Buzzing with movement and filled with colour and history, Thailand’s capital is one of our favourite cities to explore. Already listed on our guide to the best boutique hotels in Bangkok, The Siam, a 38-suite-and-villa luxury hotel on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, is more of an urban resort than a city-centric hotel. Find out why we adore this property that is grand in scale but intimate in atmosphere.
While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
The Siam, Bangkok review
Hotel: The Siam
Address: 3/2 Khao Road, Vachirapayabal, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
Number of rooms: 38 suites and pool villas
Style: Intimate, Art Deco-inspired luxury infused with Thai antiques and heritage
Best for: Couples, special occasions, wellness escapes, culture lovers and travellers seeking a peaceful alternative to Bangkok’s larger luxury hotels
Family amenities: Spacious suites and villas, with extra beds and baby cots available in selected accommodation
Wellness facilities: Opium Spa, riverside infinity pool, gym, sauna and steam facilities, yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, Reiki and other wellness programmes
Dining: Chon Thai Restaurant and The Story House, alongside afternoon tea and private dining experiences
Prices starting from: 17,500 Thai Baht per night, depending on room and season.
Setting the scene
Located within the royal district of Dusit, sequestered away from the hustle and bustle, yet only 15 minutes upriver from Old City Rattanakosin, home to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, The Siam’s sleek motor launch easily connects guests to all Bangkok offers.
Thai musician and actor Krissada Sukosol Clapp conceived the hotel to utilise three acres of land his father had purchased some 50 years back. With its premium river frontage, The Siam is part hotel, part museum, and part resort. Krissada aimed to create something out of the ordinary and worked with Thailand-based award-winning American designer Bill Bensley and the team from BENSLEY to realise his dream.
The design
Step into another world at The Siam
The design ethos? A striking mixture of Art Deco, traditional Thai, and colonial vintage. A dramatic black-and-white colour scheme is sprinkled with dashes of dark wood and neutral fabrics. The hotel’s central hub is three interconnected low-rise buildings with a profusion of plants, water feature-filled courtyards and light-flooded atriums.
One particular challenge for the designer was housing 25,000 of Krissada’s antiques and collectables. Yet, The Siam is not some dusty museum, with this eclectic collection sympathetically distributed throughout the property and suites.
The rooms
Guests will appreciate the oversized beds and unique artworks in the villas and suites
Located in the main building, with its soaring ceilings and tropical conservatory feel, are 28 spacious suites (starting at 80sq-m), each with original turn-of-the-century artworks and antiquities. All are designed for maximum comfort, with amenities like king-size beds, plush furnishings, lofty ceilings, and freestanding bathtubs with separate walk-in showers. Luxe modern amenities and own-label toiletries are standard for all rooms.
A further 10 opulent pool villas are situated towards the riverfront. These gloriously spacious (130 sq-m) villas feel more like private apartments. Each villa has delightful relaxation zones – a private courtyard with a daybed, plunge pool, and a roof terrace with sun beds. Dark timber floors, muted colour schemes, and natural textures are the design aesthetic inside the villa. A separate walk-in wardrobe and dressing room divides the bedroom from the expansive bathroom.
Eat and drink
Off the hotel’s lobby, the atrium-styled The Story House offers contemporary cuisine with modern tastes. Chon Thai Restaurant is the place for authentic local delicacies, occupying a traditional Thai teak building on the riverfront. Originally belonging to a close friend of Thai Silk doyen Jim Thompson, it also offers a cooking school to learn how to recreate the flavours.
The poolside Bathers Bar is handy for refreshing sips. As the day ends, riverfronting The Pier is ideal for sunset cocktails with the theatre of Chao Phraya river life unfolding in front of you (we loved our Bangkok Sling).
What about the rest?
The hotel’s boat shuttles guests to popular destinations along the river
The Siam experience is all about discoveries. Be it catching a film perched on original, antique wood and red velvet 1930s French cinema seats in the private screening room; quietly contemplating in the period-style library surrounded by the owner’s collection of rare, first edition hardback books; or creating your own party in the Vinyl Room.
