My wife, son and I stayed at the Siam for five nights. In fact, we were the Siam's very first guests (at least the first guests not in the travel industry), a fact very nicely acknowledged by Jason Friedman, the General Manager with a hand-written note of congratulations.
One of the things that became apparent early on is that the Siam has lofty aspirations - to become the best in a city literally bursting with five star properties. Such becomes apparent in so many ways large and small. Perhaps the most compelling evidence thereof is demonstrated by ownership's investment in the Hotel's human resources - the GM has opened two Four Seasons properties, the Director of Sales and Marketing has experience at three different Aman resorts, and our butler had served at Trisara on Phuket. Each of these gentlemen were intimately involved in delivering superb service at every turn.
On our first night, before we had learned the ropes of the Bangkok Transit System, the Director of Sales and Marketing accompanied my family on the Hotel's launch to the nearest BTS station, made sure we knew how to purchase tickets, rode with us on the train, and then by cab to the restaurant where we had dinner. Earlier that same day, the exceptionally helpful concierge, Khun Teera, arranged for a staff member to run to the store to add talk time to my phone. Most extraordinarily, I didn't have to ask (which is likely a good thing, since I would have been reluctant to do so).
Our butler, North, was similarly exceptional. Each morning, he would review the activities that had been previously arranged for the day and, regardless of the hour, he would be patiently awaiting our return to make sure everything had gone as planned. It always did. I would particularly like to mention that North, in addition to his professionalism, did his work with much grace, warmth, and kindness. We would only hope that, one day soon, we could be so fortunate as to be in his capable hands once again.
Our room, a Riverview Pool Suite, was everything one could hope for. I don't need to describe how it looks, that is easily discovered from the Hotel's website (whose pictures are perfectly accurate representations of what you will see upon arrival). What I could add is the obvious quality of the hard product . . . from the woods used, the fittings and fixtures, the bed clothes, it is apparent that no expense has been spared.
We had two opportunities to eat at the restaurant, Chon. The restaurant has both Thai and Western (Italian, largely) menus. As a lover of all things Italian, I decided to order the gnocchi. Gnocchi is (I have been told) notoriously difficult to do well. In my estimation, they were as good as any I've had . . . little light pillows of sublime goodness!
As wonderful as all this sounds, I do think it is important to realize that, for some, the Hotel's location will be a negative. It is a bit of a long trek (30 minutes) to the nearest BTS station. So, if you've never travelled to Bangkok and want to spend your days (for example) on the BTS traveling from shopping district to shopping district, you'll spend a lot of time in transit. If, on the other hand, you would prefer to allocate your time a bit differently . . . some shopping and sightseeing to be sure . . . but with a focus on getting away to a stunningly beautiful resort hotel in the midst of all the craziness of Bangkok, then the Siam is most assuredly your best bet.