In January 2025, I checked into the Deluxe King with Lumpini Park View and Balcony at The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok. Set within the buzzy One Bangkok mega development in Pathum Wan, the 260-key luxury property occupies the first 25 levels of a 50-storey tower overlooking the picturesque Lumphini Park. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is thirty minutes away on a smooth traffic day, while Lumphini MRT station is a 12-minute walk away.
Nearby hotels include the upcoming Andaz One Bangkok which launches within an adjacent tower; the newly reopened Dusit Thani Bangkok; SO/ Bangkok; Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok; and Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. Notable Ritz-Carlton properties in Asia include The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong and The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Dreamy Lumpini Park Views In The Heart Of One Bangkok.
The must-dos (if any): Enjoy a Diptyque soak in the bathtub, take in the glorious Lumpini Park views, have a meal – or five – at The Ritz-Carlton Club.
THE RITZ-CARLTON BANGKOK
The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok is located within a 216-meter-high tower at One Bangkok, the new lushly-landscaped integrated district which houses multiple office towers; upscale accommodation options (including the upcoming Andaz One Bangkok and Fraser Suites Bangkok); retail destinations Parade, The Storeys as well as the upcoming POST 1928; as well as the soon-to-be-completed Art Loop, a 2-kilometre art and culture journey encircling the development.
The hotel is designed by the Chicago-based architecture firm SOM (behind Singapore’s soaring Guoco Tower and the restoration of the legendary Waldorf Astoria New York); Thai architecture firm A49 (who conceived Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach, Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach and Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve); as well as interior design company PIA (behind The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok and Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit). Most of the hotel’s spaces boast gorgeous views of Lumpini Park and the city’s electrifying skyline, with the floor-to-ceiling corner window seats at The Ritz-Carlton Club and the hotel’s F&B outlets being highly coveted for glossy social media moments. Dramatic, light-accented arches throughout the property lend a sense of grandeur and emphasize the tall ceilings involved.
Upon your arrival at the hotel driveway, you are whisked through the front doors and past the classy Front Hall – a residential drawing room with a gorgeous floral centrepiece and various artworks – towards the elevators that bring you to the lobby on the 8th level to complete your check-in process. The swimming pools (including a dedicated children’s pool) and the The Ritz-Carlton Spa (partially open – the wet areas such as the jacuzzi were unavailable during my visit) are on the lobby level, while the sprawling fitness centre is located one floor below.
The 7th level comprises dining concepts Lily’s and Duet by David Toutain as well as a lush outdoor terrace which hosts various activities, from morning sessions of ‘Terrace Chi’ tai chi to the Klong Yao (Thai long drum) ceremony-inspired rhythmic procession in the evening, Elemental Ensemble, which celebrates the transition from day to night.
DELUXE KING WITH LUMPINI PARK VIEW AND BALCONY
Decked in soothing shades of taupe and cream, the 50sqm Deluxe King with Lumpini Park View and Balcony boasts a private balcony with sweeping views of the beautiful Lumpini Park, with a windowside daybed available for enjoying the green vistas should the Thai weather be too sultry. Luxurious Frette linens ensure your body is caressed lovingly during your sweet dreams.The pantry offers Nespresso coffee and Voyage tea, while the Honor Bar is stocked with a variety of snacks, spirits, beers and wines, including Billecart-Salmon champagne and regional spirits such as Iron Balls gin and Chalong Bay rum.
The marble bathroom offers double vanities, a sizeable free-standing bathtub, a Dyson hairdryer as well as an enclosed rainfall shower. Bathroom amenities are from Diptyque’s The Philosykos Collection.
As my stay coincided with the Lunar New Year period, my welcome amenities were Chinese New Year-themed. Aside from a platter of sweets, I also received an ang pow (red packet) of multiple vouchers for use at the hotel’s various F&B outlets as well as The Ritz-Carlton Spa.
DINING
Breakfast was a semi-buffet affair at Lily’s, the beautiful all-day restaurant located on level 7. The buffet spread included, inter alia, the usual morning suspects like cereals, cheeses, fruits and cold cuts; American breakfast sides such as Smoked Maple Pork Bacon and Homemade Chicken Sausage; a selection of pastries created using Thai ingredients such as Thai Tea Lunar Croissant and Chanthaburi Chocolate Pain Suisse; and a Organic Hom Mali Congee and Thai Tom Yum Noodle station.
