The Lion King Hotel

For the price, it’s a good alternative. There’s parking in front of the hotel, on the side street, or across the road. The room has what you need, including a decent bathroom, balcony, kettle, and a table and chairs for relaxing or eating.

The breakfast was the weak point. It comes from outside and the choices are very limited, basically rice with pork or chicken, or an omelette. No toast or coffee, just water. You can eat in your room since there’s no café lounge or dining room. The room itself is magnificent, roomy, and fully furnished, with wooden furniture, a large bed, cupboards, a desk, and a small bed for a child. There’s also a balcony at the back where you can have breakfast in the rising sun, plus a mini fridge, bottled water, a boiler for Nescafé bags, cookies, an iron, large mirrors, and a table and chairs for snacks. Wifi was great and the TV worked. It’s around 800 baht, about €20, and not far from the city centre, though you’ll need to walk a bit to reach the main avenue with shops, restaurants, and cafés. A great option all in all.

It has a cozy feel and looks like a four-star place, and the receptionist was accommodating. I still enjoyed my stay, though I can’t say I checked the issues I noticed: the sheets should be changed before someone stays in the room, and the air conditioner needs to be set to 21 degrees C or lower with the fan on high, or it may give off a bad smell. That’s why I’m giving it three stars.

A quiet spot, but you’ll need transport to get to Central’s restaurants and nightlife. The rooms are adequate for the price. There’s no restaurant, room service, gym, or pool, and no 24-hour security.