Trip review to Bangkok: Riverside oasis

This trip was completed in June 2024.

Last summer, we were in Bangkok and tourists have yet to return to the city in full force. This year, the relaxation of visa requirements and Thailand's constant focus on the tourism industry have led to higher travel demand and hotel prices in general. Compared to our previous trip, we have based ourselves along the Chao Phraya river, away from the main tourist area around Chit Lom and Asok.

Below are our reviews of notable parts of our trip.

Accommodation: Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

Rating 8.0/10

This hotel is located by the side of the Chao Phraya river, sharing the same compound with its sister hotel, Avani+ Riverside. For guests entering the hotel via the shuttle ferry, it does offer a resort-like feeling despite being right in the middle of Bangkok city.

The hotel has multiple wings and all the guest rooms are in low-rise buildings. Even though the lobby may be less grand than Anantara Siam (we last reviewed it here), the outdoor swimming pool and restaurants by the river do make up for the overall positive impression of the hotel.

We stayed in the junior suite with river view, and found ourselves tucked in a quieter corner of the hotel compound. The room overlooks the river as well as the Asiatique Riverfront's ferris wheel.

For the room itself, it felt a little dated and in need of an interior decor refresh. While it is spacious and comes with a balcony, the room can feel bare to some. On the plus side, the bathroom is large, complete with shower room, bathtub and even a separate dressing table from the wash basin. Room rates at this hotel are about 6,000 THB/night for the basic rooms.

What is more interesting about Anantara Riverside is the building connection with Avani+ Riverside (a high-rise hotel). Not only is there retail space at the lower floors of the hotel, but it is also the first building guest will see when turning in from the main road if arriving by car.

There is also a rooftop bar and restaurant called SEEN with sweeping views of Bangkok. While we found the drinks and small bites to be quite average, the decadent interior decor and alfresco seating still make it a worthwhile visit for night scenery lovers.

Dining: Sarnies Café (Sukhumvit branch)

Rating 8.4/10

Sarnies is no stranger to the cafe scene, with several branches across Bangkok and Singapore serving western-style brunch. What makes this particular outlet special is the additional Japanese-inspired offerings in the menu.

It is situated right next to Phrom Phong station, and only a short walk from the nearby cluster of Em malls (EmQuartier, Emporium and the new EmSphere). The cafe itself is spacious with high ceilings and a mezzanine level for more seating. It is usually crowded but unlikely to have a long queuing situation.

The food menu is extensive by cafe standards, and dishes are prepared and cooked attentively. Apart from the bakery items, we also suggest trying the Japanese main courses. Even the side dishes were done well for the salmon set we ordered.

As for beverages, we find the coffee to be sufficiently aromatic but higher quality ones can be found elsewhere given the competition in Bangkok.

Dining: Supanniga Eating Room (Tha Tien)

Rating 8.2/10

Further up the river around Wat Pho and Wat Arun piers, Supanniga offers Thai cuisine with a temple view. Tourists come here specifically to snap a picture of Wat Arun by the river, and also to visit one of the two Thai restaurants flanking the photo spot. Both Supanniga and Rongros are likely to require queuing during mealtimes, and they offer outdoor rooftop dining and bar.

Arriving right before dinner time, we managed to walk in and got an indoor table on the first floor. Supanniga's pricing is towards the affordable end, with more hits than misses.

We especially like their clear tomyum soup as the dish achieved a well-balanced flavor without being too overbearing. We consider the food to generally be just slightly above average, but the ambience in the evening when the temple lights up make this a must-visit.

This area is accessible by Sanam Chai station, and we also recommend pairing this meal with a stroll along the nearby Flower Market.

Dining: Kopihub Prime (Ari)

Rating 8.0/10

Off a quiet stretch of road in the Ari enclave, this restaurant exterior exudes a posh vibe. They serve an upscale version of Thai dimsum (which is somewhat similar to the traditional Hong Kong dimsum, but also have their local rendition of numerous small steamed dishes in metal plates).

When we were there without reservations, the place was full. Yet, we did not see any tourists so we reckon this is simply a popular restaurant among the locals.

The menu and the ordering system are via a tablet. The premium section of dimsum can only be browsed through the restaurant menu. However, there is also a refrigerated display area for customers to choose the traditional Thai dimsum dishes that they wish to enjoy. Thereafter, the dishes will be brought back into the kitchen for steaming.

Overall, the dishes were certainly prepared well and cleanliness standards were high. The meat filling they used for the dimsum is different from the better-known Chinese dimsum that we are used to, so the taste is rather subjective. We enjoyed the prawn dumplings and most of the dishes paired well with the fresh pot of tea.

Activity: Once Upon a Thai (Ratchadamri Branch)

Rating 7.9/10

Tucked away in a small street opposite Lumphini Park, this outlet is relatively new and walkable from Ratchadamri station. Certainly catering to a higher-end clientele, it can be felt from the serene decor within the compound to the no-rush onboarding process by the attentive staff.

Packages are expensive by Thailand standards, but still affordable compared to cities like Hong Kong and Singapore. We chose the onsen and massage combination, which came with a private spa attached to the couple room.

Procedures and timing were executed well, although we did think that the staff can explain the sequence and flow better, especially for first-time guests.

Activity: Calm Spa Ari

Rating 7.6/10

During this trip, we booked another massage appointment apart from Once Upon a Thai. About 10 minutes walk from Kopihub restaurant, this is the more gentrified area of Ari with a mix of hipster stores and commercial spaces like GUMP.

Calm Spa Ari can be spotted by its coffeeshop facing the street while its actual spa reception is further in. Prices here are about half to two-third cheaper than Once Upon A Thai, but the holding area and bathrooms are also considerably aesthetic.

Our massage was pretty average, and since we opted for only foot massage, we did not have a private room. It can be noisy with other guests and staff around, but we only faced some minor noise issues during the first 15 minutes of our massage.

For what it's worth, Calm Spa Ari probably strikes a good balance of price and service between Once Upon A Thai and Let's Relax Spa (which we reviewed in our previous Bangkok post here). However, the ARI location itself is further from the main tourist area in Bangkok, so it may be better to include this spa visit with other activities in the neighborhood.

Bangkok is certainly an ideal city for weekenders' short trip. Within Southeast Asia, the city can be reached within 4 hours (even if coming from as far as Bali, Indonesia). Leisure and entertainment activities may be getting expensive with the current influx of tourists, but the plethora of offerings across price points and transportation connectivity pulls it ahead of competing cities in the region.