Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Every room at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok has a river view, a private bathroom and a set of bathrobes, towels, toiletries, a mirror and a hair dryer. The rooms range from deluxe rooms to suites and two-bedroom suites, and the bed arrangements go from a single king bed to two queen beds, while one suite sleeps up to seven guests.

Several rooms also have an electric kettle and a DVD or CD player, and some come with a bathtub, satellite channels, a radio, a telephone or on-demand movies, depending on the room you choose. Bed arrangements vary from a single king bed to two queen beds, and each room is described below with its own size and layout.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok has an outdoor swimming pool, a children's swimming pool, a fitness centre, and a spa with a sauna and a steam room. Dining includes restaurants serving Asian, Chinese and international cuisine, a coffee shop, a poolside bar and 24-hour room service, along with a snack bar.

The hotel offers tours, bicycles, car hire and a shuttle service, and there is an airport transfer. Free parking is available on site, and there is valet parking as well as a car charging station.

Families can use the kids club, the babysitting service and the kids meals. The 24-hour front desk, concierge, luggage storage, laundry, dry cleaning, ironing, a salon, a gift shop and daily housekeeping complete the services.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok sits on the riverside of the Bang Rak district, a part of central Bangkok with older streets, a Catholic cathedral and a mosque nearby. Assumption Cathedral is 150 m away, one of the city's oldest churches, and Bang Rak Market is 400 m from the hotel. The setting favours those who want the river and the old city close at hand rather than a busy shopping district, and the hotel's riverside pier sits right on the water.

The Saphan Taksin BTS station is 600 m away, linking the riverside to the Skytrain network. The hotel's riverside pier gives access to the boats on the Chao Phraya, and Wat Arun stands on the opposite bank, in view of the hotel. Wat Phra Chetuphon, also known as Wat Pho and home to a giant reclining Buddha, is 3.4 km away, and The Grand Palace lies 3.8 km away in the old city.

A good day could begin at Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, cross the river to Wat Arun, and end with dinner at Asiatique - The Riverfront, a riverside shopping and dining complex. Visitors who prefer the malls can reach the shopping centres of Siam by BTS.