Platinum Mall

Platinum Mall is a new shopping mall that just opened for less than 3 years. Its basically a wholesale centre for apparels and accessories mainly for female. My first impression? Scary.
Its especially scary if among your travelling group you have girls who cannot stop shopping and will not give up until they cover every inch of the building. I am still shivering as I type this. Haa!

My personal opinion is that Platinum Mall is really the best place for girls to get your clothes and accessories at a very good price but like what everyone will tell you, you need to buy 3 pieces and more to enjoy discounted rates. Of course some bargaining skills will help too. I am quite confident to say that you will probably not get better price for similar products elsewhere.

Platinum Mall also have a food court that basically sells the standard dishes most food courts would. There are also fastfood restaurants and a Swensens to let shoppers take a break. Not to forget, there is also a Black Canyon cafe selling very good espresso. Good place for guys to sit down, sip your coffee and take a break while waiting for your female friends to conquer the building.

MBK (MahBoonKrong Center)

The famous MBK shopping mall has been a shopper's favourite since a long time back. Its said that everything you want to buy in Bangkok can be found in there. I must admit its not an exaggeration. Shoppers can find clothes and shoes, electrical appliances, food, furniture and lots more in the 8 level shopping mall. Besides that, it also has a bowling alley and a cinema to provide entertainment to shoppers. Food outlets are in abundance here as well with choices ranging from Japanese, Chinese, Thai and western food. There is also an international food court selling dishes for all nationalities and ethnicities

Though its commonly known as a shopper's must go, I realise in recent years MBK seems to have lost abit of its appeal. At least to me. Friends who have been to Bangkok for 2-3 times at least and have visited MBK everytime, please tell me if you do feel the same. Its true that you still can get anything you want there, but maybe its gotten a little boring because there is not much changes seen for the past few years. The things on sale were really those I saw during my first visit which was at least 6 years ago. However, if you are a first time traveller, or you intend to just settle all your shopping needs at one place, then perhaps MBK would suit your need.

Shopping

Now this is what most people go to Bangkok for. The last friend whom I went with and said he is not so much into shopping, spent 1000SGD. Just imagine if he is little bit more passionate about it. In Bangkok, shopping can be done almost throughout the whole day. In the daytime, you have countless shopping malls at your convenience and come night time, the night markets will form up to allow you to indulge in even more shopping. There are far too many shopping centers in Bangkok to cover totally so I will just do a brief write up on those that I frequent and have an impression of.

Food Courts

Another popular and convenient way of settling your meals would be the food courts in shopping malls. Almost every mall in Bangkok have a food court attached and contrary to popular beliefs, some of the food are actually nice also. I personally prefer the food court at MBK and Siam Paragon because of its wide variety. Personal favourite is the pig trotters rice and the beef ball soup. I will inevitably have these at least 2-3 times everytime I am in Bangkok. People who are very conscious about hygiene will be glad to know the standard of hygiene in these food courts is comparable to Singapore.

Roadside Stalls

If you notice, I do not have many recommendations for restaurants. The reason behind is because I have a firm belief that the best food is always found in the heartland, along the streets and among the crowd. In Bangkok, I am seldom proven wrong.

I can go on and on about the roadside food in Bangkok, like wanton mee, beef noodles, pork intestine soup, pad Thai, oyster omelette, fish maw soup, pig trotters and many many more. Remember to add the seasoning usually available on the tables. The chili powder is a must if you are eating soup items. The chili powder in Thailand really goes well with any soup and sometimes even dry dishes. Amazing

The wonderful thing is all these street food is that they are usually sold at a very cheap price like 20-40 baht. You also do not pay tourist price as the stalls are usually patronised by the locals. Though the portion is usually smaller, but its actually a good thing for me as it allows me to have a variety of food instead of just being full on one dish.

All these roadside stalls can be found easily at places where there are human traffic. I noticed that along Petchburi Road, the stalls available for your choice are in abundance. Another good place to try all these roadside stalls would be Yaowarat Chinatown. You can definitely find every dishes mentioned above along the main street.

