A look inside our experience at one of Thailand’s top hospitality addresses, Aman Nai Lert Bangkok.
Bangkok is a city that pulses through your skin. Days here begin way before the sun rises and end long after midnight. Even the smallest of alleys in the Thai capital teem with life, be it in the bubbling broths or community chatter. Aside from the odd spa or maybe a library, finding a pocket of calm isn’t exactly on the list of easy tasks here. Lucky for guests at the Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, they don’t have to venture far to find their own slice of paradise in Nai Lert Park. The only Aman property to adorn an actual name in its title, the hotel—and its service—strikes the perfect balance between personal and respectful, heritage-filled and contemporary, secluded and incredibly well-connected.
Standing out among some of the hospitality industry’s heavyweights and the dining world’s leading names, each corner of the property outpaces its peers. Everything from the big fixtures to the minute details are highly personal. Most of them alluded to the illustrious life of Phraya Bhakdinorasreth AKA Nai Lert and the great-grandfather of the hotel’s owners, who were incredibly involved in the decision-making during its construction and design process. It is these finishing touches that make Aman’s 36th property one of the most storied hotels in its portfolio.
We recently spent a weekend at the Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, immersing ourselves in the Aman way of life. During our three days there, there was little to no need to step out beyond the property’s gates with everything that it had to offer in its compound, which includes the storied Nai Lert Park Heritage Home. Below, we give you all the deets on our whirlwind stay and what you can expect from the hotel when you book yours.
MAKE A HOME OUT OF THE PREMIER SUITE
ENTRYWAY & CLOSET
Starting with the star of my stay: the Premier Suite. A direct but tasteful contrast to the verdant greenery outside my window, neutral, earthy tones occupied the expansive space—about 1,066 square feet to be precise. I walked into a homey foyer, dimly-lit by choice, that housed not one, but two closets, a luggage bench, a full-length mirror, and a stool.
Within the closet was a full set of drawers and racks, enough to support a stay that extended beyond a week. There was also a large and sturdy military green tote bag that I was told I could bring home with me as a souvenir from my stay, much to my delight. Another surprise behind the closet doors was the Aman-branded yoga mat, placed right next to the hotel’s slippers, After setting my bags down ever so carefully so as to not interrupt the pristine state of the foyer, I was immediately drawn to—nay, called to—the living space that awaited through a doorway.
LIVING ROOM & BED
To my left, a living area complete with a mini bar, a sofa fit for lounging, the room’s speaker, and a dining table with two seats. Ahead of me is the study table with Aman stationery and my itinerary for the weekend neatly arranged on it overlooking Nai Lert Park through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Finally, to my right, a sprawling oversized king bed sits behind a piece of furniture that housed the television, which only appeared when you command it to from the room’s designated iPad doubling as a universal controller. The bed was what dreams were made of. Both mornings here started with me wishing I had a few extra minutes (or hours… or mornings) in it. Not to mention, my pre-bedtime routine of watching Netflix while doing the New York Times crossword was extra plush with dim lighting peering through the layered ceiling details and my pillows cocooning me into a sleepy oblivion.
Next to the bed was yet another option for lounging: a daybed overlooking the room’s view of Central Embassy, the treetops of the street, and a BTS track in the distance. Though the room was spacious in numbers, it never felt empty with the thoughtful furnishing and design details throughout.
BATHROOM
The bathroom was another spectacle of understated elegance, awashed in darker tones of wood and marble. The shower came equipped with both a handheld showerhead and a ceiling rainshower mount, while the toilet was fitted with the iconic automatic Toto system. In fact, the entire building was given the Toto touch, including the facilities by the lobby.
Its centrepiece was undoubtedly the circular bathtub, which one could definitely lounge in while admiring the view, given that it is placed directly by the door into the bedroom. The Aman team member who gave me the tour of my room was also pleased to note that if I ever wanted a bath to be drawn for me, I could simply request one. I never ended up using this service but knowing that it could be done was a luxury in itself. And that’s where I feel like Aman truly shines: offering guests the ultimate level of personalised service without ever being too invasive.
FEED MY APPETITE AT ARVA
BREAKFAST
A hotel breakfast is one of the elements of a hotel stay that can either take it to the next level or bring it down a few notches. At Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, breakfast is worth setting an early alarm for—and that’s coming from me, a certified night owl and horrible early riser. Heading down to Arva early also means getting extra time to free up some space in your stomach for a hearty Bangkok brunch or lunch.
