Shanghai Mansion Bangkok is superbly sited for those who wish to stay in the heart of Bangkok's jubilantly chaotic Chinatown, and who appreciate quirky interior design. Rising above a restaurant and coffee shop (don't be put off by the mall-like exterior), you reach the second-floor lobby by lift. Architect Julian Coombs has sought to reflect the colour and character of Shanghai Mansion’s namesake; think decorative Chinese lanterns, plush red silk cushions and antique birdcages.
The lobby lounge, in opulent ‘30s Shanghai style, is a great place to bring your book or magazine. Or gaze down from the library’s internal balconies through the colourful hanging lantern-decked atrium onto which the stained-glass-windowed rooms look. But the Shanghai Mansion is really all about its rooms - great fun in either chinoiserie chic or pre-war Colonial, with cushion-bedecked four-poster beds and lantern-dominated bathrooms. This is the perfect place for the budget-conscious who want to be in the heart of the action.
Highs
- Located in one of our favourite areas of Bangkok - bags of character, dripping in history and the cities best street food and restaurants on your doorstep
- Contemporary chinoiserie or pre-war Shanghai-style rooms will provoke a gasp upon entering and are romantically intimate
- During our last visit we were delighted with the dim sum afternoon tea, served by older Chinese ladies who took great pleasure in telling us about each tea on offer
- A cool, quiet haven with little or no traffic noise - impressive considering the intensity of Chinatown’s streets
Lows
- Superior Rooms (Mei Hua) are smaller than the other rooms and lack natural daylight - we'd opt for one of the Deluxe Rooms (Ying Hua) instead
- Thin doors in Superior Rooms (Mei Hua) mean that, audio-wise, nothing is left to the imagination; common areas are also noisy so ask for a room away from the lobby lounge
- Check-in can be rather disorganised and staff speak limited English; we did get very big smiles though
- The hotel’s restaurant, Red Rose, though good, can’t be beaten by the street food in Chinatown
Best time to go
Bangkok is a good year round destination, but it can get very wet from July to October. Although the heat is on all year round, March to May is the hottest time to be in the city, and December to February the coolest.
Our top tips
Although the in-house restaurant serves up tasty food, do save some space for the Chinatown street food available in the evening just outside the door. It’s fresh, tasty and diverse, with each stall having its own specialty. Plus the people watching opportunities from a street-side stall are endless!
- Boutique Hotel
- 76 rooms
- Restaurant and bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- City tours
Rooms
Shanghai Mansion Bangkok's charming rooms are spread across a number of floors. We stayed in a cosy Superior Room (Mei Hua, meaning ‘Plum Blossom’) which was decorated in a vibrant contemporary Chinese style, and had a carved wooden four-poster bed, silk cushions, a polished-concrete floor, brightly coloured rugs, and red and lilac painted walls.
Suites (Mu Dan) are bigger and feature a free-standing bathtub, a living area and a private terrace with a daybed. That extra space makes all the difference. Some overlook Chinatown’s main thoroughfare, and with that bustling view comes some traffic noise. Swing open red double doors and you'll find an open-concept bathroom with shower, large hanging lanterns and a birdcage sporting ornamental birds.
But our rooms of choice are the grand, romantic Deluxe (Ying Hua) ‘Cherry Blossom’ rooms, decorated in opulent '30s Shanghai style. Each has its own calligraphy sign above the door, a luxurious double bed and, their piece de resistance, a deep free-standing bathtub, as well as access to a shared terrace. The ones in front are somewhat exposed to noise from the restaurant. Those on the second floor surround a landscaped goldfish pond.
Most rooms look onto the hotel's interior atrium through stained-glass windows, and all feature a satellite TV, WiFi, a complimentary minibar (with beer, soft drinks and snacks), and tea-making facilities (Chinese tea, of course).
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Cots available
- DVD player
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Minibar
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
A morning buffet spread is provided in the Cotton Breakfast Restaurant, with its kitschy paintings of Jazz-era Chinese beauties and opulent fabrics. You get a mix of Western and Asian options on both the buffet and a la carte menu, including fresh fruit, cereal, yoghurt, pancakes, ham, toast, dim sum, tea and French press coffee.
Red Rose is open for lunch and dinner on the third floor. On offer is the usual mix of drinks, as well as a substantial Thai and Chinese menu; we wish we’d had the chance (or appetite) to try the deep-fried sea bass, sticky rice steamed with Chinese herbs and topped with crab meat, or deep-fried tofu infused with carrots, ginko and mushrooms. Meals are paired with Chinese whiskeys and crisp plum wine.
The Shanghai Terrace is a jazz lounge on an open air terrace overlooking Yaowarat Road. By day, enjoy refreshing drinks and watch the hubbub go by; by night a live jazz lineup entertains while you sip away into the night.
There’s a complimentary dim sum afternoon tea, served in the lobby lounge outside the rooms. Sample the selection of fresh fruit and Chinese teas; all of which is served up by friendly smiling old ladies who explained the difference between each pot of leaves - after an exhausting morning of shopping, it was a welcome break from the hustle and bustle outside.
Be sure to eat out while you're here as this area serves the full gamut of glutinous banquet food. Seafood lovers have only to walk a few paces to be sated beyond their wildest dreams. To your right are a number of popular seafood restaurants (please avoid any selling shark fin soup), but better still, turn into the soi (street) known as Soi Texas which has a popular market selling huge fresh prawns, sea bass and crabs - watch them sizzle over charcoal fires before tucking in. Street food vendors abound in this area and standards are incredibly high; follow your nose and the queues to sample dishes that you'll dream about for years.
Features include:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
Activities
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Historical sites
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
- Traditional cultures
- Well being
Kids
Shanghai Mansion Bangkok welcomes all ages. Baby cots are free of charge, and extra beds incur an additional charge, however 1 child under 12 can stay in their parents' bed for free in all room types (breakfast is charged as extra). That said, the frenetic nature of Bangkok’s Chinatown is not the ideal place to bring kids.
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
Suites (Mu Dan) are best suited to families as they can fit 2 children in the existing beds (1 double and a day bed ), and the room can accommodate a further extra bed. The Deluxe (Ying Hua) can fit 1 child in the existing double bed as well as 1 additional rollaway bed. All can fit a baby cot.
Please state when enquiring if you would like your child to sleep in an extra bed or share your own bed.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Baby equipment:
Baby cots are available on request.
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Kids Activities nearby:
- Safari World
- Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre
- Dusit Zoo
- Siam Ocean World
- Siam Discovery Museum
- Madame Tussauds
Distances:
- Airport: 35 minutes
- Hospital: 30 minutes
- Shops: 2 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Shanghai Mansion Bangkok is located in Bangkok's Chinatown district. It's a 5 minute walk from Wat Mangkon MRT station and about 15 minutes by taxi from Siam Paragon and MBK Shopping Centres.
By Air:
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (25km) is the closest international airport, while Don Muang receives domestic flights. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
The hotel can arrange a transfer from either airport - see Rates - or you can jump in a taxi. It's approximately an hour's drive, dependent on the heavy Bangkok traffic. You're better off using the Airport Rail Link which is quick, efficient and much cheaper (you can then connect to the MRT).
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Thailand and getting around
Airports:
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International 25.0 km BKK
Other:
- Beach 30.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km