I would suggest to friends travelling to Bangkok to be abit more daring and just try all the street food. You will not regret it. Though some people will still be afraid due to hygiene issues but I believe that as long as you go for only food cooked on the spot, it should not be a problem at all. After all, I have survived so many trips so I really do not see any harm trying.

NamSing Restaurant

Nam Sing is one of the most reputable bird nest and sharks fin restaurant in Bangkok. From what I remember, it has outlets in MBK and Yaowarat Chinatown. I tried both and I thought I found the Yaowarat branch to be better.

You can enjoy a huge bowl of sharks fin for just 300 baht and if you feel abit richer, you can always choose a better quality sharks fin for 500 baht. I am someone who cannot really tell the differences between the grade, so usually I will just order the 300 baht bowl and save the money for other dishes.

The other must try is of course the birds nest soup. Once again there are different prices for different quality, the highest grade which is brownish red in colour cost 500 baht per bowl, but you can get normal birds nest for just 100baht a bowl. I tried the 500 baht grade under advice from my friend and once again, I could not tell the difference. Maybe I am better off eating cheap food. :p

If you think that sharks fin will not constitute to a proper meal, then you can probably consider ordering their pineapple fried rice which I find very nice also. Another dish worth a try also would be their steamed scallop with garlic.

Baiyoke Sky Restaurant

During my stay in Baiyoke Sky, we were given a complimentary buffet dinner at their in house restaurant. The spread was very good, quite comparable to some 4-5 star hotel buffets you find in Singapore, though at a much cheaper price. I do not exactly remember how much the exact cost was, but I figure it should be around 35-37SGD. A bargain I suppose for the spread available to you. Latest I heard was guests of the Baiyoke chain hotels enjoy 50% discount off the buffet price.

The restaurant is situated at one of the uppermost level of the hotel, thus you get to enjoy fantastic night sky view of Bangkok while enjoying your dinner. They also have entertainers walking around the restaurant to perform magic tricks, dance and songs to keep the diners entertained. Quite interesting I must say. After the buffet dinner, you can also make your way up to the Observation Deck to enjoy an unsurpassed view of Bangkok from 70 odd storeys down.

SomBoom Restaurant

SomBoon Restaurant have 4 outlets in Bangkok but I only remember 3 of them. One along Surawongse Road in Silom area, one in Ratchada area and the one I remember best is BanthadThong. The BandthadThong branch is probably the easiest to find because its just a stone throw behind MBK. Its along Chula Soi 8.

Basically, SomBoon is also a seafood restaurant that sells very nice seafood dishes. Their signature dish is their curry crab which I found very nice. Their steamed prawns and scallops are worth a try as well. For vegetables, try their kangkong fried the Thailand way and not the belachan or sambal kangkong that you commonly find in Singapore. I guarantee its just as spicy but the taste is very different. I quite like it.

SomBoon being an established restaurant is slightly expensive if you consider that its not inside a hotel or in the business district. However, you will be paying for good quality food that you definitely would enjoy.

Baan Klang Naam

Baan Klang Naam.

Situated at Rama 3 Soi 14, Baan Klang Naam is abit faraway from the main city area of Bangkok. A taxi trip from areas like Pratunam would set you back 100+ baht. Considering how slow the taxi meter jumps in Bangkok, you probably can imagine the distance. Despite its location, I think its always worth a visit. Its not so popular with tourists yet, probably because of its location and lack of promotion as well. That ensures that the price is kept to a modest level and is cheaper in comparison to the other restaurants in tourist areas.

The food there is very good and fresh because you get to choose your seafood straight from the tank. It also have an extensive menu which would be very useful if you do go in a group of 4 or more. Having a group of friends eating together allows you to order a variety of dishes. Some of the common dishes I never fail to order would be dishes like fried sweet and sour garoupa, prawn with fruits in mayonnaise sauce, tom yum goong, mixed vegetables, green curry. You get the rough idea.

A meal comprising of the above dishes would cost roughly about 50SGD and it can easily feed 4 or more people. I can safely say a meal like this for 4 people would cost close to 100SGD in Singapore. Plus you get to enjoy your food with very nice river view away from the hustle and bustle of the hectic city life of Bangkok. Seriously worth a try if you are in Bangkok.

