The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, preferred by nobility, offers stunning river views in every room.

Photos & Text /Xiaohu’s Dream Food Network

In mid-month, the Taipei Mandarin Oriental finally opened after years of preparation. It’s said that reservations for rooms and afternoon tea have been non-stop. Can’t get a booking or a bite? No worries—today, Xiaohu is taking you to Thailand’s Bangkok to experience Asia’s oldest (138-year-old) hotel—the “Mandarin Oriental”—and see this classic property that has been voted the world’s best hotel multiple times.

Basically, the Mandarin Oriental’s awards, medals, and certificates could fill an entire exhibition room. Xiaohu just snapped this photo of the “Best Hotel” award freshly won in 2013 for you to get a whiff of its prestige. It’s said that in this vote, the Mandarin Oriental swept the top spots in 12 categories, showing just how exceptional it is.

This is the front of the Bangkok Mandarin Oriental, but most people probably wouldn’t arrive by boat, so let’s use the main entrance =)

As expected, we were greeted with VIP treatment the moment we got out of the car—“three bowls of pig’s trotters,” as the sharply dressed receptionist kindly said.

While helping us with our luggage, they also gave each person a finger garland, fragrant like magnolia flowers—very pleasant and soothing.

I can’t say I’ve seen many luxurious hotel lobbies, but few give off such a classical vibe the moment you step inside like the Mandarin Oriental.

At the same time, it doesn’t feel outdated like many old hotels. Instead, it creates a unique sense of prestige through a blend of timeless elegance, classic charm, and opulence.

Another angle of the Mandarin Oriental’s reception hall—it has its own captivating beauty whether it’s day or night.

The lobby also features live music performances at night, which are incredibly soothing and delightful. The guests walking around are all dressed in formal attire, as if attending a musical gala.

The Mandarin Oriental bears witness to history and has been the hotel of choice for royalty and nobility from many countries visiting Thailand. As a result, its exhibition hall and reading room are adorned with photos and portraits of numerous celebrity guests—this is probably an unprecedented level of prestige in any hotel worldwide.

I wonder if you’ve noticed that many old hotel corridors often have a somewhat unpleasant musty smell. But at the Mandarin Oriental, there’s not even a hint of it—instead, there’s a very pleasant subtle fragrance. Each floor also has one or two service attendants who rush to press the elevator for you as soon as you step out, and they’ll immediately tidy up your room, restock toiletries, and more. It’s unbelievably thoughtful.

The rooms may not be trendy or flashy, but they’re very spacious and comfortable. The large bed is super cozy to sleep on.

The wet and dry separated bathroom is also insanely spacious, almost spotless and free of any water pooling, with everything you could need.

The bathtub and shower are located on opposite sides, so you won’t end up soaking the entire bathroom when you take a shower.

Upon returning to the room, you’re served “cooling tea,” which is like a refreshing lifesaver in Thailand’s hot weather.

They even carved a watermelon with a welcome message. The level of extravagance is just too much—super duper classy. But it’s not my name that’s carved—it’s my good friend “Renrong’s.” Xiaohu is just riding on his coattails to enjoy this VIP treatment.

The welcome gifts keep coming. First, there’s a dessert set made up of chocolate beans, chocolates, macarons, and small cakes—super luxurious. And that white fan is entirely made of white chocolate—you can eat it =)

The fruit basket is also beautifully decorated, giving you a truly royal-level experience. I think this might be the best treatment I’ve ever received at any hotel.

Aside from the fruit basket, there’s also fruit that the attendants will replenish for you as soon as you leave the room. It’s all made up of Thailand’s seasonal fruits—super sweet and delicious. There’s also a thoughtfully provided small hand-washing bowl nearby.

There’s a new bedside gift every day. I’m starting to wonder and look forward to how many different gifts the Mandarin Oriental has to offer (laughs). Unfortunately, we only stayed for two nights and collected two types (laughs). At the end of the article, Xiaohu will hold a giveaway to share these two gifted items with everyone.

Almost every room has such a breathtakingly beautiful river view ↑ and a romantically perfect night view ↓. The boats on the river run from morning until midnight, making you want to hop on one and experience a different kind of romance.

I’ve always wanted to stay in a hotel with an unbeatable night view, river, and sea view. Little did I know this wish would come true at Thailand’s best hotel, the “Mandarin Oriental.” Just these few photos alone make this trip to Thailand worthwhile.

Even from the same window, the night view looks slightly different depending on the angle.

These three photos are the best ones I picked out from dozens to share with everyone.

Next, Xiaohu will take you to visit a few ultra-ultra-ultra exclusive rooms that ordinary people could never access or stay in. This beautiful garden, viewed from top to bottom, is the most famous afternoon tea spot at the Mandarin Oriental. Later, Xiaohu will write a dedicated article about its gorgeous and delicious afternoon tea.

