Saffron Cruise, a 38-meter-long dining riverboat, is the first branch on-water of an international hospitality brand Banyan Tree’s celebrated Thai restaurant Saffron and the first cruise on Chao Phraya River to host full MICE functions. Offering two gastronomic excursion styles, a rooftop Moon Deck featuring an oval-shaped bar and an indoor dining deck highlighting a live kitchen and extensive curving skylights for an optimal view taking, Saffron Cruise becomes a perfect ride to appreciate the confluence of an authentic Thai culinary delicacy and Thailand’s capital landmarks such as Temple of Dawn, The Grand Palace, and Rama VIII Bridge, evidencing a three-century civilization along ‘The River of Kings’.

The restaurant design dealt with programming an adaptive dining space with manageable furniture to accommodate both fine-dining course dinner service and private charter events while resolving several marine-specific complications. 

Glowing on the rooftop Moon Deck is the iconic illuminating River Walk, a double-layer Thai river pattern inserted between clear acrylic panels colorfully washed with the rhythmic RGB LED giving high-spirited low-level lighting. One lane of the River Walk embraces the foot of the shimmering oval-shaped Moon Bar which is finished with bronze-and-brass-colored mosaic tiles. Another lane stretches across the front balcony rendering an infinity tidal bridge to the flow of Chao Phraya River. The long communal tables and the Moon Bar softly luminesce through solid surface countertops creating the mid-level lighting for the cocktail services. Seating types with different heights on the Moon Deck allow clear and pleasant visibility to the bankside attractions from various points of view.

The indoor restaurant deck is set up in subdued light and complemented with Thai art ornamental elements to accentuate the lit-up river scenes outside 90° curved windows. The formulation of the timber-textured floor tiling and wood-carving wall feature adopts the modification of Thai floral-inspired motif ‘Prajamyam’. Brass-colored ceiling openwork, camouflaging the audio-visual and M&E equipment above, is recomposed from the triangular wicker pattern. Column heads are crowned with Thai cornice orders. The signature Thai river rhythmic graphic is integrated into the frosted pattern of backlit vanity mirrors.

Furniture preferences, being versatile, lightweight, foldaway, and weatherproof, favor the flexible arrangements on both floors for the daily dinner service or customized event setup.

awards

• TIDA Awards 2024, Thailand Interior Designers Association, Thailand
  Best of Restaurant Design, Finalist

press

• Room Magazine, Thailand / 100 Best Design Bars & Restaurants

• Architizer, New York, USA