With a slogan like ’a world of your own in the heart of the city’, the ModernThailand.com team could not resist the urge to visit the Silom Serene.

Getting to The Hotel

After travelling to Sala Daeng BTS station, take Exit 2, descend the stairs on the right and proceed straight along Silom Road, taking note of the CP Tower landmark.

In front of the hotel.

On the way, we looked for the sign for Silom Soi 3, and it was not long before we found it. Walk just 100m into the side-street, and you will discover the Silom Serene Hotel, located on the left-hand side. In all, it must have taken us around 8 minutes to walk this distance.

The Hotel a Grance

The hotel’s outer appearance is of a small, 8 storey building, situated at the beginning of Silom Road, a centre for business and tourism which is full of office buildings, financial institutions, large malls, international restaurants, nightlife spots and various types of entertainment venue.

The Lobby

As the Silom Serene is a small hotel, the lobby area seems rather compact, yet is adequate and comfortable for guests. The seating provided for guests is particularly impressive, as it is adjacent to a lush garden, visible through the glass.

Front Reception

Reception Area

The Garden View, visible from the guest reception area.

Facilities

A combination of its natural, beautifully-landscaped design and our thirst for knowledge lead us to walk out for a touch of real nature. As a result, we find that many other facilities also surround this area.

The Outdoor Swimming Pool and the Jacuzzi Pool

One of these is the outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi. Although the pool may seem small, it is beautifully-designed and offers a natural atmosphere. If we didn’t have to visit other parts of the hotel, we would have liked to take a seat here for a while.

The Fitness Centre

The fitness room offers a variety of different types of exercise equipment, such as treadmills and weight-training equipment, all of which is in good and new condition. The fitness room has a capacity of not more than 10 guests.

The Steam Room

Stream Room

Also there is a steam room, separated into men’s and women’s sections. All of these facilities are offered with free of charge.

The Business Center

Wi-fi Internet access is also available, albeit subject to a service charge. Just contact the Business Centre to request registration. In addition, the Lobby Lounge TV and library are also provided for guests. In the future, this area will be used for meeting rooms, requested by popular demand; most of the guests here are business travellers.

The Accommodation

As soon as we see the sweet smiles of the hotel staff from the distance, we know that visiting the accommodation will be a positive experience. We are sure that this will be the highlight of the hotel. The hotel rooms are located from the 2nd to the 8th floors, and there are a total of 86 rooms. The best views are offered from the same side as the swimming pool, whereas those from rooms adjacent to the road are more ordinary. The hotel has installed double-glazed windows, which helps to prevent the annoyance of exterior noise. Guests wishing to relax in a peaceful and quiet environment will no doubt be pleased to hear this. Prior to our visit to the Silom Serene, the hotel had started refurbishing the hotel rooms, so that they look more modern and offer more comfort to guests. Subject to refurbishment, every room type will offer laminated flooring instead of carpets in the interests of improved sanitation, and a 32″ LCD TV as standard.

In future, rooms will be refurbished to resemble the picture below.

Therefore, what we are about to describe is the present condition of the room, which has been refurbished in part, but not in its entirety, since renovations are carried out part by part in order to limit the disturbance to resident guests.

The Deluxe Room

The Deluxe is the most common room type, and is designed in a modern style, with a faint hint of the classic. What especially impresses us is the balanced arrangement of furniture within the room’s 30sq.m. area, making it seem spacious and open.

Deluxe room and available facilities within the room.

Moreover, the laminated flooring also helps to prevent the build-up of dust, ensuring the room looks clean and is free from damp odours. However, I’m not sure whether the Deluxe’s bathroom, tiled in emerald, will impress guests as much as it has us. The bathroom is a reasonable size: not too large, but beautifully-decorated with a fresh atmosphere.

Deluxe Bathroom

The 1 Bedoom Suite

The next room type we visit is especially suited to long-stay guests. With an area of 60sq.m., the 1 Bedroom Suite may be divided into a bedroom and living room. The bedroom contains a King Size bed with DVD player, and the living room features a kitchenette, living area and work desk. The interior decor is identical in all room types, which differ only in terms of size and extra amenities.

1 bedroom suite and available facilities within the room.

The living room and work area.

Kitchenette in the living room

The 1 Bedroom Suite’s bathroom varies to that of other room types in that it is larger and separated into bath and shower areas.

Bathroom in the 1 Bedroom Suite

The hotel’s connecting rooms link the 1 Bedroom Suite to the Deluxe (only twin beds are provided). Therefore, guests requiring a connecting room must reserve a 1 Bedroom Suite and a Deluxe Room. Don’t forget to note this down in the “Other Requests” box of the Booking Form.

