Hope Land Hotel Sukhumvit 46/1

The rooms feel a bit dated and could use renovation to match the hotel’s otherwise high standards. Still, we had another good stay at Hope Land Hotel, our second time there. The staff showed excellent hospitality again. Breakfast had an impressive range of delicious choices each morning, and the clean, relaxing pool was great for a quick swim after exploring the city. It’s also a short walk to the BTS, which makes getting around Bangkok easy. We’d happily return.

We’d stayed at Hope Land on several trips before, but this time we booked three nights through Agoda, as usual. We thought we’d found a great deal. Agoda confirmed the payment and emailed the confirmation, yet when we arrived, management said the reservation hadn’t been accepted. We’d travelled for hours and had luggage, but they told us to call Agoda. Agoda confirmed the booking again. Then the hotel said it was full. I checked Agoda and Booking.com and found rooms listed, so I showed management. They then said they wouldn’t give us a room at that price because they thought it was too low. We spent over two hours trying to sort it out, but they still wouldn’t honor the reservation. For a few dollars, they lost us as clients forever. I told them so and left. Don’t book this hotel if you expect it to follow booking rules. It shouldn’t be part of a booking agency if it won’t honor those rules. Not worth taking the chance.

The swimming and sauna area is lovely and worth using, and the hotel is organized and responsive. I was put in a tired-looking part of the old wing, though. It could have been pleasant overall, but the way the hotel handles rules felt rigid and lacking a customer approach. Maybe they’re snooty because they’re on Sukhumvit Road, but they acted like they had a chip on their shoulder. I asked to check in 2-3 hours early and was immediately asked for a deposit that seemed out of proportion to the daily rate. They also require 1000 baht in CASH, which they’ll confiscate if you lose one of their measly 3rd rate key cards. It felt downright insulting, like they were looking for any way to make money. Self-respecting people should look for somewhere better. Skip the hotel breakfast too. I found a wonderful cafe, "Milk & Honey," which was a delightful option.

I didn’t know there was a 1,000 baht deposit, and I also assumed breakfast came with every room. Apparently it doesn’t. Some things seemed outdated: pool tiles were missing, the sauna smelled unpleasant, and the jacuzzi splashed water outside and didn’t feel very clean. The staff were nice, though, and I appreciated the complimentary tea and pastry.