Arva does away with the breakfast buffet and operates on a fully a la carte basis, serving “mini” plates of a wide variety of dishes spanning continental favourites and Thai staples. Its drinks selection also boasted probiotic kombuchas, wellness shots, fresh mixed juices, breakfast smoothies, and more. Both mornings, my eyes (and appetite) zeroed in on the Thai section of the menu, strategising how to tackle the entire selection across my weekend there.
After collecting my findings, my favourites ended up being the kai toon tom yum (Thai-style egg custard with tom yum sauce and prawns), kao tom (jasmine rice soup with coriander, chives, garlic flakes, and prawns), moo ping (marinated pork skewers with sticky rice), and kai jiao poo (Thai crab meat omelette). I also included a yogurt bowl, hash browns and some cured cuts to my orders—just to add a little variety—and was pleasantly surprised with how generous they were with their servings. It goes without saying that I left each meal feeling adequately fueled for the rest of the day.
LUNCH
Once lunch hour rolls around, Arva transforms from a buzzing breakfast hangout to a more laidback lunch destination. Its menu takes on an Italian shade, detailing pastas, pizzas, proteins, and more. My first meal at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok was, in fact, at Arva. I hadn’t eaten since my early morning flight and everything on the menu was calling out my name. Thankfully we had a welcome plate of cold cuts and bread, served with Aman-branded extra virgin olive oil, to hold us over the lengthy decision process.
When it came time to order, I opted for the linguine vongole e bottarga, a dish I usually go for when trying new restaurants but this time with some added depth in the form of Sardinian bottarga. The table also split a pate di fegatini (chicken liver pâté with Maraschino cherries and cocoa), carpaccio di manzo (aged beef carpaccio with parmigiano foam and rocket), and an insalata di pomodoro e burrata (heirloom tomato salad with burrata and Aman extra virgin olive oil).
My plate of pasta was silky, smooth, and al dente—AKA it checked all the right boxes in my list of pasta criteria. The bottarga was a genius addition to the dish, bringing a creamy depth of flavour that went well with the clams’ salinity. It wasn’t your typical olive oil-heavy plate of linguine vongole, but rather one that made a statement with some tasteful decadence. The sides were also smart moves on our part, supplementing our meal with great flavour presented with contemporary flair. Finally, true to the Aman brand, service was tip top, with the added pleasure of the trademark Thai hospitality taking care of us all afternoon long.
FEEL THE HEAT AT HIORI
Our first night’s dinner was spent in front of the teppanyaki grills at Hiori, one of the five dining venues at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok that is open exclusively for hotel guests, residents and Aman Club members. Chef Yoji Kitayama takes the lead, serving a masterful sequence of Japanese plates driven by seasonal ingredients.
While the usual teppanyaki dinners are rather one-dimensional with plates of grilled everything, Hiori respectfully removes itself from that narrative with a menu that offers a range of textures, flavour profiles, and techniques.
The Hiori journey takes diners through five courses, starting with a stunning sakura wood-smoked shinshu salmon tartare with uni and ikura, served alongside brioche toasted on the grill. Then came the Wagyu consommé soup with a kuruma shrimp and scallop dumpling. Clean, clear, and concentrated, the broth was a warm hug disguised as liquid gold.
For my main, I opted for the Hitachi Wagyu sirloin. It seemed like the obvious choice seeing as I was at a teppanyaki restaurant, but the sound of the alternative Canadian lobster with kinome butter sauce was just as enticing. As expected, the steak, served pre-sliced, was beefy bliss. Tender but not too fatty, rich but not too heavy on the palate. The accompanying garlic fried rice was also much appreciated, coming from me, a girl who will never turn down a meat and rice combo wherever I am.
Finally, the meal bowed out with a simple dessert of sakura ice cream, cherries, and a white flower bean compote. A nod to the season, it was the perfect antidote to a grill-heavy meal. As a whole, Hiori does the art of teppanyaki justice. For guests who want the full Hiori experience, opt for the sake pairing, featuring carefully selected pours from some of Japan’s most storied breweries.
BE SILENCED BY SUSHI AT SESUI
I spent my weekend at the hotel with two other media friends and every minute together was a scene straight out of a podcast. But there was one meal that succeeded in leaving us speechless—and that was dinner at Sesui. A massive hinoki wood sushi counter spans the length of the restaurant, which comfortably seats eight diners at a time. Behind it is chef Satoshi Tsuru and his team, who whipped up a twenty-course menu built with locally-sourced ingredients, including wasabi and a house-made soy sauce.
