Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

If “stopover” is what comes to mind when you think of the Thai capital, Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (hotel.qantas.com.au/fourseasons bangkok) will give you pause for thought. The 299-room urban resort is so luxurypacked it’s like a discrete other world, where there’s little reason to take a second flight to the islands or anywhere else.

Everything tempts you to stay onsite, from the sumptuous armfuls of white orchids that fill the lobby to the jade-green infinity pools fringed with tropical palms that sit directly beside the river. Then there are the inimitable Four Seasons touches: the cheeky Negroni left beside your bed, a complimentary painting session with a local artist. The temperature in your room is always Goldilocks-perfect. The pillows softer than spring rain. It’s so enchanting, Thai residents who live only a few streets away book themselves in for staycations.

A typical day might see you feasting on Roman maritozzi cream buns for breakfast, chatting to graphic designers about their subversive neon art at the hotel’s gallery space, sitting down at the Michelin-starred Yu Ting Yuan restaurant or finding out exactly why the property’s Argentinianaccented

bar, BKK Social Club (above), is ranked number 10 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2022 (the Hand of God cocktail – a blend of tequila, Campari and cacao malbec wine cordial – is chief among the reasons).

This part of the city is described as Bangkok Riverside and has an energy and exuberance all of its own. Unlike the more popular Sukhumvit, the neighbourhoods around here give you the full spectrum of the city – old and new, food and culture, shopping and temples – and it’s accessible via electric ferries that avoid the blaring traffic. Bangkok as a stopover? Forget it. This opulent property has everything you need to stay awhile – full stop.

For our full review of Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, visit qantas.com/four-seasons-bangkok