A point to take note though, when boarding a taxi to the restaurant, it would be good to ask your hotel staff to translate the address and write it on a piece of paper to show the driver where the location is. Otherwise, if you are feeling confident enough, tell the taxi driver "Pharam Sam Soi Sip See" and enjoy the journey to the restaurant. Great view along the way too as you will be to see this very nice hanging bridge across the Chao Phraya River.

Food

The main reason why I always enjoy my time in Bangkok is without doubt the food choices available there. I will introduce some of my favourite restaurants to friends who are interested. I will also include some write up on food sold at road side stalls but I would not be able to provide the details with regards to their location because they do not have an address to refer to and sometimes would even since move from locations. Just a disclaimer though, all recommendations are made based on my personal opinion as everyone have different expectations of food in relation to their price. What I find nice and value for money may not necessarily be accepted so just take it as a reference. The best way to know for sure, is definitely to try it yourself.

Others

There are several other hotels that I came across when I was planning my trips but have not stayed in before. No reviews available from friends either so I am not going into details. Friends who read this and have any idea on these hotels please kindly share with me and it would really help if next time I decide to reside in any of these hotels.

Siam City Hotel (Phayathai Area)

Davis Bangkok (Sukhumvit Area)

CentrePoint Petchburi (Pratunam Area)

Rambrutti Village Inn (Khao San Area)

Century Park Hotel (Pratunam/Victory Monument Area)

Da Vinci Suite (Sukhumvit Area)

Siam Heritage (Silom Area)

Baan SalaDeang (Silom Area)

Residence Rajtaevee

Residence is another budget hotel situated along Petchburi Road and is within 2-3min walking distance to popular shopping spots like Pantip Plaza, Platinum Mall, Pratunam City Complex, Krung Thung Center and of course Pratunam wholesale market. It also have a very cute and innovative buggy service that transports you at no cost to Siam Paragon which is at the Siam Square area. 5 mins walking distance to Ratchadewi BTS where Asia Hotel is or alternatively, take the buggy mentioned above and go to Siam BTS which is very near Siam Paragon.

I must remind you again, like all budget hotels, you should not expect much from the rooms as long as it can serve the basic functions of providing good rest and washing up. Residence has no problem with that. However, I must admit that it probably has not done a good job of maintaining or upgrading the rooms as I felt that the room was quite dated and the furniture in the room looked abit old and worn.

The exterior of the hotel is somewhat better though. Despite the building being donned with a very boring white coat of paint that made it look like a normal office building, its lobby was very well furnished and looked very classy despite its petite size. There is also an alfresco cafe/bar named Crescendo directly outside the lobby and the greenery being used for decoration made the hotel look much better than it actually was. However, I was glad to hear that the hotel is carrying out renovations work for their hotel rooms and it was actually in progress during my stay there. Also it does not provide cable tv like almost all hotels in Bangkok would. Only available channels are local channels and some French and Japanese news channels. However, they do have an in-house movie channel that shows dvds on a schedule. Breakfast is also provided despite its cheap rates and the spread is quite sufficient to allow you choices over the span of your stay

The one thing I like most about this hotel is the serene feel the surrounding gives. Its actually a good 10-20metre inside a small alley off the main road. That meant you will not be disturbed by the noise the heavy traffic produces and that is very well appreciated by a light sleeper like me. To sidetrack abit, opposite the hotel is Bangkok Business College. Eye candies aplenty yet again. :p

Another thing that impresses me is the personalised service the hotel staffs seeks to provide. Hotel staffs are generally very friendly and are very spontaneous in their service. Like when it was drizzling when we made our way out, the hotel reception immediately provided us with umbrellas without prompting. When we made inquiries about activities like Thai boxing and some restaurants, the queries were all met with very useful answers. A particular reception staff were even able to address us by our surname without even glancing at the room list. This is the kind of personalised service that you can only expect at smaller hotels. Bigger and more established hotels can only go as far as being polite.

Nearby amenities is also not a concern during my stay there as there is a 7-11 just along the main road outside the alley. There is also a stall selling barbecued chicken parts and innards just outside the hotel. Best eaten piping hot and it only cost like 5-10 baht for a good chunk of chicken meat. Heavenly. Before I forget, there is also a night stall selling very very nice beef noodles just opposite the main road.

