Why stay?
If David Bowie were still around and in need of lodgings in Bangkok, this would be his place—for the U.S. brand’s new Asian flagship has to be the coolest young American in town. Nestled within the pixilated blocks of the city’s tallest building, The Standard offers a multifaceted experience that includes impressive floor-to-ceiling views, cutting-edge fitness equipment, and hip nightlife and chill-out venues. Colliding design elements ranging from modern to art deco to rave interlace everything, thanks to Spanish designer Jaime Hayon and Standard Hotels’ own in-house design team.
The neighborhood
Set amid the bustle between Silom and Sathorn roads, The Standard inhabits the Ole Scheeren–designed King Power Mahanakhon building, with a high-end shopping mall on the lower floors and an adjacent lifestyle hub dubbed Mahanakhon Cube that hosts wellness and beauty outlets as well as a range of restaurants. With the Chong Nonsi BTS station connected directly to the Cube, Skytrain access could not be more convenient. The surrounding area teems with food and drink venues. For those in search of greenery, Lumphini Park is a 20-minute walk (or one Skytrain stop) away.
The feel
Staying here is guaranteed to make you feel cool. While a retro-futurist elegance pervades all, the vibe is far less formal than it is fashionable. As Bowie would say, “Turn to the left, turn to the right.” The design elements pop in blasts of vibrant colors, and many of the spaces, both within guest rooms and in public areas, create a sense of moving through an art installation.
Guest quarters
The flavor of the rooms fuses playfulness and comfort, with lots of curved elements. Beds strike a perfect balance of plush and firm. The sitting and eating area evokes the coziness of an upscale diner, where you might slide into a booth and lean into a frappé. The Standard has nine levels of rooms, ranging from snug spaces to the 144-square-meter Bigger Penthouse.
Food and drink
Although the restaurants and bars offer eclectic food and cocktails, a thread of Americanism serves as a reminder of Standard Hotels’ origins. So, while world-renowned Guadalajaran chef Francisco “Paco” Ruano serves up creative Mexican delicacies at Ojo, on the 76th floor, the restaurant also offers “Taco Tuesday,” in keeping with a trend that began in Wyoming. The hotel’s Chinese restaurant is named Mott 32 in a nod to the location of the first Chinese convenience store to open in New York City back in the 19th century. The Double Standard pub will satisfy any burger craving, and if it’s a traditional New York steak you’re after, hit up The Standard Grill. Even Tease, the psychedelic/art deco tearoom, sports a collection of cactus sculptures, evoking the American Southwest.
Wellness factor
There’s no spa, but the outdoor pool on the sixth floor provides a beachy escape with its sand-colored wood flooring and sunflower-yellow umbrellas. The gym, open 24/7, features Technogym machines and Peloton bikes.
Family matters
While its whimsical, colorful qualities will no doubt appeal to younger guests, this place isn’t really for kids.
Sustainability cred
Beyond the basic eco efforts (no single-use plastics in guest rooms; a priority on local sourcing in the kitchens), the hotel encourages guests to donate to the Equitable Education Fund (EEF), which provides support for disadvantaged Thai children and youths.
What else?
Want to sample The Standard’s various cocktail outlets? Pick up a “passport” (THB1,980 at time of writing) in The Parlor and embark on an “Everyday bar crawl” that will take you from the first to 78th floor with drinks and snacks along the way. Guests of Sky Beach, the highest cocktail bar in Bangkok, will also have after-hours access to the building’s rooftop SkyWalk, a glass-bottomed observation deck perched a thrilling 314 meters above the ground.
Reviewed by Christopher White
standardhotels.com/bangkok
+66 2 085 8888
114 Narathiwas Rd., Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok, Thailand