The Ormthong restaurant

Our tour of the accommodation has now come to an end, but one matter still remains to be discussed:the Ormthong restaurant, which is located on the lobby floor and serves a buffet breakfast from 5.30am to 10.30am. Lunch is served from an a la carte menu, and recommended dishes include traditional Thai cuisine, such as Traditional Crispy Pancake and Deep Fried Chicken with Kaffer Lime Leaves, but particularly pleasing to foreign visitors are the Chicken Green Curry, Massaman Curry and Sweet and Sour Deep Fried Pork (or Chicken) with Fried Cashew Nuts.

Inside the Aom-Chom Restaurant

Non smoking area

We must bring our visit to the Silom Serene Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for travellers looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Silom Serene Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information. If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

The ModernThailand.com team invites travellers to visit the Emerald Hotel, one of the most popular for both leisure and business tourists.

Getting to the hotel

The Emerald Hotel’s location on the main road, approximately 150m from Huay Khwang station, is very convenient for travellers using the MRT underground. After alighting the train at Huay Khwang, take Exit 3 and proceed directly to the hotel. A wealth of entertainment venues is situated near the hotel.

The gardens and parking area in front of the hotel.

The Hotel at a Glance

The area at the front of the hotel is used as a guest car park, and is landscaped as a striking, lush garden with trees and plants of all sizes. The hotel is divided into two buildings: the Atrium Wing, which is 14 storeys high and situated at the front, and the Emerald Wing, which is newer and located to the rear.

The front of the hotel.

The view of the hotel from the front is deceptive, and makes us feel that it is only a medium-scale hotel, but after moving from the front to the side, we are able to see clearly its considerable width and length, as well as the height of the Emerald Wing, which stands 28 storeys high and makes the hotel look even more prominent. This is another large-scale hotel in the Ratchada district, offering 619 rooms in total.

The hotel’s lobby entrance.

The Lobby

The word “lobby” may be insufficient to describe the place in which we are standing, as it is so spacious and high that we are able to see the hotel’s top floor from inside. To be more accurate, is should be called an “atrium”. With its airy and comfortable atmosphere, this is a place where you can relax and fill your lungs with air. The central square section of the atrium is designed as the Lobby Lounge, and is the first spot that travellers will notice upon entering the hotel. Guests walking into the lounge may be captivated by the clear capsule objects moving between the hotel floors. We are alluding, of course, to the elevators at the front of the atrium, the only place in the hotel which offers these beautifully-designed, striking glass elevators. No doubt guests will be eager to try using them.

The position from which the top floor of the Atrium Wing may be seen from the lobby.

The glass elevators in the lobby area.

Check in reception front.

Cake Shop

The Coffee Shop, which is large and seats around 350 guests. Those reserving rooms with breakfast will be served an American buffet breakfast here from 6am to 10.30am. A buffet lunch is also served between 11.30am and 14.30pm, and a soft-boiled rice buffet between 6pm and 12am.

The Accommodation

Now it’s time we visited the hotel rooms. All types of accommodation feature hi-speed Internet access for guests requiring the service and wireless Internet access is provided throughout the building, subject to a service charge.

As it happens, we find ourselves in the Atrium Wing at the moment, so let’s take the lift and visit the accommodation on offer in this building first. The Atrium Wing provides a total of 322 rooms. The most popular rooms in this wing are the Superior and Deluxe rooms and the Junior and Executive suites.

If you require a low cost, good value room, please read on

As soon as we exit the lift, the hotel staff member invites us to visit the most common type of room, exclusive to this wing. The Superior rooms number 184 in total and offer the lowest room rates available in the hotel. With an area of 33sq.m., the Superior offers a classic design and in-room amenities suitable for both business and leisure travellers.

Superior room

The rooms are impeccably clean, and those on the higher floors also offer a clear view of the city. This room type is located on the 5^th to 10^th floors, but almost half of the rooms are on the inside of the building, offering views of the courtyard.

Superior Bathroom

The feature of the Superior bathroom which most pleases guests is its spacious area and marble interior decor.

The advantage of the Deluxe is the spacious size of its bathroom

To those guests who are not satisfied by the size of the Superior, we would recommend the Deluxe. Situated in the Emerald Wing, the Deluxe boasts an area of 40sq.m. and should provide sufficient space for 2 to 3 guests to stay in comfort. The Deluxe rooms are longer than they are wide, in new condition and feature amenities that will please both business and leisure travellers. As far as we could tell, all the hotel rooms are designed in a classic style.

