Tag Archives: Thailand

Metropolitan by COMO, Bangkok

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A meal at Asia’s number one restaurant, Nahm

We arrived at the Metropolitan by COMO in Bangkok, sticky, sweaty and sulky after a long, sleepless flight from London. Our first stop of a two week trip to Thailand, my first experience of the country and of Asia. Driving into the quiet passage that leads to the hotel, I felt my spirits lift instantly. The cool and clean exterior is a calming change, leaving behind the chaotic main roads of the city.

The lobby area is minimalistic with bold, bright flowers offering bursts of colour to an otherwise stark and simple space. The interiors are designed by Kathryn King, a celebrated and innovative interior designer from Singapore. She brings a bright modern vision to the brand and a contemporary, luxurious urban option for Bangkok tourists.

They don’t brag about it, but the Metropolitan team ensure the small details are on trend. Staff are kitted out in Comme des Garçons uniforms and Calvin Klein shoes, looking suitably chic amongst the stylish furnishings of the hotel.

There is no shortage of space at the Metropolitan. The hotel has 169 guest rooms and suites all of which are very generous in size, with ample space to relax, sleep and live, a real rarity in a city hotel. We comfortably settled into a 6th floor Metropolitan room, known as the biggest standard/double rooms in Bangkok. Looking around the slick and modern COMO and Penthouse suites, I felt I was drowning in space, perfect for a large family or celebrity avec entourage.

Fresh and striking, our room was decorated in bright white with indents of dull black and dusty grey, the king size bed at one end of the room with plump silver cushions adding a little glitz and small abstract monochrome artworks, a little patterning. A desk and L-shaped bench in basic black designs made from fine teak wood and, in contrast, a primitive Ming-style chair made from sand coloured natural teak made up the furniture. The bathroom was equally sharp and slick, though warmer with shades of beige mosaic and limestone. I loved the powerful walk-in shower that drenched me in cold water at the end of a day in the humid city.

Facilities cater for every guest’s requirement; event spaces, spa indulgences and a high tech gym and pool are all onsite in pristine condition. Breakfast is served in the second floor eatery, Glow, which focuses on healthy organic natural recipes. Pancakes with pineapple and coconut shavings and Cinnamon French toast with lemon were both delicious, freshly made sweet treats, though all the usual continental options are also available.

The star of the Metropolitan is undoubtedly Nahm restaurant, the David Thompson eatery which calls Como its home. Recognised as the number one restaurant in the whole of Asia the food certainly has some hype to live up to. We ate here on our first night in Bangkok, unaware of the real Thai taste and fragrances – it was a great feast of flavours, intense and innovative. Thompson (despite his Australian heritage) takes the vibrant ingredients of Thailand and presents them in a series of bold and brilliant dishes. Utilising every bit of space and sunshine, Thompson has installed a herb garden on the roof to grow many of his vital ingredients near to the kitchen.

Even the amuse-bouche was worthy of an award. Tantalising mouthfuls of sticky duck and prawn on pineapple were particularly magical. Stir-fried wagyu beef with charred onions, oyster sauce and Thai basil was a highlight, sweet and delicious with melt in the mouth tender beef. I also loved the red curry of quail with deep fried shallots and Thai basil, creamier and more flavoursome that any curry I’ve tried before, but painfully spicy! Dessert was experimental and intriguing, soft caramelised bananas in thin coconut sauce with a gooey lump of grey coconut ash… bizarre but oddly tasty. Cocktails are worth trying too – strong and stylish – we particularly enjoyed the refreshing Thai Sabai.

Soothing the mind, soul and body Metropolitan by COMO, Bangkok lets guests escape the madness of the city centre whilst also showcasing the best Oriental design, food and service. A triumph on all counts.

More information and book here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 206 – Sretsis

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If you love shopping Bangkok is the ideal place for you, many tourists visit Thailand’s capital city JUST to shop. The huge, shiny, air-conditioned shopping malls Siam Discovery, MBK, Central World, and Siam Paragon are all found in the Siam district, connected by convenient walkways. Others centres such as the more boutique Emporium is found in Sukhumvit. I was initially put off by these overwhelming stores housing many international designers, but if you look hard you can discover local brands that are inspiring and interesting.

In Paragon Department Store, within the Paragon complex, I found Sretsis… Sretsis is a collaboration between Pim Sumhahuta and her two sisters, Kly and Matina. The brand name is sisters spelled backwards and represents the strong bond they have. Sretsis creator and lead designer Pim Sukhahuta graduated from the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York in 2003 already with a store, two fashion shows, and a covetable internship with Marc Jacobs to her name. Her achievement with this successful and innovative brand is testament to her talent and vision.

Pim’s eclectic East meets West background and studies are realised in her colourful and imaginative designs. The flamboyant clashing patterns and excessive frills of previous collections reminded me of the bold but pretty designs by Brit, Luella. This season Sretsis presents ‘Children of the Stars’ for Spring / Summer 2014. A collection of quirky and girly ready-to-wear clothes and whimsical, imaginative accessories. Thin tops are adorned with glistening chunky rhinestone crystals, whilst flimsy playsuits are made from tropical exotic silks and edged in lace. The shop was quite simply my dream wardrobe. Accessories can be found in one corner of the shop, heart shaped sunglasses, and studded sparkling rings. I couldn’t resist getting the green heart ring, which seemed reasonable, costing £40. Most garments cost between £70-200.

Sretsis is a breath of fresh air in the suffocating streets of Bangkok. Psychedelic prints, delicate designs and a lot of personality… I fell in love with the whole collection.

Visit the Sretsis website for more information and to see the whole collection: www.sretsis.com

Hot on the Highstreet Week 205 – Bangkok

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Chatuchak – This weekend only market is North of uptown Bangkok. It is the largest market in Thailand covering over 27 acres with over 15,000 stalls. You can find everything here, Section 6 is particularly good for vintage finds, whilst other areas focus on accessories, jewellery, phone covers and gifts. I recommend wandering through and browsing the colourful array of goods with a freshly squeezed orange juice in hand. When you are feeling weary, stop for a 30 minute foot massage (150THB – £3).

Open Wednesday and Thursday for plants and flowers 6am-6pm, Friday for wholesale 6am-6pm, Saturday and Sunday whole market 6am-6pm. Best to get the Skytrain to Mo Chit station (exit 1) as traffic can be bad.

Propaganda – Now located in two venues (The Emporium in Sukhumvit, and fourth floor of the Siam Discovery Center) this design led boutique sells a range of intriguing items, most memorable perhaps are the witty plastic pieces, like the molar shaped stools.

MBK Center – This futuristic shiny building is home to many familiar brands both authentic and fake. If you are looking for a good quality imitation this is the place to spend your cash. 2000 stores and services spread over eight floors, it is heaven for shopaholics, and just across the walkway from Siam Discovery and Paragon shopping centres.

Almeta – Most dash to Jim Thompson House for their silk tailoring in Bangkok, however Almeta offers the highest quality luxury handmade silk and has an impressive Silk a la Carte service. Customers can choose from over 1000 iridescent silk colours, yarn types and weights. Almeta are also the creators of Lazy Silk, the only machine-washable Thai silk. If you want something tailor made try to leave time for a couple of fittings.

Find the shop on Sukhumvit 23 and walkable from Asok Skytrain station.

It’s Happened To Be A Closet – A mad and eclectic retro bohemian clothing store, that also serves as a tea room and nail salon. You could spend hours rummaging through the pretty floor-to-ceiling piles.

For more Bangkok shopping ideas, look here.