H&Ofuro Hotel

The staff were especially helpful and courteous, and breakfast arrived promptly. Our room was huge and very comfortable, probably the best around for the price. The hotel is small, with a tasteful contemporary feel and an informal atmosphere. There’s a small pool, though maintenance could be better. It’s close to tourist sights, with the river a few hundred meters away. The hotel sits on a somewhat run-down side street, but there are plenty of nearby restaurants, clubs, and inexpensive places to eat.

Breakfast by the little pool was a great way to start the day. You choose from a menu and they pick it up from elsewhere. It costs $5.50, and everyone gets 20% off. Some rooms include breakfast, and that seemed like a better deal. The hotel looks to have only six or seven rooms, but the front desk is always staffed, and security is usually around to help with bags. English is limited, though enough to get by. Staff greeted us with smiles and lemon tea, and gave us fresh fruit and more tea when we left. They were consistently pleasant, respectful, and keen to help. I paid $30 a night for a spacious King through Expedia, though the price varies depending on where you book. For that rate, H Hotel felt like a tiny oasis in the busy, dirty city. The room had sleek black and white decor, a seating nook by a large window looking over the pool, a comfortable king bed with lovely linens, and seemingly new, good-quality towels. There was also a desk, a small fridge, and a safe. The sapphire-colored saltwater pool is tiny, with three loungers and beach towels, and only chest deep, but still refreshing. The hotel is very close to the Royal palace, silver Pagoda, national museum, and river. A few things could use work: there seemed to be mold in the large glass and granite shower, the stuffed chair was torn and stained, and the pool cushions were slightly torn and a little mildewed. I had to look up how to adjust the complicated AC. We still loved our stay.

The pool area is a nice place to spend an hour or two in peace, though we didn’t use the pool itself. Staff are friendly, but their English is very limited, so you need to check that they’ve understood you. The room was spacious, clean, and nice, and the bathroom was good too, although the walls need refreshing and the shower had weak water pressure. The hotel is nice and well located. Breakfast was fine but nothing special, so we usually skipped it and ate around the city. I’d call it a good choice, but I’d have given five stars if the room were $15-20 cheaper.

The pool is tiny, so swimming in it isn’t really an option, and the internet kept cutting out because the router needed frequent restarts. Apart from that, everything was perfect. The hotel had only been open for two weeks during my stay, and the staff worked hard to make it a wonderful visit. They even let me take a shower hours after checking out. Breakfast was great too. I’ll come back.