The Big Six: Boutique beds in Bangkok

Seven, Watthana

This design-led address offers six rooms, in six different colours, with a reception area that promises to take guests to seventh heaven. All rooms have outdoor spaces, iPod docks and Bath&Bloom toiletries, but the centrepiece in each is a vibrant mural, dotted with deities, dragons and lotus flowers. A sun deck on the roof, lined with well-tended plants and daybeds, offers a serene reprieve after a day browsing the busy shopping street of Sukhumvit outside.

Seven, 3/15 Sawasdee 1, Sukhumvit 31, Watthana (00 66 2 662 0951; sleepat seven.com). Doubles from 2,790 baht (£57), including breakfast.

Baan Pra Nond, Sathorn

Pra Nondthapanya was a notable Supreme Court justice, who resided for years in this ageing colonial property with his extended family. Converted and completely restored, it's now a cosy B&B, run by his granddaughter Tasma and her American boyfriend, Jason. All nine rooms are serene and clean, but the best are those with terraces or balconies that overlook a small pool and courtyard. Family photographs and flowers throughout, add to the homely feel.

Baan Pra Nond, 18/1 Charoen Rat Road, Yannawa, Sathorn (00 66 2212 2242; baanpranond.com). Doubles from 3,100 baht (£64), including breakfast.

The Siam, Dusit

The Siam opened in June on the banks of the Chao Phraya river. Owned by Thai heiress Kamala Sukosol and her pop-star son Krissada, it blends a polished look in the rooms and suites with gramophones, apothecary chests and antique travelling trunks in the communal areas. Each room is different: some have river views; others are hidden in century-old teak houses and the villas claim to have the only private pools in the city. A Thai restaurant, cooking school, bistro and café cover all the culinary bases.

The Siam, 3/2 Thanon Khao, Dusit (00 66 2206 6999; thesiamhotel.com). Doubles from 19,185 baht (£393), with breakfast.

Tenface, Pathum Wan

This urban inn takes its name from the 10-faced giant Tosakan, who appears in Thailand's national epic, the Ramakien. At check-in, guests are handed "Tosakan's heart": a stylish leather box filled with bath products, a one-day travel card, local SIM, iPod Nano and a map of must-see places. There's also a pass for the hotel's free shuttle service – a tuk-tuk that whisks guests to the nearest SkyTrain station. All rooms are suites, with the grander two-beds featuring fully equipped kitchens.

Tenface, 81 Soi Ruamrudee 2, Wireless Road, Pathum Wan (00 66 2695 4242; tenfacebangkok.com). Doubles from 3,178 baht (£66), including breakfast.

Cabochon, Watthana

Though the Cabochon opened only last year, inside it harks back to a bygone era. It attempts to recapture "the chic of yesteryear", with eight elegant suites, decked with cream furnishings and cool marble bathrooms. The Club Lounge sports vintage maps and memorabilia, Louis Vuitton trunks and toy aeroplanes, while the Thai-Lao-Yeh restaurant serves a fusion of Thai and Laotian dishes. A roof terrace, pool and gardens up top unveil elevated views of the city.

Cabochon, 14/29 Sukhumvit 45, Klongton Nua, Watthana (00 66 2259 2871; cabochonhotel.com). Doubles from 4,706 baht (£96), including breakfast.

Praya Palazzo, Bangkok Noi

This Italianate mansion dates from 1923, when it was built as a family home. It later served as a foundation for the Islamic community of Bangkok and was used as a school, before being abandoned after falling victim to flood damage in the 1990s. Salvaged by a local professor, it reopened as a luxurious 17-room residence in 2011, with period furnishings that hint at the building's past, and the modern additions of a pool and restaurant.

Praya Palazzo, 757/1 Somdej Prakin-klao Soi 2, Bangyeekhan (00 66 2883 2998; prayapalazzo.com). Doubles from 5,600 baht (£115), including breakfast.