SO/ Bangkok

SO/ Bangkok is a city hotel for traveling couples and a hot spot for trendy locals and young professionals — but surprising and delighting all guests equally with a daring mix of bold design ideas and luxurious style.

This was not our first stopover in Bangkok and is likely not the last one. Every time we visit, we try to stay at a different, exciting hotel. SO/ Bangkok is all that, and more.

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Fashion and style

There is electrifying energy to SO/ Bangkok, recalling the city’s sleepless nightlife, while the sophisticated mix of French and Thai styles puts this youthful place in a design league of its own.

The hotel wows with originality and bold statements — starting with the staff outfits designed by Christian Lacroix. The creator has also authored the hotel logo and impressed an eclectic mix of glamour and post-punk on the hotel’s design themes, especially at the audaciously-decorated Club Lounge.

The eye-catching ninth-floor lobby is filled with modernist art and retrofitted furniture, and the various floors are peppered with large sculptures and over-the-top design ideas. All this stands in surprising harmony with the toned-down design of the guest rooms and suites.

Five elements

The rooms are categorized around themes, oriented around Water, Earth, Wood, Metal, and Fire, the significance of which is linked to the Chinese philosophy of Wuxing. Thus, the Metal rooms and gleaming with light, while the Earth rooms resemble painted grottos with primitive wallpaper art adorning the walls (inspired by caves in North-Eastern Thailand).

The smallest rooms have decent size for a city hotel, while the Duplex suites are large enough to be popular for private parties. All rooms come with at least a soaking tub, and some suites have fully-fledged in-room spas. The hotel commits to the luxury boutique label with high-tech as well, with technology at the heart of the guest experience (including iPads and Apple TV entertainment system with 40-inch flat-screen TVs).

SO/ Bangkok facilities

The hotel is located in downtown Sathorn. It faces the picturesque Lumpini Park, offering great views from many rooms and from most common areas (these include a wood-floored gym, a yoga studio, and a 32-meter outdoor infinity pool with sunbeds and in-pool loungers).

The signature SO Spa is designed with enchanting decor that includes suspended tree trunks and wooden slats resembling a forest. The design of the Spa continues the aesthetic marriage of brash style French chic and soothing Thai ambiance.

There are as many as five dining and drinking places at SO/ Bangkok. The lobby lounge doubles as Mixo, a cocktail hangout, though you’d find us just as often at the poolside bar. The market-style Red Oven is the main restaurant, with an international menu, but the most celebrated is the Park Society restaurant (an East-meets-West-fusion kind of place), with the adjacent Hi So Bar as a lovely spot for pre-dinner drinks (also serving tapas, cold cuts, cheese, and other snacks). Our favorite, for obvious reasons, was Chocolab, a gourmet chocolate boutique.

With its contemporary, fashion-oriented approach So/ Bangkok ticked off many boxes for us: as a concept, as a comfortable city hotel, and as a stopover with a young-at-heart vibe.

in our opinion

SO/ Bangkok is attractive, stylish, and luxury-loving, with its design in many ways the star attraction. It's an excellent hangout for young travelers, especially if they are in a party mood.

What we love

• Some people may find the style of this hotel a little too over the top, but we loved it — the bold design by French fashion icon Christian Lacroix sets it apart from the competition. The style of the lobby is enthralling, and the unique art, sculptures, and some design ideas are truly unique. Even the huge "drop of chocolate" hanging from the ceiling of the sweets boutique is unusual!
• Thankfully though, the rooms are not over-designed. They are elegant and come in decent sizes, and the bathrooms, equipped with large bathtubs, are spotless. All rooms offer Apple TV entertainment.
• We also like the concept of the types of rooms, inspired by four earth elements, and designed accordingly. Our favorite was Water, set in a soft, light style.
• The all-smiles staff looks fabulous in their Lacroix-designed uniforms. Service is of very high standards, with an anything-you-need approach.
• The hotel as an excellent dining selection with five outlets, including the acclaimed Park Society restaurant. We loved sunset drinks at its rooftop bar!
• Great infinity swimming pool, overlooking Lumpini Park. The guests chilling there are served snacks and drinks.

What you should know

• The So/ Bangkok hotel organizes regular pool parties, and the club-like, party-friendly atmosphere is one of its defining characteristics. Bear that in mind when booking, in case you are only after a quiet stay.
• The outdoor swimming pool does not have temperature control, and the water can feel quite cold. There is a hot jacuzzi tub there, though.
• The hotel is located only a few blocks away from the nearest subway, and it offers an hourly complimentary shuttle service to Sala Daeng, the closest Sky Train station. Bangkok's largest green area, Lumpini Park, is just across the street, but not all rooms overlook it.
• The So/ Bangkok is focused on couples, but families or groups of friends will also find it comfortable. Interconnecting rooms and extra beds, as well as cots, are available. A nanny can also be arranged, while the ChocoLab offers cooking classes for children.