Aman Nai Lert Bangkok brings temple-like calm to the city

One of Aman’s rare urban retreats, Aman Nai Lert Bangkok pairs serene design, expansive suites and standout dining with a lush park setting in the heart of the Thai capital

Why stay here

Aman is a brand synonymous with luxury – immaculately designed all-suite palaces reflecting understated elegance in sublime natural landscapes. The new Aman Nai Lert Bangkok is one of the brand’s few urban properties and it’s a spectacular one; an oasis of calm and a temple to excellence nestled in a lush park in the heart of the Pathum Wan district. The suites are huge, the public spaces serene and uncluttered, the staff delightful and demure, the food outstanding and the spa and 25-metre outdoor pool utterly addictive.

Then there are those wonderful Aman extras such as free minibar fridges, airport transfers and fast-track services, in-suite breakfasts, a spa menu fit for kings and queens, a host of cultural and wellness activities and a feeling that everybody knows your name and is genuinely delighted that you are ‘in-house’. Yes, there’s a luxury price tag, but this is no ordinary five-star hotel – it’s a rare and gilt-edged experience.

In the suite

My Premier Suite offers an ultra-generous 99 square metres, floor-to-ceiling windows with views over the park, a daybed and a window seat, a vast, circular and free-standing bathtub, a dining table, an oversized king bed and a very tempting, complimentary minibar fridge including such delights as beer brewed just for the hotel. There are lots of Japanese minimalist design elements – including artistic wood panelling on the walls and moveable screens separating sections of the suite – and it all combines perfectly to create a space I never want to leave.

Dining

The property only features 52 suites, yet it boasts several eateries. 1872 offers Thai and Western dishes, Arva is an Italian fine-dining spot and there are not one but two exclusive Japanese restaurants: Hiori, where Chef Yoji Kitayama and his incredible team serve melt-in-the-mouth teppanyaki dishes; and Sesui, where Chef Satoshi Tsuru delivers thrilling omakase adventures. You can also get snacks by the 25-metre outdoor pool and tapas-style Izakaya small plates at the Aman Lounge after dark.

Following my ‘when in Rome’ travel policy, I launch into this gastronomic journey by going totally Thai at 1872, dining on Pla Muek Tod (turmeric-marinated crispy squid), Yum Makeua Yao (smoked aubergine) and Nam Ya Poo, which is a deliciously fragrant crab curry with coconut milk and melinjo leaves. 

On my second night I nab one of the 14 coveted counter seats at Hiori and am transported to food heaven by Canadian lobster in a citrus, peppery kinome butter, tenderloin beef with a garlic soy sauce and Okinawa black sugar ice cream. All are complemented by sakes served in hand-painted glasses that you can choose on arrival. The unexpected star of the show is a plate of grilled vegetables with ginger miso; I don’t know how the chefs do it but I’ve never tasted vegetables so flavoursome.

Arva is also delicious, with notable dishes such as lobster linguine and aged parmesan fritters with black truffle mayonnaise. Try to save some space for breakfast, which can be delivered and beautifully laid out in your suite every morning and includes irresistible scrambled eggs with gruyere and shaved black truffle.

I nab one of the 14 coveted counter seats at Hiori and am transported to food heaven by Canadian lobster in a citrus, peppery kinome butter, tenderloin beef with a garlic soy sauce and Okinawa black sugar ice cream.

Special touches

Every Aman Nai Lert Bangkok guest can take advantage of free airport transfers and fast-track airport services on arrival and departure, all of which makes a memorable stay even more luxurious. They can also take you on a free tour of the adjacent and charmingly preserved Nai Lert Park Heritage Home, the former house of one of Thailand’s early entrepreneurs, Nai Lert.

As for Aman Nai Lert Bangkok’s wellness offering, I have enjoyed massages in luxury hotels for 25 years and not one of them has left me feeling as wonderfully calm and re-born as the Lert Siam massage I experience at the spa. Exclusive to the hotel, it’s a treatment not to be missed. 

If you want to upgrade

All suites at the hotel will impress, but if you want to elevate the experience from a Premier Suite, there’s the Terrace Suite (114 square metres with private open-air terrace), or the Aman Suite, which occupies the entire top floor of the hotel. It can be booked as a one bedroom spanning 556 square metres, or three bedrooms across 713 square metres.

Aman Nai Lert Bangkok

Premier Suite
Size: 99m²
Price per night: From AU$1,965 excluding VAT and service charge
Website: aman.com