In July 2025, I checked into the Corner Suite at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok. Opened in April 2025, the 52-suite ultra-luxury hotel is set within the tranquil Nai Lert Park in the upscale residential Phloen Chit neighbourhood. Central Embassy, Central Chidlom and the scenic Lumphini Park are within walking distance, while Chit Lom BTS Station is 10 minutes away on foot. Suvarnabhumi Airport is less than 40 minutes away by car.
The opening marks the return of the Aman brand to Thailand after the opening of the first ever Aman resort in the world, Amanpuri, in Phuket back in 1988. The hotel bears the unique distinction of being the only Aman property to reference a person – in this case Lert Sreshthaputra or Nai Lert, the late entrepreneur and visionary whose family owns both the land the hotel is situated on as well as the Aman venture in Bangkok itself (which also includes the Aman Residences within the same complex). This would be my third Aman hotel after Aman Tokyo and Aman Kyoto (four, if you count Janu Tokyo).
Notable nearby hotels include Rosewood Bangkok, Park Hyatt Bangkok, The Okura Prestige Bangkok and Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. Other ultra-luxury properties in Bangkok include Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and Capella Bangkok.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Bangkok’s most expensive ultra-luxury hotel justifies rates, excellent F&B offerings.
The must-dos (if any): Enjoy your luxurious accommodation, take a soak in the bathtub using your Aman Spa amenities, have breakfast at Arva, go for the Heritage Home tour, participate in one of the complimentary guest activities, have cocktails at Aman Lounge, use the heated outdoor pool, fitness centre and/or hydrothermal facilities.
AMAN NAI LERT BANGKOK
With interiors courtesy of longtime Aman collaborator Jean-Michel Gathy and his Denniston consulting firm (who also designed Janu Tokyo, Jumeirah Bali, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Aman New York and Marina Bay Sands as well as the upcoming Rosewood Hoi An), the hotel draws its design inspiration from the nearby Nai Lert Park and the family’s all-teak Heritage Home which was built in 1915 and served as the family’s residence until its conversion to a museum which conducts pre-booked guided tours and hosts private dining experiences.
Take, for instance, the dramatic 12-metre-tall bronze raintree sculpture set within the triple-ceiling 9th floor lobby which hovers above a black infinity reflection pool lit with gilded lanterns and some 6,000 brass leaves. The sculpture mirrors a living Chamchuri tree visible across the pond when you dine at Samantao, a quaint cafe set within the park. The hotel’s stone tile floors feature a parquet pattern which recalls the Heritage Home’s teak floors, while the subtle leopard motifs appearing in both the lobby and the Aman Lounge allude to Chao Tam, Nai Lert’s beloved pet leopard who used to hang out casually within the park grounds and is now immortalised in statue form along with his owner in the garden steps away from the Heritage Home. Elsewhere, the sinuous gleaming layers above the main entrance as well as the suites’ triple-tiered ceiling moldings reference the Heritage Home’s roofs, triple-layered after World War II to address bomb damage. In the same vein, the bronze lotus leaves featured in each suite reference the lotus leaf pond at the park which was created by a war-time bomb crater (the bomb was intended for the UK Embassy nearby). The visual connections between the hotel’s design flourishes and the Nai Lert story is best appreciated with a guided tour of the Heritage Home, an immersive and essential experience which is complimentary for all hotel guests.
The hotel offers six F&B concepts, out of which only two – all-day bar and lounge 1872 and Italian restaurant Arva – are accessible to the public. Available only to hotel guests, residents and those with memberships, the Aman Club on the 19th floor houses four distinct concepts: the sexy Aman Lounge which pairs jazzy live music with Japanese-inspired tipples; the Cigar Lounge, which showcases fine cigars in private humidors; theatrical 14-seater teppanyaki restaurant Hiori; and intimate 8-seater omakase restaurant Sesui.
Wellness facilities are set on levels 9 and 10. The 29-metre outdoor infinity saltwater pool on the 9th floor features a heated massage jet section and a century-old sompong tree protruding into the space through an elliptical void at its centre, while the fitness centre is fitted with Technogym and Outrace equipment along with complimentary use of a state-of-the-art InBody body composition analysis machine. Set over two floors, the spa comprises treatment rooms offering Aman’s signature Grounding, Purifying and Nourishing treatments; a hair and nail salon; hydrotherapy facilities (steam, sauna, hot and cold plunge); and a medical centre operated in partnership with Bangkok’s Hertitude clinic which offers a variety of treatments, from IV drips to fillers and even botox.
