It is not a misconception that tourists see sides of cities locals often take for granted. On the Chao Phraya Express, for instance, the riverboat service plies the Chao Phraya River from 6am to 6:30pm daily, stopping at attractions ranging from the open-air night fair Asiatique and hustle-and-bustle Chinatown, to superluxury retail megapolis IconSiam. Gliding through water, instead of bracing never-ending traffic, it is not quite the daily commute that locals take.
The Chao Phraya Express also stops at The StandardX Phra Arthit, the hotel chain’s first property in Asia that riffs on The Standard’s ethos of studied irreverence and art-centred personality. At just 62 rooms, the property, streamlined in monochromatic tones, is a top-to-toe refurbishment of a previous hotel and is, at once, personable and appealing to any 1990s minimalist who appreciates clean, structured lines.
View the rooms at The StandardX Phra Arthit
In fact, The StandardX Phra Arthit’s bare-bones chic spaces resemble art gallery-like environs, designed by Studio Freehand and the hotel’s in-house team. Its public places and guest rooms are kitted in white and jet black. One supposes the artistic aspects come in the forms of guests who reside in the rooms, each a visiting installation with their quirky life narrative. It would, however, be specious not to mention the art that is actually in and around the hotel.
Embedded within and around the building’s walls is an exacting curation by 10 10 Art Space’s founders Ravipan Jaruthavee and Adisorn Nilkawe. Take, for instance, colourful, tropically influenced woodcuts sold at The Box. These works give poignant hints of West Hollywood in the early 1990s, a time vicariously experienced by the artist and translated to the present to tug at heartstrings for those with the visual and the emotional backstory to recognise.
The store, located by the lobby, is a quirky extrapolation of what a hotel gift shop can actually become if tapped into an artsy but never-trying-too-hard creative vibe.
“Thai artists are a diverse group, encompassing both emerging local talents filled with creative energy and seasoned artists with deep experience and perspectives,” Jaruthavee says. “The works selected reflect a variety of styles and concepts, creating a rich and engaging artistic landscape that allows audiences to appreciate beauty in many different forms.” These works include those by Gongkan and MRKREME, both artists commissioned to impart their personal stamp upon the hotel’s streetside and river-facing frontage.
Jaruthavee adds that the intention was to fill the environment with a sense of “positivity and relaxation”. In a society burdened with stress and pressure, he explains, “art becomes a sanctuary where people can take a break from emotional turmoil, immerse themselves in the beauty of artistic creations, and find joy and fulfilment through the experience of art.”
Likewise, The StandardX Phra Arthit is perfectly moulded as an insider’s sanctuary. Some rooms have direct river views, facing Phra Arthit Pier—a focal point of Bangkok life for centuries—now inundated with daily streams of tourists. Banglamphu, the area where the hotel is located, is part of Bangkok’s old town. Next to the hotel is Phra Sumen Fort. Some ramparts, formerly used as a line of city defences, remain. The lively Khao San Road is a five-minute walk away. With its edgy yet approachable vibes, The StandardX Phra Arthit stands out in a sea of middle-of-the-road hotels. Access to other parts of Bangkok is also convenient. For 40 baht and a ride on the Chao Phraya Express, travellers can skip traffic jams and access the city’s skytrain network at Saphan Taksin.
Over at Bang, the hotel’s easygoing Thai restaurant triples as a breakfast spot for guests and a performance space for a Gen Z DJ who carries a mobile deck in time for sunset cocktails. Similar to the chilled aesthetics, the music policy here is studied low-key house tunes. The food here, however, veers more faithfully to local culinary conventions.
View the various dishes on offer
Order the deep-fried mussels and the ‘secret sauce’ that comes with it, or the southern-style grilled chicken with roti. There is also the crowd-pleasing soft-shell crab with tangy tamarind sauce, as well as the Kamphaeng Saen beef gold shank swimming in a flavourful green curry. These homestyle dishes are tasty and traditional foil to the buzzy scene that fast develops. The timeless Chao Phraya River is the perfect accompaniment, bopping in step with the DJ’s beats, and flows dependably in one direction beyond.
