[Thailand: Bangkok] Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok

Follow me to Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok - the first luxury hotel in Bangkok! Founded as The Oriental in 1876, the legendary property has a rich history of hosting esteemed royalties and celebrities. Although the hotel is nearly 150 years old, you wouldn’t know it from appearance as it has undergone multiple renovations to preserve the historic character with modern updates. The rooms are spread across the newer River Wing and the Garden Wing in the original Oriental Hotel building. We stayed in the gorgeous State Room in the River Wing with a separate seating area and panoramic views of the Chao Phraya River from the floor-to-ceiling windows and balcony. The decor is a beautiful blend of Thai and Western aesthetics with dark wood furnishings and colorful silk from Jim Thompson. See more about my stay in my reel here.

Don’t miss the glittering swimming pool and the award-winning spa located across the river! Recognized as the first spa in Thailand, the wellness journey starts with a short yet relaxing boat ride which is then followed by a private consultation to customize the treatment. From traditional Thai to combination techniques, the variety of treatments here are second to none. We also loved the personalized welcome with flowers in our couple’s room - what a lovely surprise!

The dining options at the hotel are vast with a whooping 12 outlets to choose from. There’s the 1* French restaurant Le Normandie, The Verandah for breakfast by the river, The Bamboo Bar, and The Author’s Lounge for afternoon tea. And then there’s not one but three Thai restaurants including the newest Baan Phraya which has been transformed from a cooking school to serving redefined Thai cuisine in a historic house.

Located in a 120-year-old heritage house, Baan Phraya was originally owned by an aristocratic couple and later turned into Thailand’s first cooking school. The space converted into a restaurant 2 years ago and is now serving redefined Thai cuisine by Chef Pom Phatchara who has spent hundreds of hours researching decades-old recipes for the menu along with inspirations from her late grandmother. Many of the spices and sauces are made in house and herbs grown onsite.

Our meal started with a refreshing welcome drink and snacks on the terrace first to enjoy the fresh air by the river. Then we moved inside into the house for the rest of the meal where we enjoyed highlights such as the honeycomb biscuit with crab roe, grilled chicken & tiger prawn salad, smoked scallop with soup, and grilled river prawn with tomalley. For the grand finish, a dessert trolley with all kinds of classic Thai sweets was wheeled in - what a treat!

Our menu:

Finger root infused with Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s organic mulberry honey

Pineapple relish with pickled turnip, peanut and tamarind

Crispy wild kale leaf with garcinia powder and crispy Vietnamese rice paper served with fresh garden herb salad

Stir-fried Northern style riceberry, vegetables and young jackfruit

Thai honeycomb biscuit with crab roe, shallot, tamarind, coconut cream relish and crab roe powder with herb dust

Grilled chicken and tiger prawn salad served with organic sunchoke, wing bean and coconut dressing

Smoked Andaman scallop, wild mushroom and young galangal with lemongrass and kaffir lime oil

Mangrove red snapper roasted with garden herbs and charred coconut flakes, served with smoked dried fish and young chilli relish

Fermented rice noodles, fresh coconut milk, roasted dried shrimps, Homsuwan pineapple, coriander oil and fish sauce

Grilled Surat Thani river prawn with tomalley, young tamarind and chillies

Marinated Wagyu beef in red curry, cayratia trifolia fruit and sweet basil

Selection of homemade Thai sweets

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