ASAI Bangkok Chinatown

Staying in Bangkok’s Chinatown has its perks: you can stumble into bed after late-night eats at its neon-lit night market or be the first to sample fresh patongko (Chinese crullers) and congee right after sunrise.

The downside, however, is the cacophony of tuk-tuks, street vendors and temple bells this district is infamous for.

ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, a hyper-smart design hotel that walks the line between ‘business’ and ‘boutique’, offers a fine compromise. Its location, a five-minute stroll from the district’s noisy main drag, puts you close to Chinatown’s highlights, but far enough to have them out of earshot at bedtime.

With a restaurant frequently hosting Bangkok’s hot-shot chefs for kitchen takeovers, clued-in staff and a shop selling local design products, this is a great place to discover Chinatown beyond its tropes.