Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok

The Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok is an elegant yet relaxed luxury property. Set in a tall tower, this large hotel gets a mix of returning guests and well-heeled travelers, as well as others willing to splurge for a stay at one of Bangkok's finest. Despite all the opulence, there's a pretty laid back vibe here, witnessed most at the happening main swimming pool out along the river, which gets crowded each day. Restaurants and bars are filled with guests as well as outside customers. The lobby is a grand space, full of marble and framed with an elegant chandelier. The Long Bar is a stylish spot with views of the river. Overall, the atmosphere is refined and upscale, though some guests may not be drawn to the large size of the property, which can give off an impersonal feel. 

The Shangri-La has a beautiful and prime location right on the edge of the Chao Phraya River. Much of the hotel looks out at the river, and it's a fabulous place to unwind and enjoy the sunset. While the property takes up a lot of space, encompassing several wings, guests can walk through the hotel to access the BTS Skytrain, which connects to the rest of the city, as well as use the resort's free river shuttle which ferries guests five minutes downstream to the main Saphan Taksin Pier for catching express ferries up the river to tourist sights. The hotel is also a few minutes walk from bustling Charoenkrung Road, which has a large department store, and literally hundreds of restaurants and street stalls to choose from. All in all, it's a wonderful and quite convenient location. The only downside here is that it is hard to find taxis that are willing to use their meters in this area, and much of the street transport is made up of overcharging tuk tuks. Best to let the hotel call a taxi for you.

There are a wide variety of rooms to select from at the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok. While the standard Deluxe rooms only have partial river views, all the others offer sweeping vistas of the Chao Phraya River. There are two wings in the hotel, the Shangri-La Wing and the Krungthep Wing, with the Krungthep Wing having some of the nicest rooms. All rooms are spacious and elegantly furnished with contemporary Thai decor. Rooms feature full size executive writing desks, minibars, electronic safes, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and bedside control units. Other amenities include Shangri-La toiletries, bathrobes and slippers, irons, and electric kettles. Bathrooms here are large, and have a separate rain shower to go with a full size bathtub. All rooms come with free Wi-Fi. The standard rooms don't have balconies, but all the other categories do, with fabulous Chao Phraya views and a table and chairs from which to enjoy them.

The Shangri-La Hotel has some of the top fine dining options in Bangkok, led by Angelini, which serves up outstanding Italian fare. There is also a lovely Thai restaurant, Salathip, housed in a traditional Thai teak home alongside the river. The hotel has one of Bangkok's finest Chinese restaurants, Shang Palace, serving Cantonese and dim sum. In addition to these restaurants, there's a Chocolate Boutique serving cakes, pralines, and pastries to handle anyone's sweet tooth. For drinks, there is a stylish new Long Bar overlooking the river, and the Riverside Lounge in the Krungthep Wing has live piano in a tropical garden filled lounge room.

Besides all the restaurants, the Shangi-La has a swimming pool in each wing. The Krungthep Wing pool is suitable for lap swimming, while the main pool is circular and large, best for families. The hotel has a full scale state-of-the-art fitness center, and is also home to the CHI Spa, which has won accolades and awards for being one of the best spas in all Asia. Wi-Fi is free throughout.