Review / How to visit Bangkok, Thailand like a local: stay at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences on Soi 39 off Sukhumvit to enjoy fine dining, a sumptuous spa and the highest infinity pool in the city

Jan 19, 2024

The infinity pool at at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences in Bangkok offers panoramic views of the city’s skyline. Photo: 137 Pillars Suites & Residences

Wander down Soi 39 to find 5-star hotel 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok, which is just a stone’s throw away from the happening Sukhumvit area with its luxurious malls and vibrant bars

Owned by a Thai-based hospitality group that has outposts in Chiang Mai and Phuket, the Bangkok property offers gorgeous suites, charming decor and the newly opened Nimitr Restaurant & Rooftop Bar

Sometimes the best way to rediscover a city that you know well and have visited plenty of times is to pick a new neighbourhood as your base.

Bangkok is one of those places that lovers of Thailand and its culture keep returning to, even for just a short stay on the way to one of the country’s beach destinations. With its blend of tradition and modernity, the capital of Thailand represents all that’s great about Southeast Asia.

Downtown Bangkok can be a pretty hectic place. Photo: Shutterstock

Visitors tend to stay in the buzzy Siam area near popular malls such as Siam Paragon and CentralWorld; busy Silom and Sathom, where most businesses are based; or by the Chao Phraya River, where the grand dames of Bangkok’s luxury hotel scene like the Mandarin Oriental and The Peninsula are located.

I tend to enjoy the action and convenience of Ratchaprasong and Siam, which are very well connected to the rest of the city by the unbeatable Skytrain system – a godsend in such a sprawling and traffic-prone metropolis.

The bathroom of the Sukhotai Suite at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok features a free-standing bathtub. Photos: 137 Pillars Suites & Residences

On a recent visit, however, I decided to venture a little further out on Sukhumvit, the major artery in the heart of Bangkok also served by the Skytrain. Located on Soi 39 just off Sukhumvit and a short walk from the Skytrain, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok is part of a Thai-based hospitality group that also owns one hotel in the northern city of Chiang Mai. (The name of the company refers to the heritage building that is now the Chiang Mai property and was built upon 137 pillars.)

Befitting its expat-friendly neighbourhood, Phrom Phong, which has a very Japanese vibe thanks to the Japanese community that calls it home, the property feels more like a private residence rather than just a hotel. The suites come with beautiful balconies overlooking the massive urban stretch of Bangkok and feature large sleeping quarters, lovely sitting areas and spacious bathrooms with free-standing bathtubs. The decor is far from the cookie-cutter and minimalist approach of most hotels these days, with warm tones, materials such as dark wood and subtle nods to Thai culture.

A cosy living room in a suite at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok, with a balcony that overlooks the residential Phrom Phong neighbourhood