Tuesday, May 14, 2019

#MyKrungthep Bangkok Boutique Hotels: Charm and design

You find the locations on this #MyKrungthep Bangkok Boutique Hotels Google Map and here you get the kmz-file for Google Earth.

Are you not looking for the big hotels but for smaller ones with their own charm and special design? Here you find reviews of Boutique Hotels, organized by the districts of Bangkok, so you can choose your hotel near the places you want to visit. The indicated prices are for double rooms. From your hotel discover Bangkok with #MyKrungthep: Your Guide to the Treasures of Bangkok



Bangkok Noi บางกอกน้อย
Subdistricts: Sirirat ศิริราช, Ban Chang Lo บ้านช่างหล่อ, Bang Khun Non บางขุนนนท์, Bang Khun Si บางขุนศรี and Arun Ammarin อรุณอมรินทร์

Chann Bangkok Noi - Hidden Gem:: From 2925 Baht. 30/1 Soi Somdej Pra Pinklaow 1 (behind Wat Dusidharam). Chan, the terrace that connects small rooms or buildings together, is a signature element of a traditional Thai house. Chann's terrace is situated by the mouth of Bangkok Noi canal, right before it runs into the Chao Phraya River. 22 cozy rooms and suites, each carefully furnished with elements that were used to decorate old Thai houses. "Imagine yourself back in time when waterways were the city’s veins and Bangkok was nicknamed the Venice of the East", writes Top Koaysomboon. The first floor is also home to a Thai restaurant called Imm. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Marut Kaewroong (@eatarcheatart) am



More pictures on #MyKrungthep Pinterest.


Ibrik Resort - Hidden Gem: From 3500 to 4000 Baht. 256 Soi Wat Rakang. Just three rooms with balcony, close to Wat Rakang Pier. The river room looks to Chao Phraya River and The Grand Palace (you know: picturesque, but the noise of the boats you have to bear...). Great restaurant - Supatra on the river - next door. Next door there used to be the Patravadi Theatre, that has been reborn as Theatre Residence boutique hotel. Read the reviews by i-escape.com, tripadvisor.com and see pictures on flickr.com.


Breakfast on the river terrace




Siamotif Boutique Hotel: From 2800 Bath. An old wooden house on Bangkok Noi canal, near the craftsmanship community at Ban Bu, transformed into a Boutique Hotel. "This darling, eight-room villa is run by Maii, who inherited the 70-year-old canal house from her father and expanded it into a guesthouse, commissioning a local university art professor to paint each room", writes Vogue. As Siamotiv lies along Khlong Bangkok Noi, you should not be surprised to hear some noise from passing tourist boats, but after that you can enjoy the quiet local life. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.

More pictures on #MyKrungthep Pinterest


Theatre Residence Boutique Hotel: "Those who've been around long enough—the cultured ones, especially—must have been to Patravadi Theatre at least once or twice to indulge in mind-blowing contemporary acts", writes Timeout Bangkok. But artist Patravadi Mejudhon, who established this theatre, moved tu Hua Hin some years ago. Later on, Patravadi’s daughter, Velvadi Sritrairatana, opened Theatre Residence Boutique Hotel on this land. The hotel lies next to a school, what creates some noises on that side of the house. Altough very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.






Bang Phlat บางพลัด
Subdistricts: Bang O บางอ้อ, Bang Bamru บางบำหรุ, Bang Yi Khan บางยี่ขัน


Bangphlat Resort รีสอร์ทบางพลัด: From 2200 Baht. 2 Charansanitwong Rd. 77/1. A number of ancient Thai two-storey wooden houses were conserved and customized as an urban resort.



Picture Bang Phlat

See more pictures at resortbangphlat.hi5.com


Praya Palazzo: From 10000 Bath. 757/1 Somdej Phra Pinklao Soi 2. This palace in italian style with Chinese elements is only accessible by boat from Chao Phraya River. Their private boat departs from Wat Rajathiwas pier every 30 minutes and services Phra Arthit pier on request. The more than eighty years old mansion on the Thonburi side of Chao Phraya has been turned into a luxury hotel with 14 rooms by Wichai Pitakvorrarat, assistant professor at Rangsit University's architecture faculty and principal of Process Architect and Planner Co, and his wife Preeyadhorn. Read how they fell into love with this old building, see a video about the restauration and more pictures here.





Ein Beitrag geteilt von aunPi (@aunpi) am






Bangrak บางรัก
Subdistricts: Maha Phruettharam มหาพฤฒาราม, Silom สีลม, Suriyawong สุริยวงศ์, Si Phraya สี่พระยา


Baan Saladaeng: From 1000 to 2500 Baht. 69/2 Soi. Saladaeng 3, Saladaeng Road. A designer residence. 9 individually designed guest rooms, suites and penthouses, by a variety of young, up and coming Thai designers. New and therefore only one (good) review on tripadvisor.com

Picture Baan Saladaeng

Modern Oriental Room. Picture Baan Saladaeng

The Moroccan Suite

Mediterrannean Sky Penthouse


La Residence Hotel - Hidden gem: From 1400 to 3700 Baht. 173/8-9 Suriwongse Rd. Enormous suites are "home away from home" according to very good reviews on tripadvisor.com. Singles a bit small.

Studio Suite with garden balcony


Luxx: From 3300 to 5100 Baht. A five-floor shophouse on Decho Road (a few steps from Silom intersection) has been transformed into a hotel. Beautiful timber flooring, luxurious beds and wooden bathtubs bring warmth to the 13 guest rooms. As you can read at tripadvisor.com guests often get an upgrade to a better room. But there is no elevator and if this upgrade leads to the fifth floor you have to me well trained in stairs climbing. You can hear the noise from the street in den rooms, but its not a too busy street.






Prince Theatre Heritage Stay: 441/1 Sriwang Road. Ten years after it closed down, Prince Rama Theatre has been revived as a hotel called Prince Theatre Heritage Stay, with 26 rooms and suites and a cinema-themed bar. A 5 minutes walk from Sapan Taksin BTS station and 3 minutes away from Robinson shopping mall. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.





