Kowtha Rivertel

The rooftop bar has a great atmosphere and an amazing view, with live music. The hotel is right beside the river and works well for business or a leisure stay. Rooms are spacious and modern, with all the essentials. The staff and owners are friendly and very helpful.

There’s plenty of good street food right outside the alley, which was a real plus. The hotel is reasonably priced for Bangkok and fairly close to my workplace, though tucked quite far down a lane. I felt a bit uneasy at first, but the security seemed decent. My kettle was broken and there was no hot water the day I arrived, so it was pretty cold. Still, it works if you mainly need somewhere to sleep while you spend the day exploring.

I left after just one night even though I had booked two. It didn’t feel worth the price, especially with better places available for less. The location seemed remote, with no convenience stores nearby, and the river looked dirty during the day, though better at night. The room was dark with the curtains closed, but opening them meant people could see right through the window. There was a table but no chair, and reception said none was available, so sitting to eat or work wasn’t possible. Other problems piled up: the toilet smelled odd and the bathroom had no door. The air conditioning wasn’t as strong as I wanted, the cheap plastic shower head came loose and had to be screwed back on, and the bathtub was just a triangular built-in box that wasn’t possible to lie in. There were no stairs, which was a pain with heavy luggage. The receptionist wasn’t there when I arrived, so check-in took a 10-minute wait. In the morning, nearby construction woke me with loud hammering.

The only thing that made the night bearable was the little steak restaurant next door, with lots of dishes at good prices and lovely service. We booked two nights through Agoda because we liked the riverfront location and photos, but left after one. The room initially looked nice, then the dirt and condition became obvious. The floor, sparse horizontal surfaces, and sliding glass windows were dirty. There was mold around the bathroom ceiling fan, across the tile grout, and beneath the air conditioner. The mattress was rock hard, the pillows flat and lumpy, and the sheets worn through with holes. The lobby and stairs were filthy too. Those stairs felt dangerous with luggage because each step had a different height and the treads were tiny. We checked the Rooftop bar and restaurant menu and walked away. Prices were far too high for the place, and the food and drink choices were very limited.