Nearby in the Sathorn district, the super-chic, 407-room W Bangkok hotel opened its doors in December 2012 (parts of the hotel are still under construction).

BBC: Business trip: Bangkok

If you tire of Thai fire and spice, tuck into meticulously prepared Italian classics such as veal carpaccio, fillet of baccala (cod), or dry aged steaks from the open kitchen at La Scala, located on the lush, tranquil grounds of the Sukhothai Bangkok hotel on Sathorn Road.

BBC: Business trip: Bangkok

French fashion icon Christian Lacroix collaborated with five Thai designers to create the lavish, whimsical interiors of the 238-room Sofitel So Bangkok, which opened in March 2012 in a glass tower at the intersection of busy Sathorn and Rama IV Roads, within walking distance of both BTS and MRT stations.

BBC: Business trip: Bangkok