Just recently I came across the information that The Park Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok are providing their guests with a simple two page booklet titled ‘Thailand Visitor Update’. This little gem provides listings of practical information most visitors would find useful like what’s on in Bangkok, transport tips, public holidays, as well as information on local weather and the upcoming trade shows in Bangkok.

“So what” you may say, this has been done for ever in other hotels. However if you have stayed in a hotel in Bangkok you will know that this information is never there. Yes the rest of the world has been doing this for a while and indeed many hotels in Bangkok have tried this but most of the literature I have ever seen in Bangkok hotels are out of date by at least 3-4 months.

Download a copy of the First Issue by Right Clicking HERE and saving the .pdf file.

The Park Plaza have said this bi-monthly booklet will be made available to guests in their bedrooms but also it can be requested via email to cover the periods of your stay. I have never stayed in this hotel, in fact I’ve never stayed in any hotel that far down Sukhumvit but from what I’m hearing maybe I should have a look at this part of town for my next trip to Bangkok.

After your 1st visit to Bangkok you will either fall in love with it or you will hate it enough to ensure you never go there again. One thing you will not be is indifferent about the place. With its gleaming skyscrapers sitting next to historic temples this city is a mix of western development and eastern history. Vibrant, colourful, busy and totally mind blowing Bangkok will get under your skin, in a good or bad way!

Suvarnabhumi International Airport opened in 2006 taking over from Don Muang Airport that has now re-opened to handle some domestic flights only. The new airport, pronounced Su-Wan-Na-Poom, has not been a successful episode in Thailand with many problems coming to light less than 1 year after its opening. However airport officials have reported these as merely teething troubles that are being dealt with as they are discovered. Regardless of teeth troubles or not this will most likely be your first point of contact in Thailand.

Unless on a package tour you will find getting transport from the Airport to your hotel very easy. A Bangkok Taxi is the most convenient and cheapest (300-500Bht). Limo Services (900Bht) are also available, but this only works best if there are 3 or more of you with very little luggage, as the boat, or trunk, of these are usually take up with LPG tanks. Bus services are available but unless you are travelling alone a taxi would be a better choice. If you are travelling alone it may be best to seek out other travellers and ask to share a cab with them.

Hotels are in abundance in Bangkok with a price range like no other major city. The cheap end of town used to be Khaosan Road but this area has become a tourist trap now with many of the budget places increasing their prices but not their standards. Sukhumvit is now the area were you will find the majority of hotels within the middle range price bracket. The biggest advantage of these places in my opinion is that they can be booked in advance, so when you arrive in Bangkok you will have a destination to aim for instead of the tourist desks in the airport. These hotels will be a little more expensive but still in no way near the prices you would pay in the UK for a similar standard hotel.

MY HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS

Now I haven’t been in every hotel in Bangkok but I have stayed in a few, and booked others for previous customers so the following list is not a complete overview of all the good hotels in Bangkok, just the ones I have liked. Over time I will create more posts reviewing hotels, if you have any you want to let me know about good or bad, then post it in the comments.

Belaire Princess – Soi 5 Sukhumvit – From 3200Bht (Approx. £55) per room
Majestic Grande – Soi 2 Suvhumvit – From 3200Bht (Approx. £55) per room
Baiyoke Sky – 222 Rajprarop Road – From 2600Bht (Aprrox.£44) per room
Suk 11 – Soi 11 Sukhumvit – From 480Bht (Aproxx. £8) per room