restoration – Tom Vater

Will cleaning up Thailand’s most famous party street improve it, or kill its soul? – in The Daily Telegraph

July 29, 2019July 29, 2019tomLeave a Comment

Leonardo Di Caprio has been here. As have countless young backpackers from the West. Over the past forty years, Khao San Road, once a quiet residential street on the fringes of Bangkok’s historic centre, has morphed into the world’s best-known backpacker hub. Loud, inexpensive, garish and in your face, the 400 meter long strip has […]

Boutique hotels gain new ground in Bangkok in the Nikkei Asian Review

March 27, 2019March 27, 2019tomLeave a Comment

After lagging regional competitors, Thai capital invests in heritage accommodations. My latest with Laure Siegel in the Nikkei Asian Review. In downtown Bangkok, hardly a week goes by without a soft opening for a high-rise hotel offering a plush but hardly unique experience. With around 35 million visitors a year the Thai capital is a […]

The 103 Bed and Brews – The Daily Telegraph

March 15, 2019March 15, 2019tomLeave a Comment

I’ve been reviewing hotels for the Daily Telegraph for the past four years, mostly in Thailand, but also in Cambodia, Laos and India. To date I’ve visited more than a 100 hotels for the paper. More often than not I manage to combine this job with other assignments in the same locations (it’s not uncommon […]