OT: Your favourite hotel in the world?
Ryan Gosling: When I was booked into the St Regis in Bangkok (from THB 6,500; www.starwoodhotels.com) for the shoot of Only God Forgives, I had a vague idea of this part of the world. It changed my entire perception of Bangkok. [Yet] with its designer façade, furnishings, seven bars and service, it does remind me of New York.

OT: Distinctive location, though?
Ryan Gosling: Yes. It’s bang in the middle of a modern and glitzy part of Bangkok; about 15 minutes from the airport.

OT: Is that its USP, or…?
Ryan Gosling: The service. Seven-star worthy! A personal butler will not only fetch a snack and help unpack, but if you ask, talk about local sights, dos or don’ts… You literally snap your fingers and he’s there.

OT: With grand interiors to match?
Ryan Gosling: It was rather large, you know! I am not sure about the number of rooms, but they had 51 suites alone! And all rather plush. The most striking feature to me were the windows. I was at first kind of taken aback by the large windows. But the stunning unobstructed views justify them windows. When you look out, it just doesn’t look like the Thailand one imagines before being here.

OT: Did you eat local?
Ryan Gosling: We ate very limited fare and stuck to it. But I did spend some time at Decanter, where they serve some really good wines in handmade glasses with a drool-worthy cheese board. The St Regis Bar was also frequented by the unit for our midnight supper. If you go there, do try the Thai avatar of the Bloody Mary, or the Siam Mary laced with spicy Thai chilli, wasabi, lime, coriander, Thai basil and lemongrass.