Bangkok Hotels

[Kumbu]

I am staying here for a few more days, and I can report that this is a super little hotel. It's prime draw is location. It is quite literally right at the entrance to the Asok BTS station, so much so that when I bring girls back, they ask me where the hotel is, and as I approach the main door, I point to the BTS entrance, and I say that I sleep in the BTS. Harhar, very funny. Moreover, the MRT (Sukhumvit station) is in the attached Interchange building, in the basement, so for transportation purposes, this hotel cannot be beat.

It is about 200 paces from Soi Cowboy, so you can pull from there, walk over in less than 5 minutes, and have dick-in-pussy within another 5 minutes, if you so please. It's a short walk to Thermae, and one BTS stop from soi 11, the smut around soi 7, and NEP. It does indeed make it less alluring to go to the stuff around soi 11/ Nana and instead focusing on Soi Cowboy, but that's just part of the deal.

The price is good, usually. For what you get, it is plenty worth it. My room was actually very small, but hey, $60 per night, what do you want? There was no view, but it was quiet. The bathroom is also good enough, but for whatever reason, they only give you one bar of soap, plus a shower gel tube. I wish they did not make me have to ask for a second bar, it's just a pain.

Breakfast is surprisingly good, given its lack of size. There are 6 hot dishes, plus an omelet station. The surprising thing is that the hot dishes are very tasty. They rotate the offerings, and they have things like Mexican beans, spicy rice chicken, Chinese noodles, all delicious. The coffee is actually pretty good, although one morning they served flavored coffee. I wish they didn't do that.

Girl friendly? Obviously. But the thing I like the most about this hotel is its entrance. The doorway is right next to the BTS stairwell; you enter and to the right is the restaurant Indulge, and to the left is an elevator. And just past that is a set of stairs. You can take the elevator or stairs to the 2nd floor, which is where the reception is. So when you arrive with your girl, you enter the elevator unfettered by reception eyes, and go straight to your floor, bypassing the reception entirely. They don't have a doorman past (I think) 9 pm, so you will enter and leave completely unfettered. There is none of that bullshit with sawadee krap with the doorman as he opens the door for you and salutes, as if you are a military officer or something. So those concerned with the walk of shame, this is the place for you. But even those that have no shame, the sheer convenience of not having to deal with the people in reception is fantastic.

So all in all, highly recommended, and would indeed repeat.

[RjToons]

I am planning to stay in Chatrium Riverside Hotel next week for some business meetings, any review about it? I will have 1-2 girls from nana or cowboy or escorts, staff creates any problem?

RJ.

[Christian G]

and then Maxim's Inn off Sukhumvit .

Stay here 4 years ago. Shitty place with claustrophobic rooms and bad breakfast. Wifi and A / see worked good. My room was quiet (this is very important for me).

[D Cups]

Hello, I am staying at Lebua State Tower for a conference in August and then Maxim's Inn off Sukhumvit (I know, I know, opposite ends of the spectrum) but if anyone has stayed at either one I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

[MichaelSamuel]

Was that way for me as well. You had the option of using the door that took you by reception and could sign in your guest, or go through the other door and straight to elevators. Took girls from Nana and Cowboy back here never a problem.

Unless things have changed since I stayed there years ago, no. In fact you had two options, walk in an entrance close to sukhumvit and only pass a security guard. Or go in the main entrance and have your date sign in with the front desk. I remember checking in, then sharing the elevator with an Arab who had two drop dead gorgeous women, one on each arm.

[Tiny 12]

The last time I was in Bangkok, I stayed at the JW Marriott. It's an excellent hotel, one of the better JW in my opinion. I will say though, I don't remember seeing anyone walking in with a Nana girl. Is it frowned upon at the JW?

Unless things have changed since I stayed there years ago, no. In fact you had two options, walk in an entrance close to sukhumvit and only pass a security guard. Or go in the main entrance and have your date sign in with the front desk. I remember checking in, then sharing the elevator with an Arab who had two drop dead gorgeous women, one on each arm.

[Gekio]

The last time I was in Bangkok, I stayed at the JW Marriott. It's an excellent hotel, one of the better JW in my opinion. I will say though, I don't remember seeing anyone walking in with a Nana girl. Is it frowned upon at the JW?

[Tiny 12]

Is that just something trying to be funny or distainful, and should be ignored?

If you're sanctimonious, absolutely.

I only smuggled one woman into the hotel, whose physical appearance was as described, and it was late at night. I told her before our date to dress conservatively and it went in one ear and out the other. Also I told the bellman before I left the hotel that evening I had a date, and asked him if there would be a problem bringing her back if I got lucky. He was entertained by that and told me no, and he'd give reception a heads up.

No problem going in, but she and I got the third degree leaving at about 6:00 AM, which was a problem because I had a flight that morning and not a lot of time to burn. Also they were supposed to give me a free night so I was arguing about that at the same time they were inquisitioning me about the unregistered guest.

The part about walking past society matrons was fiction, but if you walk through the lobby during the daytime there's a good chance you'll run across Thai hi so types. They seem to attract a lot of local business for events and meetings. I would not recommend the Mandarin Oriental if you're going to bring back dates, even though there was no joiner charge.

[Syzygies]

Syzgies, I guess I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I too have stayed at a lot of locations, and they all kicked ass for one reason or another. Except the Mandarin Oriental, that was one bad ass walk of shame past the society matrons of Bangkok. It might have been better if my petite, tattooed date didn't have giant man-made breasts falling out of her tank top.

Is that just something trying to be funny or distainful, and should be ignored?

