Citadines Sukhumvit 23 Bangkok

Plenty of hotels in this part of Bangkok favor glitzy interiors or can be woefully outdated and ornate. Citadines Sukhumvit 23 Bangkok is a welcome departure from those trends, and is a sharp contemporary hotel with a simple and straightforward style. The lobby has a snazzy black-and-white-striped floor with a colorful pattern to liven up the front desk area. The space is fairly minimalist, with the additions of a few vases of flowers, a long black cushioned seating area, a newspaper rack, and a sole iMac computer and printer which guests can use. As the hotel is mainly a long-term spot for corporate guests, most folks are headed up to their rooms, or else into the warm confines of the Nikko Cafe Japanese fusion restaurant and coffee shop, complete with an outdoor patio lined with lounge furniture. In contrast to some of the other rather nondescript Citadines properties, this one has a nicely designed exterior, with a panel of pipe-like tubes running across the front of the building, broken up by a swath of glass windows in the middle. Business travelers, young families, and groups of friends are drawn to the property for the convenient kitchens in all rooms.

Citadines Sukhumvit 23 Bangkok is located near Lower Sukhumvit and the Asok junction with Sukhumvit Road. This is one of Bangkok's major hubs, where visitors can find both skytrain and metro stations, the Terminal 21 shopping mall, and an excellent selection of restaurants and bars. All of those destinations take less than 10 minutes to reach on foot. Lower Sukhumvit is one of the city's main entertainment hubs, with offerings ranging from the high-end to the seedy, and Sukhumvit Road itself is lined with a lively night market in the evening. Soi 23, where the hotel is located, has a lot of traffic, but the hotel is set off the street and insulated from noise. There are a good number of upscale Thai, Italian, Japanese, and other restaurants to be found near the hotel, and there are plenty of small bars and massage parlors across the way -- though some of these are intended for bachelors, if you catch our drift. The most direct route to Sukhumvit Road cuts through Soi Cowboy, which is one of Bangkok's major red light districts and may not be everyone's cup of tea. There is a free tuk-tuk shuttle to bring guests out to the intersection if they don't feel like walking. Expect drives of at least 30 minutes to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang Airports, though traffic can cause the trips to take up to an hour. 

There are 138 rooms at Citadines Sukhumvit 23 Bangkok; all are apartment-style units that are geared, at least in part, toward long-term guests, though plenty of overnight visitors make use of the extra space and other in-room perks. The look throughout is simple and contemporary, with oak laminate floors, modern metal and mica furniture, and white walls hung with a token piece of abstract art. Patterns and decor are kept to a minimum, and the minimalist appearance keeps the rooms from looking cluttered. All rooms include kitchenettes with microwaves, electric ranges, electric kettles, and toasters, plus pots and pans, dishes, and cutlery. The one-bedroom units have full-size refrigerators, while the Studio Executive Rooms have mini-fridges. All rooms have love seats, a small table, a writing desk, and plenty of closet space. They also feature flat-screen TVs, DVD/MP3 players, electronic safes, irons and ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms have showers-only in the Studios, while the One-Bedroom Deluxe Rooms have shower/tub combos, with the toilet in a separate room. Unfortunately, there are no balconies here, and not much in the way of views, though despite the hotel's central location, noise isn't an issue. Additionally, unlike many apartment-style hotels, daily housekeeping is provided.

Citadines Sukhumvit 23 Bangkok has a small but pleasant swimming pool up on the roof with a couple of sun loungers and umbrellas. The pool offers great views of the cityscape and towering skyscrapers of the Bangkok skyline. There is also a small fitness center with a cross trainer, a treadmill, plus a few weight machines, a rack of free weights, and a Ping-Pong table set in an alcove off to the side. It's not the most modern fitness room we've seen, but it's fine for a basic workout. There's a guest laundry room adjacent to the pool, which is a rarity in most Bangkok hotels. The Nikko Cafe, a cute earth-tone restaurant with hardwood floors and tables plus comfortable chairs, is located downstairs. Breakfast is served to guests who have purchased a package with their room, along with Japanese fusion style cuisine for lunch and dinner. They also do cocktails, smoothies, and have a wide selection of coffee and tea drinks, plus the obligatory free Wi-Fi (which is also free throughout the hotel), making it a popular hang-out spot. Outdoor seating is available on colorful cushioned chairs on a terrace, plus a few bar stools set up facing the street out front. The only other facilities at the hotel are a few free iMac computers in the lobby for guests to use, along with the free tuk-tuk shuttle that brings guests out to the Asok intersection, where one can find both the skytrain and the subway.