These Are the 11 Best Hotels in Thailand

Call it the White Lotus effect: Since HBO’s show announced Thailand as the location for its third season, there’s been a boom in interest in travel to this Southeast Asian nation. Yes, the series’ film sets—including the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui and Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental—are some of Thailand’s very best places to stay. But Thailand is home to many other excellent retreats that set a high standard for hospitality in the region.

Since making Bangkok my home in 2013, I’ve checked into hundreds of hotels in every corner of the country. For Afar’s latest installment of Hotels We Love, I’ve selected 11 of its top accommodations, from dreamy island resorts to smart urban refuges, to book for your next visit to the Land of Smiles.

Amanpuri

• Location: Phuket
• Why we love it: The original Aman resort, with one of Thailand’s best spas
• From $1,662
• Book now

For hospitality nerds, visiting the all-villa Amanpuri draped over a coconut grove on Phuket’s hilly western shores is a rite of passage: Opened in 1988 as the first Aman resort, it laid the foundation for one of the world’s most illustrious hotel brands. Even though decades have passed, Amanpuri’s Thai-inspired design—all pointy roofs, fresh orchids, and polished teak—remains timeless, and its semi-private beach is still one of the prettiest you’ll find on the island. With its IV drips, high-tech hydrotherapy suites, and a small army of doctors on staff, the sprawling spa is one of Thailand’s best.

Capella Bangkok

Courtesy of Ekkapong Tantiponprasert/Capella Bangkok

• Location: Bangkok
• Why we love it: A riverside hotel with pool villas and standout dining
• From $850
• Loyalty program: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)
• Book now

Capella Bangkok isn’t simply another luxury hotel. It’s a new benchmark for Thai hospitality (with eye-watering nightly rates to match). The straight-lined and marble-heavy rooms and villas come with such ultra-indulgent perks as plunge pools or private tropical gardens that sit right on the Chao Phraya River’s edge, while top-notch butler service and a spa with all the bells and whistles give little reason to leave the property at all. So does its collection of bars and restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Côte by Argentine celebrity chef Mauro Colagreco, and the ritzy Stella bar, where smart mixologists shake up drinks inspired by Bangkok’s city districts.

Devasom Khao Lak

• Location: Khao Lak
• Why we love it: A beach retreat with sea-facing villas and plenty of on-site activities
• From $178
• Book now

With its plum position between a palm-fringed lagoon and a honey-gold beach, Devasom Khao Lak delivers holiday bliss in spades. Its rooms range from sprawling suites to villas with private pools right on the sand, but the real showstoppers are the Andaman Sea–facing Sky Villas—each with a rooftop infinity pool and a glass-walled dining room. The activities program is equally enticing: Every week, guest DJs transform the library lounge into a vinyl listening room, while ceramic workshops, yoga sessions, and guided cycling tours keep you busy between beach strolls and pool dips.

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui

Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

• Location: Koh Samui
• Why we love it: The site of HBO’s The White Lotus remains one of Thailand’s best beach getaways
• From $1,400
• Book now

Fanning out on a palm-covered hillside overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui has been a coveted getaway since it opened almost 20 years ago. This year, it’s catapulted to global fame because HBO’s hit series The White Lotus filmed its third season here. The 60 villas, each with a private infinity pool and lots of outdoor space, tumble down to a powdery beach, while rum-fueled sundowners at the CoCoRum bar and all-natural treatments at the jungle-cloaked spa make it easy to slip into Samui’s easy island rhythm.

InterContinental Khao Yai

Courtesy of InterContinental Khao Yai Resort

• Location: Khao Yai
• Why we love it: A Bill Bensley–designed resort at nature’s doorstep with reclaimed railway carriage suites
• From $355
• Loyalty program: IHG One Rewards
• Book now

Wedged between a constellation of lakes and the steamy jungles of central Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park, the InterContinental Khao Yai is pure storybook whimsy—which is no surprise, given that it’s the brainchild of eccentric architect Bill Bensley. The buildings that most rooms are housed in take their design cues from a Rama V–era railway station nearby, but it’s the stand-alone villas that steal the show: Each is a reclaimed railway carriage fitted with Thai textiles, leather sofas, and a copper bathtub on their terrace. Days flow from breakfasts surrounded by jungle to afternoon tea in a vintage dining carriage and sultry evenings in the Papillon Bar.