Our seven appetisers all measured about three-bites big and set the scene for what was about to be an absolute masterclass in precision and craftsmanship. The hotaru ika chawanmushi (firefly squid steamed egg custard), ankimo (monkfish liver) toast, and anago (conger eel) tempura were my personal favourites. Each dish presented an ingredient I know and love in ways I have never seen before, executed to a rather high standard too.
The nigiri segment of the meal was where the team’s knowledge of their ingredients really shone. From adding different garnishes to enhance flavour to changing up the format of serving, there was enough variety in the sequence that encouraged an appreciation for the craft while also keeping things exciting. In my opinion, Sesui’s menu was also most impressive because of its restraint. There was never “too much” on a plate and no overly extravagant display just for the camera.
With that being said, the kinmedai (golden eye snapper), sayori (Japanese halfbeak), zuwai kani (snow crab), and nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) truly blew me away. After a warm dose of miso soup, we were left with dessert, a scoop of buckwheat ice cream with miso caramel. This meal remains one of my most cherished from the year so far.
SPEND AN AFTERNOON AT 1872
A THAI LUNCH
Named after Nai Lert’s birth year, 1872 is the hotel’s all-day dining destination and cocktail, marked by deep sofas, spacious seating, and warm service. For our lunch here, the entire table made a beeline for its Thai specialties instead of its Western selection. While one might shy away from having Thai food at their hotel when there is in fact the rest of Bangkok to explore, the lunch menu here holds its own. But don’t expect to be served traditional Thai dishes in ways that you might find them on the city’s streets. After all, it wouldn’t be an Aman experience without some elevated touches, presented in a way that didn’t subtract from the essence of the dish itself.
Case in point: the panaeng moo yang (grilled pork neck in a peanut-based red curry) arrived with marbled slices of pork and light golden slices of roti. The pad kaprao (basil stir-fry) was made with Wagyu beef chunks, while the nam ya poo (crab curry and vermicelli) had massive chunks of crab meat swimming in a luscious yellow curry. Finally, the classic pad thai goong was served with large, juicy butterflied prawns. All in all, we had no complaints. The panaeng moo yang was enough to win me over, but the pa kaprao Wagyu, which I was initially skeptical about, truly sealed the deal.
AFTERNOON TEA
After our lunch, we paused for a little Aman Spa intermission and returned to 1872 for an afternoon tea. Freshly massaged, I needed a soft landing back into reality and this afternoon tea was exactly that.
Curated by chef Florian Couteau, the seasonal menu was a portrait of the tropical flavours that form the tapestry of Thai cuisine, all inspired by the softness of Nai Lert Park. It detailed both sweet and savoury bites, each presenting a novel way of enjoying a Thai dish we probably already know.
The spread featured tartlets, ganache bonbons, cake bites, a mini flan, and even a rain drop jelly. Its larb otoro cannelloni, fermented pork rice ball, yum pineapple tart, and khao mak rain drop jelly with crispy rice, and roasted rice ice cream with calamansi caramel were instant hits around the table. As for drinks, freshly whisky matcha and iced coffee were the ideal choices to wake our systems up just in time for our post-tea evening walk around Nai Lert Park.
A note for those who appreciate a good pre-dinner drink or nightcap: 1872 is also known for its curated cocktail programme, featuring both classic and specialty cocktails. Word on the street is that its 1872 Martini is the drink to go for here as well as its Blossom Negroni. Its wine list is also worth a peruse, with some exquisite labels that are worth splurging on.
MELT INTO A MASSAGE AT THE AMAN SPA
90-MINUTE MASSAGE
The elevators open to a beautifully intricate wooden model of a traditional Thai house affixed to a wall of hand-painted clouds—mentally, I was also already on cloud nine. We were greeted, served some welcome drinks and handed the spa’s menu on an iPad. As expected, I had a tough time deciding which treatment to opt for. There were three major contenders: a Claypot Compress Oil Massage and the Lert Siam Massage, but I ended up opting for the Rice Compress Oil Massage for its skin benefits.
After signing a registration form, I was off to my private treatment room. I got changed in a bathroom that was bigger than most I’ve been in, complete with a full shower, toilet, closet, and double vanity. Once I was prepped, my 90 minutes of paradise began—but not without a quick foot rinse and confirmation of the level of pressure I wanted for the massage.
