Josh Hotel

We used this as our base for three nights, four days in November, and it was clean, comfortable, and very affordable. The beds were comfortable, Wi-Fi was fast, and the shower had good pressure and hot water. For the price, I couldn’t ask for much more. BTS Ari is only a two-minute walk away, so getting around Bangkok was easy and cheap. The area is lively, with cafés, bars, street food, restaurants, and a night market just around the corner. The hotel’s downstairs restaurant had a good mix of Thai and Western food, and everything we tried was tasty and reasonably priced. The receptionists were great, spoke very good English, and were genuinely helpful with directions, recommendations, and booking Grab rides. From Suvarnabhumi, a taxi or Grab takes about 30-40 minutes off-peak and up to an hour in rush hour. Airport Rail Link plus BTS was easy and cheap, about 20-25 minutes door to door. Thanks to the Josh Hotel team, we’d stay again next time we’re in Bangkok.

The room doors were stiff and needed a pretty hard slam to close properly, and it seemed to be the same in every room. I was also charged 30 baht for an extra bottle of water I asked for at reception, instead of getting it as a basic amenity. The worst part was the noise. Staff were moving tables and sofas and talking through the night, from around midnight until 7:00 AM. The walls are so thin, almost like plywood, that I could hear every word. I don’t understand why this work couldn’t happen in daytime. Parking is extremely limited too, with only about three spots. I really wanted to like this hotel because the rooms look beautiful and well designed, but the stay was disappointing. It has a lot of potential if these problems are improved.

The lobby was decent, and the ground floor with its cafeteria and pool was kept in much better shape than the rooms and lift area. Staff did keep the premises clean. But don’t expect amenities, since everything is “buy from outside,” and there were no welcome drinks. The team didn’t seem especially friendly, and the room felt cheap. I booked a deluxe room and still found it extremely cramped. A random wooden board is awkwardly placed just inside the door. Beyond it is a double bed a little smaller than a king, with a very hard mattress. There’s only one small shelf and a mini-fridge, and barely any room to walk. The dark walls and furniture made it feel dingy and claustrophobic. The washroom was reasonably clean, but the layout baffled me: the sink is beside the bed, not in the washroom. The so-called deluxe balcony is hardly half a balcony, with a door that opens only a quarter of the way. The view is basically an AC unit right in front of you, blocking everything else. I could hear noise from other rooms and outside, so I’m guessing the walls aren’t soundproof. From outside, it looks like they’ve split each room and balcony in two for profit, which explains the cramped space.

I’ve kept extending my stay because I like it here so much. The location is perfect, close to nice cafés and restaurants, and the bar and restaurant are comfy too. My room was clean, the staff friendly, and the pool is amazing. Great value for money, and I can’t recommend it enough!