Review / Is Capella Bangkok really the best hotel in the world?
Named No 1 on The World’s 50 Best Hotels list last year, the Singapore chain’s Bangkok outpost offers the luxurious privacy of the elite
Visitors to Bangkok tend to fall into two categories: those who love the buzz of the city centre around the Siam area, or those who prefer the quiet of the Chao Phraya River.
Already home to some of the city’s most prestigious hotels – including branches of Mandarin Oriental, The Peninsula and Shangri-La – the Chao Phraya riverfront has been revitalised with recent developments. Iconsiam, a gargantuan mall that has become a destination in its own right, along with the arrival of Capella Bangkok, the first Thai outpost of the Singapore-based chain, have put the area back on the map.
Part of the Chao Phraya Estate – a luxury complex that also includes the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, located next door – Capella Bangkok opened to little fanfare in October 2020, smack in the middle of the pandemic. But it made headlines last year when it was awarded the No 1 spot in the second edition of The World’s 50 Best Hotels, and also earned the title of Best Hotel in Asia.
What makes Capella Bangkok special is the way the property’s 101 suites and villas fully embrace riverfront living. With its floor-to-ceiling windows providing unobstructed views of the river and the lush greenery of its surrounds, Capella Bangkok prizes relaxation and privacy over buzz – you stay there for the scenery rather than the scene, so to speak. Even at full occupancy, you’ll rarely run into fellow guests, making your visit to Bangkok very different from what you would expect from one of the world’s noisiest and most crowded metropolises.
To fully experience the utmost serenity the property offers, you should book one of the Verandah Suites – their spacious terraces are equipped with jacuzzi plunge pools and cabanas. Alternatively, try one of the river-facing resort-style villas with private plunge pools and tropical gardens – the only accommodation of this kind in Bangkok.
The villas are near Auriga Wellness, the hotel’s spa, where you can indulge in tailored facials performed with products from cult skincare label Biologique Recherche. There are also body treatments featuring signature oil blends as well as products from Moringa Project, a Thai wellness brand that makes use of the seed of the moringa tree.
