Finding its home at the intersection of Bangkok’s most stylish and modern districts, SO/ Bangkok approaches hospitality with a design-focused lens that attests to the Thai capital’s cosmopolitan allure.
Bangkok is a city where every corner unfolds with its own charms. From Siam’s shopping haven, party central Khao San Road, to Old City (Rattanakosin) and Chinatown’s cultural pulse, each neighbourhood’s distinct character attracts different types of travellers. This diversity transforms the city into a vibrant intersection of history and contemporary lifestyle. Ennismore’s SO/ Hotels fit right in with the milieu, finding a home for its Bangkok outpost in Bang Rak, amidst condos and skyscrapers that rise 30 storeys high above the adjacent business hubs of Silom and Sathorn.
Bringing its fashion-forward ethos to the Thai capital, SO/ Bangkok enhances the city’s urban appeal. Its neighbour is Lumpini Park, while entertainment, business, and shopping districts are just a short trip away, alluding to some ways the hotel integrates into the metropolitan’s rhythms. Floor-to-ceiling windows can be found in almost every corner on every floor, framing this exact juxtaposition of Central Park against the city skyline. But views alone aren’t the reason this hotel has retained its One MICHELIN Key two years in a row.
Following the SO/ Hotels blueprint of avant-garde design and creative approach to hospitality, the Bangkok hotel enlists Christian Lacroix to infuse a Neo Arbre de Vie (Tree of Life) sensibility into the hotel’s aesthetics. His touch can be seen from the moment one enters, threaded into the staff’s multicoloured and intricately patterned uniforms. Taking it a step further is the Club Signature, an exclusive executive lounge that doubles as a physical manifestation of the French fashion designer’s stylistic envisioning of Thai culture through French elegance. Guests are invited to a premium breakfast, cocktails, and idle lounging all day while surrounded by sculptures and artworks, many of which can be purchased.
Under Christian’s guidance, five Thai architects created distinct moods for the 237 rooms and suites. Though each features the same amenities, including ZAFIRO in-room entertainment, a private bar stocked with local snacks and drinks, and luxury bath products, it’s their design that sets them apart from one another, drawing from the classical five elements.
Take the earth-led room, for example. Designed by Vitoon Kunalungkarn, these spaces are washed in royal blue, accentuated with wavy lines to mimic land topography. Somchai Jongsaeng lends his creative expertise to ones fashioned after metal, pairing xiangyun (auspicious cloud) décor pieces with crisp whites and clean lines for an airy look. For accommodations rooted in wood, Nithi Sthapitanonda took the reins, utilising slats and lacquered floors to transport guests to a lodge among the forest. Pongthep Sagulku took over the duties for the water-inspired rooms, flowing with rippling and marbled motifs for an ambient, serene environment.
For those wondering about the whereabouts of the fire element, a trip to the signature restaurant Red Oven is due. Rujiraporn Wanglee styled this space with deep reds and accents resembling firewood. With open cooking stations that perfume the air with wafting aromas of Western and Thai cooking, stepping into this dining room feels like entering a walk-in hearth in the best way.
Three other dining destinations offer their own take on popular cuisines. Red Oven’s offshoot SOSHI boasts the theatricality and authenticity of robatayaki paired with an array of Japanese favourites. The lobby’s Chocolab answers the most indulgent of guilty pleasures with a lineup of sweet treats and sandwiches, complete with a cooking class for those who want to dip their fingers in firsthand. All the way up on the 29th and 30th floors, Iris arrives as the latest addition, introducing Riviera cuisine to the hotel’s culinary repertoire.
The latter brings along its companion bar, Wild Iris, situated on the rooftop with an immaculate White Peacock design that dazzles the eye as much as the signature cocktails tantalise the taste buds. A second bar, FLOOR/ 9, unfolds through three distinct experiences throughout the day: Rise & Shine with artisanal coffee and a gourmet brekkie, an afternoon tea with delicate pastries and curated sips, and After Dark’s spirited cocktails underscored by upbeat DJ beats. The Water Club completes the hotel’s trio of mixology bounties, which arguably offers the most charming views of Lumpini Park and the city skyline. The 32-metre infinity pool next to it is the main reason, a worthy companion to the food & drink that are just as refreshing as a dip under the heat of the tropical sun.
The infinity pool is part of SO/ Bangkok’s wellness and recreation facilities, located on the 10th floor. Guests keen on keeping their active lifestyle can take advantage of SO/ FIT’s advanced workout facilities and fitness programmes, while those looking to unwind in quietude and bliss can make their way to SO/ SPA. Asian folklore takes centre stage here as the myth of the Himmapan forest fuses with modern skincare, creating modern regimens for facial, body, and beauty treatments anchored by a nature-led Modern Plant Chemistry™ technology.
At a glance, SO/ Bangkok may seem to simply blend in with its neighbourhood. Yet, the choice is deliberately an oxymoron in itself: in a city as characterful as the Thai capital, everything stands out. The hotel’s distinct individuality makes it shine all the brighter amid all of Bangkok’s exuberant noise, offering a one-of-a-kind stay no other place can replicate.
Asia Dreams Volume 58
SO/ Bangkok
2 North Sathorn Road, Bang Rak
Bangkok 10500, Thailand
T: (+66) 26240000
IG: @sobangkok
