Praso Ratchada

The street noise is what kept this at three stars. In a west-facing room, motorbikes with loud exhausts were constantly audible during the day, even with the windows shut. It got a little quieter after 10 PM, then started up again around 9 AM. An east-facing room might be quieter. The room itself is spacious, with a sofa and a kitchenette containing a large fridge, sink, and kettle. There’s plenty of parking, most of it covered, and the WiFi speed is pretty good. Beds are firm in the usual Thai style, so they may not suit you if you like a softer mattress. There’s no coffee or tea in the room or lobby. Fortune mall, Central, and the MRT stations are under a 10-minute walk away, with a 7-Eleven next door. Check-in is strictly after 2 PM, though you can wait in the lobby seating. A walk-in night costs 1000B, but booking online may be cheaper. I’d have given it four stars without the noise.

For a short stay, this is a perfectly adequate three-star hotel, especially if you’re looking for somewhere inexpensive near Fortune Town and the MRT. There’s a WiFi TV, a decent-sized fridge, and a kitchen sink. The rooms aren’t really suited to working or a long stay, despite the long-stay rates. There are no chairs or cooking stove, and the electrical sockets are limited. Doors bang loudly when other guests come and go on the same floor. If you’re happy ordering food delivery, it should do the job.

Getting around was easy, with big shopping centres and night markets in walking distance, and a 7/11 close by. Parking at the hotel was great, and there are washing machines downstairs. Our room had a separate bedroom, an outdoor patio, and two air-conditioning units. We got two bottles of water each day and two coffee sachets, though they sometimes forgot those. The mattress was a little hard but okay. The ensuite was modern and comfortable, and the large TV had lots of channels, including English news. You can get an extra key card for a fee. There was a lot of noise at night from a metal speed hump outside, along with loud bangs that happened irregularly. I couldn’t tell whether those were coming from inside or outside the hotel.

Cockroaches in the room. I killed two, and they crawl on you at night. I told reception, and someone sprayed insecticide, but the fumes made it impossible for me to stay in the room because I had trouble breathing. They refused a refund and offered just a 20% discount on one night of a future stay. Unacceptable. I added a video of a cockroach in the bed and a photo of one I killed. Don’t come here, go somewhere else. This place is bad, and the staff aren’t friendly.