Hospitality
ASAI Sathorn: Ode to an Urban Oasis
Crooning melodies, buoyed by mellow rhythmic refrains, wash over a tract of the sidewalk along Sathorn soi 12, at once transposing, through a musical sleight of hand, the stifling summer heat into a cozy and welcoming warmth that draws visitors and curious pedestrians alike into the charming interior of ASAI Bangkok Sathorn.
ASAI Bangkok Sathorn
ภาษาไทย
ASAI Bangkok Sathorn is a trendy lifestyle hotel founded by Dusit Thani International, a behemoth of the Thai hospitality industry. One of the company’s latest domestic ventures, ASAI Bangkok Sathorn belongs to a new line of accommodations comprised of properties in Bangkok’s Chinatown and Kyoto’s Shijo district that foreground multifunctional design, communal spaces where guests can commingle and connect, and immersion in the local community and urban environment, an avowed paradigm-shift from the rationale undergirding the venerable properties– epitomized by Dusit Thani Bangkok, the penumbral specter casting long shadows into Sathorn’s future of inveterate development and transformation– in Dusit Thani’s portfolio.
ASAI Bangkok Sathorn Interior
Dusit Thani International’s founder, Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, was the progenitor of Thailand’s enduring popularity in the contemporary era of global tourism. For years, Thailand consistently topped the ranks of the world’s most visited destinations– but that does not make it impervious to challenges. Over Dusit Thani International’s 70 year history, the global and domestic hospitality landscape has rapidly evolved, ceaselessly metabolizing major cultural, technological and geo-political shifts that have fundamentally changed our ways of living, working and engaging with the world. The ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic, which isolated many in their homes for months on end and leveled economies worldwide, had a devastating effect on Thailand’s tourism industry, only recently mitigated by the surge in tourist arrivals since last year.
Despite unprecedented outbreaks and fluctuating economic conditions, Dusit Thani International has, with customary tenacity, assimilated cultural shifts and deployed innovative business models to draw ahead of the competition. At the precipice of change once more, with global tourism and hospitality industries remobilizing along new travel trends and market directives, ASAI Sathorn is the answer to the growing tendency towards comfort, convenience and intimate connection to local culture for Dusit Thani International, a front runner of the Thai hospitality landscape. ASAI Sathorn’s accommodations, chic, thoughtfully-designed and fuss-free, complemented by their comprehensive approach to every aspect of their guests’ experience, allow them to stand out in Bangkok's booming downtown.
Room in ASAI Bangkok Sathorn
ASAI Bangkok Sathorn’s brilliant insight into the new epoch of hospitality is this: hotels are sites of community. Gone are the days when travelers head straight for their rooms after checking-in, without so much as a glance at the other guests in the lobby or a friendly conversation with a staff member. Now that a growing sector of the world’s population are opting for nomadic lifestyles and a greater number rely on travel to connect with business contacts, friends and family around the world, hotels like ASAI Bangkok Sathorn that provide the familiar comfort of community, be it in a oft-frequented neighborhood or utterly foreign terrain, point towards the future of travel.
Err, an “urban-rustic” Thai eatery
Nowadays–considering that over a quarter of travelers to Thailand in 2023 said they intend to return within the next twelve months– hotels are tasked with providing more than the basic requirements of accommodation– a place to eat, sleep and rest weary bodies and minds– but must assume the role of host if they are to win over the hearts of travelers discovering a new corner of the world. Hospitality businesses that harness the reservoir of social and cultural at their doorstep, venturing out and building relationships with the businesses, residents and cultural attractions in their vicinity, are investing in an invaluable asset for their business.
At this juncture in the evolution of global tourism, ASAI Bangkok Sathorn is the case study on how to do it right. Clean, cozy and functional rooms, and an indoor-outdoor lounge and co-working space that eliminates the division between the street and lobby encourages guests to explore a serene, residential neighborhood filled with art galleries, cafes and restaurants offering delectable fare from a variety of cuisines, street vendors and local businesses. These “local delights and secret treasures” are cataloged on a map by the hotel staff, who have perused the meandering streets themselves and are intimately familiar with the area. The hotel also regularly hosts collaborative events with businesses in the area, and invites local artists and entrepreneurs to conduct workshops that convene local and international guests, facilitating spaces where multicultural communities can engage in dialogue and the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Exterior at ASAI Bangkok Sathorn
The hotel’s decorative features are a reflection of the myriad forces– at times a congress of cacophonous impulses, at others a harmonious symphony– at play in a city, rich in history and culture, and in thrall of the inexorable march of progress. Artworks throughout the space showcase the talents of Thailand’s contemporary artists and offer a subtle commentary on the fascinating warp and weft of Bangkok. In the lounge, a fabric collage reimagines Sathorn’s urban environment as a tactile dreamscape by textile design expert Awika Samukrsamen, and abstract paintings by young designer D’Jai decorate the walls Err, an “urban-rustic” Thai eatery on the second floor of the hotel swathed in shades of conversation and laughter every evening.
