Tucked along the quiet bends of Bangkok Noi, a district where wooden stilt houses still kiss the water and monks’ bells drift across the canal at dawn, stands Siri Sala, a riverside retreat that feels less like a villa and more like a memory that has been lovingly brought back to life. Part heritage restoration, part family home, and part cultural sanctuary, Siri Sala exists in that rare space where craftsmanship, community, and contemplation meet.
Long before it became a filming location for The White Lotus Season 3, Siri Sala was the personal passion project of its founder, Khun Irma Go, a woman whose Filipino roots, years of living in Thailand, and reverence for slow, intentional living shaped every beam, every pathway, and every moment of the guest experience. Siri Sala is not merely a place to stay; it’s a place to understand Bangkok differently, through the rhythm of the river, the stories of the neighborhood, and the textures of a disappearing architectural lineage.
In our conversation, Khun Irma opens up about the instinct that led her to rescue century-old canal homes, the philosophy behind transforming them into a living cultural narrative, and why Bangkok Noi, which many visitors overlook, remains one of the city’s most historically rich and emotionally resonant communities.
A heartfelt thank you to Khun Irma for taking the time from her busy schedule to share her insights and passion with us—and for helping our readers get to know more about Siri Sala.
Below, you’ll find the full, unedited conversation—part of In Conversation With, a series from Suite Sojourn spotlighting the hoteliers, entrepreneurs, and creative minds shaping the future of luxury travel.
Suite Sojourn: Khun Irma, before we begin, can you help our readers understand what ‘Siri Sala’ means in English and what does it personally mean to you? How did you end up with this name?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Siri Sala roughly translates into a ‘Thai house of grace’. We chose it because we wanted to be a home that showcased Thai architecture and the warm hospitality.
Suite Sojourn: Let’s start at the beginning—what was it about those old canal-side homes in Bangkok that stirred something in you back in 2015? Was it instinct, memory, or something else entirely?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: The first time we spotted these wooden stilt river homes with a ‘for sale’ sign on them, I instinctively told my husband that we should buy them. Over the past decade that I had moved to Thailand from the Philippines, I had observed that many of the traditional wooden houses around Bangkok had been torn down in favor of modern high rises and 5-star hotels. It was a shame to lose so much of the historical charm and character that made Bangkok unique.
Suite Sojourn: Siri Sala feels more like a living memory than a traditional villa stay. When did you realize this project was going to be much more than just a renovation?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: My husband Kirati and I really wanted to extend the idea of local luxury stays to other families. When we had children, the way we travelled changed. We started to looking for more than just fancy hotels, we started to look for places that had more space – kitchens, gardens, a pool without having to sacrifice standards. Most importantly, we also realised that the children enjoyed themselves more when we stayed at a place that had a reason for being there – such as a farm house in Bordeaux, or an olive garden in Tuscany. The authenticity of these places made the trips more special, and we wanted to create something like this in Bangkok.
Suite Sojourn: Your path to Siri Sala hasn’t been linear, has it? From your previous interviews, I’ve found that it was a mix of intuition, patience, and discovery. How did those twists shape the space we now see today?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Our learned experiences have shaped Siri Sala’s service and offerings. We’ve created a place that we feel we would want to stay at ourselves. A home that defines luxury through space and cultural authenticity, be it through cuisine, the arts or activities. We showcase the best of local, and believe that this is also what travellers who come to Thailand look for.
Suite Sojourn: You once said you didn’t want “a place that was just pretty to the eye.” What was missing from the hospitality scene in Bangkok that you felt called to create?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: It was missing a home. A riverside home to be precise. Bangkok used to be called ‘the Venice of the East’ and there were not many places that showcased this rich history anymore.
Suite Sojourn: How did the DNA of your own life—your Filipino roots, years spent in Thailand, your love of communal living—influence how Siri Sala was ultimately built and felt?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Filipinos, like Thais, are very family-oriented. They love to gather and celebrate together. At Siri Sala, we built a home that we hope has lots of communal spaces that allow these shared gatherings.
Suite Sojourn: The architectural decisions at Siri Sala walk a line between preservation and progression. What were some of the hardest choices you had to make during the rebuild?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala:This is a really great question. In our research, we found out that a traditional Thai house would not have had an ensuite bathroom or air conditioning. Its clever design of single skinned walls allowed air to flow, with hot air rising to fill the space under the arched roof. But today’s world was too hot and noisy to live with these traditional elements. So we decided to reimagine what today’s riverside Thai house would look like – a mix of modern amenities and a respectful nod to Thai principles in design.
Suite Sojourn: Every beam, every stair, every door at Siri Sala holds memory. Was there a particular detail—big or small—that felt especially powerful to preserve?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Yes, we decided to save the oldest of the wooden stilt houses, the 100 year old ‘Heritage House’ in our garden. It is built with the same specifications as the original, using as much of the old wood as we could. It’s a real labor of love – a simple wooden home that is fast disappearing in this busy city.
Suite Sojourn: Every suite at Siri Sala tells its own story—through original woodwork, murals, or art. Was there one artifact or detail that personally moved you to keep or repurpose it?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: One of the things that amazed us was the size of these old wooden beams that were used for the building of the original stilt houses. Some planks of wood were over 8 meters long! It really spoke of a time when nature was plentiful and there was greater harmony between people and their usage of resources. At Siri Sala, we have repurposed these old beams into new furniture such as tables, benches and steps. Guests are able to experience the glory of the past in new meaningful ways.