Siam Heritage Hotel - Hidden Gem: From 2800 to 10000 Baht. In Surawongse near Patong. The hotel was built on the site of an old familiy home and opened 2004. The old timber was used to decorate the interior rooms. Paintings and sculptures of Thai artists are shown at the Heritage Art Gallery and also in the elegant rooms. The doors, windows, frames and furniture have been crafted by artisans from Chiang Mai and Ayuthaya with traditional design. There is a small rooftop-pool and a small gym. Read more: Bangok Legacies. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com

Picture Siam Heritage Hotel


The Heritage Baan Silom: From 1530 Bath. 659 Silom 19 Silom Road. Good hotel, some painting needed, carpets a bit shabby: these are comments from tripadvisor.com





Chinatown/Samphanthawong
สัมพันธวงศ


Baan 2459: Four rooms. Built in 1916, in a part of ChinaTown heavily populated by Muslims back in the early 1900's. There were two Muslim communities in the area, the Shia and the Sunni sect. It was by fate that “Mahammad Ismail” or “Khun Prayoon Vadanyakul”, a Muslim of the Sunni sect, fell in love and married “Sarah” or “Subha Tulayathamrong (Jinwala)”, a Muslim of the Shia sect. Baan 2459 is a heritage passed down through the Vadanyakul Family. Recently it was restored to grandeur by couple Hyae-Yeon “Kim” Kim and Suksan “Pok” Aueareechon, after the building had been used as a storage space for their wholesale shoe business for years, as Vogue writes. "An oasis" according to guests on tripadvisor.com.








Loy Lalong: From 2500 Bath. 1620/2 Song Wat Road. A fishermans teak house at the Chao Phraya River and at the end of the parking of Wat Pathumkongka has been turned into a boutique hotel with seven rooms and the guests are excited according to tripadvisor.com. Loy La Long is a combination of old Bangkok with well chosen design features. The main room of the hotel is very inviting with many comfortable cushions, books, hammocks and and great view from the terrace, where you enjoy the breeze from the river. Of course this old house cannot be soundproof, so you will hear other guests sometimes. The rooms are airconditioned, the common rooms have fans. The blue room is not that much recommended because the air condition of the green room disturbs some guests. Read the review on bangkok101.com


Picture by Loy Lalong
Blue room with view of Chao Phraya River
Picture by drburtoni
Outlook across Chao Phraya River

Picture by drburtoni


Shanghai Mansion (formerly Shanghai Inn): From 2700 Bath. 479-481 Yaowarat Road. "Done up in mustards and clarets as a Shanghainese merchant’s house, with big canopied beds and lots of lanterns, it’s indisputably cool, in a vintage way”, wrote TimesOnline.co.uk. In a house built in 1892 the hotel was designed in the style and elegance of 1930’s Shanghai. Not all the rooms have windows some have rooms towards the water garden with a fish pond. Jazz Bar Cotton is well known for live music. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Picture by Shanghai Mansion
Mu Dan Suite with four poster bed



Picture by oliverlaumann
Shanghai Mansion from Yaowarat Road



Dusit ดุสิต
Subdistricts: Wachiraphayaban วชิรพยาบาล, Suan Chit Lada สวนจิตรลดา, Si Yaek Maha Nak สี่แยกมหานาค, Thanon Nakhon Chai Si ถนนนครไชยศรี


The Siam Hotel: From 16 300 Bath. 3/2 Thanon Khao. Set on 3 acres on the Bank of Chao Phraya River, with 39 luxury rooms (28 suites, 10 villas, and one cottage), full of antiquities, oriental allure and contemporary comforts. The Siam was conceived by pop star Not - Krissada Sukosol Clapp - and architect and designer Bill Bensley. You can also stay in one of of four traditional Thai teakwood houses. These were built in 1960 by Jim Thompson for Connie Mangskau. Here she gave parties for example for Jacqueline Kennedy, Henry Ford, John Rockefeller and Roger Moore. After Mangskau's death in 1990 the houses were sold to the family Sukosol Clapp. See The Siam Hotel on youtube, see pictures of suites and villas on destinasian.com. A great resort according to the reviews on tripadvisor.com.







Khlong San คลองสาน
Subdistricts: Somdet Chao Phraya สมเด็จเจ้าพระยา, Khlong San คลองสาน, Bang Lamphu Lang บางลำภูล่าง, Khlong Ton Sai คลองต้นไทร

Amdaeng Bangkok Riversidehotel: From 5700 Bath. 10-guestroom hotel on Chao Phraya river painted in vermilion red from top to bottom, standing out from its surroundings. Its restaurant is named “Nye”. Up above is a roof deck with a great river view. Amdaeng is the brainchild of advertising executives, Passapol "Lek" Limpisirisan and Wiboon "Min" Leepakpreeda. The hotel is quite new, reviews on tripadvisor.com show different experiences.


The pool




The rooftop. See more pictures on #MyKrungthep Pinterest



Pathumwan ปทุมวัน
Subdistricts: Rong Mueang รองเมือง, Wang Mai วังใหม่, Pathum Wan ปทุมวัน, Lumphini ลุมพินี

Hansar Bangkok: From 4500 Bath. 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2, Rajdamri Road. With Luxsa Spa and pool (8th floor). Good reviews on tripadvisor.com, the guests love the big studio rooms with kitchenette and dining area, but some guests complain about the standard of the service by the staff. Condé Nast Traveller put Hansar Bangkok on its list of the best new hotels worldwide.

Picture by Hansar
Studio Suite

Picture by pmorgan
A view from the 14th floor of the Hansar Hotel into the breaking dawn:. densely packed hotels, office towers and condominiums.


Hotel Muse: From 4700 Bath. 55/555 Langsuan Road. 174 guestrooms. The interior reflects a mix of the Rama V-era elegance and European classic style. "The Speakeasy" occupies 24th and 25th floor: bars and restaurants inside and outside, a cigar lounge and more rooms. Downstairs you find Medici Italian restaurant, on the 17th floor Su Tha Ros Thai Restaurant. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.



