
Afternoon tea
In The Authors’ Lounge from noon to 6pm: the Autumn Afternoon Tea at THB 1,980 a head plus service and tax, THB 2,680 with a glass of Champagne; the Thai set, THB 1,800.
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, on the Chao Phraya in Bang Rak, is the hotel that opened as The Oriental in 1876: 331 rooms and suites, tea in The Authors’ Lounge and jazz at The Bamboo Bar.
A week here, month by monthFor a stay that keeps to the river, with a butler on call around the clock, the Mandarin Oriental starts at THB 20,369 for one night, 2 adults, from 14 to 16 December 2026: the lowest seller’s single-night price on Google, service charge and VAT included. Its spa and gym are across the river, a boat ride away.
Rooms and rates on the official site Book tea in The Authors’ LoungeWould you go?
Keep it among your hotels and see it on the budget globe, month by month.
I would ask for a State Room: 61 m² facing the river, with teak panelling, Jim Thompson silks and a balcony. A couple on their sixth stay, writing in July 2026, found the river view from a Mandarin Room perfect.
From 15 to 21 January 2027 every night showed THB 22,510 for 2 adults on Google, read on 16 October 2026. The dearest night shown, 1 January 2027, was THB 61,954.
For the airport transfer the hotel’s chauffeur-driven BMW 7 Series costs THB 4,500 net per car one way, or THB 8,600 for a round trip, for up to 3 people. For up to 4, a Mercedes-Benz Vito van is THB 4,700 net one way.
It takes no reservations, and guests under 20 may come in only before 7.30pm; after that they may join an adult on the outdoor terrace, if there is room.
It opened as The Oriental in 1876 and calls itself Thailand’s first hotel; the original building, now the Authors’ Wing, keeps The Authors’ Lounge, white wicker under a glass roof, where framed photographs of the writers who have stayed since the late 19th century hang on the walls; beside it, as the tea menu tells, are salons named for Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, Noël Coward and James Michener. There are 331 keys, 60 of them suites, over 16 floors; the Garden and Authors’ Wings have been redesigned for the 150th anniversary, and Southeast Asia Traveller reported the work complete on 7 April 2026.
The 20 categories run from the 35 m² Chao Phraya Room in the Garden Wing to the 376 m² Oriental Two-Bedroom Suite at the top, with a 57.6 m² terrace on the river; every room has a butler on call around the clock. The State Rooms, 61 m², face the river from a balcony, and the Royal Suite, 306 m² in the Authors’ Wing, is reached by its own lift.
Dinner on the hotel’s bank means Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie, 2 MICHELIN stars, or The China House by Chef Fei; across the river, by the hotel’s boat, are Sala Rim Naam with its Thai dance, Baan Phraya, The Oriental Spa in a teak house and the fitness centre. Smart dress is asked everywhere, and a jacket at Le Normandie in the evening.
Lumina Guide 2027
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, on the Chao Phraya in Bang Rak, is the hotel that opened as The Oriental in 1876: 331 rooms and suites, tea in The Authors’ Lounge and jazz at The Bamboo Bar.
Distinctions
Among the Mandarin Oriental’s regulars, a couple on their sixth stay, writing in July 2026, were moved up to a Mandarin Room for its view of the Chao Phraya; a guest on a 23rd stay, writing in May 2025, had a corner room at the front over the river. A family on their third stay, writing in September 2024, chose the hotel for its breakfast, which their child loves. A guest back after almost 30 years, writing in August 2026, found that it surpassed what they remembered; another, writing in July 2025, took afternoon tea in The Authors’ Lounge for a second time.
The rest of the page reads the 500 most recent Google reviews; here, all 856 with text.
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
On the Chao Phraya in Bang Rak: Saphan Taksin Skytrain 12 minutes on foot, ICONSIAM across the river by the hotel’s boat
The Oriental of 1876, with The Authors’ Lounge, The Bamboo Bar of 1947 and the hotel’s teak boats
20 room types, from the 35 m² Chao Phraya Room to the 376 m² Oriental Two-Bedroom Suite
11 restaurants and a jazz bar, Le Normandie with 2 MICHELIN stars among them
The Oriental Spa’s 18 treatment rooms across the river, 2 outdoor pools, a gym, Muay Thai and tennis