Deluxe Room

Deluxe Bathroom

The Deluxe bathroom is very spacious. In fact, with a bathroom as large as this, it should really be called the ‘Bathroom Suite’.

To honeymooners, we would like to recommend the Junior Suite.

After visiting the Deluxe, we feel that its area and in-room amenities should be ample for guests, but may lack a little in terms of romantic atmosphere. If guests would like this type of ambience, they should try the Junior Suite, exclusive to the Atrium Wing.

Junior Suite

With a total area of 65sq.m., the Junior Suite is divided into a bedroom and living room, equipped with identical in-room amenities: a television, work desk and direct line phone. Furthermore, the living room features a larger mini-bar than is available in standard rooms, a dining room set and long sofa for relaxation. All Junior Suite rooms offer a window view of the courtyard, and it is rumoured are most admired by honeymooners.

Bathroom in the Junior Suite

The bathroom of the Junior Suite features the same design as that of the Deluxe, only differing in respect of its colour scheme.

The Executive Suite

Finally, we will visit the Executive Suite. The special features of this room type are its spacious area of 75sq.m.; its position in the corner of the building, which offers a city view from both the bedroom and living room; its elegant interior design; and its good quality and comprehensive amenities.

Executive Suite in the Atrium Wing

Facilities in the room

On the subject of the bathroom, we can guarantee its spaciousness, divided into bath and shower areas.

Emerald Wing Executive Suites

If guests happen to reserve this room type, but end up staying in a room that seems in excess of 75sq.m., they may count themselves lucky that the hotel also offers Executive Suites in the Emerald Wing, as guests may enjoy an extra 15sq.m. as a result.

When we enters the bathroom, we are amazed by its spaciousness and luxurious design. The bathroom in this room type is designed in cloudy white marble, differing to that of the Atrium Wing, and looks exceptionally clean. We are able to summarize then, that apart from the bathroom, there is no difference between the bedroom, living room and various in-room amenities of this room type in either wing. The Executive Suite may be regarded as one of the highlights of the hotel.

Bathroom in the Executive Suite , The Emeral Wing

The Emerald Wing: a centre for the hotel’s facilities

The Emerald Wing does not merely provide accommodation, but also acts as a centre for the hotel’s various appealing facilities. If we were to describe all of the facilities, you would surely fall asleep reading about them, so we shall only present the highlights.

The Swimming Pool

We start on the 15th floor of this wing. Immediately as we walk out of the building, we behold the swimming pool, which is quite large in size and designed in the style of a resort pool in order to provide a fresh atmosphere while also offering the opportunity to admire a view of the cityscape. The area is well-ventilated by a constant gentle breeze, so we are inclined to stay a while and enjoy the view. Sunbeds line the walkway, and a pool-side bar also offers refreshments. The swimming pool’s opening hours are from 7am to 8pm.

Facilities for Health-lovers

Let’s move on to the hotel’s health club, located on the 11th floor. This floor serves as a centre for indoor sports for both health and recreation purposes, such as the snooker room, squash court, sauna and steam room, and especially the jacuzzi room, which offers both hot and cold water jacuzzis. All of the facilities mentioned here, however, are subject to a service charge, although free services are also on offer if you would prefer. Just walk up to the next floor and you will find a large fitness club, divided into treadmill and weight-lifting equipment sections. It is rumoured that the hotel’s aerobic dance room is very popular with guests, especially for practising yoga. The Heath Club provides trainers to offer close supervision. If you have the chance, try out the service. It’s open from 6.30am to 10pm.

The treadmill exercise room.

The weights room.

The hot water jacuzzi.

The cold water jacuzzi.

The aerobic dance room.

Snooker room.

Emerald Spa, offering an atmosphere of genuine relaxation

For guests who prefer to sit, lie down and find someone to alleviate their aches and pains, walking down to the 10^th floor would be a wise decision, as here you will find Emerald Spa.

Emerald Spa invites guests to experience its atmosphere of genuine relaxation, like a restful night’s sleep. It is as quiet and dark as the night, and any guest visiting cannot help but be bewitched into sleepy drowsiness. In this respect, the spa’s unique interior design must be praised.

Either side of the walkway that we use to visit the various rooms is decorated with dark purple lamps, which shine dimly throughout the corridor. We are also able to detect the subtle fragrance of petals. The rooms offer a genuinely quiet ambience, attractive interior decor as well as real spaciousness and comfort. The spa provides Thai traditional massage, treatment, and oil and foot massage rooms.

Treatment Room

Thai Massage Room

The foot massage room.