Picture by Hotel Muse
The sky bar of The Speakeasy on 25th floor


Hua Chang Heritage Hotel: A new hotel with a blend of Western-influenced architecture and contemporary Thai design. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com, but some point to the traffic noise that you will hear during the day, from cars and the nearby BTS Skytrain station.


See more pictures on #MyKrungthep Pinterest


Siam@Siam Design Hotel & Spa: From 2900 Bath. 865 Rama 1 Road. Opposite the National Stadium. "The Roof Restaurant" and "La Vue" (French/Italian) on 25th floor. Spa Ten and swimming pool on 13th floor. Mostly exited reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Picture by barelyanything
First swimming in the pool, then go jogging in the National Stadium...

Picture by Siam@Siam Hotel Leisure Room





Phra Nakhorn พระนคร
Subdistricts and historic places: Banglamphu บางลำพ, Khao San ถนนข้าวสาร, Rattanakosin รัตนโกสินทร์, Phra Borom Maharatcha Wang พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Wang Burapha Phirom วังบูรพาภิรมย์, Wat Ratchabophit วัดราชบพิธ, Samran Rat สำราญราษฎร์, San Chaopho Suea ศาลเจ้าพ่อเสือ, Sao Chingcha เสาชิงช้า, Bowonniwet บวรนิเวศ, Talat Yot ตลาดยอด, Chana Songkhram ชนะสงคราม, Ban Phan Thom บ้านพานถม, Bang Khun Phrom บางขุนพรหม, Wat Sam Phraya วัดสามพระยา


Phranakorn Nornlen - Hidden Gem: Hidden oasis with organic food and very Thai. And nearly on top by ratings of tripadvisor.com. Read more about slow life in Bangkok

Picture marhas1





Feung Nakorn Balcony: From 1650 Bath. 29 Soi Fueang Thong, Fueang Nakhon Road. A 4 story building, which has been converted from a local elementary school with cozy open-air TaNao Bar & Restaurant and a peaceful garden with a Koi fish pond. There are 4 suites, 30 standard rooms and 4 shared dorm rooms.




Picture by The Travelista


Lamphu Tree House: From 900 to 1800 Baht. 155 Wanchat Bridge, Phachatiptai Road, Phranakhon. Lamphu Tree House has a small swimming pool and roof-top area for relaxing and sunbathing. Guests love this new hotel according to reviews on tripadvisor.com


Picture Lamphu Tree House


Sala Arun: Wonderful view across Chao Phraya River towards Wat Arun. Rooms seem a bit outdated. Be aware, that there is a rooftop bar, rooms below may have some noise. Mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com.

View of Wat Po temple from the backside




Sala Rattanakosin: Ask for a room with Wat Arun view. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.





The Asadang: From 3200 Bath. 94,94/1 Asadang Road. The guesthouse in an old shophouse - built during the reign of Rama V - offers 9 rooms, the owners - both architects - have restored it in the traditional way and decorated it with Thai fabrics and antique furniture. The Asadang is located at the corner of an alley called Soi Phraya Si, that runs alongside the Khlong Ratchabophit Lot, connecting the two historic roads, Asadang Road and Fueng Nakorn Road. Each room has a local name from "Bangkok Noi" to "Ratchabopit" and is presented very carefully on the homepage. So you are advised, that you will have "Footstep noise from room upstair" in the "Bangkok Noi" room on the ground floor, that some rooms have view to the main street or that there is a small spiral stair up to "Ratchabopit", from where you have a balcony with view to the Ratchabopit temple.

Asadang Suite. Picture by The Asadang

Balcony with view to Ratchabopit temple. Picture by The Asadang


The Bhuthorn: From 3200 Bath. 96 – 98 Phraeng Bhuthorn Rd. Three guestrooms in shophouse from 1906 in Samphraeng, in the heart of the Old Town of Bangkok, decorated in colonial style. The owners are the architects Chitlada and Direk Senghluang. Execellent reviews on tripadvisor.com. Read more and see detail pictures on Limzhu Photography. And check the review by tannetwork.tv

Picture Bhuthorn

Picture by Xin Li 88
The Bhutorn Suite

Picture Bhuthorn
Salpasart Room

Picture by Xin Li 88
Nara Suite

See more pictures of The Bhutorn on Pok Pok and Away!

Villa Phra Sumen: Set in two restored historic buildings, and a modern structure built in timber and concrete. Very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.



Ein Beitrag geteilt von ReI (@threechu) am



Discover, what you can find nearby on Good morning old Bangkok 2



Phra Pradaeng พระประแดง
Subdistrict: Bang Nam Phueng บางน้ำผึ้ง


Bangkok Tree House Hotel:
From 4590 Bath. 60 Moo 1, Bang Namphueng. Phone: +66 (0) 8-1453-1100. Also om Facebook. 11 rooms. In the middle of Bangkoks green lungs you discover a green hotel, where you breathe clean air. The hotel has been built by locally grown bamboo and also recyling material. You can only reach it on feet, by boat or by bicycle. The rooms ar called "nests". The toilet and an outdoor shiwer area are on the ground floor. "Once up the ladder-stairs (which we definitely got used to on day 2) you are now in the separate bedroom/workspace/chill zone. A big screen computer, 4 soft pillows, a comfy bed and an air-conditioner = true bliss in the 35+ degree temperatures of the early afternoon. Out on the deck and up to the rooftop you will find a great outdoor bed perfect for catching some rays or staring at the stars and enjoying the nighttime breeze coming off the river", describes What We Went Through. In "View with a Rooom", a wall- and ceiling-free platform, you sleep under the stars. The water of the showers is heated by the sun. The bedrooms have air condition, other rooms and the common rooms not. You swim in a natural pond, which is cleaned by plants. The restaurant Reflect serves organic vegetables and sustainable seafood. The use of bicycles is free, you can explore many paths through fruit orchards and light forest. You reach Bangkok Tree House Hotel from Bang Na Skytrain station. Take a tuktuk or taxi to Sanpawaut pier, call the hotel and they will send a boat. Alternatively there is a public ferry. When you arrive turn left, pass the temple on your right and walk for 300 metres along the concrete path. See pictures on mala with a fork and videos by Kris Kiattisak and BeckyThailand. Then read an interview with Jirayu "Joey" Tulyanond, the owner of Bangkok Tree House in Bangkok Post.