On Google Hotels, read on 16 October 2026, a night for 2 was THB 21,900 on 30 November 2026 and THB 61,954 on 1 January 2027, taxes and charges included
What do Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok’s guests say? They write it in their reviews, even those who only came for a drink or dinner: we read every one and tell the 5 things that matter, from the location to the bill.
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. The river is at the door and the hotel’s boat runs to ICONSIAM; a few warn that the centre and the temples mean a car or a boat, through the traffic.
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. The view of the Chao Phraya from the room, the renovated rooms and the sleep in the hotel’s beds come back again and again.
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests remember the floor butler, staff who go out of their way, and the cakes for birthdays and anniversaries.
Nearly every guest who mentions it is happy with it. Breakfast at The Verandah, on the river, comes back for the fruit, the dishes cooked to order and the service at the outdoor tables.
6 in 10 guests who mention the price find it fair. Guests happy with the bill write that the stay is worth it, the anniversary rates included; those who are not find it dear and set it against the hotels across the river.
On the room it comes ahead of the 3 other hotels it is compared with on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok.
On staff and service it comes ahead of the 3 other hotels it is compared with on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok.
On breakfast it comes ahead of the 3 other hotels it is compared with on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok.
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 8.4 | 158 | 92% |
| Room | 8.3 | 139 | 91% |
| Staff and service | 8.7 | 389 | 90% |
| Breakfast | 8.6 | 96 | 95% |
| Price | – | 44 | 57% |
The scores come from 500 Google reviews with text, left from 30 May 2025 to 16 October 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok: for each we read its latest 500 Google reviews with text, or all of them where there are fewer, as of 16 October 2026. The score is the average of what they say, from 0 if they speak of it very badly to 10 if they speak of it very well. Where only a few mention something, the score stays close to the guide’s average: a handful of voices does not make a reputation.
The hotels we weigh it against on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok:
Price: for two on the night of 16 December 2026, from 20,369 THB (seen on Google Hotels on 16 October 2026).
From 16 November to 17 December 2026 single nights for 2 adults run from THB 19,375 to THB 34,905; from 18 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 they rise to between THB 39,448 and THB 61,954. I would go after 4 January 2027: up to 11 September no night shown costs more than THB 37,664.
| Period | Baht a night |
|---|---|
| 16 Nov.–17 Dec. 2026 | 19,375–34,905 |
| 18–26 Dec. 2026 | 39,448–39,830 |
| 27 Dec. 2026–3 Jan. 2027 | 39,744–61,954 |
| 4 Jan.–11 Sept. 2027 | 22,510–37,664 |
The lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for one night searched alone, for 2 adults, with the 10% service charge and 7% VAT inside, read on 16 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified. The calendar stops on 11 September 2027; 31 December 2026 has no price, and 5 December 2026 stands apart at THB 58,916.
Choose the Mandarin Oriental for its 20 room types from 35 m², with its spa and Sala Rim Naam across the river by the hotel’s boat. Choose Capella Bangkok for 7 riverside villas with gardens and plunge pools, and a balcony or terrace in every room.
| Hotel | A night, from |
|---|---|
| Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok | 23,256 THB |
| Capella Bangkok | 35,192 THB |
The lowest single-night seller price in the week of 16–22 November 2026, for 2 adults, read on Google on 16 October 2026, service charge and VAT included; no room or meal plan is specified.
The hotel’s own film on the Chao Phraya, the lobby, Thai tea in The Authors’ Lounge, a Deluxe Balcony Room, the breakfast buffet and the terrace on the river.
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Tea among the writers’ photographs, jazz from 8pm, French dinner at Le Normandie, Thai dance across the water, the teak-house spa and the pool by the river.