Daiichi Japanese Restaurant

Finally, as we reach the end of our tour, we would like to invite travellers to visit two restaurants popular with guests, starting with the Daiichi Japanese Restaurant. The main fare on offer here is the Japanese-style buffet and various interesting sushi and barbecue dishes. Guests wishing to try Thai-style seafood or Western cuisine will be pleased to hear that some dishes are on offer in the buffet. In addition, a la carte menus are also available, wherein guests are charged per dish.

Guests may choose to be seated in an open-air environment or in a private room, and only the a la carte menu is available at dinner time.

Yok Chinese Restaurant

Still on the second floor, next we will visit the Yok Chinese Restaurant, where the dim sum buffet is popular with most guests. Shark’s fin soup, Peking duck and many other dishes may be recommended from the a la carte menu. The restaurant is divided into a dining room for general guests, with a capacity of approximately 220 seats, and a total of 11 VIP dining rooms. All rooms are designed in an oriental style, and the restaurant opens for lunch and dinner.

The guest dining room.

VIP Room

We must bring our visit to the Emerald Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our
review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok.
Most importantly, we would like to thank the Emerald Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

The Windsor Suite is situated some distance away from the tourist traps of Sukhumvit Road, while the various shopping, restaurant and entertainment venues are still within a few minutes walk, as are Asok BTS sky-train and Sukhumvit MRT underground stations. The Windsor Suite Hotel is therefore an interesting option for travellers requiring real peace and quiet. The ModernThailand.com team invites all readers to join us as we visit the Windsor Suite Hotel to find out why it is popular with so many travellers.

Getting to the hotel

Travellers using the BTS sky-train should choose Exit No.6 out of Asok station, and follow the walkway to the Exchange Tower, where there is a stairway leading out of the station. The Windsor Suite Hotel is around 8 to 10 minutes walk from here. The distance from the main road to the hotel is short, not more than 100m.

In front of the hotel.

The hotel is conveniently located, opening onto Soi 20 at the front, and Sukhumvit Soi 18 at the rear, a shortcut to the BTS station. If you don’t wish to spend more than 8 minutes walking, try the route we have suggested.

The Hotel at a Glance

When you reach the front of the hotel, you will find that it is divided into two buildings. The wing on the left-hand side, which is around 9 storeys high and looks a little older, is the Garden Wing.

Garden Wing

Suite Wing

The prominent building in front is called the Suite Wing and boasts a modern and stylish design which naturally gives rise to comparisons with the other wing. Apart from being used as the central building for the reception of guests, the Suite Wing is also the location of the suite accommodation, as well as various hotel facilities.

The Lobby

When we enter the hotel, what surprises us the most is the grand and spacious atrium, large enough to cast our eyes around without hindrance. The ceiling is high, making the lobby seem relaxing and airy. It is almost unnecessary to use lighting in this area, as the walls and the central roof section are made from glass, and an adequate amount of natural sunlight is allowed to shine through. The central square section of the lobby is used as the Lobby Lounge, which is designed to give guests the feeling that they are relaxing among natural surroundings, decorated with sculptures and carvings.

Lobby Lounge

Lobby Lounge

The Garden Wing

We only have a little time to admire the lobby, as it’s now time to tour the accommodation. The first type of accommodation to visit is the Grand Deluxe rooms, situated in the Garden Wing. Before anything else, we should mention that the ground floor of the Garden Wing building looks significantly different to the exterior since the hotel has been renovated, both in terms of the hotel lobby and the Internet centre. As a result, the interior decor and various facilities look modern and new. In the main, guests who value privacy choose to use services here (Garden Wing), as it’s fairly quiet and not busy.

Lobby and Business Centre in the Garden wing

Grande Deluxe room

The accommodation is located on the 2^nd to 9^th floors. After visiting the Grande Deluxe Room, we feel that its strong point is its inexpensive price and 32sq.m. area, which seems quite comfortable for guests travelling in groups of two. The room looks a little out-dated and isn’t particularly eye-catching, but guests needn’t worry about damp odours or dust since parquet wooden flooring is used. Although wooden floors do not look as attractive as carpets, they are easy to clean and good for our health, as opposed to carpets which may retain dust. It may be hard to find rooms with wooden flooring in newly-opened or renovated hotels as the cost of wood is currently rising significantly. The rooms look generally very clean.

Grande Deluxe room

Grande Deluxe room

Although the bathroom is not large, the corner position of the hand basin and the shiny glazed floor and wall tiles help to create a more relaxing environment. The bathroom provides a bath and standard amenities.