Suite Sojourn: Siri Sala isn’t just a space—it’s a story told through materials, textures, and time. How do you hope guests experience that narrative when they stay?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: We like to say that when you are at Siri Sala, you will experience the best of local culture through all touchpoints: what you see, hear, taste and do. We showcase local plants, flowers, food, textiles, artwork and activities.
Suite Sojourn: Having visited Bangkok numerous times, I find that the Bangkok Noi region is often overlooked in favor of the city’s faster, flashier districts. Why was it important for you to root Siri Sala here?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Because there is beauty in authenticity. This area of Bangkok Noi remained a waterside community for decades after the central business district started modernizing with roads, trams and highways. Bangkok Noi is an area that cannot be replicated in busy central Bangkok. Over here, you can still see children swimming in the river, hear the bells of the temple being hand-rung by monks, see boatmen returning home after a day’s work and feel a myriad of exotic birds flying overhead to the marshy trees.
Suite Sojourn: You’ve mentioned how meaningful it was to showcase the Bangkok Noi community during The White Lotus. What do you hope audiences now understand about this often-overlooked neighborhood?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: That Bangkok is more than the high-rises, the shopping malls and the clubs it’s so famous for. Bangkok has a wonderfully rich history as a water-based civilization – just look at how many stilt houses, waterside temples and canals still exist! It amazes me to know that to this day, the government still runs the post (mail), electricity, garbage collection and fire departments by boat because this waterside community is still so large. Many areas are not even accessible by land at all. These are all remnants of a bygone era, but one that still remain vibrant to this day.
Suite Sojourn: From temple tours to flower folding workshops, Siri Sala encourages connection with local culture. What are your favorite “only here” experiences you love curating for guests?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Siri Sala is fortunate to be located right across the river from Wat Suwannaram, a temple that is known to have existed for more than 300 years. One of the best ‘only here’ experiences at Siri Sala is the ability to have an up-close and personal alms-giving / blessing ceremony experience with the monks at the villa.
Suite Sojourn: You speak often of togetherness—of shared meals and long conversations. Why is that sense of communal living so central to Siri Sala’s identity?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: Because at its heart, Siri Sala is a home. It’s a home that has opened its room for curious travellers. They will be welcomed with homey comforts and warm, genuine smiles. Integral to an Asian home is the family meal – a time to gather and feel welcomed through food. It’s part of the culture!
Suite Sojourn: There’s a quiet but powerful thread of sustainability running through Siri Sala. How do you define sustainability in the context of cultural and emotional preservation—not just environmental?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: This is a great question. Our team strives to come up with cultural activities that are not trite – we want the guests to really come out of the experience feeling enriched. This often means letting them do things that are part of cultural preservation – this could take the form of a private Thai dance lesson, or learning the principles of Thai writing, to joining monks in a community blessing ceremony.
Suite Sojourn: Season 3 of The White Lotus put Siri Sala in the global spotlight—but you’ve always said the true star is the Bangkok Noi community. What do you hope the world sees when they look beyond the show’s lens?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: I hope they will see that Bangkok is a multi-faceted city. It has its bars, fine dining and 5-star hotels. But as portrayed in The White Lotus, the viewers will also see that Bangkok still has its canals, temples, and homes. The Bangkok Noi community is the best area to showcase the historical side of the city. Literally, shoulder to shoulder with modernity.
Suite Sojourn: You’re now opening Siri Sala to individual room bookings, shifting from an exclusive villa to something more inclusive. What prompted that evolution—and how do you preserve intimacy?
Khun Irma, Siri Sala: The evolution is prompted largely by the attention we received from The White Lotus. We realized that many people wanted to experience Siri Sala, but did not have a group large enough to privatize the villa. So our team decided that we would open our doors for individual room bookings (as well as private buyouts) as part of the Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) group of hotels. We’re so excited to welcome guests starting November 2025. These guests will know what it’s like to stay in one of the smallest 5-bedroom SLH properties on the river, and possibly the world. Our offering will be unique too because it is an all-inclusive stay. This means that your room rate will include airport transfers, all meals, and curated cultural activities. Our team is ready to take care of you, just as if you were staying in a good friend’s home.
Today, Siri Sala stands as a restored century-old riverside property in Bangkok Noi, rebuilt from traditional wooden stilt houses discovered and preserved by founders Irma Go and Kirati. Designed as a private home that honors Thai architecture while incorporating modern comforts, it offers five suites, communal living spaces, and curated cultural experiences ranging from alms-giving ceremonies to local craft workshops. Following its feature in The White Lotus Season 3, Siri Sala has expanded its offering to include individual room bookings as part of the Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) collection, beginning November 2025. With an all-inclusive model—covering airport transfers, meals, and cultural activities—it continues to operate as a hospitality concept grounded in heritage, locality, and meaningful guest connection.
Images © Khun Irma, Siri Sala
Suite Sojourn is proud to be a member of the WithIN by SLH thanks to our host agency. Contact us to learn more.