In The Authors’ Lounge from noon to 6pm: the Autumn Afternoon Tea at THB 1,980 a head plus service and tax, THB 2,680 with a glass of Champagne; the Thai set, THB 1,800.

Bangkok’s first jazz bar, open since 1947: a band and singer from 8pm to 11.45pm Monday to Thursday and to 12.45am on Friday and Saturday; no reservations, and under-20s inside only before 7.30pm.

French, 2 MICHELIN stars, Wednesday to Sunday; the Voyage menu of 7 courses is THB 9,000, and men wear a jacket at dinner.

Across the river by boat: a Thai set dinner from 7pm, THB 2,800 for 4 courses plus service and tax, with dance from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday.

18 treatment rooms in a century-old teak house on the far bank, from 10am to 8pm; a traditional Thai massage is THB 5,200 for 90 minutes, before charges.

2 outdoor pools among the palms, one of them for children, open from 6am to 8pm.

Teak boats cross from the hotel’s pier to the spa, Sala Rim Naam and Baan Phraya, and to ICONSIAM free of charge.
The hotel’s boat no longer collects guests at Sathorn Pier, by the Skytrain: the hotel said so when it replied to a guest who found no boat there in August 2026. It still takes guests from the hotel to the pier on request.
Every restaurant sets a dress code, most of them for children too: no sleeveless shirts for men at any hour; long trousers and closed shoes all day at The Authors’ Lounge, Lord Jim’s and the restaurants across the river, from 6.30pm at The Verandah, The Bamboo Bar and The China House; a jacket at dinner at Le Normandie.
The spa and the fitness centre are across the river, reached by the hotel’s boat; the minimum age is 16, save for children’s treatments taken with a parent, and a treatment cancelled within 24 hours is charged in full.
On the official site a room cancels free until 24 hours before arrival; State Rooms and suites take a deposit of one night and cancel free until 3 days before, 7 for the Siam Suite and above, after which 2 nights are charged.
Ciao Terrazza is closed until 22 October 2026 and the Riverside Terrace barbecue until 24 November 2026, for the season.
Pets are not allowed, says Booking.com.




















You arrive along Oriental Avenue, off Charoen Krung Road; the Skytrain at Saphan Taksin is 12 minutes on foot, and the river is the other way to travel.
| Address | 48 Oriental Avenue, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, on the east bank of the Chao Phraya. |
|---|---|
| Skytrain and boats | Saphan Taksin station, exit 3: 12 minutes on foot, 878 metres. The hotel’s boat runs from its pier to Sathorn Pier, beside the station, on request, and free to ICONSIAM; the concierge arranges boat trips up-river to the Grand Palace. |
| Airports | Suvarnabhumi about 45 minutes by the expressway, by the hotel’s count; 36.7 km. Don Mueang 25.8 km. |
| Transfer and parking | The hotel’s car from Suvarnabhumi is THB 4,500 one way for up to 3, or THB 8,600 return; a van for 6 is THB 4,000 each way. Booking.com lists free parking with valet. |
Transfer prices and the airport time from the hotel’s contact page; walks and distances measured on OpenStreetMap from the hotel’s own coordinates. Sources read on 16 October 2026.
Charoen Krung, Thailand’s first paved road, runs behind the hotel; the cathedral and the mosque are a few minutes away, the mall and the temples across the water.

The cathedral beside Oriental Avenue: 4 minutes on foot, 297 metres.

The mosque in the lanes off Charoen Krung: 5 minutes on foot, 380 metres.

The mall on the far bank, 5 minutes across by the hotel’s free boat.

