A devilish welcome

Bed in black and white tone.

Thongchai Busrapan, the guy behind the nowclosed concept stores Playground and Manga, is back challenging the niche market with the opening of his Tenface hotel and serviced apartments at the end of Soi Ruam Rudee 2.

Uniqueness is the key he's using to attract the trendy and wellheeled who want to live life a little differently. Inspired by the 10faced demon Tosakan from the epic Ramayana, the eightstorey project has been dressed in a sombreblack minimal style with Thai contemporary touches by Vitoon Kunalungkarn of IAW, who was also responsible for the look of Playground.

The Julylaunched project, developed by Noble Development, was originally planned as a highend condominium but Thongchai decided to go for the serviced apartments in order to establish a longterm, rentalincome business.

Entry is through a huge solid black door, which immediately shuts behind you to form a barrier against the bustle outside. On arrival all guests get a taste of Tosakan's benevolence with a gift box that contains a Skytrain card, a prepaid Sim card and an ipod nano loaded with videos of Bangkok's best dining spots and mustsee places, among them Museum Siam, the Khao San Road and Rajdamnoen boxing stadium.

If you want to see Bangkok's other bright lights, concierge and entertainment guru Pipek - who happens to be named after the astrologer and brother of Tosakan in the epic - will be happy to put you on the guest list for any of the city's cool parties, exhibitions and events.

The hotel offers 79 suites of various types. There are 59 onebedroom suites spanning 61 to 75 square metres, eight twobedroom suites covering 110sqm, 11 twobedroom premier suites of 125sqm and one Tenface suite spanning 142sqm. All come with free access to the fitness room and swimming pool.

Each suite has free WiFi, highspeed Internet, LCD screen, coffee machine and electric kettle. Twobedroom residences come with extras in the form of glassware and silverware, a washer/dryer, refrigera¬tor, electric stove, dishwasher and microwave. And making a chic change from the standard white towelling are the black bathrobes in all rooms.

Considering the generous space they offer, the promotional rate of Bt3,700 for a onebedroom suite is a good deal.

At the other end of the scale, the topfloor penthouse provides expansive living room, two bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and balcony.

Those who prefer a sombretoned interior should go for the rooms in the Lanka zone, decorated in black and white. But if refreshing energy is what you need, the red, yellow and browns of rooms in the Ayodhaya zone might be a better option. The walls are decorated with surreal depictions of the Ramayana's characters along with letters and numbers in Thai, giving each room a gallerylike feel.

Hidden in the folds of this chic residence is its signature restaurant the Wanara Eatery, serving fusion dishes all day. The Wanara seats 76 both indoors and out and has a black interior toned up by beige wooden chairs. Among the ThaiWestern fine dining experiences is the grilled Australian tenderloin and foie gras served on sauteed spinach with mashed potato, broccoli and pumpkin. For a light dish, try the smoked salmon with shrimproe salad and wasabishoyu dressing. The fresh vegetables here are from the Royal Project's gardens.

Thongchai has also created the Tom Yum Coke, a unique mocktail that combines lemongrass, bergamot leaves, galingal, lime juice, syrup and cola. Despite the name, this refreshing mix won't bite - it's chillifree.

For the night crawlers, there's the Sita Bar hidden behind heavy black blinds adjacent to the lobby. The bar's signature cocktails are also inspired by Thai herbs, with colourful combinations and matching garnishes.

AT A GLANCE

High point: Private, chic decor, good food and drinks

Low point: The distance from the mouth of the soi - you'll need to take the shuttle tuktuk if you're not driving

Pay for it: The promotional rates until October 31 are Bt3,700 for a onebedroom suite, Bt6,000 for a twobedroom, Bt6,800 for a twobedroom premier and Bt8,700 for the Tenface suite.

Find it: 18 Soi Ruam Rudee 2, Wireless Road

Book it: (02) 695 4242

Browse it: www.TenfaceBangkok.com