A Shock and a Surprise !”

We moved from a much nicer hotel because we were so far away from the places we wanted to visit. As the taxi approached the hotel the area degenerated and it began to look like skid row. The side walks were covered with trash, there were people sleeping in doorways and a man in pants and socks was staggering down the street barely staying on his feet. As we entered the hotel through a small space between two of the fleet of buses parked at the curb we encountered several hundred hungry Chinese tourists creating a deafening clatter as they devoured their lunches beneath chandeliers decorated with faded plastics flowers. I turned to my companion and said, "Oh my god what have we done?" The Royal Hotel isn't for royalty so if your looking for sumptuous luxury keep looking. The Royal is more like a beloved old pair of bedroom slippers that have seen better days but are too comfortable to part with. We were deeply disappointed as we did our initial survey of the room and wondered if we should stay. We opted to stay and the next day when we got back to our room housekeeping had done such a nice job we started to warm up to the place. The hotel is so close to so many attractions we walked everywhere during our four day stay. The hotel has a funky ambience that reminds me of The Phoenix in San Francisco. This was my 3rd visit to Bangkok and by far the most enjoyable because of the proximity to the National Museum, National Theatre, National Gallery, Grand Palace, Golden Mount, so many of the temples, and the Cafe Velo Dome coffee house. I was once again reminded not to put too much stock in a first impression. We will definitely stay there on our next visit!

Wonderful location”

Stay in Royal Rattanakosin was very convenient. We reached at about 7AM there and we were allowed to check -in, actual check -in time is 2PM. The staff at reception,house keeping were very helpful and made our stay comfortable. Staff at Reception were very nice in helping our WIFI issues. Location wise it was a surprise gift as we could walk to the Royal palace specially to witness the mourning gatherings.

first time in bangkok”

I chose the Royal Hotel fro my first visit to Bangkok. The hotel is located within easy walking distance to major attractions such as the Grand Palace and Emerald Bhudda, and the National Museum. The staff was very courteous, knowledgeable and treated me as if I were a regular repeat customer. The breakfast buffet was set up to satisfy any style of Western Continental or South East Asian tastes. Fresh fruits warm just cooked food great juices. The rooms were clean and spacious. I had my luggage delayed and they were very helpful in helping me find a store for a fresh set of clothes. I would recommend this hotel to anyone. Mr.Marko Minnesota USA

Great choice”

Pros: - The room is quite big and clean (Although we booked 2 separate rooms, the staff upgraded freely for us 1 family room with 2 separate rooms and living room. It's beautiful) - The hotel is really close to the Grand Palace and Khaosan road (Other places like Democratic Monument, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Giant Swing. . ). It is in walking distance - The breakfast is really tasteful and offer us many choices Cons: - It's near the main road so that it's quite noisy in the evening. - The hotel is a little bit old, but it's ok - Some electrics holes did not work, therefore we have to charge our mobile phone in living room rather than in bedroom. In summary, we both agree that this hotel is worth for your money. If we go to bangkok, we will book this hotel.

You need a certain perspective to love the Royal”

I've been staying at the Royal for 20 years. It is one of my favorite hotels in Thailand. My husband is Thai and we go home to visit his family often. We always include a stay at the Royal because we enjoy it so much. It's not a matter of cheap, because we also stay at the 5 star Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit which is our other fav hotel in Th. but for very different reasons. The quality of the rooms varies. The ones on the street side are larger but can be noisy. The rooms in the "new" building-it's probably about 10 years old now-lack the charm of the older part of the hotel. Yes I know the front desk staff can be a bit surly and they charge a key deposit and they won't give out more than one key per room, but there's a reason for all that. Many of the westerners who stay here behave as though they are entitled to I don't know what but I have seen some quite bad behavior over the years. Many are rather rude and demanding. They steal items from the hotel, they are often unkempt and dressed in ways the Thais find disrespectful or even offensive (especially the females). It doesn't take very long for the reception desk personnel to become jaded and defensive when dealing with Farangs like these. Despite all of that, if you can take the Thai approach to life (mai pen rai) and remember that you are staying in a very historic grand old palace of a hotel, that you could not have found a better location for sight-seeing, great food and access to transportation and that some of the best local Thai food is served right here in the restaurant ("this is real Thai taste" my husband always says)-not to mention live entertainment most nights-a great pool that is always crystal clear, a very nice breakfast buffet! I love this place.

