VIE Hotel Bangkok Bangkok

Style and Character

With décor inspired by the nearby museum commemorating American silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson, the interior of this design hotel features mainly dark colours and feels modern, restful and intimate. There's plenty of Jim Thompson-inspired silk everywhere as well as lampshades made of silk cocoons in the restaurant.

Service and Facilities

The 10th-floor pool is something very special, its glass wall allowing swimmers to see the Bangkok skyline and watch the Skytrain trundle past within metres. There's also a full-sized members' gym on the same floor with city views, Thai boxing ring and group classes, plus a spa with six treatment rooms. Service is immaculate, the staff polite, friendly and efficient at all times.

Rooms

The 154 generously sized rooms with higher-than-usual ceilings continue the Jim Thompson theme with wooden floors and plenty of silk, gold, deep reds and interesting triangular cushions to aid lounging on the day beds. Décor is a Thai/colonial fusion and all rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, enormous beds, cosy rugs and pillow menus. Bathrooms are also very spacious with separate baths, showers and toilets.

Food and Drink

The hotel has two restaurants, neither of them Thai. Yellow Tail Sushi Bar (YTSB) is a small, exclusive venue with the motto 'Art is Served' and a Japanese chef who flies in fresh fish from Japan every day. La VIE on the 11th floor serves beautifully presented French cuisine created by a young French chef who has worked in several Michelin-starred venues. There are plenty of dishes which include French ingredients such as truffle and foie-gras to choose from on the iPad menus.

The enormous breakfast buffet, served in the same restaurant, features both Thai and Western options and includes cute little detox 'shots' in tiny glass bottles. For an early evening cocktail there's the ground-floor bar which is both cosy and classy with silk sofas, a pianist and regular jazz nights, or the outdoor 10th-floor bar by the pool.

Value for Money

Double rooms from 5,331 Thai Baht (£120) in low season; and from 6,031 Thai Baht (£135) in high. Breakfast included. Free Wi-Fi.

Family-Friendly?

The hotels is not particularly aimed at children but those under 12 can stay in their parents' room for free, older children for 2,030 Thai Baht (£45) including breakfast.

Location

The hotel is a two-minute walk from Ratchathewi BTS station and a 10-minute walk from both the upmarket Siam Discovery shopping centre and the more traditional MBK centre with its excellent food court. The Jim Thompson House is a seven-minute walk away and The Grand Palace is around 20 minutes by taxi.