Picture by Tree House hotel "View with a room" is the name of this bed on a platform











Pom Prap Sattru Phai ป้อมปราบศัตรูพ่าย
Pom Prap ป้อมปราบ, Wat Thep Sirin วัดเทพศิรินทร์, Khlong Maha Nak คลองมหานาค, Ban Bat บ้านบาตร, Wat Sommanatวัดโสม นัส


Ba Hao: Karnchanit “Bua” Charoenyos launched this two-room guesthouse in april 2017, occupying the upper floors of a shophouse formerly used to sell rice and seeds. According to Vogue she is "part of a growing set of local entrepreneurs who are rejecting the glass buildings along Bangkok’s main drag, Sukhumvit Road, in favor of an area that still feels authentic." ricepotato.co writes: "Founded by a group of Thai friends with backgrounds in hospitality, design, and architecture, Ba Hao is a “co-living space” featuring a cocktail bar, a living room, and two spacious bedrooms in a renovated 40-year old shophouse. Translated from Chinese, Ba Hao means ‘house number eight’, a nod to the building’s address and the Chinese heritage that this area is steeped in."




Bangkok Publishing Residence: From 4800 Bath. An eight-bedroom bed-and-breakfast in her family’s former publishing factory, opened by Panida “Oum” Tosnaitada. “It’s like coming into my family’s home,” she says according to Vogue. “This place is really for my grandfather,” she adds. “We came from no money and now we have so much money. But we’re all forgetting where we came from and this is to remind us where we came from, the beginning of everything.” For rooms facing the busy Lan Luang street, earplugs are provided for light sleepers, you can read on tripadvisor.com.







Ratchathewi ราชเทว
Thung Phaya Thai ทุ่งพญาไท, Thanon Phaya Thai ถนนพญาไท, Thanon Phetchaburi ถนนเพชรบุรี, Makkasan มักกะสัน


Hotel de Bangkok: From 1500 to 2200 Baht. No reviews, quite near the expressway.



Sathon สาทร
Thung Wat Don ทุ่งวัดดอน, Yan Nawa ยานนาวา, Thung Maha Mek ทุ่งมหาเมฆ


Baan Pra Nond: From 1700 Bath. The former home of a Supreme Court justice of Thailand. Lies between two highways, so outside you will here the traffic noise, as guests on tripadvisor.com say.




Ein Beitrag geteilt von Inka (@inkakha) am



House of Phraya Jasoen: Phraya Jasaen was the great-grandfather of the present owners of this boutique hotel. He was the first Minister of Interior to serve under King Rama VI. In recognition of his devoted service, His Majesty bestowed upon him the land upon which The House of Phraya Jasaen stands today. The décor of the hotel has been styled under co-owner Jatya Wongpaiboon, an interior designer. He combined authentic elements of seven shophouses with modern Thai design. The lobby and reception area are set in what was the corner shophouse. The original teak staircase and much of the flooring has been retained. You will find many antique items of furniture and household goods that have been collected from the families who occupied the shophouses. On the walls drawings and renderings performed by respected Thai artists can be seen. The hotel offers stilish duo rooms as well as single rooms and dormitories, a suite and finally what is called "Bachelor room" on its homepage. These rooms have been created in the design of prison cells. Read more.


Enjoy a coffee


Enjoy a night in prison


Enjoy a night in a stylish double room

More pictures on instagram.


Watthana วัฒนา
Subdistricts: Khlong Toei Nuea คลองเตยเหนือ, Khlong Tan Nuea คลองตันเหนือ, Phra Khanong Nuea พระโขนงเหนือ


Ariyasom Villa:. From 3750 Baht. 65 Sukhumvit Soi 1. Built around a beautiful 1940's house, with pool, vegetarian and seafood restaurant and also spa as well as lush gardens, adjacent to Khlong Saen Saeb. Good review by telegraph.co.uk



Picture Ariyasom Villa More pictures: #MyKrungthep Pinterest


Atlanta Hotel: From 700 to 1700 Baht. 78 Soi 2 Sukhumvit Road. "Sex tourists not welcome“, this hotel writes on it's homepage. "Sex tourism is exploitative, socially damaging and culturally demeaning: those who want to buy sex should do so in their own country." Anmd they go on: "The Atlanta is popular with cultured occidentals, with writers, academics, artists, cinema & theatre and other professional people, with dreamers and innocuous eccentrics, and their families, who can afford to stay at more expensive places but choose to stay at The Atlanta." The Atlanta is proud of the oldest unaltered hotel foyer in Thailand designed by the Berliner Dr Max Henn (1906 - 2002) and his wife in the 1950s and influenced by central European theatre architecture and set designs of the 1920s and 1930s. The Hotel plays Western classical music all day. Music composed by The King of Thailand is played during lunch time. And the hotel promises: "Absolutely no pop music". A path through a lush garden leads to a pool surrounded by hammocks. The reviews on tripadvisor are controversial. Some guests love the hotel, even if the rooms are quite basic (budget hotel!). Others complain abut the management. But everybody seems to agree, that the restaurant has an excellent kitchen (many vegetarian dishes). The Blog Ghost Walk has pretty pictures (for example of the big library)

Picture by Atlanta Hotel The Art Deco Foyer


Picture by Atlanta Hotel Lounge and Coffee Shop


Picture By Atlanta Hotel One of the oldest hotel pools in Thailand


Baan Sukhumvit Inn Soi 18: Far enough away from the action for a quiet nights rest, a short walk to the stations to go anywhere in Bangkok", according to one of very good reviews on tripadvisor.com.


Baan Sukhumvit Inn Soi 20: Good reviews on tripadvisor.com, rooms small, bathrooms a bit outdated.


The Cabochon Hotel: From 6900 Bath. Built as recently as 2012 by designer Eugene Yeh. He cereated a colonial building inspired by the sophistication of Shanghai in the 1920’s and the architecture of the colonies of Indochina. Thai Lao Yeh Restaurant serves classic Thai cuisine and a selection of less well-known Isan and regional Thai and Laotian food.