The hotel offers a variety of complimentary guest experiences daily, from fitness classes such as Thai Boxing, Rhythm Dance, HIIT and Vinyasa Yoga to cocktail making, tea and coffee discovery and even classes dedicated to spirit houses, Thai calligraphy and plaster doll crafting. This was a very commendable, consumer-friendly departure from the primarily payable approach to guest experiences at the Japanese Aman (and Janu) properties I have stayed at previously.
CORNER SUITE
Decked in soothing, earthy shades of gray, cream and brown with varied textures of marble, stone and warm wood, the 92sqm Corner Suite offers floor-to-ceiling corner windows with cityscape views, its height accentuated by triple-tiered ceiling moldings with cove lighting. A spacious window-side daybed could accommodate a couple sitting with their souls and soles touching, while a dining table positioned next to the other window is laden with goodies upon your arrival, from welcome champagne in an ice bucket to an ornate gold chocolate block bearing the shape of the sompong leaf (you know, the one shooting through the swimming pool). There is also a wall-facing work desk where you can find a Aman coffee-table book and Aman Essentials magazine. Apart from controlling lighting, temperature and window shades, the bedside tablet summons the hidden flatscreen TV from within the table-top (a feature shared with Aman Tokyo and Janu Tokyo). It needs to be said that the super king size bed is one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever had.
Set within the foyer, the pantry offers Nespresso and drip coffee as well as Voyage tea-making facilities, while the handsome minibar is stocked with snacks and a variety of beverages, from sparkling water and the hotel’s exclusive Sompong Beer to bottled Aman Negroni and premium spirits such as Nikka whisky, Saneha Thai gin and Clase Azul Tequila Reposado. Elsewhere, the wardrobe holds a rugged green tote bag bearing the hotel’s good name that is meant for guests to take home.
The cavernous bathroom features a smart Japanese-style toilet, double vanities with a Dyson hairdryer, a grand marble rainfall shower big enough for frantic pirouettes and a deep circular window-side bathtub which could probably fit up to three bulky Hyrox-bodied men and their rubber ducks. (My suite faced apartments, and I kept my blinds down during the use of the bathtub to avoid traumatising the Phloen Chit high society set.) The luxurious, blissful bath amenities are courtesy of Aman Spa. The bathroom is capable of being closed from the rest of the suite with the help of pivoting panels, although there will be little gaps in between one could still peer through.
Admittedly, I was hoping for Aman-branded cable ties to appear on my wires after turndown service, but the traditional Thai shadow puppet that appeared on my bed was still a pretty neat touch.
DINING
Breakfast is served at Arva, the Italian restaurant on the 9th level. Fabric screen dividers and the considerable distance between tables means you enjoy a great degree of privacy during your meals. Service is a 100% a la minute affair, with Thai selections such as Thai Sausage Wrap (egg and northern thai sausage roll, coriander, cabbage, nahm prik ta daeng relish), Khao Pad Kai (fried rice, egg, garlic, spring onion, lime) and Moo Palo (pork stew, Chinese spices, tofu, boiled egg, coriander, chilli vinegar) alongside Western options such as Mushroom Onsen (seasonal mushrooms, onsen egg, crispy puff rice, ‘cafe de siam’ sauce, hollandaise), Eggs Florentine (toasted english muffin, spinach, poached egg, hollandaise), Egg Skillet (green pea casserole, baby spinach, poached egg, pecorino, mint, chives), French Toast (caramelised brioche, vanilla, mascarpone cream) and Pancake (blueberries, Thai basil marinated strawberries, lemon butter).
The Kai Jiao Poo (thai omelette, crab meat, lemongrass, coriander, sriracha) displayed a remarkable fluffiness without the customary oiliness, while the Moo Ping (marinated pork skewers, sticky rice, spicy thai dip) was well marinated and went excellently with the sweet, piquant dip. The Khao Tom (jasmine rice soup, prawns, ginger, coriander, chives, fried garlic flakes) was delicious despite its seemingly basic underpinnings, while the Kimchi Omelette (egg white omelette, white kimchi, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil) was an alluring blend of sesame oil seduction, pickled sourness and the viciousness of chilli padi. Even the off-menu selections – we were offered the Chicken Noodle Soup and nuttily sweet Tom Yum Noodle Soup – were simple yet assured.
My stay coincided with the eve of the new menu’s launch, and I managed to preview some of the dishes from the upcoming menu. The Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare (carnaroli rice, prawn, scampi, octopus, oysters, mussels, sea lettuce, squid ink reduction) was a luxurious blend of fish stock, butter, squid ink and seaweed into one oceanically umami supernova; the Carpaccio Di Polpo (octopus, taggiasca olives, rocket) was an oil-slick, contemplative delicacy; and the Parma Pizette (fior di latte, san marzano tomato, parma, mascarpone, peppered figs) was appropriately sized and a suitably scrumptious balance of fig-sweet and ham-savoury.
