Comparing Bangkok’s best hotels
| THE PENINSULA BANGKOK | THE ORIENTAL BANGKOK | THE SUKHOTHAI | FOUR SEASONS HOTEL BANGKOK | SHANGRI-LA HOTEL BANGKOK | |
| Address | 333 Charoennakorn Road, 011-66-2-861-2888, www.bangkok.. | 48 Oriental Ave., 011-66-2-659-9000, www.mandarinoriental.com. | 13/3 S, Sathorn Road, 011-66-2-344-8888, www.sukhothai.com. | 155 Rajadamri Road, 011- 66-2-250-1000, www.fourseasons.com. | 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, 011-66-2-236-7777, www.shangri-la.com. |
| Doubles as low as | $244 | $269 | $241 | $195 | $200 |
| Location | West side of Chao Phraya River | East side of river | Midcity | Midcity | East side of the river |
| Nearby site | Boat trip on Chao Phraya to the Temple of Dawn | Beautifully restored O.P. Place for upscale shopping | Lumpini Park and the junky but fun Suan Lum Night Bazaar | Erawan shopping and hotel district | Skytrain Saphan Taksin stop |
| In a few words | Elegant, classy | Opulent, historic | Cool, high-powered | Polished, palatial | Big, busy |
| Spa | * | * * * | * * | * | * * * |
| Memorable eats | Thiptara, alfresco Thai | Riverside Terrace with its amazing buffet | Celadon’s elegant atmosphere and inventive nouvelle Thai menu | Spice Market for such classics as satay and pad Thai | Salathip for Thai cuisine by the river |
| Pure delights | The long, beautiful, riverside pool | High tea in the white wicker Authors’ Lounge | Excellent king-size beds | $40 Thai massage in the health club (not the spa) | The Best Salon in the shopping arcade where I got a haircut and blow-dry, nail-polish change and eyebrow shaping for $50 |
| Best for free | River shuttle boats | Mandarin Oriental lotus and ginger toiletries | Stunning Thai sculpture in public areas | People-watching in the swanky lobby | Costumed dancers at Salathip |
| Nothing’s perfect | Cramped, crowded locker rooms at health club | I failed to specify and ended up in a smoking room | Un-air-conditioned corridors | Caters to cruise groups | Uneven accommodations; different wings, different rooms, different experiences |
| -- Susan Spano |
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