Sala Rattanakosin — Open the Curtains and Wat Arun Fills the Window, in a Restored Riverside Shophouse
If your idea of a Bangkok morning is waking up to the spires of Wat Arun across the river, Sala Rattanakosin Bangkok is the name Old Town regulars bring up first. It's a tiny Boutique of just 15 rooms set inside a near-century-old shophouse in the Tha Tien district, restored with the original raw brick walls and exposed concrete beams left exactly as they were. What guests keep returning for is the rooftop bar that looks straight across the Chao Phraya at Wat Arun — especially at sunset, a view no large riverside hotel can copy.
Sala Rattanakosin opened in 2013 inside a row of shophouses that served as trading warehouses in Tha Tien for the better part of a century. The design team kept almost all of the original fabric — raw brickwork, exposed concrete beams, polished concrete floors — and laid minimalist furniture over the top. The result reads nothing like a brand-new build; the history of Old Bangkok sits in every wall. There are only 15 rooms in total, from the 22.5 sqm Standard up to the Wat Arun River View Suite. The river-facing rooms have large glass windows, and pulling the curtains back puts the spires of Wat Arun directly in frame — which is the main reason most people book here in the first place.
The headline feature is the rooftop bar on the top level — an open-air space facing the river and the temple with nothing in the way. It fills up in the early evening because it's one of the best sunset vantage points for Wat Arun on the Phra Nakhon side. Down at street level, sala rattanakosin eatery and bar sits right on the water serving Thai and Western plates plus cooked-to-order breakfast. Several reviews say the same thing — the food is properly cooked and nicely plated, not just riding on the view.
"Pulling back the curtains in the morning to Wat Arun and the boats on the river, coffee in hand — genuinely worth the early wake-up."
The location is a real advantage for Old Town sightseeing. Wat Pho is a 3-minute walk, the cross-river ferry from Tha Tien pier reaches Wat Arun in a few minutes, and the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are about 10 minutes on foot. Early in the morning before the tour crowds arrive, the Tha Tien lanes are quiet and easy to wander and photograph. Anyone who wants to reach the temples before they get busy has the edge here over a Sukhumvit hotel that needs a long ride across the city.
One thing worth knowing up front — this is an old building and there is no lift. Reaching the rooms and the rooftop means climbing a fairly steep spiral staircase. Anyone hauling a large suitcase or who finds stairs difficult should be prepared (staff will help carry bags). The Tha Tien district itself is also lively during the day, with vendor trolleys and waves of tourists passing through — it's part of the Old Town character, but if you want total silence, this isn't the place for it.
The Trip.com score sits at 8.3/10 from 88 reviews. Guests praise the view, the location, and the friendly, hands-on staff most of all. The honest criticism centres on the stairs and the modest size of some room categories compared with newer hotels. A few reviews mention the entrance being a little hard to find down the small lane — worth knowing so you don't get lost. On the whole, people who come for the view and the Old Town atmosphere tend to leave happy.
On price — Sala Rattanakosin starts around ฿3,900/night for a Standard room, with the river-facing Wat Arun rooms priced higher for the view. During high season (November–February) and long weekends the riverside rooms sell out fast, so book several weeks ahead. Set against the five-figure luxury hotels on the Sathorn bank of the Chao Phraya, this gets you a close-up Wat Arun view at a far more reachable rate.
The bottom line: Sala Rattanakosin suits travellers exploring Old Bangkok who value the Wat Arun view and the old-building atmosphere over luxury or full facilities. There's no pool, no lift, and the rooms aren't large — but what you get is a location and a view no other property can replicate. If you're a couple chasing the moment when the sun drops behind the temple spires, book a Wat Arun River View room outright; it's well worth the step up from a Standard.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Wat Arun view from river rooms and rooftop is superb
- ✓ Walkable to Wat Pho and the Grand Palace
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff
- ✓ Food well prepared — both Thai and Western
- ! No lift — spiral staircase only
- ! Some room categories are on the small side
- ! Tha Tien gets busy with crowds during the day
- ✓ Raw-brick old-building character unlike a new-build hotel
- ✓ Rooftop bar — sunset spot behind Wat Arun
- ✓ Small and private at just 15 rooms
- ✓ Near the pier for easy Old Town crossings
- ! Entrance a little hard to find down the small lane
- ! No swimming pool or gym
- ! River rooms sell out fast in high season — book ahead
- 💡If stairs are difficult for you — there is no lift; rooms and the rooftop are reached by a steep spiral staircase → notify the hotel ahead so staff can carry bags, or request a lower-floor room if available
- 💡If you're here for the Wat Arun view — some Standard and Deluxe rooms do not face the river, so specify Wat Arun River View when booking → river rooms cost more but match the whole reason for staying here
- 💡If you want a pool or gym — this small Boutique has neither → for full facilities, look at the larger riverfront hotels on the Sathorn bank, though you'll lose this close-up Wat Arun view