The ultra luxury hotel collection
The short answer
If you want history, choose Mandarin Oriental. If you want intimacy, choose Capella. If you want design and personality, choose The Siam. Each sits on the same river and each is excellent, but they deliver completely different trips.
How we judged them
We judge each hotel on the arrival, the quietness of the room at night, the view from the entry category and the value of the rate on a typical night.
Capella Bangkok
Small, low rise and entirely river facing. The entry Riverfront King runs about $885 on a typical night. Best for couples.
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
The grand dame, with a spa across the water and a sense of occasion no newer hotel can match. The entry room runs about $676 a night.
The Siam
Art deco, privately owned and full of personality, in the royal Dusit quarter upriver. From about $585 a night.
Questions
Which side of the river is best?
The east bank around Charoen Krung puts you close to the old city and the best street food. The west bank is quieter and has some of the best views back across the water.
Do riverside hotels offer boat transfers?
Most of them run their own boats to the nearest pier, and several will arrange an arrival by river.