Its Location, Location, Class, Views, Pool, comfort, Price, B/F, and then Location.

I have stayed at some wonderful Hotels. I have written plenty of positive reviews. However I would be warped if I said every hotel was fantastic and in a great location.

Clearly some were not value for money, some had uncomfortable beds, and some were just inconveniently located. Believe me, Amari Atrium is a nice Hotel but its location kills it completely. Very inconvenient for getting to various places.

[AussieDoug]

Red Kilt;1889668. Fair enough if the position close to Nana worries you and raises your friends' eyebrows but in my experience nobody in my circle of friends has ever made any snide remarks to me about staying at the Landmark because "it's close to Nana".

The Landmark got it's reputation as a good hotel because it is the first hotel off the expressway from the airport, and easiest to get on the expressway when leaving. That said I have stayed in the Landmark for at least 10 years and never encountered any remarks about it being close to Nana, which of course it must be, Nana is the Landmark property, and one day might be redeveloped. It is friendly hotel, it has gone through some management changes in the last 5 years or so, when Frank left they brought in a Chinese who shooed all the arabs out, he did not last, the now GM seems a bit more switched on and I continue to stay there. I spotted it online for less that USD $100 a night, at that rate it is a bargain.

[Red Kilt]

Kilt, Actually, I did not know the Landmark is guest friendly. In the late 1990's, I believe it was not. I'm sure some of the people I've seen professionally in Bangkok would have no idea what type of clientele stays at the Landmark and would assume I picked the place because it's around the corner from Nana. I stayed at the J. W. Marriott, similarly located to Nana, on my first trip to Bangkok because one of the companies I was seeing was located in an office across the street. I loved the hotel, but did not stay there again because I thought the location may have raised eyebrows. Oh yeah, and I DID go to Nana, about every other night. I was like a kid next to a candy store.

Fair enough if the position close to Nana worries you and raises your friends' eyebrows but in my experience nobody in my circle of friends has ever made any snide remarks to me about staying at the Landmark because "it's close to Nana".

I think we all need to remember that the mongering universe is relatively small. There is a large percentage of people in the world who don't even know that so-called red light districts even exist in cities and have no idea what goes on inside them. Millions of people visit Bkk each year but only a small percentage of them frequent the sites mentioned here on ISG. I recall that when the curfews were brought in many years ago now (under Thaksin) forcing bars to close early tourism figures in Bkk were not affected at all (and in some cases actually increased), so I don't think the bar industry is a major focus of Thailand's tourist income.

I am sure that many guests stay at the Landmark because of its reputation without even knowing what's down the road and around the corner in Soi Nana, and I am sure many of these clients at Landmark remain none the wiser. Obviously the proximity of Nana does not affect the family groups and people with young kids who stay there. It is far enough away to be "out of sight" unless you go searching for it.

BTW. Landmark is guest friendly as I have observed security asking a guest with an obvious party girl in tow to check in her I D at the concierge desk. She was not excluded because of her occupation. I have also observed a number of classy women downstairs in Huntsman Pub sitting alone who are looking for a companion; I have experienced their roving eyes and come hither smiles, but I have never been in a position to check them out. Security has no doubt approved their presence as they seem quite comfortable and "at-home" especially as they are mostly mature and the late-20 to 30s types.

[Tiny 12]

Kilt, Actually, I did not know the Landmark is guest friendly. In the late 1990's, I believe it was not. I'm sure some of the people I've seen professionally in Bangkok would have no idea what type of clientele stays at the Landmark and would assume I picked the place because it's around the corner from Nana. I stayed at the J. W. Marriott, similarly located to Nana, on my first trip to Bangkok because one of the companies I was seeing was located in an office across the street. I loved the hotel, but did not stay there again because I thought the location may have raised eyebrows. Oh yeah, and I DID go to Nana, about every other night. I was like a kid next to a candy store.

[Red Kilt]

Red Kilt, I beg to disagree. Staying at the Landmark or J. W. Marriott telegraphs "I'm really here to fuck wh*res at Nana, not to get business done."

Obviously you have never stayed at The Landmark Tiny.

I ALWAYS stay there. I NEVER go to Nana. I would say most of the clientele are not Nana patrons either.

Everybody with whom I have interacted at the Landmark Hotel is in Bkk on business or in quite large family groups. It is a genuine 5-star hotel.

In all of my (regular) stays there I cannot recall seeing ANY punter with an obvious Nana girl in tow. Security guys stand guard at the elevators and they actively check would-be guests. It's clearly GF, but outside guests need an I D to get in. In fact, most of the clients having dinner or drinks in the Huntsman Pub on the lower ground floor are usually family groups or guys on their own.

[Tiny 12]

Red Kilt, I beg to disagree. Staying at the Landmark or J. W. Marriott telegraphs "I'm really here to fuck wh*res at Nana, not to get business done."

Syzgies, I guess I'm a glass half full kind of guy. I too have stayed at a lot of locations, and they all kicked ass for one reason or another. Except the Mandarin Oriental, that was one bad ass walk of shame past the society matrons of Bangkok. It might have been better if my petite, tattooed date didn't have giant man-made breasts falling out of her tank top.

[Nixonbd]

Just returned to the States from BKK after spending six days at the Dynasty Grande. It's off the beaten path on Soi 6, about a five minute walk to Nana Plaza, and of course, all the Hillary Bars along the way. The hotel has a great staff, it's fairly new and the pool is awesome as well. Also a pretty good room service menu that equals most of the better eating establishments in the area.