By Anthony Dennis
THE PLACE
Sofitel So Bangkok, Thailand
THE LOCATION
When it comes to generous amounts of public space, crowded Bangkok isn't exactly straight out of Central Park-casting, unless you count the wonderfully chaotic Chao Phraya River, which dissects the city. But, then again, here at the 238-room Sofitel So Bangkok, on the corner of Sathorn and Rama IV Roads, around which many diplomatic missions are located, the views of the city's own grand jungle-green lung, Lumphini Park, are as arresting as they are surprising. The hotel was the first designer hotel spin-off, under the Sofitel So brand, owned by the French accommodation conglomerate Accor, with other branches having opened in Singapore and Mauritius. Based on stays at both the Bangkok and Singapore Sofitel So properties, we look forward to more of these beauteous boltholes.
THE SPACE
Sofitel So Bangkok is an unapologetic design statement. The legendary French designer Christian Lacroix was recruited by Accor to style the hotel in collaboration with five of Thailand's leading architects. The focal point of the hotel is the lobby, not at ground level but an expansive equivalent space a few floors up, with a stylish bar and lounge area and floor-to-ceiling windows. Yet another of the hotel's most distinctive and appealing features is The Water Club, on the 10th floor, a hedonistic space as befitting a hedonistic city where monthly pool parties with a live DJ are held in and around the 32-metre long infinity pool with skyline and park views.
THE ROOM
The rooms at Sofitel So Bangkok are based on a slightly complicated system of the elements, namely water (sophisticated and calm), earth (wonder and enrichment) wood (elegance and tranquillity) and metal (purity and modernity). I've scored (I think) a large earth-themed and irregularly-shaped blue-coloured suite, which conveys the feeling of being in a designer cave. It's adorned with Thai wall paintings featuring "mythical creatures and shadows flickering in the light". It's all rather congenial, if not a teeny bit gimmicky and gratuitous, though it is, admittedly, luxurious. There's a capacious separate rain shower and bath, a large-screen LCD TV and Apple computer "media centre", free Wi-Fi, free mini-bar and Illy coffee espresso machine and accesss to the hotel's Club Signature lounge.
THE FOOD
We won't begin to list the exhaustive wealth of dining opportunities in a south-east Asian food capital like Bangkok, but, in-house, there is a trio of swish eateries - Red Oven, Park Society and Chocolab - all which are overseen by Paul Smart, an expatriate Australian chef. Red Oven channels Asian food market with "live cooking stations". But the best bet is Park Society, on the rooftop with spectacular views of the city skyline by night. Chocolab, on the ground floor, is a chocolate-themed cafe perfect for a casual bite or a coffee.
STEPPING OUT
The test of a good hotel can, at times, be whether, and how often, you want to leave it. Sofitel So Bangkok passes that rule of thumb admirably but if you must leave Lumphini Park, straight across the busy road from the hotel, beckons from dawn to dusk though any callisthenics are best attempted in the cooler parts of the day. Then there's the Thai capital's notorious – and at times notoriously good – nightlife with the bars, fleshpots and retail therapy of bustling Silom Road relatively nearby. Taxis and the less-safe tuk-tuks are plentiful and there's the convenience of the Lumpini MRT underground train station stop near the hotel.
THE VERDICT
Any misgivings about its five elements concept aside, the seductive Sofitel So Bangkok oozes sex appeal. In one of the world's most crowded and congested cities and one bereft of open space, there is a real sense of it here both from behind and outside the window.
ESSENTIALS
Doubles start from $217. Sofitel So Bangkok, 2 Sathorn Road, Bangkok, Thailand. Phone, 1800 757164, see sofitel.com/SoBangkok
HIGHLIGHT
The stunning views of Lumphini Park and the city skyline from the hotel which provide a different and refreshing perspective of the Thai capital.
LOWLIGHT
Not everyone will be seduced by the high-concept design of the luxurious rooms though all the public spaces at Sofitel So Bangkok are a knockout.
The writer was a guest of Sofitel So Bangkok and Qantas.
See also: The only way to see Thailand's secret hongs
See also: Twenty things that will shock first-time visitors to Thailand
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