The extensive a la carte menu offers dishes such as Eggs Siam (English muffin, pork belly, poached free-range eggs, southern curry hollandaise), Applewood Smoked King Fish (salmon roe, organic pomelo, chilli paste dressing, Thai herbs), River Prawn Pad Thai (dried shrimp, cage-free egg, green chives, bean sprouts, traditional condiments), Free-range Chicken Cashew Stir-Fry and the gloriously fluffy Golden Crisp Bean Curd (golden garlic, chili, crispy bean curd). Lily’s Signature Thai Tea Waffle (nam dok mai mango whipped cream) featured a tea aspect which was more of an afterimage than a portrait shot, while elsewhere I needed much more of the precious curry from the Khao Soi Crab Curry (soft-shell crab, salmon roe, northern curry, crispy egg noodle).
The restaurant also serves a selection of cold-pressed juices, and I believe I may have consumed at least 20 glasses of the Green Vitality (cucumber, celery, green apple, lemongrass, gotu kola) by the end of my stay.
As my visit coincided with the Lunar New Year period, the restaurant also offered a variety of suitably oriental fare such as Steamed Seabass with Soya Sauce, Fish Maw Soup, Kung Pao Chicken and Salted Egg Yolk Fish Skin. The BBQ Bak Kwa delivered what it said on the tin, and I relished the Pork Belly’s crispy skin.
(Pro tip: have their Thai Iced Milk Tea – it plays thicker and richer than its milkier sister at The Ritz-Carlton Club).
After breakfast, Lily’s serves identical dining menus, with only very minor differences such as the 180-Day Aged, Grass-Fed Angus Tomahawk 1100g (farm potato terrine, vine tomatoes grilled asparagus, pan jus) being an evening exclusive.
The dining menu comprises a selection of bites such as Matcha Tuna Crisp (tuna tartare, avocado matcha purée soy lime, kura) and Fisherman’s Welcome (fresh oyster, dashi gelée oyster foam, caviar); small plates such as Andaman Prawns Ceviche (sweet ginger, fish sauce, lime caviar, local kale puree) and Applewood Smoked King Fish (ikura, organic pomelo, Thai herbs, chili paste dressing); bowls such as Duo Organic Hom Mali Fried Rice (locally farmed vegetables, tom yum, cage-free egg), and Pork Cheek Massaman (truffle coconut sauce, pickled chili, duo hom mali rice); mains such as Iberico Pork Tenderloin 180g (apple chilli, rich pork jus); Hay Smoked Charcoal Grilled Free-Range Chicken 350g (smoked sweet chili, truffle hollandaise); and Burnt Goat’s Milk Cheesecake (nam dok mai mango, passionfruit) and Jasmine Tea Panna Cotta (pomelo, yuzu, coconut meringue).
Both soup dishes – the Spicy Prawn Soup (Japanese red prawns, lemongrass, spicy and sour broth) and Turmeric Coconut Soup (farmed grouper, turmeric, kaffir lime essence) – offered piquant, soothing comfort, with the dishes presented as seafood on an empty plate with the soup dramatically poured in table-side.
From the mains, the Massaman Braised Angus Short Ribs 350g (massaman hollandaise, coconut truffles) was a rich, hearty affair, while the Wagyu Ribeye MS4 320g (spicy tamarind glaze, natural jus) had just the right amount of luxurious chew. Both the Grilled Phuket Whole Lobster 400g and the Charcoal Grilled Prawns 300g served as perfect canvases for their accompanying green chili seafood sauce which oozed tart and sassy confidence.
The two desserts we had ended the meal in different ways – the Rice & Nam Dok Mai Mango (mochi, rice pudding, organic coconut) was a creamy, ever so slightly slobbery kiss of nostalgia, while the Lily’s Chiang Mai Chocolate (Thai chilli namelaka, pineapple jelly) was a dark, teasingly spicy smooch.