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

• Location: Bangkok
• Why we love it: The city’s grande dame remains one of the top places to stay
• From $750
• Book now

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has hosted everyone from Joseph Conrad to the Prince of Wales since opening in 1876, but despite its age, this Bangkok landmark feels anything but dated (partly due to a fresh, floral-heavy refurbishment in 2019). Here, days kick off with breakfasts on the riverfront terrace, afternoons play out in the extensive spa, and evenings belong to the mirror-ceilinged Bamboo Bar, where sultry jazz, award-winning cocktails, and the occasional celebrity sighting set the scene.

Raya Heritage

• Location: Chiang Mai
• Why we love it: A crafts-centric retreat in artisan-filled Chiang Mai
• From $562
• Book now

The northern city of Chiang Mai is Thailand’s capital of artisanship, and few hotels make that more clear than Raya Heritage, a retreat on the banks of the Ping River centered on Thai craft traditions. Its 38 breezy suites come furnished with locally made ceramics, wickerwork, and window screens from mulberry paper, while the Khu Khao restaurant takes a similarly local approach with recipes sourced from northern Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. Inspired? Pop into the on-site boutique, Him Gong, to pick up handcrafted objects by local artisans, such as silver jewelry, indigo-dyed kaftans, and hand-carved teakwood decorative objects.

The Siam

Courtesy of the Siam

• Location: Bangkok
• Why we love it: An art deco retreat filled with Thai cultural references
• From $665
• Book now
  

Stepping into this art deco gem in Bangkok’s quiet Dusit district feels like entering the secret vault of an eccentric antiques collector. Vintage airline posters share space with ancient Buddhist wood carvings in marble-lined hallways, while suites blend timeworn Chesterfields with tropical taxidermy and retro toys. The gym has a Muay Thai boxing ring, riverfront villas open to private pools, and a traditional Sak Yant tattoo parlor hides in the basement. But none of it feels out of place—after all, the hotel’s owner, Krissada Sukosol Clapp, is one of Thailand’s most beloved pop music icons.

Six Senses Yao Noi

Courtesy of Six Senses

• Location: Koh Yao Noi
• Why we love it: A quiet alternative to Phuket with an eco-conscious philosophy
• From $830
• Book now

Just a 30-minute speedboat ride from Phuket, the hush-hush island of Koh Yao Noi feels worlds away from the hustle of one of Thailand’s busiest islands. Six Senses Yao Noi channels the castaway vibe with breezy villas from driftwood and thatch, a secluded beach, and an admirable eco-conscious ethos to keep its surroundings healthy. The village-like spa deals in all-natural remedies, while sunset cocktails at the Den and wine evenings at the glass-floored Nithan restaurant add a welcome touch of indulgence. But set your alarm: The sunrise over the karst-studded horizon is nothing short of spectacular.

The Standard Hua Hin

Courtesy of The Standard Hua Hin

• Location: Hua Hin
• Why we love it: A modern-feeling beach retreat in traditional Hua Hin
• From $110
• Book now

Resorts in Hua Hin, Thailand’s oldest resort town and the summer home of the Thai royal family, have always been a little run-of-the-mill. But the fun-loving Standard hotel group shook things up with the opening of its Hua Hin outpost at the end of 2021. This smart seafront resort draws on the brand’s Miami roots with midcentury- modern furniture, candy-striped umbrellas, and disco balls lighting the bathrooms. You’ll want to book one of the villas for easy beach access and a private pool, and don’t miss the larb-flavored tuna tartare at “Thai izakaya” restaurant Praça.

Villa Mahabhirom

• Location: Chiang Mai
• Why we love it: Restored teakwood homes offer atmospheric interiors
• From $378
• Book now

Hidden in a garden filled with frangipani and bougainvillaea in Chiang Mai, Villa Mahabhirom consists of 23 restored teakwood homes sourced from villages across central Thailand. Fitted with Italian marble bathrooms, crystal chandeliers, and gem-colored silks, they’re as comfortable as they are pretty. You’ll want to carve out plenty of time to loll around the lantern-lined pool and enjoy a bowl of steaming pho noodles in the resort’s Vietnamese restaurant. In the evenings, the candlelit courtyards and soft rustle of palm trees set the perfect mood for a nightcap.