Aman Nai Lert offers tranquil sanctuary in the heart of Bangkok

Aman brings its signature understated luxury to central Bangkok, blending world-class design, personalised service and serene green spaces that suits business travellers, families and couples alike

By Max Johnson

In April, Aman opened its third urban resort in Thailand’s bustling capital, Bangkok – a sanctuary called Aman Nai Lert set within the seven-acre Nai Lert Park. Following the successes of Tokyo and New York, Aman Nai Lert is a refuge for the traveller looking to find respite from Bangkok’s frantic pace.

Location

Situated at the prestigious 1 Soi Somkid, the hotel is perfectly located in downtown Bangkok and yet, surrounded by a canal and park, feels quite removed from the city. The hotel is a five-minute walk to the metro or a short cab ride to some of Bangkok’s best attractions and shopping malls.

Design & Feel

Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, the property encompasses 52 spacious suites, alongside a 1,500-square-metre Aman spa & wellness centre. The top floor houses a cigar room, the Aman Club lounge exclusively for Aman guests and residents, two Japanese restaurants and a terrace with views of the city. Downstairs, there is a high-end Italian restaurant, Arva, serving exquisite dishes for dinner as well as a less formal but equally fabulous lounge called 1872.

There is plenty of natural light, water, trees and candles throughout the hotel, creating an atmosphere that is both calming and restorative. Instead of a hotel corridor, our floor was an expansive double-height atrium covering ours and the floor above, surrounded by a small pond.

To get to the spa, guests rise up through the clouds to the 15^th floor and are greeted by intricately carved wooden replicas of the old Thai houses that once lined the Chao Praya River.

Nature features prominently in the property. Be it the 25 metre swimming pool which swerves around a 100-year-old Rain tree, left in place by the developers, or the lobby itself with a swooping tree overlooking a pond of miniature lanterns, a nod to the Loy Krathong Festival, the annual traditional Siamese festival celebrated by Thais to pay respect to the Goddess of Water and the Buddha.

Content from our partners

How Guernsey’s private trustee structures can protect assets

Luštica Bay: The Adriatic’s most coveted address

AI, growth and public policy: What is the future for Britain?

As a recent entrant to the Bangkok scene, the hotel is what everyone is talking about. However, only guests and residents may enjoy the pool and top floor lounge, so there was never too much noise or too many people. Where there were people, they were a mix of wealthy Thais and foreigners – families, couples and groups. The Aman name has long drawn a devout group of followers. People are smart and respectful of others’ privacy, the use of laptops and mobile phones is generally minimal but there is a state-of-the-art business centre when work calls.

Rooms & Suites

The rooms are huge with partitions that can be closed to give the feel of a three-bedroom apartment or opened out to enjoy the space. The rooms benefit from thoughtful lighting and amenities, and are comfortable and spacious; there was more than enough space for a family of three, as we were.

What elevated the stay to special status was the service. The team, trained at the Aman Puri (the first Aman ever from the Andaman Island of Phuket), made so many extra efforts to make us feel welcome. There were homemade chocolates, cakes, champagne, and they even sent a butler to run my daughter’s bubble bath, complete with a robe and slippers. I even received the recipe for the hashbrowns that were a breakfast favourite. This was a level of personalised service which one does not often come across but once experienced not forgotten.

History & ownership

Aman Nai Lert feels like a home, and that is in no small part down to the fact that it is the home of the Khun Nai Lert family. Nai Lert isn’t a place, it’s a person, and Khun Nai Lert was one of Thailand’s first entrepreneurs, setting up shop in Chinatown in the late 19^th century. With his sharp business acumen, he sold ice and imported lemonade. Sales boomed and he went in search of a holiday home. There he found the land on which now stands the Aman, home to 52 exquisite suites, residences, and his descendants.

Next door, there is the heritage home where the family would once holiday. I took a tour and was impressed by the large collection of antiques on display. Most fascinating was peeping through the keyhole at the Buddha room full of hundreds of Buddhist statues. While multicultural, Thai culture is rooted in Buddhism and its values of mindfulness, non-violence and compassion are held in the highest order.

Food & drink

Arva serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is à la carte and the menu has a wide range of health shots, smoothies, pastries and classic egg dishes. My favourites were the Thai dishes including pork skewers and Thai crab omelette. Dinner was fabulous. The lamb and veal were particularly good, and the Afogatto to die for. Aman’s inhouse beer brew and burger went down well at lounge bar and restaurant, 1872.

Spa, wellness & fitness

A wonderful spa with the best massage therapists Bangkok has to offer – and that is saying something. I spent several hours in the gym, having my body vitals scanned, then following one of Technogym’s latest personal training programmes, rounding it off with a few minutes of Thai kickboxing. My daughter enjoyed yoga in the studio. There are personal trainers and fitness classes which can be followed with a trip to the sauna, steam and cold plunge.

Family friendly

We travelled as a family of three with a five-year-old, and the team at the Aman could not have done a better job of looking after us and making us feel welcome. Ethical toys were shared at mealtimes to keep her entertained, and they allowed us to bring a nanny to the property during the day to supervise for a few hours. Families are actively welcome and while there may not be a kids’ club, the swimming pool was a big success. Nearby there are many choices of shopping malls with soft play, which, as every parent will know, is a gift.

Good to know

Aman Nai Lert stands out for two reasons. Firstly, it is in a completely different location from the traditional luxury properties in Bangkok such as the Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental or Peninsular. Those are down by the river, an older and more touristic part of Bangkok. As someone who has frequently travelled to Bangkok for work and leisure, convenience is key and proximity to amenities and venues makes a huge difference between a day spent in traffic or tranquility. Aman Nai Lert is near the key shopping malls, office buildings, and if you are as impressed as I am with BTS public transportation system, you can be on the train within 10 minutes.

The second is that non-guests can’t use the hotel for meetings, lunches etc so people are not coming and going all the time. Aman Nai Lert’s lobby felt like my own living room. It is, therefore, good for families and business travellers. Couples can enjoy the lounge at the top of the building has live jazz every night and sumptuous cocktails inspired by the five Japanese elements – earth, water, fire, wind and void.

Verdict

If you’ve stayed in an Aman before, this will not disappoint, and if you haven’t and have a few days in Bangkok, this would be a wise choice. Be it for business travel or as a refuge from which to explore the rest of Southeast Asia, Aman Nai Lert will welcome you.

Details

Prices for a Deluxe Suite from £991 per night, including taxes & fees, daily breakfast, mini bar, arrival fast track airport services and limousine transfer.