A Tribute to Ink and Paper
BANGKOK PUBLISHING RESIDENCE
Old Town, Bangkok
If you ever walk down Lan Luang Road in Bangkok’s Old Town, on the way to the Golden Mount or to the Democracy Monument, you will probably not notice an inconspicuous factory building clad in dark grey. If you are lucky enough to discover it, you will find a whole different universe hiding inside the former printing house, now known as ‘Bangkok Publishing Residence’. Since 2017, the part boutique hotel, part private museum, takes you back to the heyday of publishing industry.
It’s where Panida ‘Oum’ Tosnaitada, granddaughter of the founder of Bangkok Publishing Company, preserves her family’s legacy. It all began 60 years ago, when Khun Vichit launched the legendary Bangkok Weekly Magazine.
Panida was born when the business was still running, growing up in a world of publication and magazines. Following her mum around the world, who was the chief editor of a fashion magazine. Watching her going through the entire process of editing and publishing.
When Oum returned from her studies abroad, her family decided to close the business down. The publication industry wasn’t doing so well anymore and turning digital was not an option.
From that came her motivation to turn everything she grew up with, into a private museum. To treasure the old stories and memories. Not only the ones from her family’s business – more about print magazines in general, as many are shutting down recently. ‘I thought, what a shame. I love paper and ink. When I see paper, I want to write, I want to draw. And I want to keep that for people. That was my original idea,’ Oum explains passionately. I am not surprised to hear that she graduated in Art and Philosophy.
The four-storey industrial building used to be the headquarter of the business, as well as the home of the publisher’s family. When times changed, the publication was moved to the mass-production factory, while the building was kept in family hands.
‘In my entire life I’ve never visited this place until my grandma gave me the key and said: Go do something with it.’
Oum undertook major architectural changes to turn the 6 shophouses into a hotel filled with so much character and industrial charm. The separating walls were knocked out, and even parts of the foundation were replaced. ‘In terms of safety and engineering, I pretty much had to rebuild the whole thing. But I kept the old form.’ Oum’s design concept aims to preserve the old factory feeling, adding touches of her family home.
Most of the furniture comes from her parent’s and grandparent’s offices in the old factory. The main pieces, she could just take from there. Another part comes from her own house and collection. ‘You probably can tell which one is mine and which one is from the publication house,’ she laughs.
Only a few pieces were missing in the mixture, like the breakfast tables, that she had to buy. Large pieces, like the two cabinets in the lobby, were built on site by the carpenters, whose workshops are only one block away. Oum remarks that ‘everything is not symmetrical. You think it’s straight, but it’s not. You just have to go with the flow sometimes.’
Besides her passion for antiques, I noticed three influences throughout the hotel’s design: old school gaming machines, music instruments and motorbikes. Oum giggles and admits: ‘It wasn’t planned, but I couldn’t help it, being myself.’ Although being raised in a rather conservative way, she kept the kid deep inside her alive. ‘I still love arcade machines, pinball... I don’t understand PS4 or Xbox – that’s too much for me. But these analogue games are still my friends,’ she confirms. And it seems that her guests enjoy the nostalgia as well, indulging in childhood memories.
Bangkok Publishing Residence is home to Oum’s remarkable collection of antiques, historic artefacts and hand-picked vintage objects. Rare pieces that you won’t find anywhere else, blend into the classic interior design. One could almost consider it was a movie set.
The access to the property is exclusively reserved for guests. The doorkeeper lets you in to a warm and welcoming atmosphere with classy nostalgic flair. Large globe pendant light shades immerse the dark space in warm light.
Amidst an assembly of antiques, books, art objects and vintage relics, a red Honda Monkey motorbike catches your eye.
Follow along the wall adorned with an exhibition of old framed magazine covers until you reach the piano. Next to it rises a tall cabinet filled with diverse old typewriting machines. Each piece is whispering a story.
The lobby also serves as dining and lounge area. Take a closer look at the tables. Have you ever had your coffee on a vintage Pong or Pacman machine?
An almost room-wide industrial window front divides the room on the ground floor. Its transparency keeps the space connected yet.
On the other side you can marvel at the archive of Bangkok Weekly Magazine, alongside Khun Vichit’s personal office. Low leather lounge sofas invite you to plunge into one of the carefully selected travel, design, and lifestyle magazines. Soft piano music is soothing your soul. Look up, your view will reach to the roof. A large air space cuts lengthwise through the whole building on all three levels, keeping all floors physically and visually related. From the massive industrial window front, daylight floods into the lofty space.
A retro lift takes you up to the 8 en-suite rooms. Furnished with great attention to detail, each of them looks completely different. Elegant earthy colours meet dark polished wood planks covering the floor. Walls are decorated with original paintings from the family’s private collection. Wide industrial windows give loft character and absorb the noise from the street. The antique furniture radiates nostalgic charm. An old-world retro NYC kind of feeling comes up, taking you far away from the harsh city. Connect your mobile device with the Marshall speaker and play some old school tunes. Trip back in time completed.
