Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [169]
Map Boutique Hotel $$
0 2236 8388; www.theheritagebaansilom.com; 659 Soi 19, Th Silom; r 2500-4000B; Chong Nonsi exit 3
One of four new budget boutique hotels from the Heritage Hotels group, this 36-room affair is as eclectic as the marketing promises. The three-storey facade has a classical-cum-Moorish look, while inside it’s modern chic littered with classical furnishings – often in white. The rooms are bright if not huge, but are excellent value when booked online (from 1600B). Rooms have cable internet access; wi-fi is free in the lobby. Nearby The Heritage Bangkok ( 0 2235 2888; www.theheritagebangkok.com; 198 Soi Phiphat 2, Th Chong Nonsii; r 2200-2500; Chong Nonsi exit 4; ) has a rooftop pool, but the modern rooms are dark and the colours jar. Still, good value online from 1700B.
LA RÉSIDENCE HOTEL
Map Boutique Hotel $$
0 2233 3301; www.laresidencebangkok.com; 173/8-9 Th Surawong; d/ste 2400/3400B; air-con 16, ordinary 93; Sam Yan exit 1; Chong Nonsi 2;
La Résidence is a charming boutique inn with 26 playfully and individually decorated rooms that, according to the obliging manager, have been continually evolving since it opened in the early 1990s. They’re fantastic value. Micro-mini-sized rooms start at 1400B but for 2400B you get a more voluptuous abode, often with richly coloured walls, modern Thai motifs and crystal-clean bathroom. The top-floor studio has its own garden and at 3700B is incredible value. The overall effect is a casual sophistication that will delight anyone who gets twitchy in chain hotels. Wi-fi is 150B a day.
ROSE HOTEL
Map Hotel $$
0 2266 8268-72; www.rosehotelbkk.com; 118 Th Surawong, Silom; r from 1950B; Sam Yan exit 1; Sala Daeng exit 1;
Hidden down a lane beside the landmark Montien, the Rose is another Bangkok veteran that has had some much-needed cosmetic surgery. The result is more Halle Berry than Jocelyne Wildenstein, with the 70 spacious rooms sporting a stylish mix of coloured walls, dark tiles and sleek bathrooms. This Rose is a very cheap date, too, considering she comes with an oasis-like pool, a small gym (three machines), a sauna and the delightful Ruen Urai Thai restaurant, set in an old teak house that has been in the owner’s family for generations. With breakfast included and wi-fi for 300B a day, it’s one of the best deals in town.
LUB*D
Map Hostel $$
0 2634 7999; www.lubd.com; 4 Th Decho, Th Surawong; dm/d 550/1800B; Chong Nonsi exit 2;
From the owners of Triple Two Silom comes Lub*D (meaning ‘sleep well’), a smash hit with flashpackers for its lively social scene. One of Bangkok’s new breed of ‘boutique hostel’, the four storeys of dorms (including a ladies-only wing) and rooms with and without bathrooms are an industrial mix of raw concrete, exposed iron beams, woodchip doors and stencilled signs. The atmosphere is young and hip, with free internet in the streetside bar-cum-lobby and an attractive young staff to point you in the right direction. Security is tight (even the dorm rooms have key cards). It should be noted that at 1400B for a twin without a bathroom, you can certainly find better-equipped rooms for less elsewhere.
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GREEN HOTELS
Hotels might seem to be gobbling up the landscape, but many are watching what they eat when it comes to world resources. Green Leaf Foundation, a collaborative environmental organisation, has recognised a number of Bangkok hotels for cutting energy and water use and garbage output, and raising awareness of environmental issues among their staff. Among them, green hotels we recommend include Banyan Tree Hotel, Dusit Thani (opposite), Grand China Princess, Grand Hyatt Erawan and the Malaysia Hotel. See www.greenleafthai.org for specifics of what they have done.
Several smaller hotels have also adopted socially and environmentally responsible practices, notably Phranakorn Nornlen, Baan Pra Nond and Mystic Place.
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BANGKOK CHRISTIAN GUEST HOUSE
Map Guesthouse $$
0 2233 6303; www.bcgh.org; 123 Soi Sala Daeng 2, Th Convent; s/d 1100/1540B; Si Lom exit 2; Sala Daeng exit 2;