Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Bangkok Hotels 101

I am currently sitting in a beautiful sea front hotel room in Phucket reflecting back on our experience, so far feeling like the luckiest girl in the world. 
How has it already been a week on this amazing adventure!? The time has flown by, I thought I would have more time to blog but we are always on the move and it has been a whirlwind so I am taking a quiet moment today to write some things down as not to forget every detail about what we have learned, so when you plan your trip you can use our mistakes and our findings to better your own trip!

Thank you guys so much for reading and looking at photos from our adventures, it means the world to me! Now here's the T, the truth about our Bangkok accommodations, experiences, what we liked, and what we didn't like: 


Airbnb, Bangkok
We had an AMAZING experience staying at a gorgeous private Bangkok apartment owned by a wonderful man, Chris, from Sweden. He went above and beyond what is expected by texting us non-stop the day before, answering all of our questions and telling us the most cost-effective and easy way to get from the airport to his apartment. He then proceeded to MEET us at the train stop where we got off and had a private car waiting for us to take us to his immaculately clean apartment with a beyond gorgeous view of Bangkok! He was always available by text and had so many ideas about where we should go, what we should do, and gave us directions. The staff at the apartment was wonderful and helped in any way they could, calling us taxis and writing locations in Thai so we could get where we wanted to go more easily. 

What we loved: Our HOST! The view, great bed, minimalist decor, the rooftop infinity pool we had all to ourselves, being treated like a local, the staff, proximity to MRA (subway/airtrain) and other close by sites, proximity to the main mall for easy dining etc, super fast internet, stocked with bottled water and coffee. 

What we didn’t love: That we couldn’t stay longer! No complaints at ALL here! 

Verdict: When traveling abroad, Airbnb is a MUST! It is great to start out with staying in one to feel out the local flavor, get expert advise from someone who knows the city, and be treated like a local. I have been using Airbnb, both as a host and guest, for over 3 years and have never had a bad experience or ever felt unsafe which I think speaks volumes! 

I am not in any way affiliated or endorsed by Airbnb (I wish I was!) but I just really believe in what they do and have had great success meeting so many amazing people from tons of different places using the service. 




             

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 Avani Atrium, Bangkok 
After our Airbnb stay we were super spoiled so I think our opinion of the Avani is pretty biased after our wonderful first two nights. The Avani Atrium is a typical 4-star international hotel, like many you might stay at in Bangkok. The staff spoke wonderful English making our lives easier and the amenities were beautiful. 
Our room was pretty average, nothing to write home about, but clean and nice with a beautiful view of downtown. We also got foot massages, which were out of this world, within the hotel for a reasonable price which is often not the case when the spa is affiliated with the hotel. The food was a bit pricey but they had international options, wine, and breakfast which is not common in Thailand as they eat different breakfast foods from westerners. 
All in all it was a normal international hotel stay but if I were to do it again I would have looked for something more off the beaten path with more of an authentic vibe and personality. 

What we liked: Great international food, real western breakfast, wonderful affordable massages on site, nice bathroom products, good proximity to MRT,  beautiful and clean rooftop pool, lovely view, security, great service and no language barrier. 

What we didn’t like: Not an authentic Thai experience, terrible internet, hard bed, really busy with other pushy guests, no locals perks i.e. taxi drivers will treat you terribly because you’re coming from a hotel. 


Verdict: If you are just staying one night in Bangkok it is a great bargain for what you are getting and very safe but we wouldn’t recommend it for a real Thai experience, more just like a typical airport hotel. 










Where I've Been

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