Going To Bangkok? Stay At This Hotel

Bangkok is massive, bright, beautiful — a city full of golden statues and endless flower markets, street food and shark fin soup. But managing 600 square miles of city can seem overwhelming, especially if you're new to town and still trying to separate your sawadee ka from your som tam.

Every traveler needs a home base, and there are few more beautiful than the Anantara Siam Bangkok. Located in the central Lumphini sub-district (think night bazaars and muay Thai fights), this historic hotel offers taste — both the classy type and the delicious type — at every turn.

There are 11 restaurants, cafés, and bars across the property, each offering a different and beautifully designed experience. Start with breakfast in the downstairs Aqua Lounge, where Thai and European flavors are on offer together and diners walk away with plates full of pad Thai, omelettes, and fresh honeycomb heavy with the scent of flowers.

By the time you're ready for lunch — maybe after a morning spent visiting nearby Wat Pho (home of the Reclining Buddha) or the rolling Chao Phraya River — come back for a feast at Madison or Shintaro, the hotel's award-winning steakhouse and Japanese restaurant. Madison's nearly endless cuts of meat — wagyu, Black Angus, Kobe – not to mention thousands of glistening lobster, fish, and prawns, are the perfect fuel for a long afternoon of wandering Bangkok's streets. And Shintaro's simple, beautiful menu is the result of 18 years of practice; in fact, the restaurant played a huge part in bringing Japanese food to Bangkok back in the '90s.[pullquote:left}

No matter which you choose, be sure you save your appetite for Spice Market, one of Anantara Siam's most intimate and delicious offerings. Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, this is the hotel's ode to traditional Thai food.

The restaurant itself has been carefully decorated to resemble a market bazaar: teak beams, wicker baskets, piles of dried and ground spices artfully arranged on the tables and walls. The menu is extensive — more than 100 items are available, with tasting platters pre-organized to help wide-eyed diners try a bite of everything.

Wines from around the world, including Thailand, are on offer. But save your palate for the cocktails: Unexpected treats like the Princess of Siam (gin, jasmine water, rose syrup, lime) and Tom Yum Siam (vodka, lemongrass, lime, chile) are as satisfying as any dish on the menu you'll find.

There are many beautiful hotels to visit in Bangkok, but the flagship Anantara Siam stands apart as the only Thailand-owned luxury experience available. With silk murals, sprays of fresh flowers, and treats around every corner, it's the perfect place for a home-away-from-home in one of the world's most glamorous cities.