Drinks by the pool — Photo courtesy of Ocean Bangkok
Bangkok can get pretty sweltering during the day. And even by night, the city still steams. Thus, Bangkok's latest chic bar offering gets plenty of brownie points for knowing exactly how to cool you off. Ocean Bangkok is a drinking and dining lounge and urban resort set around a lovely swimming pool, with plenty of soft blue colors to make you feel ever so relaxed.
Ocean Bangkok is set in the former Livingstone's Lounge on Sukhumvit Soi 33. The new owners have revamped the premises and made it into a real boutique escape and excellent urban retreat.
The spot is, in fact, more than just a bar. Ocean Bangkok bills itself as a gastro tapas bar, urban lounge and boutique resort; the place features eight guest rooms, a very chilled out indoor tapas bar and club and then a prime poolside area.
By day, your best bet is to lie back on a sun bed and slurp down several Ocean Club cocktails (made with local spirits, lime, hibiscus, green peppercorns and egg), or perhaps indulge in an aptly named Poolside Passion, which mixes gin, pineapple and passionfruit together with palm sugar and lime.
Poolside comfort at Ocean Bangkok — Photo courtesy of Ocean Bangkok
The drinks here are all courtesy of Bangkok's master mixologist - New York alcohol guru Joseph Boroski - and in addition to the cocktails, there are also flavorful mocktails, an extensive wine cellar and plenty of gourmet craft beers to choose from.
At night, plenty of blue ambient lighting gets lit up, and the indoor area turns into a chic club, offering DJ-pumped tunes and live music, as well. If all the chilling out makes you hungry, the food at Ocean Bangkok is no slouch, either.
Head Chef Jacobo Astray did a stint at the famed ElBulli's in Spain (winner of several Michelin stars and voted World's Best Restaurant five times!), and there are some real creations coming out of the kitchen, such as yellow crab curry or deep-fried eggplant with miso and honey, which are served in cones. Besides the elegant tapas, the restaurant also serves up a snazzy barbecue brunch with free-flow sparkling wine.
The beach club atmosphere is a nice touch for a city famed for its muggy days and plenty of stress-inducing traffic. And the great combination of outstanding drinks, world-class food and a blissful poolside location to enjoy it all in gives Ocean Bangkok a big thumbs up.
Ocean Bangkok is the place to chill out. — Photo courtesy of Ocean Bangkok
