How improved flight connections and new hotels are putting Bangkok in the spotlight

Why sell it

Thailand’s buzzing capital is very much a destination in its own right. Proof of this is the recent flurry of luxury hotel openings and announcements, including an Aman property set to launch early next year. Huge new mixed-use developments continue to shape Bangkok’s skyline, while offering one-stop shops for visitors who want easy access to the best retail outlets, hotels and restaurants. The 200,000sq m EmSphere shopping centre opened in late 2023, while One Bangkok, in Lumpini – considered by many as the city’s hippest neighbourhood – is due to be fully open by the end of this year.

Tenants will include Bangkok’s first The Ritz-Carlton, as well as Andaz One Bangkok, opening early next year. The former, which opened this month, is home to four restaurants and bars, as well as a kids’ club and one of the largest ballrooms in the city. Its location next to Lumpini Park shouldn’t come as a surprise. In recent years, cutting-edge green spaces such as Benjakitti Forest Park, on the site of a former tobacco factory, are luring visitors farther afield. One of the best spots from which to admire the greenery is the sky-scraping King Power Mahanakhon.

What’s new

The 36-storey Aman Nai Lert Bangkok will be surrounded by Nai Lert Park offering 52 suites and 39 branded residences. Elsewhere, exciting restaurant openings include the world’s highest Nobu restaurant, which launched in September. It occupies floors 57 to 60 of the Empire Tower in the Sathorn commercial district. For retail therapy, it’s hard to beat EmSphere, home to a host of designer stores, along with an entertainment zone packed with clubs and bars, including Tribe, which is described as Bangkok’s first ‘beach club’. There are endless opportunities to splash serious amounts of cash here – if the Chanel, Saint Laurent and Marc Jacobs boutiques don’t cut it, there are showrooms for Rolls-Royce, Porsche and Tesla.

With Thailand’s capital known for having some of Asia’s best bars, November’s opening of Coba Bangkok is particularly exciting. The menu showcases Latin American cuisine, while the cocktails champion often overlooked Thai spirits and ingredients – including Lanna Thai rice spirit, made from Thai jasmine and sticky rice – as well as locally produced rums and gins. And then there’s Bangkok’s food scene. Recently, several restaurants helmed by female chefs have bagged Michelin stars. These include Como Metropolitan Bangkok’s Nahm eatery, where executive chef Pim Techamuanvivit’s tasting menu is inspired by the dishes she ate as a child.

Foodie clients should also consider visiting Dusit Thani Bangkok – an entirely new hotel built on the same site as the original. Restaurants at the property, which reopened in September and overlooks Lumpini Park, include Pavilion, serving dishes that celebrate Chinese and Thai cuisine, and Cannubi by Umberto Bombana, which was founded by the Italian chef. Finally, if you’ve got clients combining Bangkok with destinations farther afield, ensure they check their airport information, as in October, Air Asia X completed the process of relocating its Bangkok operations to Don Mueang International Airport from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

When to go

November to February is a great time for clients seeking winter sun. The weather is warm and dry, so it’s a brilliant time for sightseeing. Prices for hotels and flights drop between March and May, when it’s hot and dry, and the mercury regularly tops 40C. The quietest time to visit Bangkok is in September and October – the rainy season – although it’s worth bearing in mind that showers are normally short and sharp and the weather remains warm.

Where to stay

Every suite and villa at Capella Bangkok has fantastic views over the Chao Phraya river. The culinary offerings are similarly spectacular, and include Michelin-starred Côte by Mauro Colagreco, where dishes are inspired by the French and Italian rivieras. Another great hotel for foodies is Lebua at State Tower. It’s hard to beat this property for city views, whether it’s the ones from restaurant Mezzaluna on the 65th floor, or from Sirocco, a bar on the 64th floor. Clients craving a vista that takes in some greenery should consider the new Lumpini Park-based, 260-room The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok or Aman Nai Lert Bangkok in the historic Pathum Wan district, next to the city-centre garden after which it’s named.

What to do

Bangkok is filled with beautiful temples, shrines and pagodas. One of the most famous examples is Thonburi’s Wat Arun, a Buddhist temple on the Chao Phraya’s western bank. Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen, meanwhile, is home to the Big Seated Buddha Statue (Buddha Dhammakaya Thep Mongkol). Advise clients to make time for some of the smaller – and less crowded – heritage sites such as Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, a temple where locals come to shake out kau chim fortune-telling sticks in the incense-fragranced prayer hall. Clients visiting for the first time should consider getting their bearings with a visit to the King Power Mahanakhon tower’s rooftop, where there’s a small section of glass flooring – after donning shoe covers, visitors can walk across it, staring down at ant-like pedestrians 314 metres below.

Alternatively, the indoor observatory on the 74th floor has equally impressive views and interactive maps. Riverside Charoenkrung is one of Bangkok’s trendiest city-centre neighbourhoods. It’s also the name of its main artery – the city’s oldest road. Today it’s lined with independent boutiques and restaurants, and is home to some of Thailand’s best street art. Top eateries here include Speedy Grandma and 80/20, a Michelin-starred restaurant that specialises in modern Thai cuisine. Clients craving a retail therapy fix should head to the southern end of Charoenkrung, where they’ll find Asiatique The Riverfront, a night market that is home to a 60-metre-tall Ferris wheel, hundreds of stalls selling everything from handmade lemongrass soaps to Chang beer T-shirts, and a great selection of standalone restaurants and bars. It’s incredibly accessible – from 4pm free shuttles flit across the river between the Sathorn and Asiatique piers.

Ask the expert

Deepavali Gaind, product manager at Carrier, shares her favourite hidden culinary hotspot in the Thai capital

“If you’re seeking a luxurious dining experience in Bangkok, I highly recommend Le Du in Silom. This Michelin-starred gem reinterprets centuries-old Thai culinary traditions with a modern flair, using only the finest seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers. At Le Du, they believe that Thailand offers some of the best produce in the world, and each dish is a testament to that philosophy, blending bold Thai flavours with innovative techniques to create something truly extraordinary.”

Book it: Inspiring Travel offers five nights’ bed and breakfast at Capella Bangkok from £2,566 per person, including British Airways flights from Gatwick. The price is based on travel between January 7 and March 31, 2025.
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