The morning after I landed in Bangkok, I woke up in my suite at the 137 Pillars Suites & Residences and made myself a cup of coffee. I took it out to the large balcony that came with the suite and marvelled at the view. From 31 storeys high, I could see beyond the Phrom Pong and Thonglor neighbourhoods where the hotel was situated, and it felt… calm. There was no roar of traffic from the main Sukhumvit road. I could see the grid lines of small roads snaking in between buildings and pockets of undeveloped land overrun by grass and large, flowering trees. We get so used to the bustling side of Bangkok that we forget: it can be calm too. You just need to know where to stay.
137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok is now in its ninth year, and it still embodies the same calm tranquillity that its original in Chiang Mai aims to provide. The Ayutthaya Suite that I stayed in was opulent and plush in all its glorious fittings, plush carpets, and art pieces. The round, oversized bathtub was precisely where I wanted to be after a hot day out in Krung Thep. The owner is a big art collector, and his influences can be seen throughout the hotel—massive paintings in the lobby and sculptures dotting each corner, each one calculated and never an afterthought.
Where some hotels feel overcrowded with guests, 137 Pillars has mastered the art of making it feel as though you have the entire place to yourselves—particularly for suite guests. There are two swimming pools in the building: one on the 27th floor and one on the rooftop, exclusive to suite guests. The infinity pool with its high-rise panoramic views is undefeated at all times of the day, but particularly so during sunset. Another suite guest exclusive? Access to Baan Borneo Club, where you can indulge in a quiet, made-to-order breakfast. The perfect start to any day, in my opinion—besides coffee 31 storeys high on your large balcony—is a calm breakfast where you don’t have to jostle elbows with the next person trying to get bacon at the buffet. And if your flight is way after the checkout time? Not to worry. Suite guests have access to the Guest Service Centre, which is available for you to take a shower and relax before you have to leave.
Dining offerings are equally on point as well. Nimitr, the in-house restaurant and bar serves elevated Thai cuisine, offering guests a comfortable space to try the local fare from not just Bangkok but also dishes specific to the different regions in Bangkok. Ingredients are sourced from the group’s family farm and its surrounding regions, and they spare no expense in keeping the dishes authentic, down to the spice levels. Try a bit of everything with the Nimitr Tasting Journey, a four-course dinner menu comprising an appetiser, soup, main course, and dessert.
In the city of angels, reach for a home ground that’s reliable, calm, and, most importantly, luxurious. 137 Pillars ticks all these boxes, and the 24-hour private butler service helps add to their case too.
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