Located on the same floor, all-day bar and lounge 1872 (named after Nai Lert’s birth year) serves afternoon tea (helmed by executive pastry chef Florian Couteau, formerly with Rosewood Hotels) and a selection of tipples in an elegant, Aman Tokyo-esque setting perfect for sophisticated tai-tais and chic women with Ferragamo headbands. The space offers al fresco patio seating as well as a bar counter. Go for the signature martini, which is served in a vessel resembling containers used to serve monks during morning alms at the Heritage Home.
Available only to hotel guests after 5pm, the Aman Club on the 19th floor houses Aman Lounge, the Cigar Lounge, teppanyaki restaurant Hiori and omakase restaurant Sesui.
During my stay, I managed to secure a dinner reservation at the 8-seater Sesui, helmed by Chef Satoshi Tsuru (formerly from Sushi Kishin at The St. Regis Bangkok). It was a remarkable evening – the Kegani (hairy crab) was a sweet broth-laden affair; the Kaki (oyster) was a whirlwind of oyster brininess and seaweed saline; the Sawara (Spanish mackerel) was sexily smoky with a tease of wasabi; and both the Chutoro (medium fatty tuna) and Nodoguro (black throat seaperch) were decadent, oil-slick and almost molten indulgences. Charming and friendly, Chef Satoshi shared with me his personal recommendations for good yakitori in Bangkok that I immediately penned to paper.
I also tried the Matcha Martini, which intriguingly reminded me of lime and vanilla solero.
Helmed by the hotel’s Director of Beverage and Bars, Michele Montauti (whom I first crossed paths with at Waldorf Astoria Bangkok), Aman Lounge boasts a Japanese-inspired cocktail menu inspired by the five elements of Japanese Buddhist philosophy or godai (五大) – earth, wind, fire, water and void. The Kaze No Sora (Sky Breeze Nikka Coffey Gin, KID Junmai Sake, St-Germain Liqueur, yuzu, sudachi cordial, mint, soda) was a minty-fresh concoction that played like a spa for the mouthly cavern, while the Seiran (The Botanist Gin, blue spirulina-infused sake, Mancino Secco Vermouth, lemon shiso cordial, chrysanthemum seaweed cordial, citrus, lychee) was a mouth purse-inducing burst of sour tropicality. The earthy Komorebi (Nikka from the Barrel Whisky, matcha milk punch, yuzu, palo santo tincture, genmaicha syrup) presents a tannic bitterness at the back of your throat like you just had the real teas, while the similarly tea-charged Ku No Yami (Michter’s US*1 Bourbon, Mancino Kopi Vermouth, hojicha tea, black sesame syrup) played it sweeter in style.
My favourites were the spicy, almost Tom Yum-esque Hi No Kokoro (Flor de Caña 4 Year Old Rum, capsicum, jalapeño, Giffard Piment d’Espelette, Homemade Herbal) and the spirit-forward Kaji No Mai (Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej Mezcal, umeshu, Espolon Reposado Tequila, Shichimi Togarashi-Infused Campari, DiBaldo Rosso Vermouth) which harnesses sansho pepper and shichimi spice for a deeply smoky blaze on a Mezcal Negroni.
Many guests who dine at Hiori and Sesui will retreat to Aman Lounge for post-dinner tipples, where you will be serenaded by both the atmospheric licks of flames from the electric fireplaces as well as the dulcet tones of live singers performing jazzy tunes. The singer during my stay was KaoFang Kaltira, who does a mean “Die With A Smile” and responded to my request for a popular Thai hit with an emotive performance of “Kid Tung Ter Took Tee (Tee Yoo Khon Diew)” (คิดถึงเธอทุกที (ที่อยู่คนเดียว)). This was near closing time when I was virtually the only guest left, and it felt like a private, intimate concert. It was sublime.
CONCLUSION
As far as Bangkok ultra-luxury hotels go, I have stayed at Rosewood Bangkok, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and Capella Bangkok, but Aman Nai Lert Bangkok redefines the genre and pitches within a different league altogether with spellbinding storytelling, a noticeably invigorated approach towards its F&B offerings, a decidedly guest-friendly approach in its programming and stellar hardware all round.
It could simply be a Thailand hospitality culture thing (or, conversely, a Japanese approach to hospitality thing), but my hope is that Aman Nai Lert Bangkok heralds a shift towards a similarly guest benefit-focused approach for future Aman offerings.
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok
1 Soi Somkid
Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330
Thailand
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