Shanghai Mansion Bangkok

This is Chinatown at its most vivid. Shanghai Mansion stands on Yaowarat Road, where gold shops and herbal medicine stores line the street by day, and food stalls take over after dark. Some of Bangkok's best street food is right outside the door. Wat Mangkon MRT is a short walk away, and Chinatown's Soi Nana bars are close by for a late drink.

The building began life in 1892 as a trading house and, in 1908, became Bangkok's first Chinese opera house, popular with members of the royal family. Later it was a stock exchange and a department store. Today it captures the glamour of 1930s Shanghai, with bold colours, rich fabrics and imperial-style furniture. You arrive over a little red bridge.

Rooms are full of character, with Chinese antiques, silks, brocades and dark wood, and the suites add more space to spread out. The minibar is free and restocked daily.

The restaurant serves modern Chinese dishes in a room straight out of 1930s Shanghai, and it opens right onto Yaowarat Road. Live jazz plays every night, so stay for a cocktail before heading out to the street-food stalls.

Spa Burasari blends Eastern and Western treatments in a calm retreat from the busy street. After a day of exploring Chinatown on foot, a Thai massage here is hard to resist.