Inside Bangkok’s Most Anticipated Luxury Hotel Opening of the Year

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The Afar take

Aman’s story began in Thailand, with the opening of Amanpuri in Phuket in 1988—a secluded, design-forward retreat that quietly redefined luxury hospitality. Since then, Aman has become one of the most celebrated hotel brands in the world, prized for its minimalist aesthetic, intuitive service, and devotion to place. In April 2025, the brand made a long-awaited return to Thailand with Aman Nai Lert Bangkok.

In a rare pocket of parkland in the city center, the hotel—designed by architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Kuala Lumpur–based Denniston—feels like an escape from the chaos of Bangkok, although the city’s spirit is ever-present throughout the hotel.

Who’s it for?

Aman Nai Lert naturally appeals to the high-level business traveler looking to impress and to the wellness devotee in search of cutting-edge treatments like lasers and muscle sculpting in the two-floor, 16,000-square-foot spa (one of the city’s largest). But the art and design lover may swoon hardest. Throughout the property, enormous custom installations include a 39-foot tree sculpture with thousands of gold leaves in the atrium, delicate ceramic clouds drifting across the spa walls, and a hypnotic reception backdrop made of 3,000 spinning tops. All were commissioned by Paris-born, Bangkok-based art director Martin Gerlier.

Courtesy of Aman Nai Lert Bangkok

The location

Bangkok is a city of extremes, where Prada purses twinkle inside glass-encased malls, and woks puff fragrant steam for dollar noodle bowls on the curbs outside. The hotel keeps guests positioned to enjoy both realms. The Pathum Wan neighborhood’s affordable malls, from the sprawling wholesaler MBK to the independent-fashion-heavy Siam Center, are a few blocks from the neighboring district of Phloen Chit, where craft cocktails, Michelin-starred dining, and fashion houses make it one of the city’s most refined food and shopping scenes.

The rooms

In city as vibrant as Bangkok, Aman takes a more restrained approach, with a calming palette of sand and earth hues defining the 52 suites. Textured resin wall pieces, nightstands carved from local stone, and large sitting areas offer a sense of tactile luxury. The headboards are panels hewn from banana bark, adding an organic warmth; iPads control the lighting and shades. Japanese toilets greet you by automatically raising their lids, and you could get lost in the enormous stone showers. Ask for a west-facing room for memorable sunsets, when the glass of Bangkok’s skyscrapers smolder in golden light.

The food and drink

All-day menus are served at 1872, the hotel’s airy lobby lounge, where neutral tones and rich materials like stone and wood dominate. Adjacent to it, Arva offers a sit-down experience of creative, contemporary Italian fare. On the 19th floor, Aman Club honors Japanese tradition with the intimate Hiori, a teppanyaki-style grill, where wagyu is prepared in front of guests, and Sesui, a serene omakase counter showcasing rare seafood selections, each course carefully composed by the chef. On the same floor, there’s a separate bar and cigar lounge with kimono-inspired sculptures and red-leaf bonsai trees.

Courtesy of Aman Nai Lert Bangkok

Staff and service

From remembering how you take your coffee to following up on a dinner recommendation, the staff here anticipates your every need with impressive precision. At times, the hyper-attentiveness can take some getting used to—being invited to tea as you pass through the lobby or being escorted all the way to your dinner table by one attendee—but once you do, it feels like you’re genuinely being looked after.

Accessibility

One suite is accessible for those with mobility issues; it has extra-wide walkways and bathroom handlebars. The public areas including the pool are entirely accessible, and all elevators are wheelchair friendly.

Who was Nai Lert?

Aman Nai Lert takes its name from a beloved figure in Bangkok. Born in 1872, Nai Lert was a visionary entrepreneur and early environmentalist who helped shape the modern city. He founded Bangkok’s first department store and introduced the city’s first ice factory. But he was also a careful developer who prioritized green space—a legacy that lives on in the tranquil park surrounding the hotel, and in a 100-year-old Sompong tree around which the swimming pool area was built. His former residence, now restored and reopened as a museum, sits on the property. Stroll past the koi ponds and Buddhist shrines, listen for native birds and frogs, and view artifacts from Nai Lert’s life, including vintage teak boats and his favorite automobile.