A visit to Bangkok should include a walk through the fascinating district of Chinatown. It’s one of the best Chinatown’s in Asia and is a hive of constant commercial activity and a journey through history. Chinese merchants originally moved to this area in the early 1780’s when Bangkok was founded. After generations of living here, the Chinese in Chinatown consider themselves Thai, but you’ll find that this part of Thailand remains a unique world of its own. One of the most talked about places in the heart of Chinatown, on Yaowaraj Road is the boutique hotel Shanghai Mansion. Built in 1892, this stunning historic property has operated as a boutique hotel since 2006. Since its inception, the Shanghai Mansion has offered guests a truly unique experience that captures the elegance of 1930’s Shanghai. The original architecture has been complimented with a contemporary Chinese design that’s the work of architect Julian Coombs. The end result is a collection of romantic oriental rooms, with canopied beds, red leather couches, lanterns and a cool vintage atmosphere. There’s a hotel library that offers view over the hotel’s inner atrium and lovely water gardens and a Chinese tea room that offers afternoon teas every day. Chinese and other Asian cuisine is on offer and while staying here you should also experience an authentic Chinese massage. From the incredible design that hearkens back to the romance of 1930’s Shanghai, a time when great jazz artists were featured in the best clubs in the city to the elegance and intimacy of 1950’s underground night clubs in New York, Chicago and Paris. Cotton has found the best Thai jazz artists to do their thing such Siam Swing band playing a classic pop songs (think about Coltrane’s “My favorite Things!) Outside, the colors of Chinatown beckon anyone who loves to explore. The Shanghai Mansion is within easy reach of some of Bangkok’s most historic sites and you can take walking tours to temples and riverside markets.
You’ll finds streets overflowing with gold shops, tea shops, traditional medicine vendors and street food of all flavors. When the sun goes down the journey back through time continues with an evening at the hotels award winning jazz bar Cotton where both international and local jazz musicians can be found. The romance of old Shanghai makes a trip to Bangkok’s Chinatown an unforgettable experience.
www.shanghaimansion.com