Mansion 7: Bangkok’s most bizarre new shopping and drinking experience

Halloween might be over but this Bangkok mall aims to freak out its guests every day of the year

By Saransri Prawatpattanakul 3 November, 2010

Looking more like a movie set than a shopping mall, Mansion 7 hopes to attract Bangkok's trend-conscious set by offering them something completely unique.

Most Bangkok shopping malls are bright, airy and relaxing, filled with the sweet sounds of pop twinkling in the air. The newly opened Mansion 7 has none of that.

Designed to look like a dark old mansion, the entrance to this boutique mall welcomes shoppers in with a great, frightening “claw.” Inside the air conditioning-free hall is a giant spooky moon and a deserted haunted house in the background, with various creepy installations set up here and there.

Entrance of Mansion 7
source www.manager.co.th

The new lifestyle complex on Ratchadaphisek Road, which suitably opened on Halloween, hopes to attract young, trend-conscious Thais in search of something new and unique.  A 170 million baht project, Mansion 7 is the second masterpiece of Pattara Sahawatra, the brains behind super successful "vintage village" Plearnwan in Hua Hin.

Mansion 7 offers everything a decent mall should have, but with a twist. Every food, retail and drink outlet has its own unique concept and design that can't be found anywhere else in the city -- a rarity in franchise-heavy Bangkok. Many of the venues are owned by Thai celebrities, including actress Chris Horwang, film director Yuthlert Sippapak and DJ/actress Opal. 

Spooky booze and blood-inspired som tum

Big moon and the haunted house
source www.manager.co.th

Mansion 7 is also making a play to attract the city’s drinkers. Beer Mansion serves lagers from around the world, including Hoegaarden, Blanche de Bruxelles, Waterloo, Beer Lao and Tsingtao.

If you don’t mind having a drink with hundreds of gnomes watching you -- they could start talking to you after a few drinks -- hit the stylishly industrial Cocktail Bar for signature cocktails and trick-rocking bartenders. There’s also Nonde-Nonde, featuring imported sake and shochu with yakitori munchies, as well as the Whiskey Bar and Wine Bar.

Most of the bars open from 5 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and till 2 a.m. on weekends. 

Food lovers will find unique dishes here too, whether it be Devil Mousse at Bakie Booqie bakery, black kanomjeen (rice noodles) at Krueng-Zen restaurant or blood-group customized som tum (papaya salad) at the fabulously named Thai-Isaan restaurant Somtumized. 

Fashionistas can hit Mansion 7's 20-something unique shops such as The Hidden Closet, which offers all things fun and kinky, whether it be sexy lingerie, handcuffs or body whipping cream. For fun of the non-sexual variety, Gimmick Magic Shop sells gags, magician equipment and other wacky devices. Rose Apple offers nail services till 11 p.m. as the owners know that finding a good nail studio at night is next to impossible.     

And finally, once you’ve knocked back a few cocktails, hit the "Dark Mansion." It might not have staff groping you in dark corners but the 15-minute walk through this haunted house is definitely a work of art that plays with human psychology and fears. The entrance fee is 180 baht.