Winner: The Norm Bangkok

The space is divided into four main zones. The Main Hall, The Living Room, The Terrace, and The Whispering Room. Norm Bangkok has already impressed this city with its drinks and variable spaces, and perhaps no venue this year has really grabbed the city’s imagination with design that sometimes feels as much like a board room as it does a nightlife space. People show up for their good menu and DJ sets, but they keep coming back because this is a truly unique venue. 

Æther

Still fairly new on the Bangkok nightlife scene, this venue on the 44th floor of Central Park Dusit Offices makes the city’s skyline as part of the design. It’s a very top-of-the-world vibe. Staying open until 2am, younger crowds make this a chic little spot, but ultimately it’s the design that has really made this spot pop. Every venue in Bangkok wants an atmosphere that screams “360 degrees”; Æther delivers. It’s almost like partying on a helipad. 

The Consul Club

The Consul Club opened earlier this year and added a little style to the Nana BTS area (which desperately, desperately needs a new reputation). Whatever definition you have of over-the-top, raise it. The Consul Club is not so much a mix of global influences as a collision of them. And it works. It’s creating something that might be a little foreign to most Bangkok drinkers, but the artistic salons, live music, and networking make it more of a lifestyle spot than one for just drinking. Members get the best perks, but you can stop by and decide for yourself. 

Baia Bangkok

Opening in October last year, Baia is still new on the Bangkok scene, but this sleek spot in the One Bangkok development is full of warm timber, creamy stone, soft curves, and plenty of greenery. The terrace opens up to the city, and arched details and rounded furniture soften the space. At first glance, you might think this is just a restaurant, but don’t get it twisted, when the lights get low, the Italian-inspired drinks take over in a big way. If you really want to get the most out of Baia, go for Ladies’ Night. 

Cherry Olive Cocktail Club

Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana’s brainchild is all about a classic style in the walls and in the glass. There is a sense that this space is almost deliberately low-key, with moody, polished touches throughout that mirror the bar’s namesakes: cherry and olive. With a rose-gold marble bar, the end result of Cherry Olive Cocktail Club is retro, old-school glamor with some of the best drinks in town. This venue is just getting started, so keep an eye out for more.