There’s no denying that beloved Bangkok riverfront outposts like the Shangri-La, Anantara, and Four Seasons are wow-inducing and gorgeous. However, the Salil Hotel Riverside Bangkok’s aesthetic makes it an only-in-Thailand immersion with its interior décor, spa, dining, and retail outlets. The location, along the Chao Phraya River in the Charoen Krung Road neighborhood, is a short walk to the popular Asiatique retail/entertainment complex though tucked into a quiet residential enclave with a neighborhood temple populated by adorable cats.

No matter what side of Bangkok life you favor, everyday life stops at the front door. Upon entering the lobby of the central building, attentive front desk clerks and a concierge promptly greet guests and guide them to plush seating. Whimsical artwork adorning the walls and tables makes it clear that the hotel looks nothing like other upscale hotels and resorts dotting the waterfront. Lobby retail offerings are destinations in their own right. The impeccably organized Karmakamet fragrance salon gives its Parisian counterparts a run for their money. The Galleria redefines the hotel gift shop with its artsy floor-to-ceiling display of Salil-branded items, home décor items like pillow covers used in the rooms, and incredible finds from various Thai fashion and accessory designers including PDM and Madmatter Studio.

The hotel’s look was brought to life by a dream team of Thai artists, architects, and interior designers who took the dream-related themes seriously when given the assignment. While team ‘captain’ Jay Soonthornsawad developed the overall theme, surrealist artist Nattapon Pichairat contributed graphics inspired by Thai iconography and mythology fused with “Alice in Wonderland” enlivening the walls. Collages appearing around the hotel by Nakrob Moonmanas are composed of vintage photos, illustrations, and clippings. Artists Panyawat Phitaksawan and Atthak Vannason complete the fantastic visual journey that unites the spa and rooftop hydrotherapy pool with the meeting and conference areas.

The property’s 235 rooms and suites, offered in twelve distinct configurations, cater to the varied lifestyles of guests coming for vacation, romance, business, or a combination of reasons. Rooms and suites are outfitted with smart TVs, minibars, premium bedding, toiletries featured in the hotel’s spa, and signature Salil pajamas available for purchase at the Galleria.

Each dwelling in one way or another embodies the property’s “Journey of Dreams” mission statement, with slightly psychedelic decorative motifs and elements that delicately punch up eclectic mixes of Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern sensibilities.

The exterior, best viewed from the side that faces the water, evokes 1930s Art Deco Miami or Hollywood, with outdoor corridors flanking the pool set with imaginative food and drink, including Jumbo Lobster at Riverside, Pacific Cigar Divan, BRIX Dessert and BRIX Mini Bar, Taproom by the River and Japanese ice cream purveyor Rintaro.

Hotel flagship restaurant NAVA bills itself as a venue for all occasions as it is divided into four distinct rooms—NAVA Kitchen, NAVA Chef’s Table, NAVA Sala, and NAVA Terrace. During the morning hours, they are connected through a brunch buffet with a rotating selection of beloved Thai staples as well as Western breakfast items and Japanese sushi and salad bar.  After sundown, the minimalist interior design said to be inspired by Bangkok’s Wat Arun temple, ties together the overarching theme of Thailand’s agricultural and seafaring heritage.

The dinner menu is populated by dishes representing different regions of Thailand and beautifully plated to showcase fish and produce harvested from the Chao Phraya and Mekong rivers to the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea waters. The highlights are crafted to introduce international guests to less familiar flavor profiles while still being as visually enchanting as the artwork throughout the hotel. These include Spicy and Sour Smoked Dried Fish Soup; Spiced Pomelo and Prawn Salad topped with Dried Southern Crispy Fish; Stir-Fried Jumbo Crab Meat with Fresh Yellow Chili and Coconut Tips; and Deep-fried Sea Bass Topped with Sweet Chili Sauce. Nevertheless, one cannot go wrong with the NAVA kitchen’s spin on curries or the crowd-pleasing Deep Fried Banana with Cocoanut Ice Cream.

A Salil Riverside guest should also take time to experience the property’s wellness component, from the simple but plush layout and treatments of the HARNN Heritage Spa Riverside and its fitness and yoga studios to the Rabbit Moon Aquatherapy experience. Bangkok’s first-ever rooftop aquatherapy, great for guests who don’t have time for a full spa day, distinguishes itself with bird-cage style cabanas, postcard city views, and attentive spa staff who ensure the circuit is done in the correct order.

Getting to the BTS SkyTrain Saphan Taksin station, the sprawling city’s most efficient mode of transport, and other neighborhoods can be accomplished with ride-share services and Crayola-bright taxis readily arranged by the concierge on duty. Although the ten-year-old dining and shopping funplex Asiatique is a ten-minute walk from the hotel, it is only open at night. Thankfully, there are plenty of things to do by day which will be new for many travelers who have not visited Bangkok since the pandemic or want to get off the proverbial beaten trail.

While a visit to the ornate and iconic Wat Pho Temple, a.k.a. Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is regarded as a must for first-time visitors, Wat Suthat Thepwararam and Wat Ratchanaddaram deliver a more genuine moment of zen as they are quieter, less crowded, and cater to locals. In the Sao Chingcha District, a quiet business area between the temples, there are some amazing foodie finds such as Naiuan Yen Tafo, a multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning eatery specializing in savory noodle soups and teas.

Another Michelin-anointed restaurant—to the tune of two stars—is the Baan Tepa Culinary Space, which has won international acclaim for its multi-course extravaganzas and magical interiors and exteriors. Chef Tam Chudaree Debhakam built it to be an ultimate culinary immersion as well as a labor of love within and around her grandmother’s historic home. In addition to an edible journey around Thailand, the experience includes a tour of the property’s garden, a visit to the kitchen to see where the magic happens, and tableside showmanship to spare. This exceptional, splurge-worthy evening requires a reservation well in advance and ample travel time akin to driving from Midtown Manhattan to the outer reaches of Brooklyn or Queens in rush hour.

Those traveling with kids and fashionistas will enjoy ICONSIAM.  Yes, it’s another mega-mall in the vein of other Bangkok shopping centers that cover large swaths of city blocks. Even with loads of familiar international stores, however, ICONSIAM features some interesting twists. SOOKSIAM, covering much of the street level, is an excellent dupe for Asiatique and night markets. It is both kid-and adult-friendly and always ready when rain or extreme heat pushes travelers indoors. It’s also a fun primer for first-time visitors to Thailand, with food vendors broken down by the country’s different regions along with other vendors offering souvenirs and a regular stream of folk performances.

Business groups, meanwhile, will enjoy The Veranda, the center’s upscale fast casual food zone while the high-rise Tassana Nakhon Terrace zone is nicely suited for more refined sit-down dinners and date nights. Shoppers on the hunt for higher quality finds in jewelry, homewares, and clothing will want to set time aside to explore ICONCRAFT, occupying prime space in the middle of the 4^th and 5^th floors. Many of the creators are up-and-coming designers featured in publications like “Time Out” and websites like Siam2Nite), all but ensuring you or the recipient of your purchase will have something gorgeous and one-of-a-kind…much like The Salil Riverside.