Waldorf Astoria Bangkok

Character and identity

Set within the 60-story Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard tower in central Bangkok, this is André Fu and AvroKO's reimagining of the original Manhattan Waldorf: art deco bones reworked with Thai motifs, brass and marble offset by woven silks, carved bronze screens echoing classical dance, and more than 2,300 pieces of local art and bespoke furnishings in a dusty, residential palette. The top three floors are given over to dining and drinking, anchored by the 55th-floor steakhouse Bull & Bear and the Peacock Alley lounge on 16, where a bronze clock lattice nods to New York. Service is warm, with personal escort to the upper-lobby check-in.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The defining draw is the design and the vertical food-and-drink stack: Fu and AvroKO's interiors and the 55th-floor Bull & Bear, Peacock Alley and pool deck together feel like the reason to book. Spend on a higher-floor room to make the views part of the stay, and time a visit around the cooler months when the 16th-floor pool and outdoor terraces pay off most.