Grande Deluxe Bathroom

The Suite Wing

Let’s move on to the Suite Wing, which is the real point of interest in terms of accommodation. All rooms are suites, and offer the hotel’s distinctive style of interior decor. We had the opportunity to visit two types of room in the Suite Wing: the Counselor Suite and the Minister Suite. Both types of room are located on the 15^th to 30^th floors.

The Counselor Suite

Let’s begin with the Counselor Suite. The room has an area of 45sq.m., considered very spacious. The bedroom takes up around two thirds of the total area, while the living room is somewhat smaller. Most of the amenities are located in the living room, whether it be the desk, minibar, chairs or sofa-bed, in the event that a room for three is reserved. The room is fitted with a smooth, soft carpet.

Counselor Suite

Living area in Counselor Suite

View from the Counselor Suite

The bathroom’s design is very luxurious and clean.

The Minister Suite

After this, we move on to visit the Minister Suite, which at first glance cannot easily be differentiated from the Counsellor Suite, since the only points that make the Minister Suite superior and more expensive are its 50sq.m. area and the fact that every room is positioned in a corner of the building, providing a 180 degree panorama of the city. Thus, if guests would like a room with a striking city view, we would recommend the Minister Suite.

Minister Suite

Living area in Minister Suite

View from the Minister Suite

As far as we know, Minister Suites are also available in the Garden Wing. The rooms in the Garden Wing provide parquet wooden flooring, while all those in the Suite Wing are carpeted.

The Diplomat Suite

The Diplomat Suite deserves some comment, even though we did not visit this type of room since they were all in use at the time. However, the hotel staff provided us some information regarding its in-room facilities, which are identical to those of the Counsellor Suite, although it offers a slightly smaller area of 40sq.m. The Diplomat Suites are located on the lower floors, from the 3^rd to the 10^th, whereas rooms on higher floors offer a clearer view of the cityscape. We are unable to comment on the condition inside the room or its interior design, as we have not yet visited this type of room.

Selection of room type will depend on guests’ budgets and individual preferences, but our personal choice would be the Counselor Suite, since the standard of accommodation is comparable to that of the Minister Suite while being less expensive, and also as good as the Diplomat Suite.

The swimming pool

When speaking of the various hotel facilities, we have to admit that they are comprehensive. Therefore, if travellers choose to stay here and would like better value, we would suggest using the hotel facilities, especially on the 14^th floor. We especially recommend the swimming pool, and are able to say with authority that it’s unique, especially in terms of its astonishing size, the likes of which would be hard to find in other hotels in the central Sukhumvit area.

The pool has an eye-catching resort-style design encircled by trees, making you feel as if you are relaxing in a natural environment, yet still offering a beautiful cityscape panorama. Even more extraordinary is that if you swim underwater, you will hear underwater music. Wow, fantastic!

The swimming pool

The swimming pool

On the edge of the pool is a pool bar, constructed in the form of a Thai-style pavilion to cater to guests. The pool bar is an attractive corner of the hotel in which to relax, and the swimming pool’s opening hours are from 7am to 8pm.

The swimming pool

There is also quite a large children’s pool tiled exclusively in marble in order to cater to family guests.

Other Facilities

Next up are facilities provided for health-lovers, consisting of a three room fitness centre and an aerobic dance room with a trainer to provide close supervision. When guests are tired and sweaty after their work-out, they may use the steam and sauna rooms, which are also located on this floor. I should let you know in advance that guests using the fitness centre must also pay a service charge.

Fitness Centre and Aerobic Room

Neva Spa

On the 12^th floor is the Neva Spa, another renowned facility of this hotel. The Neva Spa is large and beautifully-designed. When we walk in, we feel a high level of relaxation and privacy.

Neva Spa

Each room is spacious and airy, and not restricted in terms of size. Some of the decorations, receptacles and other items in the rooms illustrate the beauty of latter-day Thai art. Only a few interspersed sections are designed in a modern style, although as a whole, the interior decor is pleasant.

Neva Spa

The Restaurant

The hotel has three restaurants. Firstly, the Golden Palace, a Chinese restaurant located on the 2^nd floor, offers a buffet, as well as a la carte and set menus. Then there’s the Youzen, a Japanese restaurant located on the ground floor of the Garden Wing serving a buffet lunch and dinner. If guests reserve a room with buffet breakfast, however, they will dine in the Windsor Café, which is located on the ground floor of the Suite Wing and is a large restaurant seating up to 250 guests, 24 hours a day. We have taken photos of the interior of the Windsor Café, so that you may see it clearly.

Windsor Cafe

Of course, the hotel also offers other facilities standard in large hotels, such as the many conference, reception and seminar rooms in a variety of sizes catering to groups of business people and guests. Most of the conference rooms are located on the 10th to 14^th floors. They are highly favoured by guests and considered the highlight of the hotel.