See more pictures on #MyKrungthep Pinterest


Davinci Suites: From 2200 Bath. 3/8 Sukhumvit 31. A small hotel in European style with 15 rooms with Italian restaurant Airplane and own spa, names Davinci Le Spa. Quiet location. As one guest points out on tripadvisor.com you have to been careful about choosing the right room: There are cheap rooms on the second floor, which are quite old. And there is no elevator.


Dream Hotel From 4300 to 12480 Baht. Design hotel with 100 rooms and small rooftop pool. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com

Picture by Dream Hotel


Picture by Str1ke
Neon Room



Tata Young's video El Nin-yo, was produced at Dream Hotel.



Drop Inn Bed and Breakfast - Hidden Gem. From 1600 to 2200 Baht. 392/28-31 Sukhumvit Soi 20. nveniently located, at few minutes walking distance from the Asoke subway and skytrain station and Prompong as well as the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. "Great litte hotel" according to the reviews at tripadvisor.com

Picture Drop Inn


The Davis: From 2900 to 15000 Baht. At Sukhumvit, near Sky Train-Station Promprong. The 247 guest rooms start from 33 square meters and have a separate bath and shower cabinet. According zo The Davis 60 percent of the rooms differ in design, so there is a lot to try. Rooms toward street are noisy. The Davis could also be a design hotel in New York City, it looks international and not authentic Thai. On tripadvisor.com many guests critisize the location as too outside of Bangkoks attractions. But there are a lot of positive comments about the quality of the hotel.


Picture by The Davis




The Eugenia - Hidden Gem From 5800 to 7200 Baht. 12-room, with antique furniture and fittings. 19th-century colonial-style house with 12 rooms in Sukhumvit, full of antiques, which Taiwanese owner and Bangkok resident Eugene Yeh and his familiy collected from British & French Colonial Burma, India & Indo-China. You find hand-beaten copper bathtubs and four-poster beds in the rooms. And also a swimming pool is not missing. And all the beddings are imported from Belgium in pure white linen with feather pillows and duvets. Good reviews on tripadvisor.com

Picture by The Eugenia



Picture The Eugenia


The Key: From 2400 to 3500 BAht. Soi Sukhumvit 19. Mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com




Suvarnabhumi Airport ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ and nearby

Mariya Boutique Residence: From 1700 Bath. 1627/2. Onnuch-Ladkrabang Road. Very good reviews by tripadvisor.com. There are restaurant and a spa nearby. And transfer from and to airport is organised by the hotel.



See also:
Bangkok Hotels
Bangkok Guesthouses
Bangkok Homestays




Discover more in Bangkok:
#MyKrungthep: Your Guide to Bangkok


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#MyKrungthep Bang Krachao บางกระเจ้า - the lungs of Bangkok

You find the locations on this #MyKrungthep Bangkok Google Map

Picture cysewski

You need a break from the polluted air in the city? Bang Krachao บางกระเจ้า is a peninsula in Chao Phraya River opposite to Klong Toey in Phra Pradaeng พระประแดง district. It is nicknamed the lungs of Bangkok because of its greenery and pristine mangroves. Most of the villages in Bang Krachao are situated along Chao Phraya and the main canals. The houses on the river are built on stilts - as prevention against floods. You reach the peninsula by ferry from Wat Klong Toei and discover a sudden slice of rural Thailand with slow life, bamboo-shaded creeks, old temples and miles of walkways leading through mango and banana plantations full of butterflies. A half-day trip to Bang Krachao can be arranged through Recreational Bangkok Biking. You can choose from a bike tour or a combination of hiking and transport in a pedicab (read more: Biking in Bangkok). Some families offer homestay. You can also visit Sri Nakhorn Khuan Kan, which is a natural and quiet park. Read more about Bangkrachao in Richard Barrows Blog about Bangkok Daytrips. And discover hotels and restaurants nearby with #MyKrungthep: Your Guide to the Treasures of Bangkok

On weekends you can visit the Bang Nam Phueng Floating market - read more in the section Hidden and Famous Markets.

There were also guided tours to see fireflies after dark by local residents on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. But travelers report now, they have heard, that last years flood has wiped out the Lamphu trees, that used to attract the fireflies. Earlier you could call these numbers for reservation: 02 819 6762 and 02 461 3253. At the homestay in Bang Namphueng บางน้ำผึ้งโฮมสเตย์ สมุทรปราการ you can rent bicycles for 30 Baht a day. For information about the Homestay call Khun Arporn at +66 (0) 89-807-2501 or Khun Mali at +66 (0) 81-347-3997. Read also the review by Bangkok Post. And read about popangza's tour.

Picture cysewski

About more possibilities read here.
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Sunday, May 12, 2019

#MyKrungthep Good Morning Old Bangkok 5:
Bangrak บางรัก Walking Tour -
A plenty of colourful contrasts

See the locations on Bangrak Google Map. And discover Bangkok with #MyKrungthep: Your Guide to the Treasures of Bangkok



From Charoen Krung Road towards Si Ban U (Bangrak Market)

Picture by Rodney_F
Bangrak seen from Peninsula Hotel with Mandarin Oriental Hotel (left) and Shangri-la Hotel (right) at the banks of Chao Phraya River


Where glistening high rise blocks join rows of old shophouses and crumbling Neoclassical buildings, where a roaring freeway crosses small and quiet sois, where the merchants from the West and East on their sailships and steamships used to enter into old Siam by the Chao Phraya River, where buddhist, konfucian, hindu, muslim and christ beliefers live together peacefully in a multinational community with their temples, shrines, mosques and churches, where swarms of tourists arrive at luxury riverside hotels and restaurants and where the smells of a great variety of local food come from around the corner: Bang Rak บางรัก is one of the liveliest and most picturesque neighborhoods of the City of Angels (see pictures on ilbonito.wordpress.com). And Charoen Krung Road ist the artery of all the colcourful life and a rich heritage. Charoen Krung Road (New Road) was the first paved road of Bangkok, built in 1861 during the reign of King Rama IV at the request of foreign consuls who wanted to ride their horses and carriages for leisure and breathing fresh air, as they said. See the video Charoen Krung Road

You have put on your shoes? Then let's start our walking tour. We start at Sathon Pier or Saphan Taksin Skytrain station and turn into Soi Keson. We pass between Shangri-La Hotel and Jael Aeng Beal (ศาลเจ้าเจียวเองเบี้ยว), a Chinese temple (picture by Gerry Gantt) and arrive at Bangrak Bazaar บางรัก บาซาร์, a small street market and food center behind the Robinson Department store ห้าง โรบินสัน บางรัก (open 10.30 am till 22 pm daily). We continue to Soi Ban U, where old wooden houses duck behind the mighty hotel complex, before we reach Ban Oou Mosque มัสยิดบ้านอู่ (read more on bangkoklibrary.com).