Work out in the expansive, fully equipped gym with state-of-the-art equipment alongside original Art Deco gymnasium doors from France, vintage sports posters, old wooden dumbbells, and antique leather punching bags. Or test your Muay Thai skills in the purpose-built kickboxing ring.
Opium Spa, with its Turkish hammam design, is a must for pleasure hounds, drawing on all-natural products inspired by the earth and sea. Choose between solo or couple’s suites with steam rooms and saunas. Opium is also the place for your “sak yant” tattoo in the Spa’s specially consecrated space. Esteemed artist Ajarn Boo (the former monk who inked one of Angelina Jolie’s tattoos) is on hand for that sacred, unique, and permanent body art.
Guests can catch some rays while soaking up exceptional river views from the generous infinity pool. Sleekly shaped, it’s lined with stylish modern loungers ready for relaxation. And if the need for retail therapy strikes, the onsite Jim Thompson boutique for exquisite silk apparel plus a gallery housing designer Bill Bensley’s quirky, colourful, humorous, and some would say ‘out-there’ paintings await.
The Siam’s free boat shuttle glides to downstream riverside sites, including shopping precincts like IconSiam and RiverCity. It is also a great way to experience Bangkok sunsets as they play out in the city while you cruise the river with a refreshing cold beverage in hand.
Frequently asked questions: The Siam
The Siam is located in Bangkok’s historic Dusit district, on a quieter stretch of the Chao Phraya River near the base of Krung Thon Bridge. Its setting is particularly appealing for travellers who want a peaceful base while remaining within reach of Bangkok’s major cultural attractions.
All accommodation is in the form of spacious suites or pool villas. Suites range from 80 to 100 square metres, while the pool villas offer 130 square metres of space. Each room is individually designed and includes antique furnishings, artwork and a personal butler service.
For the best river views, choose a River View Suite or Premier River View Suite. Travellers wanting greater privacy may prefer a Courtyard Pool Villa or Riverside Pool Villa, both of which come with private pools. The Premier River View Suite offers 100 square metres of space and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river.
Yes. Personal butler service is included with every stay, alongside daily breakfast, complimentary Wi-Fi and the hotel’s shuttle boat service.
Yes. The hotel has a riverside infinity pool, providing a peaceful place to relax away from Bangkok’s busy streets.
Yes. Opium Spa offers a wide range of treatments and wellness experiences, including traditional spa therapies, yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and Reiki. The hotel also offers personalised wellness programmes.
Yes. Afternoon tea is one of the hotel’s signature experiences, served in its atmospheric riverside setting. A full afternoon tea set is available on weekends, while an à la carte menu is offered on weekdays.
The hotel operates a complimentary shuttle boat service between The Siam and Saphan Taksin Pier, offering a scenic way to reach the BTS Skytrain and explore the city while avoiding Bangkok’s traffic.
The hotel is particularly well positioned for exploring Bangkok’s historic and cultural sights. The Dusit district is close to attractions including the Royal Barge Museum and several important temples and royal landmarks, while the hotel’s river shuttle provides access towards central Bangkok.
The Siam estimates that Suvarnabhumi Airport is around a 45-minute limousine journey away, although travel times can vary considerably depending on Bangkok traffic.
Yes. The hotel’s intimate scale, private-pool villas, riverside location, spa and highly personalised service make it an excellent choice for couples, particularly for anniversaries, honeymoons and special occasions.
Yes, although it is more likely to appeal to families looking for a peaceful luxury stay than a large resort-style experience. Suites are generously sized, and selected accommodation can accommodate an extra bed or baby cot.
Yes, particularly for travellers who want to experience a quieter side of the city. The hotel’s boat service and concierge make it relatively easy to explore Bangkok, while returning to the peaceful riverside setting after a day of sightseeing is one of its biggest advantages.
Final verdict
The Siam is a hotel that feels genuinely unlike anywhere else in Bangkok. From its extraordinary collection of antiques and Art Deco-meets-Thai design to its spacious suites, private pool villas, riverside setting and wonderfully atmospheric dining and spa spaces, it delivers luxury with bags of personality. Add in the peaceful Dusit location and complimentary riverboat, and The Siam is an exceptional choice for travellers looking for a sophisticated, intimate and distinctly Bangkok experience rather than a conventional five-star city hotel.
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