The Mandarin Oriental is a luxury hotel in Bangkok located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. The original structure was the first hotel built in Thailand when it opened as The Oriental in 1879. Today, the hotel is one of the flagship properties of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and is well-known for its world-class service, which consistently places it among the world's best hotels. The hotel contains 358 rooms and 35 unique suites. The two-story Authors' Residence, the only remaining structure of the original 19th century hotel, houses suites named after Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward and James Michener. The hotel has a selection of excellent restaurants: Le Normandie (French cuisine), Lord Jim's (Seafood), Sala Rim Naam (Thai cuisine), The China House (modern Cantonese cuisine), Riverside Terrace (International cuisine), The Verandah (International cuisine), Ciao (Italian cuisine) and L'Espace (cafe fare). There are also a number of lounges & bars including: Authors' Lounge (colonial-style lounge serving traditional English afternoon tea) and the Bamboo Bar (live jazz bar). Additional facilities include a large swimming pool and the Oriental Spa.