The only concern is bringing taxi drivers back to your hotel because like Samran Place its not commonly known among taxi drivers as well. Well, do it the same way by getting a business card of the hotel and it does help if you tell them its near First Hotel and Pantip Plaza. Upon approaching the hotel, look out for the signage of Crescendo and Spa Buri displayed prominently at 1-2metres above eye level and turn in at the alley. Problem solved. :p

My conclusion. A very good hotel choice because of its location and the personal touch in the service rendered that is if you can bear with the room condition. Value for money as well.

Samran Place

Samran Place is a budget hotel. Enough said.

Kidding. Samran Place is a budget hotel which provides very basic rooms for a very very reasonable price. No frills as some would describe it, it basically provides you a room and a clean bathroom which allows you to wash up and rest comfortably, no swimming pool no spa, that's basically all that's about it. However I must say that for the price I paid, I was expecting something worse than what I got so I do feel that I got a bargain.

Samran Place is located along Petchburi Road and getting back to the hotel via taxi is sometimes a hassle because not many taxi drivers know of its existence. It can be a problem for first time or inexperienced travellers but if you bother to find a way out of it, it can be solved rather easily. What I did was to get a business card of the hotel and show it to the taxi driver and subsequently tell them its located near Petchburi Soi 7 off a junction away from Asia Hotel and guide them to turn and stop when approaching the hotel. That simple. For the money I saved, I certainly do not mind doing some menial tasks that really do not require much effort. For travellers who prefer to travel by BTS, it shares the same BTS station as Asia Hotel. Ratchadewi BTS station is about a slow 10 mins walk away. Its also just a 15mins walk or 5min taxi ride from MBK or Pratunam area and the traffic there is not as heavy compared to hotels situated directly inside Pratunam area.

I was also pleasantly surprised that the hotel actually provides breakfast in its in house restaurant. You get to choose from a menu of 6 different breakfast sets that comprises of noodles, rice, American breakfast etc. Good start for the day. :)

Around the hotel are alot of things that really interest me, namely the stalls selling wanton mee, pad Thai and pig trotters. Slurp. They are situated just opposite the hotel and provided very heartwarming supper for me and my friends every night during our stay there. Nearby anemities are certainly not lacking as there is a 7-11 just outside the food stalls and a whole row of seafood eateries are just besides the hotel. There is also a cafe directly opposite which sells really nice mocha and espresso, solving my daily dosage of caffeine fix. Right outside the hotel, there is also a massage parlour providing very good Thai and foot massage for only 200 baht per hour. That's also where we ended our day almost every night. The fact that the boss of the massage parlour speaks fluent Teochew and Chinese also made me feel more at home. Home away from home. :p

My conclusion. A very good choice for budget travellers or those who do not believe in spending so much on a room so that it can be empty most of the time while you are outside enjoying yourself. Very much value for money.

Baiyoke Boutique Hotel

Baiyoke Boutique Hotel is a newly renovated hotel under the Baiyoke Brand. Yes, it has the same management as Baiyoke Sky Hotel, in fact its situated just directly behind its much much taller neighbour. With regards to the pros and cons of its location, just refer to my description for Baiyoke Sky Hotel.

Being newly renovated, the hotel tries to position itself as a trendy boutique hotel that appeals to the young. I would say it has done a competent job in achieving that because the layout and the design of the hotel was about the only reason why I chose to stay there. The price is reasonable given its location and the newly furbished rooms you get to stay in. However, do not expect too much as the room is very basic providing you with only the necessary facilities needed for a comfortable stay. No more no less.

My conclusion, if you want to be staying in the Pratunam area and do not want to pay the extra dollar for Baiyoke Sky, Baiyoke Boutique Hotel will be a very good alternative.

Siam@siam Design Spa Hotel

A very new hotel which just started operation in the past 1 or 2 years, Siam@Siam is in my opinion a 5 star hotel priced at 4 star rate at the moment. This is due to the fact that its a very new hotel and is trying to build up its reputation and customer base. This is just an assumption I made but do not be alarmed if they do increase their hotel rates in the future.

