Picolo recommends · Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Long-tail boats slide past the terrace while tea is poured in the Authors’ Lounge, much as it has been for well over a century.
Sit on the terrace as the light goes and the river fills with ferries, barges and the glow from the far bank. Mandarin Oriental has watched this scene since 1876, which makes it one of the oldest hotels anywhere in Asia.
The original wing is the heart of it. Writers have checked in here for generations, and the suites are named after them. A hotel boat runs across the water to the spa and restaurants on the opposite side.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
We chose it for a first trip to Bangkok because it gives you the city’s story, attentive service and the river on your doorstep in one place. Few hotels in Asia carry this much history so lightly.
It is costly, and the price does not buy you the same feeling everywhere. Rooms in the newer wing are comfortable but plainer, so if the old-world atmosphere is the point, ask about the original building.
What you get
- Hotel boat across the river
- Afternoon tea in the Authors’ Lounge
- Spa on the far bank
- Restaurants on both sides of the river
- Classic, attentive service
A day at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
- Morning
- Breakfast by the river before the day’s heat settles in.
- Midday
- A boat upriver to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.
- Afternoon
- Tea and scones in the Authors’ Lounge, out of the sun.
- Evening
- The terrace at dusk, with the river lit up below you.
Location
Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand
Open in MapsQuestions about Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
When did Mandarin Oriental Bangkok open?
It opened in 1876, which places it among the oldest hotels in Asia. The original wing, where the author suites are found, still carries that history.
Is afternoon tea at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok worth it?
It is one of the hotel’s longest traditions, served in the Authors’ Lounge. It is a calm way to escape the afternoon heat, even if you are staying elsewhere.
How do you get to the spa at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok?
The spa sits on the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya. The hotel runs its own boat across, so the trip takes only a few minutes on the water.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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