Duet by David Toutain serves modern French cuisine within an elegant glasshouse setting on the 7th floor decked in sage hues and botanical prints. Helmed by the eponymous Michelin-starred chef together with Valentin Fouache, who also boasts experience in Michelin-star kitchens in both France and Thailand, the fine-dining restaurant explores the harmonious duality of food and nature, inspired by Toutain’s childhood in Normandy and his exposure to fresh, natural ingredients.
Prior to the arrival of each course, you are presented with a provenance storytelling card which shares information about the spotlight ingredient (do you know that 100 grams of miso contains 11.69 grams of protein, or that black mole is known as the “king of sauces” in Oaxacan cuisine?) as well as how the ingredient’s unique qualities feature in the dish’s overall flavour concept. In manner of prescient super artificial intelligence or similar, you find your private gastronomical musings about the dishes written on some of the cards with striking accuracy…prior to you even having tasted the actual course. Example: part of the card for the luscious Panang, Foie Gras, Passion Fruit reads: “paired with the luxurious foie gras, the panang curry creates a velvety mouthfeel, while the passion fruits adds a tropical acidity, providing balance and complexity”. So true.
Being a lover of scallops, I was partial to the umami Asian charms of the XO Sauce, Brittany Scallop, Cauliflower, while elsewhere I mused at the unlikely camaraderie between conifer and crustacean displayed in the Épicéa, Brittany Blue Lobster, Broccoletti. The Tamarind, Brittany Pigeon, Turnip, Mulberry was another highlight, the rich gameyness of the pigeon mellowed by the sour-sweet components in accompaniment.
Located on the lobby level, chic cocktail bar Caleō (derived from Latin for “being in love”) showcases a menu which celebrates famous social clubs around the world, from the 1871 Yangon gentlemen’s club Pegu Club to the elite nightclub Babylon Club in Miami. The Pegu Club (London Dry Gin, toasted sesame, cassia, black tea, orange curacao) started the evening on a fresh, classy note, while the Midnight in Morocco (espresso liqueur, café aux epices cordial, cognac, cold brew, mekhong rum) played it all robust coffee romance. My favourite from the evening was the Blue Gardens Martini (Thai gin, olive oil vodka, dry vermouth, cocchi americano, orange bitters, celery bitters), a well-balanced and magnificent creation from the Tuxedo Club section.
THE RITZ-CARLTON CLUB
Perched on the 23rd floor, one of the hotel’s highest floors, the exclusive The Ritz-Carlton Club offers five daily culinary presentations – breakfast, light lunch, afternoon tea, hors d’oeuvres/evening cocktails as well as desserts & cordials.
Breakfast comprises a small buffet of pastries and sides, with the main attraction being the hot food station which prepares dishes made-to-order – think Tom Yum Noodle Soup and eggs prepared any style you like. I requested for my scrambled eggs to include chilli padi, ham and smoked salmon, and the ladies were very generous with the chilli padi. Elsewhere, light lunch and hors d’oeuvres were fairly similar in terms of food offerings – guests can expect an assortment of Thai specialties such as Holy Basil Pork Belly, Panang Curry Prawns, Shrimp Donut, Beef Massaman, Stir-fried Drunken Seafood, Thai Green Curry Chicken and Grilled Pork Collar presented at the buffet spread alongside a la minute dishes such as pasta, Tom Kha Fish and Chicken Tom Yum Soup. Everything is customisable at the hot food station – I managed to have a personalised and mega-spicy Mushroom Tom Yum Soup at some point.
Another key difference is: while alcohol service at the club commences from 12pm, the marquee-headlining Billecart-Salmon champagne only makes its appearance between 6pm to 10pm, meaning bubble lovers have to contend with prosecco until dusk. I’d skip the club’s icy, dessert-style signature cocktail as well as their Iced Thai Milk Tea (Lily’s does a superior one), and stick to their wines as the liquid sustenance of choice.
There is really no need to leave the hotel for food (or drink) whatsoever.
CONCLUSION
With its strategic location within the exciting One Bangkok mega-development, strong F&B concepts as well as superb club lounge offerings, The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok easily makes its mark as one of the city’s best hotels.
The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok
189 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok, Thailand, 10330
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