We must bring our visit to the Windsor Suite Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Windsor Suite Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.

After visiting many hotels in the Sukhumvit area, most that we present are medium to large in size, so this time we have decided to find a small hotel recommended by former guests. The FuramaXclusive Sukhumvit should please travellers looking for a boutique-style hotel with suitable room rates.

The surrounding area

The hotel’s location in Sukhumvit Soi 1 is not bad at all, as it lies in the Nana area, a centre for restaurants, tourism and shopping, which is particularly popular among tourists. The FuramaXclusive Sukhumvit would be an especially suitable choice for those looking for accommodation not far from Bumrungrad Hospital, as it is within 5 minutes walking distance. The walk from Phloen Chit BTS sky-train station, the nearest to the hotel, took 10 minutes according to my calculations. The hotel is located not more than 500m into the side-street, which is lined on both sides with shops of various kinds, such as minimarts, translation companies, tour operators, laundry shops and so on. However, this street isn’t as busy as Soi 3 or Soi 5, and is therefore relatively quiet in comparison.

Sukhumvit Soi 1 – relatively quiet.

Sukhumvit Soi 1

The Hotel at a Glance

The hotel’s exterior is designed in the style of a modern condominium. Its height and size are perhaps not the hotel’s strongest points, as it stands only 10 storeys high and offers only 98 rooms in total. The ground floor is designed as a shopping venue, and the lobby is on the second floor, differing to other hotels whose lobbies are located on the ground floor. Customers may use the outside stairs or elevators to access the lobby if they wish.

The hotel front

The hotel front

The Hotel Lobby

Even though the lobby seems long and narrow, and not as grand as in large hotels, its design and decorations help to create a pleasant atmosphere, especially if you sit and relax on the velvet sofas in the reception area, which give a soft and luxurious feel. Wherever you look, the hotel is sophisticated, and the lobby is an appetizer for what the hotel has to offer.

The lobby area, located on the 2nd floor.

The reception area.

The Accommodation

The main course can only be the accommodation. The rooms here are classified into 3 types: Superior, Deluxe and Corner. After visiting each type of room, we found that the similarity between the Superior, Deluxe and Corner rooms was their modern, elegant and stylish interior decor. All rooms offer new and appealing amenities, and are well-designed. On the subject of cleanliness, we would have to say that the rooms were spotless, and free from dampness. This kind of comfort makes us feel like we are staying in our own home. The rooms are full of amenities, like serviced apartments; for example, a 29″ TV, refrigerator, kitchenette, sofa, tea and coffee-making equipment, iron and ironing board, safe deposit box, work desk, bathrobe, hairdryer and so on, which all make the room seem very good value. There is also a small balcony from which guests may enjoy the view outside, although as far as we could see, the view is ordinary, since the hotel is not very high and located on a side-street. If you would like a better view from your window, you must choose a room at the rear of the hotel, from which you can see as far as the toll way without the obstruction of tall buildings.

The bathrooms are all the same, whether in terms of size or design. All rooms provide baths and comprehensive amenities.

The Superior bathroom

The Superior bathroom

The Superior Rooms

Now let’s explore further, and consider how the various types of room differ. One obvious difference is the varying room sizes. Superior rooms have an area of 35sq.m., and are located on the 3^rd floor to the 10^th floor, the hotel’s top floor.
The Superior room is the cheapest and most common type of room in the hotel, with 78 rooms available.

The Superior room

The Superior room

Facilities in the Superior room.

Facilities in the Superior room.

The Deluxe and Corner Rooms

Deluxe rooms have an area of 40sq.m., and are slightly more expensive, while Corner rooms are the largest with an area of 45sq.m., all of which are located in one of the corners of the hotel.
Both Deluxe and Corner rooms are located on the 3^rd to 7^th floors, and are few in number.

The Deluxe & Corner rooms

The Deluxe & Corner rooms

The Deluxe room and in-room facilities, which are the same as in the Corner room.

A window view from a room at the rear of the hotel.

If you asked us to comment on which type of room was the best and offered the most value,
we would have to say that they were all equally good, as the standard and quality of all room types is the same. However, if we consider room space, Superior rooms are more suitable for those travelling in groups of two, while the Deluxe and Corner rooms for those travelling in groups of 3 or as families.

The Facilities

If the hotel facilities were a dessert, the selection would be limited, but the service would be free. Although the facilities are few in number, and the space allocated to them restricted, the benefit of being able to use them free of charge is greatly appreciated by guests.

