BANGKOK'S brightest STAR

Recognised as Best New Hotel 2023 in The World's 50 Best Hotels awards, the riverside Capella Bangkok is a glamorous green retreat that comes with style to spare, writes Cathy Wagstaff.

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Home to 10 million people, Bangkok is hectic. The thrum of traffic is constant; motorcycles share roads with tuk-tuks and trucks, backdropped by some of the tallest skyscrapers in Asia. It’s chaotic in the best possible way. But sometimes finding peace is as difficult as navigating the web of highways. Which is why Capella Bangkok is so delightful – and unexpected.

In this gargantuan metropolis, Capella is an ode to Zen, its low-slung buildings hugging the Chao Phraya River. Even more startling is how green the grounds are, with leafy gardens and water views. Indeed, the debut Thai property from Capella Hotels & Resorts was designed as a modern-day pied à terre – although by definition these ‘secondary residences’ are small. My villa at Capella Bangkok is not. And therein lies another welcome architectural feature; in a city where you can hear your neighbour whisper sweet nothings, this pared-back property is all about space and serenity. Checking in here, I can feel my pulse begin to slow. It practically stops when I see my villa – there are seven, while the remaining accommodations are rooms and suites, all with river views.