Peninsula
333 Charoen Nakorn, Bangkok, 10600, Thailand
Why We Like It
The Peninsula screams luxury in every way and makes sure that guests are always taken care of. While its location is a slight drawback (not much to walk to around the hotel), they make it very easy to take a boat to anywhere you want to go. The restaurants are stellar, the spa world-class, and the pool a cool hang. High-end travelers and lovers of the Peninsula brand will have nothing to complain about here.
There are a handful of super luxurious hotels in Bangkok, and the Peninsula should be considered one of the finest of the group. Situated on the west side of the Chao Phraya River, the hotel defines quality with spacious river-view rooms, incredible drinking and dining options, and a world-class spa. Lovers of the Peninsula brand around the world will feel right at home as this high-end hotel offers the same services of its sister properties, but with a decidedly Thai touch.
The Peninsula is the only hotel in Bangkok with helicopter access direct from the airport. Privacy minded guests can enter the hotel through a special lounge, while splurge-happy tourists can rent the helicopter for exclusive sightseeing tours of the city.
room
Every room in the hotel has a view of the river, yet all rooms are not created equal. Standard fare is designed with Thai silk touches, has daily fruit, complimentary water/coffee/tea, and free shoe-shine service. Suites, meanwhile are all individually designed and offer enhanced amenities like bottles of champagne, chocolates and cookies, and even mood lighting.
YOU SHOULD KNOW One drawback in the standard rooms is that there are no outlets near the bed, making it difficult to plug in your phone at night.
bathroom
Large marble bathrooms are outfitted with Oscar de la Renta products and feature separate rain showers and sunken bathtubs. The commodes also come with flatscreen TVs and ultra-plush robes.
lobby
The expansive lobby has large floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the river and offers a variety of all-day dining options as well as their famous afternoon tea. Live piano music accompanies both the afternoon tea and the evening dinner.
pool
The exceptionally long and narrow pool seems to reach out towards the river and is surrounded by lush foliage, teak wood cabanas, and white lounge chairs. A full-service pool bar provides guests with a variety of snacks and drinks throughout the day.
spa
World-famous, The Peninsula Spa is located in a jaw-dropping three-story Thai Colonial building behind the pool. Here, 18 treatment rooms are used for one-of-a-kind massages, facials, scrubs, and more.
For a truly harmonious experience, try the Thai Health and Harmony program, which offers meditative sunrise yoga at the historic Gong Wu Shrine--it’s complimentary and the hotel provides yoga mats and transportation at 5:50 a.m.
gym
The Fitness Centre is surprisingly small for such a luxurious property, but it does have hardwood floors, Life Fitness machines and free weights. Highlights of the gym are in the locker rooms where guests can indulge in both hot and cold plunge pools or relax in the sauna and steam rooms.
Want to play tennis or soccer? The hotel has courts for both!
dining
Unsurprisingly, the hotel has a number of great dining options. Thiptara sits on the river and is known city-wide for its authentic Thai cuisine (mind the mosquitos!). Mei Jiang, meanwhile is one of the best Cantonese restaurants in Bangkok open for lunch and dinner.
drinking
The aptly named River Bar is an outdoor space that’s perfect for sunset sips while the uncreatively named The Bar is a nightcap spot with classic cocktails and piano music until midnight.
For a unique experience, take the hotel’s cocktail cruise, a one-hour boat ride that stops at The Grand Palace.
People also liked
Park Hyatt Bangkok
$$ | Central Embassy, 88 Wireless Rd.
Part museum, part hotel, the Park Hyatt is an architectural masterpiec... Read More
Hotel Muse Bangkok
$$ | 55/555 Langsuan Rd.
An eclectic boutique, the Hotel Muse is a colonial throwback with vint... Read More
Radisson Suites Bangkok Sukhumvit
$$ | 23/2-3 Sukhumvit 13, Sukhumvit Rd.
This small boutique packs a big punch with incredibly large rooms and... Read More
Akyra Thonglor Bangkok
$$ | 88/333 Sukhumvit 55
A hip hotel in an even hipper neighborhood, Akyra Thonglor has spaciou... Read More
Avani Riverside Bangkok Hotel
$$ | 257 Charoennakorn Rd.
Sleek and chic, this minimalistic hotel may be far from the city, but... Read More
Dusit Thani Bangkok
$$$ | Silom and Bang Rak | 946 Rama IV Rd.
One of the best locales in the city, Dusit Thani is a lux hotel across... Read More
LOCATION
Getting Around
You’re close to major thoroughfares if you ever decide to get into a car. But if you want to avoid the heavy sting of Bangkok traffic, just hop in the hotel’s boat which can drop you off at various sites or take you to the Taksin Pier where you can find a BTS Skytrain station.
Restaurants
Take the hotel’s boat right across the river to Le Normandie (10-minute boat ride/walk) at the Mandarin Oriental for the best French cuisine in Bangkok. If you want to delve into more authentic Thai cuisine with some classic Thai dance performances, head across the river to Salathip (3-minute boat ride) at the Shangri-La Hotel.
