[AA] Beyond Pleasure

The staff were warm, polite, and welcoming, and the calm, friendly feel of the place made us feel at home. Housekeeping kept the room spotless every day, replacing towels, water bottles, and toiletries, and even tidying the clothes we’d left on the bed. Breakfast was a delicious, hearty Thai buffet with something new each morning and plenty of local flavor. There’s a morning-to-night food market nearby, a 7-Eleven next door, and the bus stop right across the street. The Metro is a five-minute walk away, and although it’s a little outside the city center, we found the location peaceful and well connected. I’d absolutely recommend this hotel if you want a comfortable stay in Bangkok with cleanliness, genuine hospitality, and local charm.

I stayed in room 8509 last week, and it was a horrible experience, especially on my own. Around 2:30am, a loud noise outside the room’s “balcony” woke me up. It sounded like someone trying to escape a cage and wheels rolling down a hallway, though I know that wasn’t actually what was happening. The noise kept starting and stopping for hours. I was awake from 2:30am until 5:45am, and couldn’t sleep until the sun came up and it stopped. I’d seen another review mentioning paranormal activity, and I feel like I experienced the same thing. There were two things outside the “balcony” that looked like heating units, and they could have been rattling. If that was the cause, the room shouldn’t be open to guests because the noise was so loud and frightening. But I don’t believe the units in the picture could possibly have made all the noise I heard. I definitely think it was paranormal activity. I told the receptionist the noise had kept me awake. All she said was, “Eh, sorry.”

The location and facilities are excellent, which makes the attitude of some staff all the more disappointing. I brought elderly relatives for several nights, hoping for a comfortable stay and attentive service. One woman at the front desk always had a frown and seemed annoyed even by simple questions. It’s hard to believe politeness to paying guests is optional here.

We were only in this place for about 35 minutes total, and now the hotel is refusing to refund more than 30%. We’re moving on to credit card disputes. They told us to take up a refund with the booking company or our card company, and fixing it could take days, if it can be fixed at all. My wife is Thai and could explain things I couldn’t. We weren’t going to accept a third room. Our first room had mildew or mold above the AC unit. The shower barely worked and wouldn’t get up to room temperature. When we reported the mildew, the front desk offered another room. We asked if that one had the same problem, and they said they wouldn’t know unless a guest told them. That makes it seem they aren’t cleaning properly or servicing the AC units. They said the hotel was fully booked and moved us to another room on the same floor. There were cobwebs in that room, though we didn’t see any mildew or mold. We could hear kids and adults from the next room clearly through the paper-thin walls. We decided to give it a try, went into the city for a few hours, and came back. After we put in the key card to turn on the electricity, as is common in Thailand, my wife noticed about 30 minutes later that the AC was dripping water badly onto the curtains and spreading across the tiled floor. To me, that means there’s mold inside the walls. The wet, slippery tiles also meant someone could fall going to the bathroom at night. There was no one at the desk after 10pm or until 8am. When we left for a taxi in the middle of the night, there was only a security guard asleep outside. The place is extremely outdated, and the beds feel like a pile of cardboard. There are so many better hotels at these prices. You’ve been warned, book at your own despair. Truly beyond comprehension should be the name of this place.