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TRAVEL
264
November14
Where to Stay
THE OLD WAY
It’s common to seek out the action – shopping,
nightlife, tourist sites – and then find a hotel
nearby. That’s why most people, including
seasoned travellers to Bangkok, tend not to
venture far from Siam, Silom, Sukhumvit and the
south banks of the Chao Praya River.
THE BETTER WAY
Stay so far north that you’re nearly off the grid
on most Bangkok city maps. Along the northern
riverside, deep in the heart of the historic palace
district, is where you’ll find
The Siam,
a beautiful
39-room luxury boutique hotel that combines the
glamour of Art Deco with the grandeur of Thai
architecture. If it were possible for Jim Thompson
and The Great Gatsby to produce a love child,
it would be this hotel. Built in 2012, it feels 10
degrees cooler and 100 degrees calmer than
the rest of the Thai capital. And, one night as a
guest is all it takes to understand why The Siam
was recently named one of the best city hotels
in the world by
Condé Nast Traveller.
Getting Around
THE OLD WAY
A combination of taxis, private cars,
tuk tuk
and BTS skytrain, with an
ample amount of time for teeth-gnashing traffic built in.
THE NEW WAY
Avoid anything on wheels and do all your travelling via boat. The
Siam’s private speedboat can get you from the hotel pier to the city
centre in 20 minutes flat – a feat unachievable by car, bus or even
motorbike. The boat travels the Chao Phraya River nine times a day
and will drop you off anywhere along the route that you desire – be it
one of the many riverside restaurants, the Grand Palace, Chinatown,
the Flower Market or shopping hotspots like River City, OP Place and
Saplan Phut Night Market. Moreover, the ride is a pleasant one with
plenty to see and photograph, there’s no risk of traffic jams and it’s
completely free of charge.
If it were possible for
Jim Thompson and
The Great Gatsby to
produce a love child, it
would be this hotel.
A reflection
showing
Chon, the Thai
restaurant
housed in a
building moved
from Ayutthaya
The shuttle speedboat
The exterior
of the main
residence