Rest assured, there is no lack of modern amenities, like AC and a Nespresso machine. TV and minibar are hidden in a cabinet, in order to not disrupt the old times ambiance.
Personally, I could not resist sitting down at the desk where the branded stationery and pen were waiting for me to write a letter to my grandma in Germany. The lovely staff at the reception will help you with postage. I still love to surprise people with a handwritten letter or a postcard - it has become rare and brings even more joy these days! (edit: I was not sure if the letter would arrive, but it did!)
The heritage style continues in the bathroom. The sink is set in a marble plate, resting on timber feet. Chess marble floor and white metro tiles on the walls add timeless nobility. The house’s body care products with custom-made scent are infused with charcoal to remind of black ink, whereas the toiletries resemble to writing utensils. Everything is thought through, down to the last detail.
After a long day exploring the Thai capital, take a hot bath, put on that silk robe and slippers with BPR embroidery, grab a good book and sink into the most comfortable burgundy velvet armchair. If you don’t fall asleep yet, dive into the bed next to it, so soft and cosy that it’s really hard to leave it in the morning. Side note: I am quietly celebrating Bangkok Publishing Residence for providing down- feather pillows. Synthetic aficionados will find their alternative in the closet.
If you make it out of the bed in time, you can savour a healthy home-style breakfast in the lobby from 8:00 to 10:00 am. Besides the usual egg and sausage, you find salad and veggies, tropical fruits, fresh pressed juices, cereals, bread and pastries, yogurt and almond milk at the buffet – here, the taste buds of vegetarians and vegans are satisfied.
You might not believe, that the house grown salad comes straight from the rooftop’s organic garden. Make sure to go up to the top floor, to visit the airy library. It carries an interesting collection of publications, best-sellers and movies. With video game classics from 1985, you won’t get bored on a rainy day.
The library leads out to the green rooftop garden, with many corners to hide away. On a hot day, plunge into the bubbling jacuzzi, and into a good book, forgetting the world around you.
The service at Bangkok Publishing Residence truly rivals the city’s luxury hotels, yet with that special homely atmosphere. ‘I want my guests to feel at home. But with more comfort, like if they were staying at a friend’s home,’ Oum describes. When she set up the service side of her hotel, she imagined how she would want to be treated. ‘I like to be left alone on my own,’ she says. ‘The service is always on call, but the staff won’t be there in front of you, waiting for you, staring at you. If you need anything, there is always someone there for you.’ She smiles and asks me if I got the feeling. I did. She replies: ‘Then I did my job... We don’t want to ignore our guests, but we want to leave them, to relax.’ I wished, every hotel would take this at heart.
When I ask Oum what type of people she had in mind when designing the concept and space, she replies promptly: ‘My mum. Very easy. She’s traveling the world all the time.’ Oum is certain that, by just living on to her mother’s standard of living, her property would be a 6-star hotel. We laugh.
The Residence is prepared for guests with certain demands, offering an overall unique hotel experience. ‘We cannot complain. This is their expectation, this is who and how they are,’ she says.
Numerous returning guests approve the concept, and for some it becomes a real home away from home. ‘It becomes a family. That’s what keeps me going as well. Seeing people being happy and treating us like a part of their family,’ Oum tells me proudly. With that goal in mind, financial success is rather secondary.
Bangkok Publishing Residence is the perfect place for travellers seeking a charming sanctuary with first class service and comfort. Intuitively, I would also call it an artist’s retreat – for sophisticated people from the creative industries, such as designers, writers, and musicians, looking for their muse. However, the hotel is not suitable for families, as it is restricted to adults only.
Guests should bring some extra time to explore the hotel itself, besides Bangkok city. At check-in, 3 beautifully illustrated maps are handed to you: the walking map, the food map, and one more to guide you through the hotel’s museum tour. Showcasing keepsakes from the old publishing days on all levels of the building, guests are encouraged to stroll around the hotel. You will come across an antique book press, old slide films, and neon light quotes from old magazines, just to name a few. The owner says ‘I want people to really enjoy the property. Have the time to sit in here, relax, and feel what we have to offer.’ I recommend you to stay at least two nights, to fully experience the hotel, leaving enough time to scout the neighbourhood. ‘There is so much to see. In just one day, you won’t feel it,’ Oum concludes, and I can only agree. My stay at Bangkok Publishing Residence was an intimate and uncommon experience and I can’t wait to return one day.
Book your stay at Bangkok Publishing Residence.
TYPE: Boutique hotel
FEELING: Old-world, industrial, nostalgic
ROOM PICK: Master suite, first floor
BREAKFAST: Healthy, continental buffet
SERVICE: Discrete, attentive, unobtrusive
RATES: 5.800 - 9.750 THB / 170-290 EUR / 190-320 USD, depending on the season
WIFI: Yes
CHILDREN: No
RESTAURANT: No
POOL/SPA: Jacuzzi on the rooftop
I stayed courtesy of Bangkok Publishing Residence. All expressed opinions are my own.