My rating..8.5”

Customer service @ lobby busy & efficient. House keeping & room service excellent. Location very accessible to the river transport system, 20 minutes walk to the pier Phra Arthit, take the river boat (14bht) to Saphan Taksin BTS Stn and you will be connected to the whole of Bangkok's railway system. Wifi @ hotel excellent, must ask lobby staff for daily password. Room facilities excellent. Aircon (central) very cold. TV channels limited(30) need to be upgraded(variety). Khaosan/Grand Palace walking distance. Hotel/airport transportation, cheap/safe/reliable, bookings @ Khaosan area, ac minivans to DonMueng/Suvarnabhumi, (130/150bht). Security good,area safe. Enjoyable (6nites).

great hotel, great location!”

i had stayed in the royal hotel over 3 years ago, when i read the recent reviews for the hotel, i had doubts about staying here again. when we arrived the reception staff was really nice and helped me contact my brother who was also in thailand. the room was nice, clean, had comfortable beds and the price is great! unfortunately i only had 1 night there and had to leave very early in the morning to catch a flight, so missed breakfast. i would defiantly stay here again, cant bet the price!

Always a nice place to stay.”

Even thought the Royal Hotel is an old hotel that has seen better days, I always enjoy my stay at the Royal Hotel. The staff are very accommodating, the services that are available in the hotel meet most if not all of my needs, and the hotel's central location makes it easy to see and visit most of the major tourist attractions that Bangkok has to offer. Without a doubt next year when I return to SE Asia, I will stay at the Royal Hotel.

Leaves a Little Bit to be Desired”

The hotel has gone through a minimal refurbishment so it is acceptable. This real issues are: 1) if you want a room with 2 beds, these are on the street side-noisy, and 2) only one small elevator is in operation. There are only a few king-sized bed rooms, the other single bed are queen sized. Most of the rooms are small and cramped. The breakfast buffet is more than adequate. The location is great for visiting the major Bangkok temples and the royal buildings. Now, the block on which the hotel is located is being taken back by the Royal Properties as are the other businesses including the Sky High Restaurant.

Center of the action”

I lived half of my life in Thailand. The royal is my most favorite hotel in Bangkok. It is so convenient to visit the grand palace or visiting emerald buddha . I like to cross the tricky street to stroll around Thammasat University area. The Pier is near by also. The marble lobby and staircase is so grand and original. The rooms are reasonably clean. It seems to always undergo construction but you would be so tried from all the excitement you will not notice it. The breakfast buffet is so Thai. It has rice and stir fried that has all the guts and stomach as the ingredints, I love looking at them. And of course the endless amount of pastry and fruit. It is a hardcore thai hotel that are full of young travelers and a favorite among thai officers(mostly men). Because this hotel is used to be the base to collect the injured and the dead protestors in the late 1980's, so thai do believe it is haunted but I do not mine. We seem so out of it after landing in Bangkok it does not matter .

great location”

the royal hotel is like an old friend. we have stayed there 6 times now and each time is very enjoyable. it is a little old and tired looking but has the olde worls charm of long ago. just coming down the very regal staircase is a reminder of her better younger days when the baby grand piano in the bar area was the nightly entertainment. the rooms are a good size and the beds very confortable. the fridge in the room is also very welcome, the best thing for me though is the superb choice you have at breakfast of thai and european foods. the location is great for sightseenig and street watching in kosan road. i would recommend it highly. the only down side is the barrage of taxi drivers in the foyer who confront you every time you leave the hotel. dont take them. go outside and pick up a cab on the streetand make sure they use their meter, otherwise you can pay way too much for your journey.

An old favourite”

The Royal Hotel is an old favourite in a great spot close to Banglamphu. It is very clean with just the essential nod to modernity. There is a good choice of room sizes and service is great and without fuss. The Royal is quiet and just a short walk to the peaceful river area, ferries, quirky bars and restaurants as well as the noisy, glitzy, a little bit crass Khosan area. This hotel is great value.