The first facility that we visited was the swimming pool, which was not very large but beautifully designed, offering a suitable level of privacy for relaxation. In addition, there is also a fitness room with a capacity of around 7-8 guests, a sauna and a steam room.

Jacuzzi Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool

The fitness room, with a capacity of approximately 7 to 8 guests.

The 5^th floor corridor – spotlessly clean

The La Cuisine Restaurant

We then proceeded to the 2^nd floor in search of a relaxing cold drink at the La Cuisine Restaurant, the only eatery in the hotel. The La Cuisine is open 24 hours a day and seats 60 guests. The buffet breakfast is available from 6am to noon, and the restaurant offers an excellent atmosphere and comfortable surroundings.

The La Cuisine Restaurant

The La Cuisine Restaurant

To add one final point, the free wireless Internet service may be accessed throughout the hotel,
and those who don’t bring their own laptops may rent one at the front reception on this floor.

The ModernThailand.com team was honoured to be invited by the Bel-Aire Princess to tour the hotel. We decided to travel by the MRT underground. Immediately outside Sukhumvit station (Exit 3) is Asok BTS sky-train station; this is one link between the BTS and MRT networks. Our destination is Sukhumvit Soi 5, and in fact, if you opt to travel by BTS, we recommend that you exit at Nana station (Sukhumvit Soi 7 Exit), as it is not far from the hotel, only around 5 minutes’ walk. However, as there is only one MRT station on Sukhumvit Road, we must walk from Asok intersection to Sukhumvit Soi 5.
This is not inconvenient however, as it only takes around 10 minutes.

The surrounding area

We also used this opportunity to explore the surrounding
area, thereby killing two birds with one stone. This is one of the shopping areas popular
with tourists. Small and large shops line the roads, but it is the smaller stalls stretching
along the footpaths that seem to be more attractive to tourists. They sell a variety of goods,
such as clothing, bags, jewellery, souvenirs, handicraft, CDs and many other products.
Unfortunately, not many places were open when we passed by, as it was still early; the vendors had just started to set up their stalls, but if you come after 6pm, you will see crowds of tourists looking for good deals. Most importantly, products may still be bargained for here, but I must mention that every Monday the footpath stall vendors have a day off on order of the Bangkok administration.

Sukhumvit Soi 5

Before meeting the hotel staff, we have enough time to explore Soi 5, where the Bel Air is situated. From the beginning of the soi, there are shops lining both sides of the street: clothes shops, minimarts, tour agencies and restaurants. 7-Eleven and Foodland, which are open 24 hours, are situated in the middle section of the street. There are also two restaurants popular with tourists: Gulliver’s is on the right and the Thai Food Terrace is on the left, in the centre of the soi.

The Middle-East Street

There is also a minor road in this area connecting Soi 5 and Soi 3/1, which is full of shops and tourism businesses. It’s called Middle-East Street. Most of the shop signs are in Arabic, and most of the restaurants serve Mediterranean and Arabic fare. In fact, you can tell by the name of the road that this accommodation and tourist area is popular with Middle-Eastern tourists, especially from July to September, which is regarded as their holiday period. So, it wasn’t strange that we found Middle-Eastern tourists wherever they went, among the crowds walking in and out of the side roads and in the cars which made the roads feel very narrow.

In front of the hotel.

The Hotel Building

What was most strange was that it was reasonably quiet from
the middle to the end of Soi 5, without many shops or crowds. It made us feel that if we
wanted to find a place to stay in Nana, this area would be a very good place to relax.

The hotel lobby

As we almost reach the end of the road, we finds the Bel Aire Princess, which is located on the right hand side. This is the very first time we’ve seen the hotel and surrounding area. The hotel is new, and its entrance opens onto the soi. When we enter, we receive a friendly welcome from the hotel staff.

The reception area is not very spacious, and its design is simple, but pleasing on the eye

Although the lobby area and guest Internet corner are limited in size, their cleanliness and brightness are admirable.

Internet access in the lobby area

The Superior & Deluxe roooms

Most hotel guests are European or British, according to the hotel staff assisting us during our visit. The first place they invite us to see is the guest rooms, which are divided into 5 types: Superior, Deluxe, Superior Plus, Deluxe Plus and Club Room. The hotel contains 160 rooms altogether, but only offers 150 rooms to guests. Unfortunately, we are unable to visit the Superior and Deluxe rooms, as they are fully-booked, so the hotel staff invites us to visit the Superior Plus, Deluxe Plus and Club Rooms. They tell us that the amenities in the Superior Plus and Deluxe Plus rooms are no different to the Superior and Deluxe rooms, apart from the fact that the Plus type double rooms contain Queen Size beds and offer Internet access.

