Rosewood Bangkok

Style and Character

Although the hotel's discreet entrance hides behind one of Bangkok's busiest thoroughfares, Ploenchit Road, all feels calm and captivating once you've passed through the door. Inside, pared back interiors blend old and new Thailand, with creamy corniced ceilings, hunks of black marble, carved teak panels and paintings and sculptures by notable Thai artists. The vibes are more swanky apartment in the city, than big brand hotel.

Service and Facilities

Despite having opened just a few weeks before my visit, every aspect of the service was warm, unobtrusive and silk smooth.

There's a great 24-hour gym for morning or midnight workouts depending on jet-lag, and the spa is superb, offering treatments that draw on Thailand's ancient healing arts and up-to-the-minute skincare from Maison Caulières. The swimming pool, though, is a huge disappointment; wedged on the ninth floor between the two halves of the building it is almost entirely undercover, with virtually no outdoor space (in a city where one craves greenery) and just a dozen or so sun loungers for 159 rooms.

Rooms

The rooms, positioned between floors 11 to 29, offer a wide variety of choice, from spacious entry-level rooms to fabulous corner suites and 'Gram-worthy duplex penthouses with glass-fronted sky pools. As with the public spaces, the interiors feel comfortable, calming, homely; with thick creamy carpeting, subtle geometric prints, cosy throws, cocktail bars and eye-catching art, trinkets and coffee table tomes. Sliding doors open onto ample dressing rooms and bathrooms with Toto toilets, monsoon showers and grand bathtubs.

Food and Drink

Breakfast (a small buffet of fruit and pastries, as well as a la carte bircher muesli, Thai omelette with spicy minced pork, and bouncy blueberry pancakes), lunch and dinner are served in the sociable Lakorn on the sixth floor. The poolside G&O organic caféserves zingy salads and green drinks. While up on the 19th floor, buzzy Nan Bei restaurant is the place for classic Chinese dishes such as the splendid garlic scallops. Upstairs, there's also speakeasy-style Lennon's Bar, with dark wood floors, manly leather sofas, a cigar room and a vinyl collection stretching to over 6,000 records.

Value for Money

Deluxe rooms from THB 12,359 (£320), year-round. Breakfast and Wi-Fi are included.

Access for guests with disabilities?

Yes, all of the property is accessible and there are a number of rooms adapted for guests with mobility issues.

Family-Friendly?

Yes, children are welcome, but the hotel has more grown-up vibes.

Location

The Rosewood's distinctive architecture, echoing the form of the traditional Thai greeting the wei, has become an instant landmark in the city's downtown business and shopping district. The city views, looking onto office blocks and the streaking sky train line are interesting rather than inspired but Lumpini Park, Erawan Temple and the shops and malls of Siam Square are within comfortable walking distance. Easy access to the expressway means that the airport can be reached in about 40 minutes, even during rush hour.