The Bliss Ubon

The beds were some of the most comfortable I've had on my travels, and the staff were so kind. They even used their own phone to arrange food delivery, and helped carry luggage upstairs. The hotel is small and quiet, with friendly, helpful staff and free breakfast. Across the road, a small takeaway sells Japanese food. A short walk down the quiet soi brings you to a busier street with lots of restaurants. There's no lift, so keep that in mind if mobility is difficult.

It's quiet at the end of a soi, and the location is great. The staff were friendly and attentive, easily five-star service. I would have given five stars, except this is the first hotel in Thailand, where I've lived for 12 years, to charge for coffee in the room. I understand charging for drinks and snacks, but not for a single free packet. The coffee downstairs with breakfast was nice.

The staff are warm and engaging, and the clean, modern rooms have good amenities. Bicycles are a nice extra. It's close to Ubon's cultural and religious sites, with eateries right next door. Breakfast has a good mix of Thai and Western dishes. The homemade sourdough and traditional Thai food are especially worth trying. A lovely hotel for the money.

The staff were the best part by far, and the breakfast was a highlight too, even though the buffet itself was mediocre. The à la carte food was excellent. Portions are small, but you can order twice; a staff member even pointed that out when I went back to the sparse buffet. They also kept my luggage before and after check-in and check-out, and offered to help with taxis if Grab didn't work. It did. The rest of the property doesn't match the price. The location is far from everything, and the free bike rental was a big reason I overlooked that. Of the four bikes, two had both brakes out of order. Another had its seat collapse while I rode around the parking lot, and I gave up on the last one. The gym has four machines, one of them out of order, and it's so small that more than one person would feel cramped. WiFi was too weak to hold a video call. The rooms were dirty and had ants. Tiny ants covered the bathroom in lines, including the towels, toilet, and shower area. There was grime on the walls and hair on the floor, and the place needs a fresh coat of paint. I know insects can be an issue even at luxurious places in Southeast Asia, but these ants were everywhere in the bathroom. They charge 10 baht for instant coffee, which feels especially petty when it inconveniences guests for just a few pennies. Water is free, as at every other Thai hotel I've stayed in, and tea and coffee seem to be complimentary almost everywhere else. A sign over the toilet asks guests not to flush contraceptives. Between that and the faux satin sheets, the room gives an unpleasant hourly-rental impression. I went back and forth between three and four stars because the staff were exceptional, far better than the property, but this not-inexpensive hotel promises more than it delivers. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could.