During my massage, all the tension in my body was kneaded, prodded, and squeezed away by my therapist who seemed to have the strength of a hundred elephants. Exclusive to Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, the treatment involves heated sticky rice compresses that help relax muscles and promote healthier skin. The heat from the warm sticky rice compresses seeped into my muscles, encouraging a degree of relaxation I have not felt in a while. I reluctantly rose from my softened state feeling as though my body was three times lighter than before.
A quick rinse and change later, I was brought to a “Relaxation Room”—as if the other rooms weren’t for exactly that—to snap out of my Aman Spa-branded euphoria with some warm ginger tea and cut melon.
AMAN SPA & WELLNESS CENTRE
While the massage concluded my time at the Aman Spa & Wellness centre, there is so much more for guests to explore during their stay here. With one-on-one Thai boxing sessions, pilates classes, a hair and nails salon, a Medical Wellness by Hertitude Clinic with cryotherapy chambers and an IV lounge, plus more, the three-floor facility is comprehensive to say the least. It confidently proves that Aman Nai Lert Bangkok isn’t just a destination for those exploring Bangkok, but also those who want to feel like their best selves when they leave.
ROAM THROUGH THE ROOMS OF NAI LERT PARK HERITAGE HOME
Nai Lert Park Heritage Home sits at the heart of Nai Lert Park, just under the shadows of the towering hotel. The former residence of the patron’s family, this perfectly preserved home acts as a time capsule, packed with heirlooms, antiques, and memorabilia from its storied past.
Nai Lert, who was a prolific businessman responsible for many of Thailand’s firsts across industries, had an eye for graceful opulence, as evident in his choice of furniture and decor. We were hosted to a private tour of the home, left mostly untouched aside from the safekeeping of these artifacts, in which we learned all about the life of Nai Lert.
Throughout the tour, we also were told of all the details in the hotel that paid homage to him and his family. For example, while the family were no strangers to having multiple pets—including a leopard—at a time, his wife’s favourite happened to be a dog named Eleven. It is for this reason that the hotel’s only pet-friendly floor is, you guessed it, the eleventh floor. Speaking of the leopard, those privy to this knowledge will start to notice leopard-printed details popping up around the hotel, including in the Aman Suite.
The hour-long tour is, for good reason, one of the hotel’s most popular experiences and I am here to personally vouch for its value. Not only do you get to lay eyes on some of the quirkiest antiques you might never see elsewhere, but you’ll also gain an even deeper appreciation for the hotel’s attention to detail and thoughtfulness in design and beyond.
BASK IN THE LUXURY OF THE FINEST DETAILS
To this day, my stay at Aman Nai Lert Bangkok still replays in my mind with full clarity. The cushy pillows, the smiles in the lobby, my breakfast spreads, the warmth from the sticky rice compresses, the signature scent that lingered around the property. Of course, much of the credit for this stay goes towards the bigger elements of the overall experience. But what brought the weekend to Eden-like levels came in the form of the tiny luxurious details, all hallmarks of an Aman stay.
Let me break down just some of the niceties that I was treated to, starting from the moment I got off my flight. Upon landing, I was escorted from the jet bridge to the Fast Track at immigration, through baggage reclaim, and into a hotel limo. We all know Bangkok traffic is not for the weak…and that’s why you’ll get to weather the highway storms in a BMW i7. In the car itself, I found myself sitting next to Aman branded Thai tea chocolates and water bottles. During my entire stay, I was greeted by name by most of the staff—a detail that was more personal than invasive.
Perhaps the most impressive was the personal WhatsApp chat that I had with the front desk. The chat remained open for me to ask questions and send requests throughout my stay. Also worth noting is the flexible check-in and check-out time, subject to availability. Finally, though not exclusive to the Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, departing the hotel isn’t all that sad when you get to go home with a little Aman branded leather luggage tag. Because this was my first Aman stay, you can imagine my surprise when I spotted the olive green accessory buckled to my bag when entering the airport.
FINAL OPINIONS
The Aman Nai Lert Bangkok was the perfect introduction to the Aman brand. From the service to the food, everything was warmly familiar yet excitingly new. Everyone who has asked about my stay since my return was responded to with an enthusiastic “so worth every penny”. Even the shortest of stays would be a treat, considering the comfort of the suites, quality of its food, and overall ambiance. Anyone considering a higher end stay during their trip to the Thai capital would be remiss not to consider Aman Nai Lert Bangkok as their home away from home.
AMAN NAI LERT BANGKOK
Address: 1 Soi Somkid, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand
Contact: +66 2 035 1111 | [email protected]
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