Amaranta Hotel

The open bathroom layout could be awkward if you’re sharing with friends. Even with the partition shut, the toilet area remains open to the room, so it’s better suited to a couple or family. Also, while breakfast was above average and had good Chinese options, the Continental food was mediocre at best. I spent three nights at Amaranta while visiting Bangkok. The rooms were comfortable, roomy enough and well maintained, with useful touchscreen controls and friendly staff. It’s good value if you need to stay in Huai Khwang, though the neighborhood isn’t central for sightseeing. It has a Chinese feel, and the metro ride to the city center is about four or five stops. Trains get crowded, so getting around can be uncomfortable. At peak times, taxis cost almost 250B and take about 40 minutes from Sukhumwit. If you want sights close by, a more central area like Sukhumvit may suit you better.

The birthday celebration was acknowledged, and the Superman in the fish tank was fine. The drinks at the skybar were served without trouble, though they had no white wine when I ordered, so I switched to red. Dinner at The Copper restaurant was a big disappointment. The seafood selection was very limited and below average, and the other dishes were average too. Much of the food sat in heated containers and was only warm, not hot. Desserts were okay. Service was fine until we paid, when we were told as we were leaving that the bill was wrong and we had to pay extra. The evening was ruined when one person in our group of three became violently ill around 12:30am, soon after we got home. We hadn’t eaten or drunk anything after leaving the restaurant, so we believe the illness came from the meal.

A comfortable hotel with professional, responsive staff, and a convenient Huai Khwang location. The rooms are a little small, but still comfortable. The rooftop bar never opened while we were there, though it looked nice. The restaurant was just okay.

The staff were friendly, but I wouldn’t stay again. On our last day we had to call several times for extra towels and basic amenities, and the gym being across the street was inconvenient. Breakfast was the main frustration. Food wasn’t replenished while we were there, and by 8:30am most of the decent fruit was gone and what remained looked like leftovers. They ran out of bread once, and we waited more than 20 minutes for more. Staff didn’t seem to keep an eye on supplies, so you had to point out what was missing, then wait again. There was mostly Thai food, with a small North American offering of toast and scrambled or sunny-side-up eggs. The bacon in the heated tray didn’t look appetizing. The online pictures, especially of the fish tank, don’t really show what it’s like. If breakfast matters to you, eat somewhere else.