The Temple of Dawn, up-river on the far bank, reached by boat.
The hotel, the Skytrain, the cathedral, the mosque, the galleries and ICONSIAM across the water. Times are on foot from the hotel, on OpenStreetMap paths. Tap a place to see the route.
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Recommended for you
Take the buffet at The Verandah, indoors or on the terrace by the river; at weekends it runs until 11am.
The hotel’s teak boat takes you across to The Oriental Spa, in a century-old teak house that opens at 10am.
Spend the hottest hours by the 2 outdoor pools among the palms, a children’s pool among them, open until 8pm.
Sit down to afternoon tea in The Authors’ Lounge, under the glass roof of the 1876 building.
From Wednesday to Sunday the dance at Sala Rim Naam begins at 7.30pm, after a Thai set dinner served from 7pm.
Scores read on 16 October 2026.
In October 2026 a guest in a split-level Chao Phraya Suite writes of the bedroom above the river and the private terrace, and of waking with the Chao Phraya just outside.
In September 2026 a guest describes the free boat to ICONSIAM, the wicker and old photographs of The Authors’ Lounge, the palms round the main pool and the short crossing to the spa’s teak house.
In October 2026 a guest who fell ill during the stay writes that a butler took excellent care of them.
Thailand’s first hotel, opened as The Oriental in 1876 on the east bank of the Chao Phraya in Bang Rak: 331 keys, 60 of them suites, over 16 floors, owned and managed by OHTL Public Company Limited, says the 2026 factsheet. Its About page lists Three MICHELIN Keys, number 10 in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 and a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award.
It has 3 wings: the original Oriental building, now the Authors’ Wing, with The Authors’ Lounge, the Royal Suite and the Ambassador Suite; the River Wing; and the Garden Wing, redesigned for the 150th anniversary, whose unveiling Forbes Thailand reported on 24 July 2026.
20 categories on the official site, read on 16 October 2026: 5 rooms from 35 to 63 m², 5 suites from 83 to 108 m², 5 for families from 86 to 150 m² and 5 signature suites from 107 to 376 m². Every room has a butler around the clock, a Nespresso machine and a Bluetooth speaker; most look at the river or the city.
The Chao Phraya Rooms and Suites, flat or split-level, are in the Garden Wing; the Deluxe Premier Rooms and Author’s Suites in the River Wing; the Royal Suite and the Ambassador Suite in the original building, each reached by a private lift. A Deluxe Premier Room and a Deluxe One-Bedroom Suite are fitted for wheelchair users, with roll-in showers.
Google Hotels, read on 16 October 2026, for 2 adults: THB 22,094 for 20 October 2026, THB 41,544 for 31 October 2026, THB 21,900 for 30 November 2026, THB 19,375 for 17 December 2026, the lowest single night read, after THB 20,369 to THB 21,362 for the 3 nights of 14 to 16 December, and THB 61,597 for 29 December 2026. In 2027: THB 61,954 for 1 January, the highest, THB 22,510 for 15 January, THB 37,664 for 15 April and THB 22,951 for 13 July. No price was shown for 31 December 2026.
Each figure is the night’s total in Thai baht with the 10% service charge and 7% VAT inside, as the sellers’ links show: for 16 to 23 November 2026 the hotel’s own link gave THB 176,576 for the 7 nights, THB 26,552 of it taxes and charges, or THB 25,225 a night, and the lowest seller THB 23,110. The calendar names no room and does not say whether breakfast is included.
At 48 Oriental Avenue, off Charoen Krung Road in Bang Rak, on the river. Saphan Taksin Skytrain station is 12 minutes on foot, 878 metres, on OpenStreetMap; Assumption Cathedral is 4 minutes and the Haroon Mosque 5.
The river does the rest: the hotel’s boat crosses to ICONSIAM free of charge and to its spa and restaurants on the far bank; the concierge arranges boat trips from the hotel’s pier up-river to the Grand Palace, 5.3 km away by road. The hotel’s boat no longer collects guests at Sathorn Pier, as the hotel replied to a guest’s review of August 2026; it takes them there on request.
