The Verdict: 2/5 Stars. 1 star is for a good Dj and the second star is for an amazing skyline view. The management and service are shocking. Not recommended. Verdict: rude and unprofessional, a hostile rooftop bar at Iris & Wild Iris, SO Bangkok, because of one manager who decided how you should dance.
Bangkok is a city of rooftops. From the legendary heights of the State Tower, new AETHER BKK, historical posh bar Sathorn House, and the former Russian embassy, to the hidden gems in Thong Lor, we know the scene. We know where the service is impeccable, where the seabass is worth the price tag, and where the management treats you like normal guests (they even remember your name, Khun Alex, after the first visit).
Unfortunately, the rooftop at SO/ Bangkok – specifically the venue operating as Iris & Wild Iris on the 29th floor – is no longer on that list. In fact, it has earned a permanent spot on our “Avoid” list.
The Context: A Hotel with Potential, Wasted
We wanted to like this place. We really did. We have history here. We’ve stayed at the SO/ Hotel (2 North Sathorn Road) before. It’s an affordable 5-star option under the Accor/Ennismore umbrella (owned locally, with CEO Pawatt Ongvasith at the helm), just in front of newly built Andaz and Ritz Bangkok. The rooms are noisy, sure, but the spa is excellent with amazing massage therapists, and the swimming pool bar serves decent fish and chips and features a nice small sauna.
We’ve even stayed at a high-end residence complex nearby via Airbnb and used to treat this rooftop as our local watering hole. The views of Lumpini Park and the skyline are undeniable. But a view means nothing when the atmosphere is toxic.
The Incident: Unprecedented Hostility
The rooftop venue, Iris & Wild Iris, treats the 29th floor as its own personal fiefdom. They invite DJs to curate a vibe, yet the place is perpetually empty. After our last visit, we finally understand why.
During a recent evening, we were enjoying a bottle of Prosecco and ordered fries, soaking in the music. Naturally, when a good DJ plays, you move. I was sitting on a bar chair, simply moving to the tact of the music – not standing on it, not trashing it, just enjoying the rhythm.
Enter Patticha Nakwijit, the manager of Iris & Wild Iris. We have her visitcard.
Instead of welcoming a guest who was actually enjoying the atmosphere they paid to create, she approached with an unprecedented level of hostility. She demanded I stop moving on the chair, claiming it could “break.”
Let’s be real: this is nonsense. I wasn’t dancing on the table; I was moving in my seat to the music they provided. It was a clear power trip. When I expressed my shock at this rude intervention and stated I would leave without paying if we were such a nuisance, she simply said “Okay.”
She didn’t care about the customer. She didn’t care about the revenue. She implied she wanted us gone because our enjoyment was somehow ruining the “festy” atmosphere of her completely empty restaurant.
The LocalsInsider Analysis
This is a classic case of unprofessional management killing a business. A rooftop bar relies on vibe. When you police your guests for having fun in an empty bar, you aren’t managing; you are actively destroying the customer experience.
Bangkok has over 100 amazing rooftops. Why settle for hostility?
- Go to ÆTHER: Just 7 minutes away at the new Dusit Central Park, this dance rooftop understands what a party is.
- Go to Vertigo: At the Banyan Tree, you can get a great seabass and champagne for 5,000 THB, and the management will remember your name and welcome you back with a smile by your second visit.
The Bottom Line
Iris & Wild Iris at SO/ Bangkok does not live up to the basic standards of friendliness required in the hospitality industry. The management is rude, the “rules” are arbitrary, and the hostility toward guests is shocking for a hotel of this category.
LocalsInsider will not recommend SO/ Bangkok. Do not book a room. Do not buy a drink. Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated.
Address: 2 North Sathorn Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Venue: Iris & Wild Iris (29th Floor)
