Two Top Hotels In Bangkok, Where Tourism Is Skyrocketing

14.03.2024 - 12:49 / forbes.com

The global post-lockdown travel boom has continued year after year with no slowdown in sight, but even by these standards Thailand’s capital is ultra-popular. Bangkok has never been hotter, and last year made travel industry headlines when a Mastercard report named it the most visited city in the world for 2023. This is a distinction a few places claim, and the numbers often conflict, but there’s no doubt that Bangkok is near the top of all cities on earth in popularity, is getting more U.S. travelers than ever, and is both a destination in its own right, the gateway to the rest of Thailand, and a major gateway to the entire Pacific Rim. When I visited the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel before the pandemic, I loved it. But when I returned at the end of 2023, it was even better.

I remember thinking that the Siam immediately reminded me of the Peninsula Hong Kong, one of the world’s most iconic and distinctive hotels, with the same kind of grandeur, large, important lobby with afternoon tea scene, and the feeling of just having arrived someplace special. Just like Hong Kong, Bangkok has plenty of luxury hotels, yet no others that so complete capture this particular gravitas and sense of place.

It turned out not to be such a coincidence, as the grand city hotel was originally built as part of the luxury Peninsula brand. It continued its high-end run as a Regent, then a Four Seasons, before finally becoming the global flagship for Anantara. But unlike many luxury hotels which simply operate under management contracts, Anantara founder William Heinecke, who moved to Thailand from the States when he was just 14, actually owns the hotel through his Minor Hotel Group, and calls the shots (Minor also owns sevral other major brands including Avani, safari specialist Elewana, NH Hotels, Tivoli and the St. Regis Bangkok down the block from the Siam for good measure).

The fast-growing Thailand-based luxury brand has spread across the Pacific Rim, Middle East and increasingly, throughout Europe. With a mix of architecturally significant new builds (such as the Marker in Dublin) and restorations of historically important grand buildings (stunning Palazzo Naiadi in Rome), Anantara has earned its place alongside the other famous brands mentioned above, but still remains a little off the radar to American travelers. That’s a loss for visitors to Bangkok. All of the Anantara properties I’ve visited, from Bali to Italy, have been enjoyable, but Bangkok stands out for a few reasons.

One big thing that sets Anantara apart here in its home city is that the company has two very different, distinctive, yet complementary Bangkok options, the Siam and sister Anantara Riverside. The former is a grand, iconic city hotel, the latter