I stayed in the main tower of the Shangri-la for several days on of their Horizon Club floors. Although I can't compare to other BKK hotels for me as a tourist being on the river was very important. I loved watching the river traffic and seeing the tide reverse the flow of the Chao Praya river. I enjoyed using the river ferries for getting to and from many of the tourist sites. (Since BKK is a river town, not surprisingly many attractions such as the palace and many temples are on the river.) Because of the oppressive heat river travel provided a partial break from the heat. The Shangri-la is located right next to both a ferry and intra-city rail stop. And, yes, it was very luxurious.