Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

BACKGROUND This luxury property opened in late 2020, marking the return of the Four Seasons brand to Bangkok five years or so after the closing of the old Four Seasons Hotel, Bangkok near Siam Square. It's been designed as part of a mixed-use waterfront development including private residences and another five-star property.

WHERE IS IT? On the riverfront side of Charoen Krung Road, to the south of the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station. Walking to that station takes about ten minutes, and Suvarnabhumi airport is a 40-minute drive away. The hotel has a private pier and boat service to the Sathorn pier and other stops upriver. The surrounding area is the city's Creative District, boasting lots of art galleries, boutiques and cafés.

WHAT'S IT LIKE? Turning into the hotel's entrance way off a rather scruffy looking road gives little clue as to the opulence you are about to enter. Water and the arts are the main design elements, informed by the property's location beside the Chao Phraya River and within the city's Creative District. You enter past huge wall sculptures above black pools of water, and throughout the hotel's public spaces are impressive paintings, ceramics, wood carvings and other artworks. The main outdoor area is like a lakeside park, with pathways through the water features and greenery everywhere. It helps that the architects were not allowed to build higher than ten storeys (so the tower of private residences next door could have 360-degree views) - this means the hotel has a spacious, resort-like feel.