Thailand’s rooftop bars turn sunset into the main event

There are sunset drinks, and then there are Thai sky bar sunsets with cheese, cava foam, tapas, infinity pools and wood-smoked Peking duck.

Across Thailand, three Meliá rooftop venues are giving golden hour a serious upgrade, each with its own flavour. In Chiang Mai, it is all about artisan Thai cheese and local wine. In Bangkok, Spanish-style social hours spill across a dramatic rooftop pool deck. In Pattaya, sunset comes with Gulf views and a Hong Kong-style Peking duck feast.

The Slate Phuket: industrial chic luxury on Nai Yang Beach

At Phuket’s quieter northern end, The Slate blends Bill Bensley’s audacious tin-mine design with family-friendly resort ease, memorable dining and a rare sense of seclusion close to Nai Yang Beach.

Words: Roderick Eime || Images: supplied

It is tempting, when writing about resorts, to reach for the same polished vocabulary that appears in every brochure and online review. Sanctuary. Oasis. Hideaway. Retreat. Most of the time, those words are merely decorative. At The Slate Phuket, however, they come closer than usual to the truth.

The Retreat Koh Chang: Quiet Luxury on Thailand’s Green Island

Thailand’s islands are often associated with excess. Vast beachfront resorts, crowded pool decks and all-night beach parties have become part of the country’s tourism mythology. Yet tucked away on Koh Chang, near the Cambodian border, The Retreat Koh Chang offers something markedly more restrained and sophisticated.

Song Wat, Bangkok: Where the City’s Past Still Trades

I arrived in Bangkok expecting another extension of Chinatown’s sensory overload, but Song Wat Road reveals itself more gradually. Running parallel to the Chao Phraya River, this narrow strip feels like a working archive—less polished than other revived districts, but arguably more authentic.

History, food and fun at Asiatique The Riverfront, Bangkok

 Set along a broad curve of the Chao Phraya River, Asiatique The Riverfront is one of Bangkok’s most atmospheric leisure precincts—part night market, part dining district and part riverside promenade. It combines modern retail and entertainment with a deliberately preserved sense of the city’s maritime past. Since opening in 2012, the complex has become a popular evening destination for both visitors and locals seeking food, shopping and river views in a single location.

Celebrating Lunar New Year at Luxury Destinations Across Thailand

2026 is the Year of the Horse, and a fun-filled festival across many countries in Asia. Here is a compilation of hotel and resort options offering a little something special on Feb. 17 as they mark Chinese New Year in Thailand.

The Weekend of Romance - Voluptuous Valentine’s Venues in Thailand

Whether it’s a marriage proposal, a special anniversary or simply just an opportunity to get away and spend some quality time with the one you love, Valentine’s Day is the time when romance springs eternal. Here is a compilation of lavish resorts and hotels in Thailand that are ideal for a memorable weekend.