Buzzing with stylish stays, vertiginous rooftop bars and gourmet grazing, Thailand’s capital Bangkok is the ultimate spot to mix business and pleasure…
Sleep: You’ll love luxe new hotel The Siam, right on the riverfront with the city’s only pool villas, elegant jazz-age-inspired wining and dining, a spa, pool, screening room and cooking school. There’s even a muay Thai boxing ring for de-stressing.
Shop: Hit Bangkok’s best malls for bargains: Siam Paragon and the linked Siam Center, Gaysorn Plaza and MBK. You’ll also find Central World, opposite Gaysorn.
Snack: If you need to refuel post-mall-hopping, pop to Café Boca at the Hansar Bangkok hotel, which serves Thai treats and panini, salads, quiches and cakes, with a French-trained pastry chef. Excellent coffee comes care of Thai brand Elefin, owned by the hotel’s creative crew.
See: Swing by the Jim Thompson House, former home of the famous American entrepreneur who kickstarted the Thai silk industry in the Fifties. His trad teak house, filled with art and antiques, offers a cultural high, as well as a retail one at the smart fabrics and interiors store.
Stroll: Wander around verdant Lumpini Park, the city’s largest lungs. It’s a hive of activity, from people practicing t’ai chi and yoga to mass aerobics sessions and elderly Thai-Chinese women ballroom dancing.
Spa: Treat yourself to some pampering at the Como Shambhala day spa at The Metropolitan Bangkok hotel, which teams holistic Thai massage with soul-soothing design. Enjoy healthy organic, light bites afterwards at Glow diner.
Savour: Dinner at Nahm, the Metropolitan’s authentic Thai restaurant is a must, a sophisticated space where acclaimed Australian chef David Thompson works his magic. Book ahead, and drop into the sexy Met Bar for martinis afterwards.
Sip: It’s hard to beat the seductive rooftop bar scene atop glam Hotel Muse, home to Prohibition-era-styled the Speakeasy. The west-facing Long Bar is great for sinking sundowners, but the rooftop Lawn Bar boasts the best city vistas. Vintage cocktails, such as Aviators and Negronis, are the order of the night, accompanied by eclectic beats.
To book any of Mr & Mrs Smith’s stylish boutique hotels visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the expert Travel Team on 1300 896 627. Smith guests enjoy exclusive extras at all stays.