Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, which opened in spring 2025, is situated in the heart of the city.Aman Nai Lert/Supplied
When we planned to make a stopover in the bustling capital of Thailand during our month-long travels in Asia, I wondered whether the city would offer the respite and recovery we needed after the 16-hour flight from Vancouver. Crawling along in our car on busy, elevated roadways, past Bangkok’s glittering high-rises, I worried that we should have stayed at a quiet island retreat rather than amidst the bright lights of this big city.
Bangkok’s Chinatown brims with succulent food and even better art
But an hour after passing under the impressive, scalloped entrance of the Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, our decision to seek civic sanctuary was rewarded, courtesy of the hotel’s rooftop pool deck.
Nine floors up, we swam leisurely lengths in the 25-metre pool. (And were saved the indignity of walking through the lobby in our bathrobes, thanks to a dedicated elevator.) Then, we lounged in the shade of a towering Sompong tree and relaxed to the soundtrack of humming cicadas. We enjoyed marvellous views of Bangkok’s urban landscape, which was seen and – remarkably – not heard.
The hotel features a 25-metre rooftop pool.Supplied
Why you should visit
The new Aman Nai Lert Bangkok marks a homecoming of the ultraluxury brand to Thailand. It joins Amanpuri on Phuket – the original Aman – some 37 years after its inception. The 52-suite Bangkok hotel opened in spring 2025 (rooms start at $2,250 a night), and sits within a lush seven-acre oasis of Nai Lert Park.
The strategic placement of the hotel within the heart of Bangkok is part of Aman Group’s expansion into urban destinations such as Tokyo and New York. But like every Aman resort, the group’s chairman and chief executive Vlad Doronin says the new hotel offers “exclusivity, exceptional location, generous amenities and unparalleled service.”
The brand’s signature minimalist aesthetic works well with traditional Thai design. The three-layered entrance evokes the three roofs of a nearby historic home. In the ninth-floor hotel lobby, a 12-metre-tall tree sculpture attracts the eye – it was created in collaboration with Thai artists and inspired by a century-old Chamchuri tree that is still standing. As I look up, 6,000 gold leaves transition from gold to black.
Aman Group is expanding into urban destinations such as Tokyo and New York.Supplied
The lobby also features an installation of 3,000 spinning tops forming the Thai numeral one, symbolizing greatness. The lobby is certainly grand, but incredibly quiet, inviting me to whisper my reservation details to the smiling staff before being escorted to a seating area to experience a welcome purification ritual. Water is poured over my hands into a basin, dripping onto two creamy white lotus blossoms. I register what’s happening but not its significance, given the state of my muddled mind after the long-haul flight.
As a first-time visitor to Thailand, I love how the property offers a gentle immersion into the vibrant capital. The park-like setting makes the hotel feel like a lush, private retreat, and I admire the traditional Thai craftsmanship on display amongst the hotel’s ceramics, wood carvings and leatherwork.
That’s no accident. The hotel interior is influenced by the 111-year-old Nai Lert Heritage Home next door, now a museum where guests can take a complimentary guided tour and learn about visionary Thai entrepreneur Phraya Bhakdinorasreth, or “Nai Lert,” for whom the hotel is named.
The hotel’s 52 suites are among the largest in Bangkok. Ours is on the 11th (pet-friendly) floor and is just over 1,000 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling windows. We gaze out and graze on complimentary snacks, including candied ginger and dried mangoes, and contemplate soaking in the kiddie-pool-sized ceramic tub that dominates the large bathroom.
The 16,000-square-foot spa and wellness centre is on the hotel’s 10th floor.Supplied
Instead, I head to the hotel’s enormous spa and wellness centre for a traditional Thai massage with warm rice compress. The 16,000-square-foot space sits on the 10th floor and is all soothing browns and warm tropical wood accents. The outdoors are obscured by screens to ensure mindfulness and presence, which works well – I briefly nod off during the 90-minute treatment. Then, it’s up to the 19th floor for a fantastic and fiery Japanese teppanyaki dinner in Hiori, one of the hotel’s five guest-only restaurants.
Room for improvement
Unlike Aman’s traditional retreats, its urban properties tend to be vertical and spread over several floors. You’ll spend a lot of time on elevators, moving from the street to the ninth-floor lobby, 10th-floor spa and 19th-floor dining areas, as well as your suite somewhere in between. The elevators are efficient, but if they make you claustrophobic, this hotel may not be for you.
Since you’re in the neighbourhood
The Aman Nai Lert’s namesake park and 110-year-old heritage home are right on the banyan-shaded doorstep. Enjoy the serenity of these historic settings (and pack a fan to chase the humidity), before heading off to explore the Central Embassy mall, a swanky, seven-storey shopping mecca.
If you’d prefer to browse a curated collection of independently owned cafés, boutiques and art galleries, check out the industrial-chic Warehouse 30, or 100 Tonson Foundation for its innovative contemporary art exhibitions. Both are a short 10- to 20-minute cab ride away, depending on downtown traffic.
And don’t miss the chance to go back in time on Song Wat Road, about 30 minutes by taxi from the hotel. This is one of the oldest and shortest streets in the city, packed with historic wood-fronted shops, colourful street art and amazing Thai food.
From the hotel, guests can enjoy views of Bangkok’s urban landscape.Supplied
The take-away
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok is a bespoke urban escape that takes the brand’s signature elegance, previously found in remote corners of the globe, and brings it to one of the world’s most dynamic cities. You just need to be able to afford it.
Rates at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok start at $2,250 a night and include fast-track service at Suvarnabhumi Airport, private limousine transfer, daily breakfast, in-room snacks and a Nai Lert Park Heritage Home tour.
The writer was a guest of Aman Nai Lert Bangkok. It did not review or approve the story before publication.