The hotel is situated within close proximity to MBK and the National Stadium BTS. Other than that, there is not much worth mentioning around the hotel as it can get really quiet and lifeless come nighttime. However, I tend to focus more on the room and aesthetics when my friends do ask about the hotel.

The room is wonderful I must say. Probably the best hotel I stayed in Bangkok if you are talking about the design of the hotel and the rooms. Its very modernised and the colour scheme the hotel adopts is very refreshing. To me, its not a good thing because it makes you yearn to stay in the hotel rather than spending time outside where all the fun is. :p

Another point worth mentioning is the level of service the hotel staffs provide. Being a very new hotel, I think the management would have spent alot of effort in training their staffs to provide excellent customer service with a smile. Some may say this is the case in every hotels but I beg to differ. Or at least I think that the staffs at Siam@Siam really put in that extra effort and I could really sense the sincerity. I was very impressed.

Only drawback of the hotel is its location though. Even though its near MBK and BTS, the surroundings somewhat disappointed me. Like I mentioned above, not much stuffs to keep you interested around the hotel. By that I mean I would normally expect my hotel to be near eateries, night food stalls, convenience stalls and Thai massage parlours because that would save you time and energy to indulge yourself before ending the night. However, I am quite confident that as the hotel becomes more popular, all the other businesses around it will start to develop

My conclusion, I would choose this hotel for a trip solely meant to rejuvenate myself and that would mean if I anticipate myself spending alot of time in the hotel room and facilities like spa and swimming pool because they are really very good. However, if I am going to spend most of my time outside, its might be a waste to pay such good rates for a room to just rest over the night. Do take note of the fact that the price might increase in future if my assumption proves to be right.

Arnoma Hotel

This is one hotel that I have not stayed before but would definitely do so in future. It is within close proximity to the Pratunam areas thus its location is somewhat similar to Baiyoke Sky Hotel. The difference is that its situated very near Chidlom BTS thus you have an alternative to taxis if the traffic is really very bad. Opposite the hotel is the newly renovated Central World Plaza which houses 2 mega department stores in Zen and Isetan. For shoppers looking for more upmarket brands rather than the usual wholesale market, it can really be a very good alternative. Just beside the hotel, there is also this Big C shopping center which has a food court that provides the travellers with an ideal location for a quick bite before embarking on their shopping expedition. Big C is actually a hypermarket like Carrefour and Giant but I guarantee you, its much bigger and carries much more varieties in comparison.

Also, at the junction of the hotel is where the famous Erawan Shrine resides. Commonly known as the Four Faced Buddha, the religious shrine has huge followings around the world as travellers would come all the way to Bangkok to pay their respects. Its also well known for realising wishes from devotees. This is one place I would definitely visit when I am in Bangkok.

From the website and reviews from friends who stayed there before, I gather the impression that Arnoma Hotel provides very good rooms and service. My friend was particularly impressed by the security provided by the hotel as they have security personnels in abundance in the lobby and lift areas. I think that goes alot in assuring the guests' that at least their well being are being well taken care of. Like I mentioned earlier, I am one who values the importance of service and I felt that security is one aspect of service that hotels should do try to excel in.

My conclusion, the hotel is priced slightly higher than its surrounding hotels, however I do believe it would be value for money. I will definitely give it a try in the future.

Novotel Siam Square

Before I begin my description on Novotel Siam Square, let me make a disclaimer first, the bad experience with the hotel that i will share later on is probably only a one off thing.

Situated in Siam Square as the name suggests, its very near to Siam BTS which is the interchange of the BTS lines leading towards Silom. Extra convenience I would say. Being an established hotel as well, you would have no problem getting a taxi and likewise taxi drivers will know the hotel definitely.

The hotel room is abit on the small side given the price you pay for, but the rest of the facilities are acceptable. To be honest, for the price you pay for the rooms, you tend to expect something more or different from cheaper hotels. I was not impressed at all. The only saving grace that Novotel Siam Square has is its location once again. Being in Siam Square, an area quite similar to Singapore's Bugis Village, albeit at a very much larger scale, its a very trendy hangout place for Thai teenagers and young adults. You tend to see alot of college and university students hanging around the area in the afternoon. Eye Candies I must say. :p

However, people with serious shopping goals in their mind would do better spending their time elsewhere. This is the opinion my female friend gave because I am not really a "shopping" person.