18 treatment rooms in a century-old teak house across the river, reached by the hotel’s boat, open from 10am to 8pm, says the spa page. From the spa brochure, before the 10% service charge and 7% tax: a traditional Thai massage THB 5,200 for 90 minutes and THB 6,900 for 2 hours; the Spirit of Isaan ritual THB 9,000 for 2 hours 30 minutes.
Across the river too is the Fitness & Wellness Centre, open from 6am to 10pm; the hotel also has a recovery studio with a cold plunge and an infrared sauna (THB 2,900 for 30 minutes, before charges), a Muay Thai studio, the yoga house Baan Noi and 2 tennis courts. The minimum age for the spa and the gym is 16.
Treatments are paid for; after one, guests may use the heat experiences in the Fitness & Wellness Centre, and the group fitness classes are free, first come, first served. Non-residents may book treatments and use the wellness facilities for a fee, says the wellness page. A cancellation within 24 hours is charged in full.
2 outdoor pools in the garden by the river, one of them for children, open daily from 6am to 8pm; no indoor pool is listed, and the page gives no water temperature or heating (family page).
Breakfast is at The Verandah, indoors or on the terrace by the river: the buffet from 7am to 10.30am on weekdays and to 11am at weekends, à la carte from 6am. Breakfast is outside the room rate unless an offer includes it; the menu prices set breakfasts from THB 1,300 to THB 1,950, plus service and tax.
For dinner: Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie, 2 MICHELIN stars, Wednesday to Sunday; The China House by Chef Fei, Chaoshan and Cantonese, daily; Lord Jim’s seafood buffet at THB 3,800, Friday to Tuesday; across the river, Baan Phraya’s 8-course Thai menu at THB 3,800 and Sala Rim Naam with its dance show; The Verandah until midnight; room service around the clock. Ciao Terrazza is closed until 22 October 2026 and the Riverside Terrace barbecue until 24 November 2026.
Bangkok’s first jazz bar, open since 1947: from 5pm to 1am, and to 2am on Friday and Saturday. A band with a singer plays from 8pm to 11.45pm Monday to Thursday and to 12.45am on Friday and Saturday; on Sunday a pianist plays from 9pm. It takes no reservations, and under-20s may come in only before 7.30pm, says its page.
Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie, French, with 2 MICHELIN stars, opened in 1958 and redesigned by Humbert & Poyet. Lunch from noon to 3.30pm and dinner from 6.30pm to 11.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday; the Voyage menu of 7 courses is THB 9,000 plus service and tax. Men wear a jacket at dinner, lent if needed; a cancellation within 48 hours costs THB 4,500 a head at dinner.
Teak boats leave from the hotel’s pier for the far bank, where The Oriental Spa, the fitness centre, Sala Rim Naam, Terrace Rim Naam and Baan Phraya stand, and, free of charge, for ICONSIAM (About page). From Sathorn Pier to the hotel the boat no longer runs, as the hotel replied to a guest’s review of August 2026; from the hotel to Sathorn Pier it runs on request.
Booking.com lists free private parking with valet. The transfer is paid: from Suvarnabhumi, about 45 minutes, a BMW 7 Series costs THB 4,500 one way or THB 8,600 return for up to 3, a Mercedes Vito THB 4,700 or THB 9,000 for up to 4, a van for 6 people THB 4,000 each way; the airport fast track is THB 3,000 a head, as the contact page says.
The Deluxe Premier Connecting Rooms, 86 m² for up to 6; the Family Suite, 108 m² with a sofa bed for up to 5; the Family Two-Bedroom Suite, 150 m² for 5 adults and 3 children; and the Deluxe and Premier Two-Bedroom Suites, for 6. Under-12s count as children.
The Little Fan’s Club is open from Friday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, for ages 3 to 12; there is a children’s pool and children’s menus at The Verandah and Sala Rim Naam. On Booking.com a cot is free and an extra bed THB 2,118.60 per person a night.