See this lively video of the area.

We walk on to Soi Wat Suan Plu, turn right and soon see the white gate leading to the temple.

Wat Suan Phlu วัดสวนพลู: Wat Suan Phlu is a Thai-Chinese temple. All of the buildings except the Ubosot are made of wood. The Ubosot is decorated in a quite unique way with blue glass tiles. On the walls you discover a series of painted panels.


See pictures by Duncan lp, Boonaum Hongkham, asiaforvisitors.com and video by foodtravel.tv

The contrast between old and modern Bangkok you see in front of the door of Wat Suan Phlu:



Now its time to move on to Charoen Krung Road. And when we reach it we look up:



The State Tower: With 247 metres one of the tallest buildings in Southeast Asia. It counts 50 condominium units, 500 serviced apartments, 460 office units and 90 retail units. The tower has neo-classical balconies, a 40 storey high atrium inside and a 30m golden dome on top. See vagaboned's roundview-video from up there. It was conceived in the early 1990s by the Thai architect Rangsan Torsuwan and built in 2001. Located on the 63rd floor, on The Dome, you find the open-air restaurant Sirocco. Dress appropriate, if you want to have the chance to take the elevator up there. The State Tower is home of the luxury hotel Lebua.

The Dome on State Tower

Sirocco Restaurant

Chao Phraya River seen from the State Tower

After the drink on top we go back to the grounds of Bangrak and follow Charoen Krung Road until we turn into Soi Burapha. We pass the souvenir shop Thai Home Industries (35 Charoen Krung Soi 40) and come to the gate of the Assumption Church.

Assumption Cathedral (อาสนวิหารอัสสัมชัญ): 23 Soi Oriental (Oriental Pier or BTS Saphan Taksin). This outstanding cathedral with twin towers and a centre rose window - the red brick is a contrast to the surrounding white walls - is the main Roman Catholic church of Bangkok. French missionary Father Pascal started the construction of the first church here in 1809 and completed it in 1821. The architect designed the original Assumption Cathedral with material imported from France and Italy. The church you see now dates from the 1910s. The building then was reconstructed in an Romanesque style. The costs were largely covered by a the Chinese catholic businessman, Low Khiok Chiang, who owned the nearby Kiam Hoa Heng & Company and also donated money for Catholic parihes and missions in Singapore and Guangdong province in China, where he was born. The Rococo style interior was unusual for this part of the world. The cathedral is part of a series of buildings, other parts are the Assumption Convent, the Catholic Mission of Bangkok, Assumption Printing Press and rectory which were inhabited by the missionaries during their time in Bangkok. And next to the church you see the Assumption College, the most renowned catholic university in Thailand.

Picture by zhaffsky

Picture by adaptorplug Rococo-style interieur of the Assumption Cathedral


Back from the church we walk on the Oriental Lane towards Chao Phraya River and see at our right:

East Asiatic Company: The former office of this company with its classical Venetian-style facade, built in 1884, is now a historical building. The East Asiatic Company was a Danish conglomeration that spanned the globe, active in shipping, ship-building, slaughterhouses, plantations, pharmaceutical industry, industrial companies and agencies for countless global corporations. Its founder Hans Niels Andersen also bought the premises of the current Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok and built the first luxury hotel in Siam. Read more. The company introduced Siamese teak to Europe, as can be read here.


Picture by marhas





We could also have started here, arriving by Chao Phraya Express River at The Oriental Pier, or even by staying at this famous hotel:

The Oriental Hotel: 48 Charoen Krung Soi 38. It was established by two Danes named H. Jarck and C. Salje in 1876 and the earliest modern European style hotel in the Rattanakosin period. Famous writers as Joseph Conrad and Somerset Maugham used to be guests here. The original building is now called The Authors wing.

Authors Wing


After walking back we turn into Soi Charoen Krung 38 and see a white building in front of us:

O.P. Place โอ.พี. เพลซ: 30/1 Soi Charoen Krung 38. White stone in Neoclassical style as far as the eye reaches: The O.P. Plaza (Oriental Plaza) offers you a glimpse of Bangkok in the old days. "Falck & Beidek" was the first name of the store, that was located here and owned by a German company established in 1878. The Oriental Plaza followed in 1908. Today it's said to be a good place for looking for antiques, jewellery, art, tailors and Thai silk. The building counts two storeys and a three-storey tower at each wing. Three gabled porches are very elegant. You walk around in corridors panelled in shining wood, the appearence of wealth (see pictures on skyscrapercity.com). If you come in by the central entrance you will see at the back of the lobby an old style elevator. On the third floor you find The Ashwood Gallery, which deals with a wide range of antiques from Burmese alabaster sculptures to Japanese and Chinese prints. On the second floor, there is a small coffee shop with comfortable armchairs.


