Mistakes are forgotten and wishes realised at this luxe Thai hotel

Each autumn on the evening of a full moon, thousands of glowing lanterns are launched across Thailand’s rivers as part of the festival of Loy Krathong. Their senders? Locals who believe the homemade offerings represent mistakes of the past and wishes for the future.

It is a 100-year-old celebration of promise: let go of negative energy and be rewarded with good fortune by the river gods. The very act of releasing a lantern is a way to send your problems away.

A nod to the ancient ritual awaits you at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, the latest offering from the luxury hotel group which welcomed its first guests in April. The glinting lanterns, known as krathongs, float below a life-like tree sculpture in the lobby – a sight matched only by the century-old Sompong tree the hotel is built around. Its lush branches form a canopy over the ninth-floor infinity pool, in sharp contrast with the capital’s skyscrapers.

The Aman Nai Lert Bangkok is built around a century-old Sompong tree.

With 52 suites, a spa and wellness centre spanning three levels and a design focus rooted in nature, to stay here is to partake in a transformation of sorts; shake off the weariness and step into the best version of yourself. Of course, it will cost you at $1689 a night.

Pegged as an urban sanctuary in the cult-followed Aman portfolio – the third of its kind after Aman Tokyo and Aman New York – Aman Nai Lert Bangkok is set in the cosmopolitan Phatum Wan district and feels distinctly appropriate for the $1 trillion wellness travel-sphere we find ourselves in.

Here, luxury is about substance over show. It is about turning inwards to reach your full potential. A holistic endeavour for those whose lives are ruled by a Google calendar, and who already have access to infrared saunas, personal trainers and therapists.

Floor-to-ceiling windows contrast the layered roof in a nod to traditional Thai architecture.

Jean-Michel Gathy’s architecture firm Denniston was tasked with designing the hotel around the memory of Thai tycoon Lert Sreshthaputra (better known as “Nai Lert”), from whom the current owners descend.

“It’s always a delicate balance between innovation and restraint. Everything must be subtle and refined,” says David Schoonbroodt, Denniston’s senior interior designer.

In the age of MAGA wealth, it is a refreshing if not surprising approach.

“We intentionally avoid the ‘wow’ effect,” says Schoonbroodt. “Guests may not be able to explain exactly why they feel good, they just do. That emotional connection is what brings them back.”

Feeling good, it seems, trumps constantly searching for the Instagrammable (though, with the hotel’s rich materials and elegant lighting, there is no shortage of the picture-perfect).

My revitalisation begins at check-in with a ceremony involving rose-scented water being poured into my palms while I sip on a non-alcoholic coconut soda. Soon, I’m escorted to my suite on the 11th floor – a pet-friendly floor, by the way (designer pooches under seven kilograms only).

Stone flooring designed to mimic timber and muted tones intentionally transport guests to the hotel’s surrounding Nai Lert Park and the heritage home Nai Lert built for his family in the 1900s. The open-air, teak property served as the design inspiration for the hotel. Today, it is a museum filled with memorabilia paying homage to the businessman’s pioneering spirit. (He introduced the city’s first bus and taxi services and opened the first ice factory.)

A fully stocked, all-inclusive mini bar and jars of dried mango and unsalted macadamia nuts await in my suite, and I’m advised to contact the concierge via the iPads on either side of the king-sized bed for anything I need. Clothes pressed for the day? Give them 30 minutes. A post-dinner bathe in your freestanding tub? Staff will have it drawn in time for your return.

Aman Nai Lert Bangkok’s wellness offering spans three levels including a gym, Pilates studio and two spa spaces.

Arva is the go-to for breakfast offering a combination of Thai classics, continental and “fresh and light” options (egg-white omelette with kimchi, chives and soy sauce). The focus shifts to Italian classics by lunchtime and a wine selection of more than 370 labels. On the 19th floor are two Japanese restaurants; Hiori, an immersive teppanyaki omakase experience, and Sesui, which focuses on fresh seafood and sushi.

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At the Aman Spa on the 10th floor, guests are encouraged to experience the dry and steam saunas, hot tubs and icy plunge pools before their treatment. My 60-minute facial begins with careful scrubbing to cleanse the pores, followed by blue and red light therapy to welcome brighter skin. For those wanting a little extra, the medical wellness clinic on the eighth floor allows guests to consult a doctor before their chosen procedure. Botox, IV therapy and cryotherapy are all on the menu.

Post-facial, I appreciate the guest-only elevator that takes me from the spa (or the gym) to my suite level avoiding the ninth floor lobby (privacy, especially post-treatment is all part of the service whether you’re a somebody or not).

As my bags are loaded into the BMW 740i for my transfer to Suvarnabhumi Airport, a hotel staffer gently places a gold leaf in my hands. Attached to it is a tiny rolled up piece of paper secured with string.

It reads: “This fortune speaks of dreams coming true, with every wish and hope realised.”

I’ll take it.

THE DETAILS

FLY
Thai Airways, Qantas and Virgin operate daily flights between Sydney and Melbourne to Bangkok.

STAY
Rooms from $1689 a night. See aman.com

VISIT
Entry into Nai Lert Park Heritage Home from $1.70 for adults with free admission for children under 100 centimetres. Guided tours begin at 9.30am, 11.30am, 2.30pm and 4.30pm. See nailertgroup.com

The writer travelled as a guest of Aman Nai Lert Bangkok.

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