The Standard Bangkok: A Unique Luxury Experience

The lifestyle hotel group brings a new Standard to the Thai capital

The Standard Bangkok opened in 2022, bringing a new style of hotel to the city with a big focus on interior design, multiple F&B spaces, and cultural programming – all at a relatively affordable price. Before this, lifestyle hotels offering the full 360-degree experience hadn’t really existed in Bangkok, and The Standard is still something of an outlier in a city dominated by traditional five-star luxury at one end and cheap ’n’ cheerful stays at the other.

The hotel has an ideal location in the central business district, inside one of Bangkok’s most recognisable buildings – the Jenga block–style King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper. It’s right opposite the Chong Nonsi SkyTrain station (a blessing come Bangkok’s notorious rush hour) and you’re also within walking distance of quite a few of the city’s main districts, depending on your tolerance for walking in 32+ degree heat.

Primarily occupying the lower floors (1–18) of the tower – plus some epic rooftop bars and restaurants, more on those later – The Standard, Bangkok has bright, colourful interiors that lean heavily into its LA roots. There’s a sunny retro-modern theme throughout, with the public spaces dominated by a bold palette of jade green, bright red, yellow and blue, alongside statement furniture – think big wavy sofas, tropical plants, orb lights and oversized wicker hanging shades.

Our favourite area might have been the sixth-floor outdoor pool, a pure slice of LA fringed with palm trees and dotted with yellow-and-white striped umbrellas. Unusually for a Bangkok hotel, where pools tend to be shaded for much of the day, The Standard’s pool gets plenty of sun for most of the afternoon, aside from when it’s shaded by the sheer height of its own tower. Top marks as well for the perfectly judged water temperature.

The 155 rooms come in several categories, ranging from Standard King rooms all the way up to suites, some of which have outdoor balconies. We stayed in a Corner King, which had amazing views across the city through floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside there’s a retro red bubble sofa around a mint green table, a gold shelving alcove, a big comfy king bed with a bright red headboard, and a low-slung yellow armchair and coffee table. The bathroom features a large rainfall shower and an epic square stone bathtub positioned right next to a window, so you can gaze out over the skyline while you soak. All rooms come with Davines bath products, a B&O Bluetooth speaker, and Nespresso, tea and minibar facilities.

The Standard also offers a huge line-up of restaurants and bars, from The Standard Grill with its American-style menu of seafood and steaks, to Mott 32, the Hong Kong import specialising in roast duck and dim sum. There’s also Double Standard, offering an all-day pub-style menu with craft beers, as well as breakfast, where you can order omelettes and breakfast buns to enjoy on the restaurant’s sunny outdoor terrace.

While these are all located in the main hotel area on the lower floors, the jewel in the crown is Ojo and the Sky Beach bar, located on the 76th and 78th floors respectively – you’ll need to exit the hotel at ground level and go through a separate security entrance to reach them.

Ojo, a Mexican restaurant helmed by chef Francisco “Paco” Ruano, is the highest restaurant in Thailand and comes with some seriously impressive city views and suitably glitzy interiors. The menu features dishes like bluefin tuna aguachile with cucumber, wasabi and jalapeño; wild mushroom talyuda with cheese, white mole and truffle; and a particular highlight, the Char Siu Mexicano – a juicy grilled slice of Iberico pork pluma served with tepache papilla and flour tortillas.

After dinner you can head up the spiral staircase to the open-air rooftop bar Sky Beach, which features cocktails, DJs, bleacher-style seating and even a section with a glass floor if you dare look down. The highest bar in Bangkok – and the third highest in the world – the views from up here are pretty spectacular.

There’s a lot to love about The Standard Bangkok, from its design and pool to its lively atmosphere and prime location. In a city with an almost bewildering range of accommodation options and price points, The Standard hits a real sweet spot.