Aqua Bar: A Tranquil Oasis, Away From Bangkok's Hustle and Bustle

In the past few years Bangkok has overtaken London to become the second most visited city on earth after Hong Kong, but even before that, Aqua, located in Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, was its preferred watering hole. For more than two decades, locals, ex-pats, and visitors have escaped the city’s notorious traffic and tropical heat in this relaxing oasis within Bangkok’s most iconic hotel. Singapore has Raffles, Hong Kong has the Peninsula, and Bangkok has the Siam, the flagship of global luxury chain Anantara. It’s set in the middle of downtown, in the heart of the Ratchaprasong shopping and entertainment district, and immediately adjacent to BTS sky train Ratchadamri station, the best way to beat rush hour gridlock while exploring the city.

The hotel is also home to an indoor/outdoor garden area, enclosed on all four sides but open to the sky above, and it is here that Aqua sits, alongside a lush ornamental garden and pond filled with Koi fish. Entering is like leaving the outside world behind, in the midst of one of the world’s most vibrant metropolises, earning its local nickname, “the Secret Garden.” To add to the ambiance, every night there is live music, typically New Orleans Jazz or rhythm and blues.

The cocktail lounge recently got a facelift, and while the layout and vibe are the same, the menu was redone and the furnishings are all shiny and new. The bar itself is an island-style set up in the center of the space, nearly square, with about two dozen wood and rattan stools on three sides, and this is in turn surrounded by tables for drinking and eating, a mix of marble high-tops and low coffee tables with leather couches. It’s very cozy no matter where you sit, and the entire space is open, with no walls, though the bar area is covered by a high awning that serves as monsoon protection

The whisky list is not the world’s longest by any means, but it covers Scotland well, with separate sections for Islands, Highlands, Lowlands, Islay, blends, and more. There are also sections for Irish, Japanese, American, and Canadian, with over 40 options in all. In addition, there is an impressive list of fine rums, including several Thai labels, and a deep selection of tequilas including a range of Clase Azul bottlings.

Thailand is a very affordable place, and for an upscale spot with white-jacketed bartenders, that’s true here as well. Many scotch and other whisky selections on the list are priced at $12 or less, including Singleton Dufftown Tail Fire, Glenmorangie 10 year old, Laphroaig Select Cask 10 year old, and Johnnie Walker Gold, as well as ryes and bourbons like Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, and Woodford Reserve. The sweet spot is the mid-tier price range, where you can indulge in hard-to-find Yamazaki for $22/1.5 oz., Macallan Double Cask or Sherry Oak Cask for $20, and Glenfiddich 18 year old or Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban for $18. The entry-level is Ireland’s John & Jamesons at $10, and the list tops out with Johnnie Walker Odyssey at nearly $120. Interestingly, Aqua Bar sells whole bottles of most selections to go if you're looking for something to take to your hotel room.

The basic cocktails are excellent, whether you opt for an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or other whiskey options, but the signature cocktails are fascinating. The must-try recipe is one you will find nowhere else: The Smoky Donut 2.0 combines 12 year old Flor de Caña rum that has been clarified with “doughnut flavor-infused” Maker’s Mark and citric malic, saline chocolate bitters, and maple syrup. It’s served with an oversized king cube, and atop the cube is a QR code for the drink—printed on edible “paper” made of sugar. Interestingly, another signature, the Thai Old Fashioned, subs Mekhong Thai rum for whiskey, along with apple juice, coconut syrup, and orange bitters.

The Aqua bar is a place you come to relax and decompress, after a day of work or pleasure in the lively city, and its live music makes it a popular pre and post-dinner stop for drinks. It’s also an excellent place to eat. Every drink is served with a trio of nuts, olives, and crisps, and there is a lengthy menu of bar snacks, charcuterie boards, salads, and caviar. There’s even a mussels and frites menu. The bar offers select items from several of the hotel’s marquee eateries, including its Italian spot Biscotti, Japanese fine dining venue Shintaro, and one of the most acclaimed Thai spots in the city, Spice Market. As a result, even though it’s far more a bar than a restaurant, Aqua’s dining options are better and much more varied than at most big restaurants. On an extended stay, you might find yourself eating as well as drinking here, over and over again. While other bars around the world can boast far more extensive lists, Acqua offers a tranquil elegance and comfort that few can match.

anantara.com/en/siam-bangkok/restaurants/aqua