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There’s a very good chance that if you stay at Hyatt’s Andaz One Bangkok, you’ll end up spending quite a bit of time looking at Lumphini Park.
That’s hardly surprising. The newly opened 244-room hotel sits within One Bangkok, opposite one of the largest and loveliest green spaces in the capital’s busiest district. From breakfast at Andaz Terrace to guestrooms and the outdoor infinity pool, those treetops form an almost constant backdrop.
Speaking with the Director of Rooms, Nipapan ‘Auk’ Stapol, while taking a stroll through the park (check out our video interview here), she shared the concept behind the hotel’s design and its ‘vertical neighbourhood’ concept – each floor and space taking their cues from the streets, architecture, greenery and history immediately outside.
And the story goes pretty deep. Bangkok sois, park trees, the Royal Bangkok Sports Club Polo Club and even the city’s tangling electric cables (specifically in ‘Blockwilt’, a signature mixed-media textile artwork created by celebrated Thai textile artist Ploenchan “Mook” Vinyaratn) have all made their way inside. Then, once you’re settled, they encourage you to go back outside and experience the real thing.
Andaz One Bangkok’s city-led design
Architecturally, the hotel tips their hat to studio A49, with interiors by PIA Interior and the 23rd-floor Piscari restaurant designed by Paradigm Shift – instantly setting the bar with three major Thai design firms behind its creation.
Connected directly to One Bangkok, the entrance – which involves a lift ride to the upper lobby – takes its cues from the more ‘urban districts’ outside the front doors. Upstairs, high ceilings bring in natural light and make the most of the shimmering greens from the park directly opposite, while giant fabric art pieces blend colour, texture and materials that portray a collage of Bangkokian identity – local architecture, electrical wires, the Lumphini Park’s clock tower and the curved façade of Siri Apartment, all interpreted through abstract graphic motifs.
The neighbourhood storytelling continues through the hotel’s art collection beyond the lobby too, with a series of paintings and mixed media works by four Thai female artists.
The lobby is more favourably known as the ‘Gallery Alley’, inspired by the hidden galleries and narrow lanes of Bangkok. Even the flooring references those familiar Bangkok pavements – albeit reimagined in considerably more glamorous marble. Come sunset, and the lobby transforms into a sunset hangout, with free snacks, wine, beer and a daily cocktail inspired by Thailand’s colours of the day.
Then there are the little details. Lumphini Park’s clock tower, Nok Khum and the weaving tendrils of the Bodhi tree are immortalised in the design of the hotel’s key cards and amenity boxes, while its curves and arches reference mid-century architectural landmarks in the neighbourhood, such as Siri Apartment and Vidyu Palace.
And while the beauty of the design truly explores a ‘sense of space’, some of the nicest connections require leaving the hotel altogether.
‘We don't want the experience to stop just because you check out,’ says Auk while we wander the park. ‘Aside from the whole space being inspired by a Thai touch, we give one when you leave too – a herbal inhaler that also matches the colour of the day.’
Bringing the park to the guest, and the guest to the park
Stays are not just about the rooms, although you’d be forgiven for not wanting to venture out when there’s a huge soak tub with a private window to the world in your suite.
‘We would like the guests to have a choice to step out into the excitement of the city,’ she adds. ‘But when they're back to the hotel, they still have that sense of relaxation that our urban retreat can provide.’
Morning people can join the Lumphini Green Run, a guided morning jog through the park. ‘Some guests may not be familiar with how the park works, so we have our team not only running with them but can also explain what’s happening in the park and the history behind it,’ she adds.
The hotel’s Flow – water exercises in the pool – take inspiration from the wonderfully public exercise culture happening there every day, combining Tai Chi and those brilliantly energetic group aerobics sessions into a wellness session unlike any other.
Want something a little more experiential? Talk to the very same team and they’ll recommend all the park has to offer – and local area, for that matter – from duck boat riding and lounging alongside monitor lizards, to nearby venues and activities that keep you deeply rooted in your surroundings.
All together, it creates an interesting two-way exchange. You might spot something while wandering through Lumphini in the morning, then discover its influence in the hotel later that day.
By the time you reach the 23rd floor rooftop, the restaurant and bar Piscari takes you on a voyage – imagined as a wooden yacht floating above the city, complete with Mediterranean-inspired interiors and a hidden speakeasy influenced by Capri’s Blue Grotto.
That’s not to say a little bit of local history is not present however. The tree that sits atop the hotel was once firmly at ground level – preserved and resurrected some 23 storeys high.
And perhaps that contrast is the point. Andaz One Bangkok is undeniably polished, contemporary and international. But look closely and Bangkok keeps creeping back in – through the art, the architecture, the wonky pavement patterns and those enormous green trees outside.
Better still, when you want the real thing, you only have to cross the road.