This courtyard is called the “Writers’ Garden,” supposedly named because many world-famous literary writers have visited here. It’s usually off-limits to the public, but Xiaohu feels incredibly fortunate to bring you inside to see the most mysterious rooms of the Mandarin Oriental.

The stairs lead up to furniture with a slightly more vintage vibe, making you hesitate even to sit on it.

On the table are many photos of Thai royals who have stayed at Mandarin Oriental.

This mysterious floor not only houses rooms off-limits to outsiders but also serves as a repository of Mandarin Oriental’s history. The walls are covered with writings and displays chronicling the hotel’s legacy, evolution, and legendary tales of its interactions with numerous celebrities.

Some of these famous faces look familiar, yet their names escape you? How many do you recognize? I only know Chow Yun-fat, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, and tennis legend Roger Federer.

The rooms on this mysterious floor are named after literary greats who once stayed here. For example, this one is named after Joseph Conrad. Who was Joseph Conrad? Little Tiger looked it up: Joseph Conrad was a British novelist born in Poland, one of the few writers to achieve fame writing in a non-native language, and regarded as a pioneer of modernism. In his youth, he worked as a sailor before turning to writing in middle age. He authored 13 novels and 28 short stories in his lifetime, including major works such as *Heart of Darkness*, *Lord Jim*, and *The Secret Agent*. As for which book he wrote here, I’m not sure XD

It’s said that a night in this room costs around $4,000 USD, and it’s not something you can book just because you have the money. So for us, just coming here to take photos and live vicariously is already a win =)

The living room opens up to enjoy a sunbath and gaze at the Bangkok street view.

The room is also spacious and comfortable, making it truly enviable.

The luxurious and slightly classical bathroom is like something you’d only see in movie scenes...

The pure gold faucet is the epitome of luxury and elegance.

After visiting rooms we’d probably never get to stay in in our lifetime, Little Tiger takes you to places accessible to everyone, to see the Mandarin Oriental from different angles — its beauty and poetic charm. This view of the building also carries a lot of history and stories, but unfortunately, during our two-day stay, we never found the time to go over and take photos or explore.

The riverside view of Mandarin Oriental — during the day, this is the area for buffet breakfast, and at night, it transforms into a riverside pub with cocktails, music, and night scenery.

The outdoor buffet breakfast area allows you to enjoy your meal while taking in Thailand’s morning light and riverside beauty. Later, Little Tiger will also write a dedicated post about the two breakfast options at Mandarin Oriental for everyone’s reference.

There’s a private dock exclusive to Mandarin Oriental along the riverside, with ferries available to the other side at any time, and even arranged river cruise experiences for guests.

Classical-style boats like this shuttle back and forth between the two shores. Now let’s hop on board and take a little tour =)

Honestly, this place is absolutely stunning — every shot turns out beautiful. I couldn’t have imagined this before coming to Thailand.

It’s so beautiful that Little Tiger took nearly 100 photos just along this riverside. After deleting and editing, there were still several I just couldn’t bear to part with, so I’m sharing them all here.

The ferry ride to the opposite shore takes only about 5 minutes. Before I could take enough photos, we had already arrived XXD.

I always thought Mandarin Oriental was just the buildings on the opposite shore. It wasn’t until I got off the boat that I realized there’s also a Mandarin Oriental across the river. This riverside dining area is another part of the hotel, featuring a more traditional Thai-style restaurant.

This is the riverside view and the dining area vista as seen from the restaurant.

Compared to the more Western-style restaurants in the main Mandarin Oriental building, I prefer this one that exudes the noble aura of Thai royalty. I discreetly asked about the prices — lunch is less than 1,500 baht, and dinner is only around 2,000 baht.

Plus, it’s said that during meal times, there are performances of traditional Thai dance and music. Next time I visit Mandarin Oriental, I’ll definitely dine here.

Aside from Thai-style restaurants, Mandarin Oriental also offers a range of facilities designed for vacationing guests. Take a closer look — the buildings on this opposite shore have an even more distinct Thai flavor and are even more enchanting.

This also seems to be a very famous Thai restaurant.

This is the classroom where Mandarin Oriental offers “Thai cuisine” cooking classes for international guests.

The overhead full-length mirrors allow students to clearly watch the chef’s every move without standing up.

After the class, you can even try cooking yourself. This is also where the chefs usually train their students.

There are also many small gardens between the buildings that are perfect for photos. Everywhere you look, you can see the meticulous design and attention to detail — no wonder it has won numerous awards and remained popular through the years.

Interestingly, this pond is home to quite a few toads. Perhaps, like the Chinese, they believe toads bring luck and wealth?

