In the lobby of Kromo Bangkok, there is an all-white cabinet of curiosities with knobs that are shaped like birds, crescent moons, and cats. Although curiosity killed the cat, it didn’t stop me and other guests from opening every drawer.
In one drawer, I found a tiny rattan box containing a slip of paper which read, “Every sunrise brings new hope”. It was ironic, since Bangkok had just been soaked by a storm. Kromo Bangkok, the first Curio Collection by Hilton property in Thailand, opened last September on Sukhumvit Soi 29. According to Euromonitor International, 32 million people visited the city in 2024, so the American hospitality brand has enormous potential here.
“The Thai capital is a highly competitive hotel market,” says Andrew Ling, Senior Director, Lifestyle Brands, Asia Pacific, at Hilton, Bangkok. “We continue to see a strong demand for lifestyle hotels with personality, story, and place.”
The Curio Collection by Hilton offers more than 180 hotels, including The Emerald House Lisbon and Hotel Montera Madrid, all hand-picked for their distinctive style and immersive experiences.
Kromo Bangkok’s rich storytelling sets it apart right away. Inspired by the ceremonial name of the Thai capital, “The City of Nine Gems”—the diamond, garnet, ruby, yellow sapphire, blue sapphire, moonstone, emerald, cat’s eye chrysoberyl, and zircon—a team led by DIN Studio incorporated elements from these treasures into the architecture.
An illuminated circle on the hotel facade conveys the brilliance of a diamond at night. The arrival garden displays the garnet’s rich hues through blooms such as ixora flowers and roselle, and fruits such as Bengal currants. In the carpets, ruby is interpreted as a sunbird with iridescent feathers.
At Colette, a French-inspired bistro and bar serving classic dishes like Mussels Marinière and Steak Frites, yellow and blue sapphires are imagined as Siamese fighting fish sculptures floating overhead.
The story doesn’t end there. With lighting that subtly shifts to mirror lunar phases, the lifts pay tribute to the moonstone. On the first floor, upcycled circular tiles by Loqa crafted from construction-industry waste echo the moonstone’s cyclical symbolism.
Further up, the Sky Garden Lobby on the 10th floor spotlights the emerald, which appears in a hanging installation of flying seeds by Patapian, a Thai design brand known for its contemporary housewares, accessories, and decorative objects inspired by traditional basketry and crafts.
In the Vilah Social Creative Space, cat’s eye chrysoberyl takes on a playful form. Here, the gemstone transforms into a vilah, the ancient Thai word for “cat”, with a hand-painted feline illustration by Studio JEW+ on the bookshelves and, tucked above, artist Pichaya Osothcharoenpol’s cat adorned with an angel hat. Though often used for meetings, the space has also hosted creative sessions such as free-form flower arranging.
Up on the 28th floor, the rooftop pool belongs to the zircon. The stone’s presence comes alive at sunset, when the textured ceiling’s orange-red coat begins to shimmer, casting the entire space in a luminous glow.
CREATIVITY, UNLEASHED
The area around Kromo Bangkok reveals hidden gems that invite exploration.
Lost In Thaislation
Suchada “Fah-beer” Sophajaree creates well-balanced cocktails based on dishes such as khao man gai (chicken rice) and moo ping (grilled pork skewers) at Lost In Thaislation, tucked away in an alley near Thonglor Street.
More information here.
Rise Coffee
Kromo Bangkok’s house roaster, Rise Coffee, is a progressive coffee shop and micro-roastery chain
with its flagship store at Mahatun Plaza (Ploenchit). The company collaborates with local farmers to enhance agricultural knowledge and ensure high-quality beans reach its lab. A must-try? The Dirty Cereal Killer with a shot of its signature Good Day Roast (with orange, chocolate, and caramel notes), cereal milk, and crunchy sweet-salty cereal bits.
More information here.
Rock Me Studio
Create your own jewellery at Rock Me Studio, located within Goodhaus.bkk at 154 Chalaem Nimit Road. The studio offers intimate workshops where guests can fashion free-form 3D silver pieces through wax carving, set raw stones in prongs using stone-and-wire techniques, or hammer and texture silver to craft a truly one-of-a-kind design.
More information here.
