedly one of the only ultra-luxury hotels in the Dusit District, a historic neighborhood that’s now one of the toniest neighborhoods of Bangkok. Nearby: Yaowarat (Chinatown) and the floating rivertop markets at Tha Kha and Amphawa.