After whe have shopped not too much - to avoid heavy bags - our feet bring us to Soi Charoen Krung 36, back to the history of Bangrak. First we pass the French Embassy and the Ambassadors Residence, dating from the mid of 19th century. Then we arrive at the banks of Chao Phraya River:

Old Customs House: Soi Charoen Krung 36. The house right at the banks of Chao Phraya River, called Sunlaka Sathan, and once the gateway to Thailand, is rundown today, but some oldtime elegance remains. In 1888 - after Thailands economy had changed from monopolized to free trade - King Rama V commanded to build it. The italian architect Joachim Grassi designed it in Neoclassical style (read a study about the custom house). When the ships carrying merchandise from foreign countries entered the city they had to pass through this customs area. The tax was called Rong Phasi Roi Chak Sam, that's why peole called the house Rong Phasi.
In 1949 the custom office was moved to a new port at Khlong Toey. So the house was transformed into Bangrak fire brigade station and from then on neglected. Sometimes it was used for movies, for example in 1984 for "Killing Fields" and also for Wong Kar Wai's "In the Mood for Love". See pictures on imeriah.blogspot.com, kai1981.
In 2005 real estate consortium Natural Park got a 30-year concession from the Treasury Department. The plan was to renovate the building and turn it into an Aman Resorts hotel. But in the following decade nothing happened. There was a dispute about the removing of the fire station (read more). Then, in May 2019, real estate investment firm U City Plc and joint venture partners Aman Resorts Services and Silverlink Resorts inked a development deal with the Treasury Department of Thailand's Ministry of Finance (read here). U City plans to spend 3 billion baht (US$ 94 million) restoring and developing the property as a luxury hotel, what should be completed by 2025. Work will begin with archaeological excavation and cataloguing together with the Fine Arts Department. The plans: renovation of the heritage building and construction of a new building. During Bangkok Design Week in Februrary 2020 Customs House served as a venue for a photo exhibition by Thanphuying Sirikitiya Jensen (read here).


Picture by marhas





This soi has a dead end, so we walk back to the French Embassy and notice the entrance to a soi leading to Haroon Mosque. You enter an area of small sois with traditional wooden houses.



Haroon Mosque มัสยิดฮารูณ: 25 Chareon Krung 36 Road. In 1837 Musa Bafadel, an Indonesian-Arab trader from Borneo, who was sailing between Siam, Malaya and Indonesia, arrived here and decided to reside in this place with his three sons. One of them, Haroon, continued his fathers businesses between Siam and Malaya. When Haroon passed away his son Muhammad Yusuf Bafadel took care of his legacy. He constructed the mosque. When the Royal Thai Government needed the land for the construction of Customs House, it offered Yusuf Bafadel pieces of land in the inner side in exchange of the land of Ton Samrong, where the mosque first was situated at the banks of Chao Phraya River. The wooden mosque was moved. In 1934 Muhammad Yusuf decided to replace the wooden mosque with a brick and lime. He sacrificed his properties by selling land and Indian traders also donated for the building. The new mosque was "the talk of the town in size, wooden decorative art and craftsmanship", writes haroonmosque.blogspot.com. A muslim community has developped around the mosque and returns to prayer here every Friday. And the foodstalls then are worth a visit, the food like chicken mataba or beef biryani "is delicious, as it is all cooked by housewives, grandmothers and other senior female members of the community", notes Bangkok Post. Be there early and before 11am, because the delicacies have gone until then!

Or you would prefere to go to a restaurant with best references? We make just some steps on So Rong Phasi and then turn right:

Tongue Thai Restaurant: 18-20 Soi Charoen Krung 38. Curries and spicy salads are awaiting you in a 100-year-old converted shophouse. The reviews on tripadvisor.com are a bit mixed, some very good, some disappointed. See pictures by wcher. Open 11am-10.30pm daily.


Nearby you will discover:
Wat Muang Khae วัด ม่วงแค: Soi Charoen Krung 34

Guardian at the entrance to Wat Muang Khae


From the pier of Wat Muang Kae you can take the Chao Phraya Express bot back to the Oriental Hotel or forward to the River City Pier. But may we you would like to walk on? After seeing all these old buildings from outside its time to have a look at the inside. How did the people in Bangkok live in their houses? We stroll back to Charoen Krung Road, move a bit north. We pass the General Post Office, that was built in art-deco-style and once used as the British Embassy. And then we turn into Soi Charoen Krung 43, a quiet road with many historic houses, that crosses the expressway below. Then we arrive:


Bangkokian Museum พิพิธภัณท์ชาวบางกอก: 273 Soi Charoen Krung าซอยเจริญกรุง 43. +66 2 233-7027. You already have got an idea how Jim Thompson lived in Bangkok? Now get an idea of the lifestyle of middle-class Bangkokians in the period of World War II. The museum is hiding behind the trees of a pleasant garden, a quiet oasis away from the noise of Charoen Krung Road. The wooden home of the Suravadee family has been built in 1937. A living room, a dining room and bed rooms with furniture of this time have been preserved. You discover antiques like the old Benjarong jar, made from Thai porcelain in five basic colors, household items, a kitchen, sanitation and toilet facilities.
The house has been turned into a museum by inheritor Ajarn Waraporn Surawadee, a teacher, two years after her mother died. She could have made a fortune by selling her inherited property. Instead in 2003 she kept one house and gave the other part of the compound to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to become a folk museum (read The Nation). And for many years she has been guiding guests of the musem herself, when she is at home.
Her stepfather Francis Christian, an indian doctor, who graduated in England, built the house, that is now situated at the back. It was intended to serve as a clinic on the ground floor and living quarters at the upper floor and first constructed in the Thung Mohammek District. But the doctor died, before he could move in. So the house was rented and later transferred to the ground of the museum. It shows a combination of Eastern and Western lifestyle. The third building is a two-storey eight unit row of houses, which were for rent. A part of museum presents the history of Bang Rak and Silom with farms, canals and windmills, which formed the picture of this area. Read more on [chil-suht] and on Having "Me" Time. See photos by ซาสี่สีส้ม, natski13 and thebezz.

Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am till 17 pm.

Picture by gunofthepatriots




Oh, this was a long way. But of course there are more attractions in Bangrak. For example:

Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple (วัดพระศรีมหาอุมาเทวี): 2 Pan Rd (BTS Chong Nonsi). +66 2 238-4007. 06:00-20:00 daily. One of only two Hindu temples in Bangkok, the Sri Mariamman Temple is actually a great experience. It was created in the 1860s by Tamil immigrants, and as with any temple found in India, it is unique, very colourful and ornately detailed. It generally is a busy temple with a constant stream of worshippers lighting incense sticks and plenty of ceremonies going on. Besides Indians, there are also Thai visitors as Buddha images stand side by side Hindu deities inside the temple. As it is the most sacred place for the Indian community in Bangkok, it is not allowed to take pictures inside the temple compound.