Royal Hotel Bangkok”

The Royal Hotel is a bit of an institution in Bangkok. I have been staying there off and on for almost 30 years. It is family friendly, rooms are comfortable and reasonably priced. The Sat TV is a bit cheezy with only about 10 channels and most of them in Thai. One movie channel and BBC are available in English. Breakfast is part of the package and available from 5:30 in the morning which is a real plus for those of us who are early risers or who are suffering from jet lag. The staff are helpful and courteous. There is also a pool for hotel guests which offers real relief from Bangkok heat. This hotel is clean (though a bit threadbare in places) and comfortable, extremely well located for those who are there to absorb the city's magnificent Buddhist temples. If you extend your stay beyond your Agoda reservation, they will raise the daily rate, so plan carefully.

Nice stay”

We stayed twice in the Royal Hotal during our stay in Thailand. We asked for a room facing the rear side because we were a bit afraid of the noise from the street and got it both times. The breakfasts were really great! It's located just a few steps from the Khao San shopping street, close to the Grand Palace and the river so it's really easy to walk there. The hotel is really clean, the staff is always helpful. If you feel like taking a rest from the sightseeing and shopping, you can relax at the hotel pool. We didn't have enough time to do so but the pool looks clean and it's quiet there since it's away from the main street.

Royal treatment at the Royal”

I'll stay here again. The place is a bit over my price range but worth the extra money. I liked it's old world atmosphere and found the service to be excellent. I confidently stored some extra luggage here while I was traveling. The lobby travel/tour desk is very well run and the staff wonderful. Best of all is the location!! The Royal is within easy quick walking distance from the Grand Palace, River boat terminals, the museum, art gallery and for those of us who love shopping and fun - Koasan Road. It was nice to be close to that traveler's mecca without having to put up with the noise 24/7!! Additionally - and in Bangkok an important consideration - there are controlled cross walks in all direction across the busy streets that intersect at the front door. The pool was a blessing too for a cooling dip after hot days seeing the wonderful sights of Bangkok. The place is a bit shabby - but for me that just added to it's charm. The really hot water and bathtub more than made up for carpets that have seen better days!!

Royal Hotel, Bangkok”

I have stayed at the Royal Hotel Bangkok on a number of occasions. It is great value for money and in a very good location - relatively near to Koh San Road but not right in the heart of the noise (and action). This hotel may look a bit dated but I think it adds character; the rooms are clean and in general reasonable quality with attached bathrooms and good solid walls. There is a swimming pool at the hotel which is fine for a dip or a swim; not somewhere you would want to while away the hours but I don't think people should come to Bangkok if they want to sit by a swimming pool all day! Overall I think this is one of the best hotels in Bangkok if you are travelling and don't want to spend lots of money on accommodation.

Very central to all yourist attractions ”

We stay at the Royal every time we come to Bangkok and travel in South east asia. The hotel is great value,clean,informative staff and just feels comfortable and spacious.old style hotel with character. Breakfast is great with lots of choice from the buffet

Royal Bangkok Hotel”

This is the second time I've stayed at the Royal Bangkok Hotel. They're a pretty good hotel for the price. Close to the royal palace which is a must-see if sight-seeing in Thailand. The free breakfast is pretty decent and has both Thai and western dishes for breakfast. The taxi drivers waiting in and outside the lobby can be pretty annoying, but not too much hassle. Rooms were decent and staff was friendly. Would stay here a third time.

Value for money & Good Location”

It's an old hotel, if you slam the door, the whole ceiling would sound like falling off! Ha! For the price that I paid, I m ok with it! Walking distance to Khaosan (5-10 min walk)! The receptionists are mostly senior citizens, they are not multi-tasking enough, so you just need to be a bit patient with them, BUT of coz they are nice and friendly! Overall, it's value for money, if you are NOT fussy!!

Good location, decent rooms”

Hotel Royal is an old hotel in a very good location in Bangkok. It is close to Phayataya train station from the airport, Khaosan road and close to the old temples and the river piers. Dont expect luxury but it is a good value for money if you book the deluxe room.