After a few turns, you’ll come across a very cozy and elegant wooden building and corridor. It turns out to be Mandarin Oriental’s most luxurious spa.

A comfortable and spacious reception lounge welcomes you with complimentary cooling herbal tea upon entry. Too bad Xiaohu drank it all in one go because it was so hot—he forgot to take a photo...

There are many spa rooms here, and we came to this one, which is relatively large and luxurious.

It has a bed and a Jacuzzi—extremely luxurious and comfortable, truly breathtaking.

There are a wide variety of spa options here, from head to toe and even hair treatments. Opting for the full package could easily take up most of your day.

Earlier, didn’t we see photos of Roger Federer—the "GOAT" with the most Grand Slam titles—in the exhibition area? I heard that this tennis court is where he once played on the grass.

After a brief tour of the Mandarin Oriental across the river, we took the boat back to the main building.

Of course, the ride back was another round of furious photo-taking—we didn’t want to miss a single scenic shot.

Among all these photos, my favorite is this one. Which one do you all like the best?

On the river, there are as many as a dozen different types and sizes of boats, moving straight or crossing paths, creating intersecting views and landscapes with varying perspectives and charm.

This is probably the largest boat among them—it feels like it’s meant for circling the river. Maybe next time I’ll give it a try too.

Reluctantly returning to shore, the manager who gave us the tour led us through corridors I could never remember, making me realize that the Mandarin Oriental is actually quite large—so big you can actually get lost.

After who knows how many turns, we were brought to what seemed like a place guys aren’t really supposed to enter...

Turns out the manager was taking us to experience the Mandarin Oriental’s newly launched spa. To be honest, I was a bit nervous at first—after all, I’ve never had a spa treatment or a facial before. Once seated, a very pretty receptionist served us cooling herbal tea and slightly chilled towels. So relaxing.

After changing into blanket slippers, we were led to individual spa rooms. You know, this was Xiaohu’s first time in a “flower bridge” setting… plus the language barrier made me feel completely out of my depth.

The skincare products on the shelves are said to be high-end European beauty brands, but since I don’t understand them, I can’t remember the names anyway.

After changing into a spa robe, there was also a safe in the cabinet to store valuables.

The washing area and changing room.

The staff gave a long introduction in what I couldn’t tell was English or Thai. Anyway, the gist was just to lie down on the bed... After lying down, they went through the entire spa procedure, but it didn’t matter if I didn’t understand—I just nodded along pretending to get it. Then came over an hour of a super relaxing facial spa and mask treatment. But since it was a private room, I couldn’t take photos of myself lying there or see my own “Xiaohu face.” I could only feel and experience it.

At first, they used a facial cleanser to remove dirt from my skin—it felt cool and very refreshing. The staff also applied some kind of essential oil to my hands and gently massaged them, which was extremely soothing. Then they washed off the skincare products again and applied two or three different kinds of lotions. Next, they applied a thick, cold, and icy facial mud. Honestly, it stung a little at first, but afterward, my face felt increasingly fresh and comfortable. While the mud mask was on, the staff gave me a light hand and shoulder massage, making me feel so pampered I almost wanted to fall asleep.

I can’t remember how much time passed or if I fell asleep, but I snapped out of it when the staff removed the mud mask. Then came more washing and multiple layers of moisturizing and skincare. Afterward, my face felt incredibly hydrated and soft. As I put it right then: “My face has never been this clean in my life.” Whether you’re male or female, you really should try the spa here. It’s only about 2000 baht or so.

After the spa, you can also enjoy hot and iced tea along with snacks—such thoughtful service.

If you’re not into spa treatments, you can also relax at one of the Mandarin Oriental’s several pools, each with different sizes, angles, and vibes, to enjoy a rare vacation moment of leisure.

When you’re tired of swimming, there are lounge chairs and even beds by the pool where you can rest—even sleep if you want. No one will stop you.

There’s also a more secluded and larger pool here, with a significantly better view.

Surprisingly, there weren’t many people at the pool that day, which made the experience even more relaxing... I kind of regretted not bringing shorts here XD

At a fixed time in the afternoon, the staff also serve free iced drinks and ice cream—and it’s unlimited.

Since my English and Thai are both terrible, I couldn’t quite understand what the manager showing us around was saying, but apparently this 1/100 scale model has a significant history—it’s said to be over a hundred years old and related to the Mandarin Oriental and Thai nobility.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok: Oriental Ave, Bangkok 10500, Thailand, Phone: 66 (2) 659 9000

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok official website (Chinese):http://www.mandarinoriental.com.hk/bangkok/

Facebook fan page:https://www.facebook.com/MandarinOrientalBangkok?rf=123796287665886

Instant Discount Accommodation Information:http://www.mandarinoriental.com.hk/bangkok/hotel-offers/

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