With regards to my bad experience, some may think its a small issue but to me I think it matters alot. I met up with a Thai female friend who used to be my colleague in Singapore and when she tried to come up to the hotel room to look for me before we set off for clubbing, she was stopped by the hotel staff and were treated as if she was a "working girl" in their local terms. I felt that it was really an insult and gave the hotel staffs involved a piece of my mind. But that did not really pacify my anger. Inevitably, I do not have a good impression of the hotel due to that. I am a person who values service alot. Much more than the facilities even.

My conclusion. Not worth the money unless your idea of a holiday is to hang around your hotel area as Siam Square does provide a wide varieties of eateries and cafes that you would love to hang around when you feel the laziness in you.

Baiyoke Sky Hotel

Tallest hotel in Bangkok, the thought of staying in the hotel itself already makes me a little bit excited. Right smack in the centre of the busy shopping area Pratunam, you would probably enjoy your stay as much as I did as everything you want can simply be found within the hotel or the surrounding buildings. Its within walking distance to the major shopping malls like Platinum Mall, Indra Square, Pantip Plaza, Big C, Pratunam City Complex, Krung Thung Center and of course the famous but in my honest opinion grossly overrated Pratunam Wholesale Market.

Come night time, the streets outside the hotel will transform into a night market which provides you more opportunity to shop and grab some local food like Pad Thai and snacks that are delicious and cheap. However, being in the centre of such a vibrant area has its pros and cons. The traffic around the hotel at peak hours are horrendous and its not within close proximity to any BTS stations meaning you have to rely on taxis to travel around. Likewise Asia Hotel, ALL taxi drivers know where the hotel is, just mention Baiyoke Sky or Baiyoke 2 and they will know their way. In case you really get lost, all you have to do is to look up and around and you will see the building. It ain't the tallest hotel in Bangkok for nothing.

Anyway, my initial impression of the hotel was not very good though because it has a weird setting with its lobby at the 18th floor and the ground level lift lobby is somewhat similar to what you would see in an office building. The lift system is rather slow and its setting once again baffles me as you do not get direct access from the ground floor to your hotel room. What you have to do is to take the lift to the 18th floor lobby and transfer to another lift that provides access to rooms up to 49th floor. 50th floor onwards have another lift thus if you are going for breakfast, you would have to take the lift from your hotel room to the lobby again and transfer to that lift to access the restaurant at one of the top level. I thought it was slightly inconvenient. My friends thought it was VERY inconvenient.

Given such a lengthy paragraph about how bad it was, you must be wondering by now why I said I enjoyed my stay in Baiyoke Sky. Firstly, the hotel room is really very spacious and well maintained. It would not be a exaggeration to say that the room I stayed in was bigger than my living room. You do not get the crampy feeling like you would staying in a cheaper hotel. The bathroom was well maintained and they have a separate standing shower unlike most hotels which would provide a standing shower over the bathtub. However, I am only mentioning this because one of my friends insisted that only good hotels have this arrangement and she was very impressed. To me though, what's the difference.

The room service provided by the hotel staff was efficient. We did try the room service for supper and the delivery was prompt and the food was fabulous. Baiyoke Sky's in house restaurant won the competition for the best Tom Yum Goong between all the hotels in Bangkok. Housekeeping was also done to a very meticulous level. We asked for an extra hand towel on the first day and on subsequent days an extra hand towel was provided without further prompting needed. That impressed me alot because it meant that guests' needs are being remembered and taken care of.

Other interesting things about Baiyoke Sky would be the restaurant and the observation deck situated at the uppermost levels of the hotel. I will give them a more detailed mention under the other categories which I mentioned earlier.

My conclusion on Baiyoke Sky Hotel. Value for money, a very ideal choice of hotel to stay in if the price range is within your comfort level.

