St. James Hotel

The doorman aggressively took my bag and insisted on bringing it to my room even after I protested, then waited there until I paid him. That was frankly unpleasant. Aside from that, the stay was perfect for the price and location. The room was large and clean, with wooden floors that are much better than the carpeted monstrosities around here. The bed was a bit hard, and the pillows felt like low rocks, but those were the only other downsides. The hotel must have been one of the best at its peak, and it’s good someone has tried to maintain the quality.

The porters were very kind and helpful, and the location is handy for central Bangkok and the trains. But for this price, there’s better value nearby. The room was so-so, and despite booking a room with a view, ours looked onto a parking building. We checked in at 2 am, and the receptionist went full immigration officer with my passport. That wasn’t her job. The stay was otherwise fine, but the quality doesn’t measure up to the alternatives, so two stars.

Service was 10/5. I asked for a room with a bathtub and got one, and check-in was easy. When chilli oil spilled in my suitcase and stained it and some clothes, the staff helped clean the suitcase and pointed me to a cheaper laundry service nearby. I’m extremely grateful. The rooms were nice and well looked after, and I couldn’t find anything wrong with the cleanliness. The pool was a little cloudy, so I took off a point there. Location’s a short walk from Phrom Phong BTS, which connects to most major shopping areas, and there’s decent laundry service nearby. I ate out the whole trip, so no rating for food. Would give them even more stars if I could.

There’s lots of local street food nearby, and it’s close to the BTS and Ekkamai bus station. The room was spacious and clean, the towels smelled really good, and the Wi-Fi was strong enough for remote work. The pool looked a bit different from the photos, probably because of the post-pandemic times. Still, the price was good for what you get.