Just recently, I stayed for a week at Novotel in Siam Square. The hotel offered a great kind of “Sandbox” deal with six nights below 10 000 baht.
In my previous Bangkok years, I lived in Ratchatewi, so it was a short walk to Siam Square or just one Skytrain station away.
Now I wanted to discover and experience it all again. So I fell directly for Novotel’s priceworthy offer. The hotel had renovated the rooms. There was also a luscious breakfast buffet.
Yet, Novotel was a bit understaffed at the moment, so sometimes I had to remind them to clean my room. Regardless, all in all, it was a pleasant experience to stay in Novotel Siam Square for a week.
Booking.comFrom humble beginnings to brand malls
The first buildings at Siam Square were constructed in the late 1960s on land belonging to Chulalongkorn University. The purpose was to create rental income for the university.
From a modest beginning when the district contained mostly ordinary shops, gradually the focus changed to more and more luxury stores. Then came the property hotel developers, nice dinners, mega malls and so on. Now you find a fascinating construction of sky bridges connecting several shopping centres to Siam Square. Now, this sky connection takes you the whole way to Chidlom. By the way, Chulalongkorn still owns the land. The Chula Property oversees it.
Siam Square the trendiest area in Bangkok
To speak in Tokyo terms, Siam Square has a bit of Shibuya and Harajuku for young people strolling around. It is simply the trendiest shopping district in Bangkok. Here you find super-luxury malls that put it on equal footing with Ginza and Omotesando. Encompassing the National Stadium area, there is also the galleria mall of MBK with its electronic and phone shops and the knock offs and clothes sections.
In Siam Square, you get it all; giant digital tv screens, Madame Tussauds, small markets, a mega aquarium, Hard Rock Cafe, and luxury cinemas.
Not to forget the local delight from the small Muslim quarters and the traditional house and museum of the legendary silk king, Jim Thomson. Additionally, you can enjoy some of the best luxury coffee shops and restaurants in Bangkok in the Paragon department store and Central World. Just try Harrods in Paragon or Pauls in Central World. If you like Starbucks, you have a few choices. A popular option is Starbucks Siam Square One.
On the street level, you will find a friendly hawkers centre and upgraded boat noodle shops selling wagyu beef side by side to delicious croissant bakeries and local spirit houses.
Then, of course, Siam Square is where you go people watching. I love standing on the skywalk, gazing at the art installations, and looking down at life passing by below. People are strolling around looking for eats and going about with their businesses. It is the sound of Asia spending and reaping money; the crowds changing skytrains, the outdated red buses, the colourful taxis and the noisy Tuk Tuks.
A photo journey into Siam Square
Below you will find photos from some of the stunning places of Siam Square. Siam is an interchange station for sky trains, so it is easy to reach anywhere in Bangkok.
