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Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

7

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Bangkok

A 148-year-old testament to the joys of great hotels

The backstory: Where do you start with a legendary hotel that's been welcoming the great and glorious on the banks of Bangkok's Chao Phraya River for nearly 150 years? The guest list alone – from Joseph Conrad and Graham Greene to Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Michelle Yeoh and Stanley Tucci – is enough to make this a shrine, but the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is not interested in resting on its lush, ivy-covered laurels. Originally a 12-room affair, this world-famous hotel now has 393 rooms and suites over several wings, multiple restaurants and bars, a spa with a global reputation and a riverside terrace restaurant serving what is arguably Bangkok's best breakfast.

A plethora of dining options: Bangkok is one of the world's great gourmet cities, so keeping people in-house requires some effort. The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok goes above and beyond with 12 varied eating and drinking options, from French fine dining at Le Normandie, recently taken over by Annie-Sophie Pic, to award-winning Japanese kaiseki at Kinu by Tagaki, Baan Phraya's brilliant modern take on traditional Thai food in a traditional Thai house, the famed riverside buffet-style breakfast at The Verandah and a plethora of places offering tea, cocktails and live entertainment.

What's with the book references? The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has a long association with visiting authors – the lavish suites in its River Wing are named after the likes of W. Somerset Maugham and James Michener. But the best place to soak up the literary atmosphere is in The Authors' Lounge on the ground floor of the original Victorian-era building with its shuttered windows, climbing jasmine and elegant balconies. Wicker furniture, hand painted fabrics, finger sandwiches, scones and an impressive selection of the world's best teas form the basis of one of the world's best settings for afternoon tea.

Attention to detail: In a hotel this size, it's the attention to detail that sets it apart. At Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, expect 24-hour butler service to all rooms, electronic Japanese toilets, silk kimonos, toiletries in smart aluminium containers (no plastic here, thank you) and a series of lighting 'scenes' to change the mood of your room at the push of a button.

Key Information