Shanghai Mansion Bangkok

Walking into Shanghai Mansion is like stepping into a Shanghai Tang window display – silky Chinese prints, wallpaper with striking oriental motifs, traditional lattice screens, decorative birdcages and lanterns. In its 80-plus year history, the heritage building was once a Chinese opera house, the stock exchange of Thailand building, a textile trading center, and a department store. Chinatown might not be the first neighborhood to pop into your head when you're planning a Bangkok stay, but give it a go – it's pleasantly surprising, slightly off the well trodden path, plus some of the city's best food is found on these bustling streets.