My name is Doungsawart Soonthornsaratoon, Managing Director, Interior Designer, and owner of Baannai The Reminiscence Hotel and Restaurant. I am taking this opportunity to introduce you to Baannai The Reminiscence, a small and luxury boutique hotel located in the old Bangkok residential area of Phayathai District. This 4 - rooms hotel has been opened since December 2015. It is right opposite to Samsen railway station and within 10-minutes drive to Aree BTS (Sky train) station and Bangsue MRT station. The hotel is close to Aree, hip hang our area of Bangkok, as well as the famous Jatujak Weekend Market. Other nearby attractions include Dusit Palace, Dusit Zoo, Phayathai Palace, and Ratchawat fresh market.
Baannai was the house on the most inner area of the vast family land plot by Samsen Railway station in Bangkok. It was originally the residence of my great grandfather and his family. Later, the place became the residence of three of his daughters (known as the Baannai ladies).
Back in the days, the houses in this neighborhood only had soil road cut through, with a narrow ditch creating a parallel, and train tracks. My great grandfather’s family was an extended family just like most Thai people’s in the past. The big family resided together on a big piece of land, divided into the resident area and the kitchen house, lived in by both the masters and servants. Home that was filled with mundane joy and sorrow, harmony, and conflicts; nonetheless, they relied on each other and had a family leader who gave protection to all members. My grandmother - the Baannai ladies- always recalled the life in Baannai back then. The cooks would steam a huge portion of rice for each meal. As the bell rang signaling lunch or dinner time, small children would gather in a circle having their meal together. This went on every day. Just like an old saying, “The family that eats together stays together.”
Inspired by the happy recollections of my beloved Baannai ladies combined with my passion in colonial architecture style, I decided to rebuild Baannai The Reminiscence to resemble the time when the 3 sisters were young ladies living in the house.
The three upstair rooms – Benjamas (Aster), Malisorn (Jasmine), and Kularb (Rose) are decorated in different style representing the character of each lady to which each room belongs. The room downstair, Botan (Peony), is decorated in Chinese style, representing the room for the guests of the house.
The lobby of the hotel is also functioned as the dining room of our restaurant. Selected as one of 'Bib Gourmand' restaurants in the Michelin Guide Bangkok 2019, Baannai is famous for its traditional Thai food inspired from the family recipe, some of which are from a cook book hand-written by one of the Baannai ladies herself.
What I have is the memory that glows in my hearts. I wish Baannai The Reminiscence would bridge the past and the present days and bring happiness, comfort, generosity to all the visitors who make a stop here.
I hope that you will find this information useful and interesting. I am looking forward to progressive and prosperous future of Baannai The Reminiscence with your support.
