The Review

Bangkok, with its addictive street food, great shopping and gilded temples, is one of my favorite capitals — but it’s also hot, crowded, noisy and often utterly exhausting. So it was with grateful relief that I stepped into the Siam Kempinski’s sleek, airy lobby with its 45-foot ceiling soaring over the sparkling white marble floors and gargling tiered fountain. The white high-backed armchairs beckoned, and I plopped down to rest my tired feet. It was, quite simply, bliss.

I watched the hotel staff cheerfully take pictures of guests in front of the lobby’s huge floral centerpieces before the concierge led me to my room, a 431-square-foot oasis of subdued hues: beige silk-paneled padded walls, pale gray wood floors, sage green throw pillows. The soft, unassuming palette was offset by modern touches like glass-topped tables and a large sepia-tone closeup of a lotus flower, just one of the nearly 4,000 pieces of local art that are scattered throughout the hotel. Meanwhile, the luxurious bath included both a rectangular tub and a marble-clad shower stall fitted with Hansgrohe fixtures that delivered the best rain shower I’ve had in recent memory.

{“type”:”img-inline”,”src”:”/static/images/product/properties/editorialreviews/11150/pgal-82336-1311793821-full.jpg”,”width”:”275″,”caption”:”Rotunda serves up drinks and grilled dishes in the middle of the pool and garden complex.”}My room’s balcony overlooked the expansive pool complex, where three saltwater pools bracket island-like gardens. Though backed by high-rises, the grounds’ fragrant frangipani trees and towering palms create an exotic atmosphere that keeps guests feeling close to Thailand’s tropical abundance while providing quiet corners for families and couples alike.

Foodies will find plenty to love here, starting with afternoon tea at the T Lounge where there are 60 different types of tea choose from, along with a scrumptious array of sweets and delicate sandwiches. The hotel’s culinary crown jewel is Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, the brainchild of Michelin star–rated Dane Henrik Yde Anderson. The mod twists on traditional Thai dishes, especially the curries, are unlike anything I have ever experienced in this city before — much like the utter peace and quiet back in my room, which lulled me into a delicious night’s sleep.