Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok

The fact that its lobby cafe and rooftop restaurant are perennially packed with clued-in locals is a testament to Kimpton Maa-Lai’s success in building a lifestyle hotel that is more than just a pretty place to rest.

This is one of Bangkok’s smartest five-stars, with just the right amount of marble and a great line-up of bars and restaurants where comfort food – not fine dining – dominates the menu.

Despite its location in the city’s ritzy Phloen Chit district, a Valhalla of pricy restaurants and high-end shopping malls, this swanky high-rise hotel feels much less pretentious than its five-star peers. And with Lumphini Park just down the street, a slice of low-key local life is never far away.

Thanks to its proximity to the BTS Skytrain station and thoroughfares connecting this part of town to the temple-studded historical quarter, it’s a great base from which to explore all corners of the city.