One of the real thrills of a trip to Thailand is shopping. Markets, fancy malls and independent stores offer a huge range, from silks to antiques and from jewellery to shoes.

For those who are especially keen to buy, they can even stay within a card-swipe’s distance of the stores. Among the newest is the Hilton Hotel in Pattaya. This sits atop the Central Festival Pattaya, which has designer stores and a collection of locally-made products.

Back in Bangkok, The Emporium Suites Apartments is on top of the Emporium mall. The shopping here is top-notch chic, with plenty of restaurants on hand in between purchases. The suites themselves are large, comfortable and fully equipped. There’s also a pool, landscaped gardens and, best of all, excellent shops right below your feet. Bangkok’s shops will undoubtedly tempt most visitors, and staying above the malls almost guarantees high quality accommodation – and also means you won’t have to carry those bags too far back to your room!