Picture by Axel Drainville



Cultural diversity is what makes Bangrak as interesting as it is. If you like to experience more of it, you should eat where the locales eat. shesimmers.com tells you, where the traditional food stalls are: from Thai desserts to goat bryani at the Muslim Restaurant, grilled Bananas to the roasted duck restaurants Prachak (ประจักษ์เป็ดย่าง) and Nai Sung (เป็ดย่างนายสูง) or Chinese rice dumplings. shesimmers.com is written by Leela Punyaratabandhu, who lives in Chicago, but visits here hometown Bangkok often. Also Motormouse from Ipoh writes about the food stalls in Bangrak. Mor tipps you get on bk.asia-city.com by Pieng-or Mongkolkumnuankhet

If you don't want to discover the food diversity by yourself, you can book the halfday Historic Bangrak Food Tour.


Charoen Krung Road with Robinson Plaza behind



From Charoen Krung Road towards Soi Wat Suan Phlu


Discover more:

Enjoy the food culture in Bangrak:
Mouthwatering food in Bangkok: Look for the section about Bangrak

In the South of Bangrak Walking tour:

In the North of Bangrak Walking tour:


Discover more in Bangkok:
#MyKrungthep: Your Guide to Bangkok


Friday, May 10, 2019

#MyKrungthep Good Morning Old Bangkok 6:
Tha Prachan ท่าพระจันทร์ and
Wang Lang Market ตลาดวังหลัง

See the locations on #MyKrungthep Bangkok Walking Tour: Tha Prachan and Wang Lang Google Map

Picture by iamkeang

The area around Tha Prachan ท่าพระจันทร์ ("Moon pier") comes alive around 4 pm, when students and workers starting to head home and visiting tourists form an eclectic mix of people with the street vendors and owners of decades-old businesses in the shops. Tha Prachan (see picture) is one of Bangkok’s most historical piers. It’s also home to two of Thailand’s leading Universities, Thammasart (see campus map) and Silpakorn. "The food on offer at Tha Prachan is a real treat. Inside the pier’s small complex are a number of great local eateries offering all the favourites like papaya salad and green chicken curry. Outside are various street vendors selling tropical fruits, juices and other delicious snacks", notes Life in Bangkok blog. Have a look at the noodles eaten by Earn K.T. And BK Magazine covered eateries like New Yong Hua Pochana, Nai Dee, Charoen Chai, Ajisen Ramen, Tha Prachan, Roti Mataba Tha Prachan, N+Rich, Aew Tha Prachan and R-Roy. At R-Roy you get butter sugar crackers, for which the people are queuing reports Stranger in Bangkok. And their design is vintage, writes kanidinspired.com.

Picture by Momykaboon
R-Roy crispy bread, with vintage design

travel.cnn.com portrays owners of shops and stalls, between fashionable clothes and accessoires, bookshops and musicshops, fortune tellers and amulets. The area around the pier hosts an extensive Buddhist amulet market, which opens early in the morning and closes around dusk. Thais have been wearing Buddhist amulets for centuries. "This comes from a superstitious belief that an amulet can protect the wearer from evil spirits and bad luck. It's also thought that the various powers linked with an amulet can easily outlive the current owner", writes Youthapong Charoenpan.

Picture by -AX-
Amulet Market

Picture by -AX-

Picture by Nir Nussbaum

Picture by -AX-
Maharat Road


On the corner of Pra Chan and Na Phra That roads you will find Cafe Velo Dome คาเฟ่เวโลโดม. Here you can get a lot of information about Bangkok’s bicycle rentals, bike tours, and city routes for bikers.
Tha Prachan is also a historic site - a site of sadness. Pictures by tuktadevil show, what is known as the 6 October 1976 Thammasat University Massacre เหตุการณ์ 6 ตุลา, when right-wing paramilitary groups killed 46 students and wounded 167 students (the official numbers, probably many more), during a military coup. Thammasat University holds an annual event with eyewitness accounts and historical records. In 1996 a memorial has been built on the campus.

Tha Prachan is just a short walk from Tha Chang Pier, which can easily be reached by a Chao Phraya Express Boat. From Tha Prachan a ferry crosses Chao Phraya River to Tha Wang Lang Pier. And here, beneath Siriraj Hospital, you enter a secondhand shopping paradise: Wang Lang market ตลาดวังหลัง, little sois cramped with shops and stalls. Young Bangkokians know it for good quality and cheap prices for garments, shoes, accessoires as well as delicious foods, loved by locals and students and described by BK. See also this video by ToyJoyKandygirl. The market part with the clothing stalls is called Talad Naew Naew. Nira Chan has nice pictures and one advice: Don't go between 1130 am and 1pm, because the market then is full of hungry students and nurses from the hospital.

Picture by gnarlykitty
Wang Lang shopping paradise

Picture by looktana

Picture by auang

Picture by auang


More Bangkok Walking Tours:
#MyKrungthep Good Morning old Bangkok:In the Neighborhood of Wat Pho
http://traveltobangkok.blogspot.com/2009/01/good-morning-old-bangkok.html
#MyKrungthep Good morning old Bangkok 2:The Rattanakosin Town Trail
#MyKringthep Good morning Old Bangkok 3:Artsy Phra Athit Road
#MyKrungthep Good Morning Old Bangkok 4:Explore the heart of Chinatown
#MyKrungthep Good Morning Old Bangkok 5: Bangrak บางรัก Walking Tour - A plenty of colourful contrasts
#MyKrungthep Good Morning Old Bangkok 8: Charoen Krung Road ถนนเจริญกรุง is reborn
#MyKrungthep Good Morning Old Bangkok 7: Thonburi ธนบุรี Walking Tour


#MyKrungthep: Your Guide to Bangkok