Yes: the Royal Ballroom takes up to 600 for a wedding on the celebrations page, 800 for a reception on the factsheet; The Authors’ Lounge takes 150 to 250 and Sala Rim Naam up to 200, with 2,912 m² of event space in all. No package price is published.
No New Year’s Eve 2026 menu is on the official site on 16 October 2026. On Google Hotels the night of 31 December 2026 showed no price, and the nights around it were the dearest of the year: THB 61,597 on 29 December and THB 61,954 on 1 January 2027.
On the offers page on 16 October 2026: One More Night, a free night on a stay of 3 or 4 nights, until 17 December 2026 and from 15 February to 31 October 2027; The 150th Journey, breakfast for 2 and a USD 150 credit, until 17 December 2026; Unfolding Wonders, from 16 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, breakfast and a USD 150 spa or dining credit; Short & Suite, up to 20% off a suite with breakfast; and Families by M.O., until 31 October 2026.
Open all year, with no notice of closure on the official booking data; Google priced 329 nights from 17 October 2026 to 11 September 2027. The renovation for the 150th anniversary is complete, as Southeast Asia Traveller reported on 7 April 2026. Only 2 terraces close for the season: Ciao Terrazza until 22 October 2026 and the Riverside Terrace until 24 November 2026.
Read on 16 October 2026: Google 4.7/5 from 6,812 reviews; Tripadvisor 4.8/5 from 6,546; Booking.com 9.6/10 from 507, with 8.8 for value for money.
In the latest 500 Google reviews with text, 389 guests write about the staff and service, the floor butlers among them; 158 about the location, the river at the door and the boat to ICONSIAM; 139 about the rooms and 96 about breakfast at The Verandah. 44 write about the bill, and more than half of them are happy with it.
Yes. Every restaurant sets one, most of them for children too: no sleeveless shirts for men at any hour, and long trousers and closed shoes all day at The Authors’ Lounge, Lord Jim’s, Ciao Terrazza and, across the river, Sala Rim Naam, Terrace Rim Naam and Baan Phraya. At The Verandah, The Bamboo Bar and The China House the rule applies from 6.30pm, and by day The Verandah allows smart shorts; at Le Normandie men wear a jacket at dinner, and children over 7 dress smartly too.
Yes, the Thai Cooking Masterclass: 3 hours ending with lunch, from Friday to Tuesday, THB 4,900 a head in a group or THB 8,000 private, plus service and tax, booked 72 hours ahead.
Check-in from 3pm, check-out by noon. On the official site a room cancels free until 24 hours before arrival; State Rooms and suites take a deposit of one night and cancel free until 3 days before, 7 days for the Siam Suite and above, after which 2 nights are charged.
No: Booking.com and the MICHELIN Guide both say pets are not allowed.

101 low-rise rooms, suites and villas on the Chao Phraya, with 7 villas on the river’s edge, Côte with 2 MICHELIN stars and a free boat to the Skytrain

A 30-storey tower drawn from the wai and joined to the skytrain, with Lennon’s and its 6,000 records on the 30th floor and 3 houses with plunge pools

A palace opened in 1923 facing the beach, with Pérgula, MEE and the 6th-floor verandas.

A piazza open to Milan, then the former seminary’s loggias and the room you choose for quiet.

A theatrical staircase in Brera, a hidden garden and a room view you choose for yourself.

From the Castello waterfront into a sheltered court, with the Arsenale on foot and San Giorgio at dinner.

Arrive at Milano Centrale, then see the station from above after a swim beneath the skylight.

Curhaus towers above Zurich, art in the corridors and warm water facing the city.

Lausanne climbs behind the palace; from the right rooms, the lake appears beyond the rooftops.

From Via del Babuino, a garden climbs towards the Pincio and Rome changes pace at the door.

The Mausoleum of Augustus outside, a mosaic pool within and Rome from the fifth floor.

A park between city and lake, Le Hall under glass and Zurich just beyond the trees.
This guide is written with Lumina, the marketing system for hotels.