Besides the good location and price, I chose this hotel because I love the nice design of the rooms from their website. In fact the actual room looked almost the same as their photos! Modern, clean and in my favourite blue. The size of the room is 23sqm, small but adequate for us. Room might be too small to accommodate more than 2 persons though.
The 2 comfortable single beds.
Another view towards the bathroom and door.
The pillows are labelled firm and soft. Such a nice touch!
Clearer view of the room during the day. One sleeper sofa and one work chair.
Phone, iPod docking station, switches and universal power plugs all by the bed. So important for me cos I can charge and use my phone while lying on the bed. Their Wifi was fast and reliable too!
The TV area with 32 inch LCD TV. There's a mini fridge below which is empty.
Work station and chair on the right.
There is no room service. But the room has a set of delivery menu for fast food if you need. So special!
The kettle, mugs and instant beverages. 2 complimentary mineral water bottles provided.
I was so looking forward to a room on a high floor with great city view. However despite requesting it during booking and private email, I still got a room view like this because they said not available during my check-in. Full-length window but it was facing another building so close that we could see what people were doing. (It applied the opposite way too, so close the curtains for privacy). This was the biggest disappointment for this hotel.
The bathroom is simple and clean.
It is Holiday Inn Express concept to be environmental friendly. Only a few toiletries are provided.
You can request for other toiletries at the reception if you need. But we didn't as we brought ours. Towels will be reused unless you place them on the floor to indicate change needed. I think it applies for the bed sheets too if I remember correctly.
Hairdryer and handwash dispenser.
Hand held showerhead with good pressure and heat. Not bad. Again the soap and shampoo is provided in the dispenser.
Toilet and sufficient towels provided.
There's something about hotel's bathroom which I find it rather strange. Maybe I'm not well-travelled enough? :) From my few recent hotel stays, the one we stay in Hong Kong, at MBS and here, all the bathrooms door cannot be locked! Why? It's ok if we are staying with adult family or close friends, but kind of awkward if you are in the room with not-so-close people right? Even with children too, because you won't know when they will just come into the bathroom while you are bathing! Haha! Hotels these days also often come with see-through bathrooms! Not in this room though.
The door in the bathroom is very special too. It is a 'double door' which can be either a bathroom door when closed or become the shower room door when fully opened! So let's say someone needs to use the toilet urgently, can use it without peeping the other one having shower. Lol!
There's another side of the room which I didn't take any photos. The usual things in a hotel room, like wardrobe with hangers, in room safe, slippers etc.
Let's explore outside the room. Our room number.
Very blue corridor and a bit dark.
There is not much facilities in this hotel. Only 3 floors actually.
A small lobby area at the ground floor. The staff speak good English, very polite and friendly as well. The check-in and check-out was very fast too.
Internet stations with free wifi and seating area.
Clean toilets.
The highest level in the hotel is at 24th floor. There is a Fitness Room and a Rooftop Garden.
The gym if you need to exercise and
The garden area. Very empty. Nobody was here the 2 times I went up. Funny!
The reason to be here. The view of the Bangkok city! Well, if you get a room with great view, you don't have to come up here to see. (Still complaining) :(
BTS track is just below us. So near!
Sunrise in Bangkok.
Mercure/Ibis Hotel, which I initially want to stay here, is very near to Holiday Inn Express.
Up here the second time for the night scenery. Camera is horrible for night photos.
At the 7th floor, there is a meeting room (no photo), a self-service laundry room and vending machine.
The Great Room where buffet breakfast is served every morning. After breakfast hours, they do not provide food and the place is served as a lounge for resting and gathering.
The hotel provides very simple breakfast. The selection was mostly the same for 3 days and tasted pretty average. But enough for a quick start for the day.
Bread and pastry section
Automated machine for coffee, tea or hot chocolate. I must have the hot chocolate every morning. It was so good!
Fresh fruits and fruit juices
Salad and 3 types of yogurt everyday.
Chicken sausage same same everyday.
Eggs, scrambled or omelette, on alternate days.
3 different types of rice served on the 3 different days.
Mum lucky to have vegetarian rice on the 2nd day.
Porridge
Milk and cereal.
Our choice for breakfast for the 3 days. The Holiday Inn's signature Cinnamon Rolls was nice!
Holiday Inn Express offers grab & go for breakfast. You grab a cup of coffee and snacks using the disposable cups and bags if you are in a hurry. So convenient for the hotel guests!
We like to seat by the window and watch the street outside the hotel.
BTS track just beside the hotel. Many attempts before getting a decent photo of skytrain passing by. :)
The hotel facade.
Outdoor garden. But too hot to sit outside. Haha!
Security guard outside the hotel and it is very safe.
By the road.
The location is good because it is just few steps away from National Stadium BTS.
There is a 7-11 and supermarket nearby too. It is quite quiet on the street outside the hotel though, in terms of street food and shopping. But big shopping malls like MBK, Siam Square, Siam Paragon are all within walking distance.
Mum thinks I'm crazy, took so many photos of the hotel. But only free and easy with her then I can have the free time to explore around the hotel. Plus hotel is not that big. :) I find it quite interesting actually, no? Haha!
Overall we had a great stay here. Good location, value for money. We were impressed by the service of the staff here. Mum accidentally left a hat in the Great Room after breakfast before 7am on Day 3. We went for the half day tour and came back after 1pm. Went back there to look for it and the staff actually kept for us! The security in front of the hotel was very friendly too. Greeted us everytime, helped with the luggages, called taxi and even opened the vehicle doors for every hotel guests.
If you want to know, Holiday Inn Express is located all over the world. There's another one in Bangkok Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sathorn and Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 due to open in 4th quarter of 2014.
2 in Singapore too. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road and Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay. But pricey lah!
Although Holiday Inn Express concept is no-frills and self-catering with basic facilities and services at affordable price, the design and comfort level exceeded my expectation!
Next: BTS and Erawan Shrine