Known by some as the poshest areas of Bangkok, where you might have to pawn a thing or to afford rent, both Thonglor and Phrom Phong are far and away two of the city’s best areas to spend a weekend visit. Known as a hub of Japanese culture in Bangkok, they are also where some of the city’s best shopping happens and a home to its best restaurants and bars. Here’s how to spend a weekend stay. 

Shopping

Photo: The area is also home to the very first Aesop flagship store in Thailand / Aesop Thailand

Phrom Phong and Thonglor might be the most shopping-dense neighborhoods in the city, with the exception of mega-mall row at Siam BTS. Gliding from mall, to store, to shop could fill an entire weekend on its own here, shopping until your arms and legs turn into silly putty. 

Check out Emsphere if you want to see the city’s hottest new shopping destination (be prepared for crowds), a gargantuan 200,000-sq.m, multi-level, open air shopping mall packed with restaurants, cafes, shopping, lifestyle gear, and inner-Bangkok’s first Ikea. Within walking distance there’s also EmQuartier and Emporium, owned by the same mall group, which are similarly dense with lifestyle shops and restaurants, leaning more to the luxury side with brands like Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Off-White. 

Take a detour down the main Thonglor road and find your way to Donki Mall for wall-to-wall imported Japanese goods—everything from pastries, funny socks, and samurai sword umbrellas to sushi, gadgets, and nearly everything else Japan makes that people want to buy. 

The area is also home to the very first Aesop flagship store in Thailand if you are looking for a skin care boost or just want to sample some of the goodies. For the more adventurous shoppers out there, who don’t mind hopping in a taxi or two to get around, Dasa Books is one of the city’s best spots to dig through used books (many of them English titles), and one of Bangkok’s favorite homegrown women’s fashion boutiques, Vickteerut, is just off the main drag. Lastly, for the real gem hunters out there, Moss Terrace is an other-worldly feeling arts and crafts store run by a Japanese owner who upcycles discarded furniture into stunning home decor items—the space doubles as a cafe so you can give your legs a break while there. 

Stay

Photo: Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok / Facebook

There are lots of hotels packed into this part of town, and considering all that there is to do you are best to choose a location as close to the action as possible. Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok is hard to beat in that department. It sits less than a minute’s walk from the area’s main shopping malls, and right by Sukhumvit road for easy cab access. Room rates (from B5,273/night) are some of the best you will find for the location and quality of accommodation, including some great views of downtown Bangkok, comfy 250-thread count linens, and Crabtree & Evelyn amenities. Its proximity to all of the area’s major shopping centers also means that you can take daytime breaks at the poolside lounge, Pool Bar at Lapse, after your morning shopping session. The hotel’s Italian eatery, Scalini, has long been known to be one of the city’s best and has participated in our very own BK Restaurant Week several times. 

In the same area, but with a much more eclectic style is DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sukhumvit Bangkok, and has a similar price-to-quality ratio as Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok with rooms starting just slightly lower in price (from B4,136/night) and a location that is no more than a minute or so away from the main shopping malls and BTS station. There are a few differentiating aspects. First, it’s pet friendly, which is a boon considering how rare that is in this area despite the abundance of pet owners. The aesthetic of the hotel is also a bit of a rarity in these parts—lots of funky, colorful furniture and artwork strewn throughout the common areas and rooms. If you like your IG snaps popping with color, this is a good bet. It also boasts a formidable poolside restaurant in Mosaic, specializing in international and Thai favorites. The venue transforms into a sleek cocktail lounge at night and we’re told the occasional DJ rocks up to play tunes. 

Eat

Photo: Two Michelin-star Gaa is one of the city’s pioneering Indian restaurants / BK Magazine

You are in the Japanese neck of the woods here, so it would be foolish to visit this part of town without stepping into at least one izakaya (a Japanese-style pub) and ramen shop. For izakayas, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more bustling and vibrant venue than Kenzo Suisan, where both students and salarymen pack each night to munch on grilled seafood, yakitori skewers and down giant frosty mugs of beer. For ramen, hit up Kiri Tsukemen, which opened this year to tremendous fanfare among Bangkok’s thousands of ramen crazed foodies. Realistically you could walk blindfolded through Thonglor and bump into good Japanese food, but if you want to dip your toes into other cuisines the area is still one of the city’s best. 

Scalini near Phrom Phong BTS has long been one of Bangkok’s best Italian restaurants and a great choice if you are looking to wind down from a day of shopping. Or, take in some Eastern Thai food (not easily found in Bangkok) at Sri Trat.

Some of the country’s outright best Michelin star restaurants are found near the hotels, such as Southern Thai specialist Sorn (two Michelin stars), Indian pioneer Gaa (two Michelin stars), and genre-defying Canvas (one Michelin star). Although pricey, these venues will show you what the best chefs in Bangkok are cooking up. 

Despite the area’s glitzy reputation, there are some good street eats to be had on the cheap. The crispy oyster omelet at Hoy Tod Chao Lay has no business being as good as it is for B60. Similarly, the chicken rice at Khao Mun Kai Boon Tong Kiat has a reputation that stretches way outside Thonglor. 

Drink

Photo: Rabbit Hole offers classic drinks with technical twists / Rabbit Hole

True to form, the most affluent neighborhoods in Bangkok are also some of the best places to take in nightlife and grab a drink. Rabbit Hole, owned by the same company that runs Canvas, is a perpetual Asia’s 50 Best nominee—their classic drinks with technical twists and infusions attract all Thonglor’s pretty faces. For something a little more in-the-know, Yoshi Bar has been a cult favorite among writers and journalists for its cozy atmosphere and sake by the glass specials. For music enthusiasts who want to dive into a bit of Thai culture, Studio Lam is a borderline legendary drinking and dancing enclave the booms with adventurous live sounds—Thai funk, Ethio-jazz, modern boogie—and ya dong (herb-infused Thai alcohol) cocktails. Beer enthusiasts, who enjoy their decor on the weirder side, should check out Hair of the Dog, which has a huge range of beers from across the world, both on tap and by the bottle, matched with a horror film-like aesthetic. 

For poolside drinks, both hotels mentioned have great options that will give you plenty of relaxation during the day. Hilton Sukhumvit has Pool Bar at Lapse, where you can catch some rays with your favorite drink while nuzzled in a lounge chair. Mosaic at DoubleTree Hilton Sukhumvit, while part restaurant, extends into the pool area and transforms into a cocktail lounge at night. 

If you are looking for a launching pad to a weekend (or longer) in one of Bangkok’s most action-packed areas, book a room at either Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok or DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sukhumvit Bangkok and take in everything Thonglor and Phrom Phong have to offer. 

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