The Superior Plus and Deluxe Plus rooms are situated from the 11^th floor up

City view

Faclities available in all rooms.

personal safe

The selling point of the Superior rooms is the high availability and lower room rate. Although the amenities are not very different to the more expensive accommodation, if you would like a more spacious room, we would suggest that the Deluxe room would be more comfortable.

The Club Tribeca room

For those travelling as a family group, the Club Tribeca is recommended, as its size and amenities are similar to the Deluxe Plus.

Club Tribeca Room

Club Tribeca Room

The additional features in the Club Tribeca room are the DVD player (but no CDs!) and a sofa, but if guests reserve a triple room, arm chairs are provided instead.

Club Tribeca Room

View from the window

The Club Tribeca room seems to be more spacious than the Deluxe Plus, and according to the hotel staff, this is due to the room’s position in the corner of the building.

After visiting each type of room, we are able to summarise that all rooms are beautifully decorated in modern style and the various in-room amenities are new and state-of-the-art, as they are replaced regularly. The rooms are bright and fresh, and most importantly, extremely clean. It is unfortunate that there are no balconies, but the windows provide a city view.

Club Tribeca Bathroom

The bathrooms in all types of room are the same. They are not very large, but clean, with chic hand basins. Bathtubs are provided in all rooms except the Club Tribeca Room on the 17^th floor. However, if guests would like a bathtub, they may request a different room from the hotel staff.

The hotel facilities

After our tour of the accommodation is over, the hotel staff takes us to the 3^rd floor by elevator in order to visit the other facilities.

The hotel staff told us that every evening they put fruit on the tables in the elevator area for guests, another impressive service.

The 3rd floor contains many of the hotel’s facilities, such as the fitness centre, swimming pool, massage parlour and conference room.

The fitness centre is small, but the equipment is in good condition, and may be used by around 6 guests at any one time.

The Massage Parlour on the hotel’s 3^rd floor.

The swimming pool

Another facility we were intent on visiting was the swimming pool. We asked the staff to take us to the swimming pool, which was located near the fitness centre. As we arrived, we noticed that some guests were using the facilities, but not many. This may have been because it was still early. The swimming pool’s opening hours are 7am-7pm.

The swimming pool is not large, but looks very cute. The various facilities are in new and clean condition.

The number of sunbeds is limited by the size of the pool, which is probably the reason why guests complain a little that they are insufficient for hotel guests. Another issue is that because the hotel is surrounded by high-rise buildings and the swimming pool is situated on a low floor, the amount of sunlight able to reach the swimming pool is restricted. This may disappoint sun-bathers slightly, but is perfect for those who would like to swim without the worry of sunburn.

The Tiffin restaurant

Before bringing today’s tour to a close, the staff introduced the hotel’s two restaurants. Tiffin is situated on the Ground Floor, and guests reserving Superior and Deluxe rooms with breakfast dine here. This restaurant has a maximum capacity of 60 guests.

The Tiffin Restaurant

As we entered the restaurant, they were, in a word, very impressed. It was impossible to find flaw with the restaurant in any respect. The restaurant was clean and attractive, and was divided into various different sections. The furniture and cutlery were modern, whether it be the tables, chairs, lamps, plates, bowls, spoons or glasses, and in harmony with the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Comfortable and lavish seats are provided if required by guests.

Before arriving, we interviewed guests about the breakfast service. Most of them said that the food was nice and that there were a variety of dishes to choose from.

The Club Lounge restaurant

The hotel’s other restaurant is the Club Lounge, situated on the 2^nd floor, with a maximum capacity of 40 guests. The Club Lounge is smaller than Tiffin, and there is also an Internet corner at the entrance.

The Club Louge Restaurant

The restaurant’s atmosphere, interior décor and
various amenities, including the tables and chairs, are quite luxurious and stylish,
and provide a feeling of privacy. Guests that reserve Superior Plus, Deluxe Plus
and Club Tribeca rooms may take breakfast here or in Tiffin, which offers a wider variety of cuisine.

The free Internet service in the Club Lounge is reserved for guests staying in the Superior Plus, Deluxe Plus and Club Tribeca rooms (Club Rooms).

We must bring our visit to the Bel Aire Princess Hotel to a close; however, we sincerely hope that our review will be beneficial for tourists looking for a place to stay in the heart of Bangkok. Most importantly, we would like to thank the Bel Aire Princess Hotel and hotel staff for allowing us the opportunity to visit, assisting our tour, and providing much helpful information.
If we have printed any erroneous information, we apologize in advance.