Asia Hotel

296 Phayathai Road Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

Asia Hotel is a very safe choice to make if you are a first time traveller to Bangkok or you do not believe you have the ability to accimilitise yourself to the Bangkok surroundings easily and efficiently. Its location is its plus point being linked to a BTS station allowing you to travel almost anywhere without any hassle. Its proximity to the popular shopping areas like Siam Square, Pratunam and Bobae also helps alot. You also need not fear taxi drivers not knowing the location of the hotel because its very established and well known. Its surroundings also provide alot of convenience for travellers because of the shops available just around the vicinity of the hotel. You can find a 7-11, a cheap and good massage parlour providing foot and traditional Thai massage just at the doorstep of the hotel. Several eateries also operates around the corner and the food are quite up to standard. There are also several roadside stalls that are available for supper if you need to grab a bite after shopping at night markets or clubbing.

The hotel rooms do not really justify its rating of being a 4 star hotel because Asia Hotel is relatively older compared to other hotels thus the setting of the room can be quite dated. However, the maintenance is quite up to standard. However, they provide quite a good breakfast spread but to me that's not really a priority because the REAL good food are usually found outside the hotels.

My conclusion on Asia Hotel is that it would be best not to expect too much of the ambience and facilities of the hotel because the price you are paying for largely goes to its accessible location and security provided as with other established hotels as well. Good for first time travellers.

Accomodation

The most common queries my friends usually have for me would be which hotel to reside in for their trip. I admit it would not be easy to choose from over hundreds of hotels in Bangkok. However, it would be much easier if you can narrow down your considerations into several aspects.

Firstly, budget. If budget is not an issue, then the choices you have would seriously be unlimited. Bangkok have hotels ranging from 5 stars standard going at 3-400 SGD all the way to budget hostels which would only only cost you merely less than probably 10-15 SGD per night.

Given this obvious fact, some friends would always like to ask me for recommendations for hotels that are cheap and good. To be honest with you, its probably very difficult to strike a balance here as in most cases, what you pay is what you get. Alot of it depends on your definition of good in the previous statement. What does good means to you? For some people, they care alot about the aesthetics of the hotel, meaning the hotel and more importantly the room must make them feel comfortable. Some place lesser emphasis on this and just want a place to rest and recharge for the busy shopping schedules they have packed the next day.

Another important aspect to consider is the accessibility of the hotel. Some prefers that it be near a subway station so that they can leverage on that to avoid the nasty traffic in Bangkok, some prefers the location to be more serene and away from the hustle and bustle of the vibrant city life. After all, its a holiday trip meant to relax and rejuvenate. So this again depends on your preference.

Thus, what I am going to do is to list out the hotels that I actually stayed in before and include some of my opinions based on the several factors that I have listed above. I would also include some hotels that I have not stayed in before but have done research on because the hotels in a way or another appealed to me when I was planning for my own holiday.

Bangkok. The Tourist Heaven

Bangkok, the capital of the Land of Smiles, Thailand. Its a place that I have visited countless times since my first trip in 2002. Often I have people asking me why I frequent Bangkok and whether the repetition will sooner or later get me sick of the place. Interestingly, I thought about it and the answer was quite a resolute no.

For a guy to constantly visit Bangkok, its inevitable that people might get the wrong idea. Bangkok, besides its cheap shopping and eating have another side that tends to dominate the attention come night-time. However, that's really not the reason why I am a regular visitor of Bangkok.

Recently, alot of my friends have been planning holidays to Bangkok and inevitably they would look for me for advice on hotels, rates and places of interests etc. I find it amusing that I am in a way being perceived as a Bangkok guru already. That being said, I am actually quite glad that my advices will hopefully in one way or another aid them in their decisions on pertinent aspects of their holiday.

However, it can get quite tiring to answer queries one by one as the questions they ask tend to get repetitive. Not that I mind one bit but I just thought there would be a better way of disseminating the information I know without having to go through over and over again.

Thus I have decided to create a blog solely for the purpose of collating and storing my personal opinions about Bangkok holidays and provide easy reference for friends and interested parties in future.

To make it simple, I have decided to organise it into a few main categories, namely accomodation, food, shopping places, places of interest and some trivia to brighten and smoothen the holiday trip.