Most Bangkok locals haven’t been to the old city since a school field trip, and most tourists rush through it in half a day: Grand Palace, Wat Pho, photo, done. Both groups are missing the essence of Phra Nakhon, Bangkok’s historic old town on Rattanakosin Island.
Phra Nakhon is a completely different city from the one you know on the Sukhumvit line. There are no sky trains, no huge condominiums, and no brunch menus with QR codes, but wide temple courtyards, jasmine garland vendors, local coffee shops frequented by local uncles, and streets that smell like frying garlic and old wood.
As someone who has lived in Bangkok for more than 8 years, I’ll admit I don’t come here nearly enough. Three nights at Centara Life Hotel Bangkok Phra Nakhon reminded me why I should.
What Is Centara Life?
If you know Centara Hotels & Resorts, you know it as Thailand’s homegrown hotel group. Centara Life is their newer, more flexible brand, sitting in the upper-midscale category. The concept is guest-first, breakfast served until 4pm, 24-hour check-in and check-out, complimentary Thai snacks every afternoon, and a night noodle station running until 11pm. It’s designed for people who don’t want to be managed by a hotel schedule, and it delivers on that promise.
The room
I stayed in a 44-square-metre Premium Suite with a king bed, day bed, separate living and dining area, and a beautiful round bathtub. Simply put, the design is modern, spacious, and comfortable.
What actually got me was something smaller. I’d mentioned ahead of time that it was my anniversary, and when I walked in, two towel dolls were waiting on the bed! Folded with care, the male doll had a romantic smirk. It was a small gesture that was special to my partner and me.
The food, and yes, the kaphrao
The kaphrao at Déjà Brew Lifestyle Café is exceptional, and I will stand by that. Dry-fried, deeply fragrant, served with an egg yolk that breaks perfectly over the top.
I have had hundreds of kaphrao variations as a local in Thailand, and this one is unlike the others, because it’s dry-fried, and the flavour is concentrated. It is also available to order from room service, which is worth knowing!
Déjà Brew is the hotel’s all-day café, open from 6:30am to 11pm, and it covers every hour. Breakfast spread in the morning, solid Thai mains through the day, and a night noodle station – Tom Yum, Mala, Yen Ta Fo – for when you come back late from a night out!
The free afternoon snacks are a nice bonus too: Khao Tan, Khao Kreab, and Khao Kreab Takai, served in big glass jars like something out of a 90s Thai kitchen.
Don’t skip the happy hour
The hotel runs a daily happy hour from 5pm to 6pm featuring local cocktails and drinks. The tom yum cocktail is “interesting” and worth trying at least once for the experience. The bartender also makes my favourite classic — the whiskey sour — quite exceptionally.
The neighbourhood – this is the real reason to visit
Here’s my honest take as someone who has lived in Bangkok for more than 8 years: Khao San Road has a reputation. Locals avoid it because of the tourists. Tourists overlook what’s actually around it because of the party scene.
But Khao San is worth walking around; there’s really more to it than the neon signs and backpacker bars, and the streets surrounding it are full of good eateries and cheap souvenirs.
The hotel offers a free tuk-tuk shuttle to Khao San every 30 minutes from 4pm to 8:30pm, which is the right way to get there. Otherwise, if the weather and heat allow, it’s just a 30-minute walk.
Here are my off-the-path findings!
Unbranded Café is walkable from the hotel and completely off any tourist path – an open-air space covered in trees, quiet, full of green, with good drinks at great prices. It’s the kind of place that locals stumble across but don’t tell anyone about.
Hia Tai Kee Visukrasat is a traditional kopitiam-style coffee shop where the regulars have been coming longer than most tourists have been alive. Strong coffee, a completely unreconstructed atmosphere, and very photogenic. Go for the coffee, not the photo, and you’ll enjoy it more.
Wat Intharawihan is a 10-minute walk through the neighbourhood alleys and houses one of the tallest standing Buddha images in Bangkok – 32 metres of gilded presence that somehow never makes it onto the tourism billboards.
Ruam Yang Market is the local thrifting and street food spot that hasn’t been polished for visitors, which is exactly what makes it worth visiting.
Pak Khlong Talat and Napatsorn Flower Café
About six minutes by car from the hotel (recommended over walking in Bangkok’s heat) Pak Khlong Talat is the city’s famous flower market and worth every minute of the detour. From there, make your way to Napatsorn Flower Café, which is well-loved by locals and a hidden gem for tourists who are willing to venture a little further.
This article is for the Bangkokians who haven’t crossed to this side of the city, and for the tourist who wants to experience Bangkok rather than just photograph it. The kaphrao alone is worth the stay at Centara Life, and the Phra Nakhon neighbourhood will take care of the rest for you.
Practical Info about Centara Life
Address: 78 Prajatipatai Road, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
Nearest MRT: Sam Yot station
Airports: Don Mueang ~30 mins / Suvarnabhumi ~60 mins
Parking: Complimentary basement parking available
Room types: Superior (21–27 sqm), Deluxe (24 sqm), Premium Deluxe (31–38 sqm), Premium Suite (44 sqm)
Book: centarahotelsresorts.com/centara-life
Instagram: @centaralifephranakhon | Facebook: Centara Life Hotel Bangkok Phra Nakhon
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