Chetuphon Gate

We wanted to avoid downtown Bangkok’s crowds, and this hotel near the Grand Palace was just right. The temple views were amazing, especially from the most expensive room, which had an L-shaped balcony all to myself overlooking temples on both sides of the river. I could also see the Grand Palace slightly in the distance. Seeing the temples brightly lit at dusk, then the same quiet area at dawn, felt magical. It was surprisingly calm in the mornings, so I could walk to Wat Pho and other temples before the big tour groups arrived. No taxi or commute needed. The river was close by for a quick ferry to Wat Arun, and there were plenty of good food options nearby, from cheap local-priced meals to high-end cafes and restaurants. It was also walkable to an MRT station. I love Thailand, and this turned out to be a lovely area to stay in Bangkok. The room was spacious given how small the property is, and the bathroom had beautiful tiles. One thing to know: check-in is at the restaurant closer to the river, then you go back up to the top of the street to enter the hotel, which is above a functioning cafe. I already knew about that arrangement from the Agoda app and reviews, so things went smoothly. There’s no lift, so you have to walk up to your room, but that was fine since I was traveling light. The area felt very safe. The King of Thailand and Royal family live nearby at the Grand Palace. 🙏

My wife picked this hotel for its location, and we were surprised at how affordable it was. Now I understand the price. Check-in was in another building and nobody told us; fortunately, a friendly tour seller pointed us in the right direction. After checking in, we found there was no hair dryer, so we went back and had to leave a deposit to borrow one. The automated lock took ages to recognize the key each time. We barely slept on a mattress as hard as concrete. When we looked under the sheets, it seemed to be some kind of leather cushion rather than a proper mattress. The shower temperature wouldn’t adjust properly, swinging between scalding and freezing, and the water pressure came and went. The hair dryer didn’t work properly either. When we tried to contact someone at the other building, its door was closed, and the automated phone message said nobody was available and to call later. It made me wonder what would happen if the key stopped working in the middle of the night and we couldn’t get back into our room. The room was clean, but very outdated and badly in need of renovation. We left after one night for a real hotel. It might work if you’re backpacking through Asia on a budget, but if you have a little money to spare, I’d go somewhere else.

The room was small, quiet, and comfortable, and the location was great value for money. The place has a rustic feel, like an old harbor pub. There’s no lift, so be ready to climb three levels of stairs.

The hotel is handy for Phra Nakhon attractions, with excellent restaurants, tasty food, bakeries, coffee, and a charming sunset atmosphere nearby. It’s a budget hotel, so don’t expect much service and be prepared to handle things yourself. That was still okay.