Hotel Mermaid Bangkok

Hotel Mermaid Bangkok occupies an 11-story former apartment building that was gutted by its Danish owner and long-time expat in 2012 and turned into the boutique hotel it is today. The lobby is large and contemporary, with polished marble floors and a seating area with plush faux-leather sofas and chairs, plus a single elevator leading up to rooms. A polished reception desk sits off to one side, beyond which is a hallway leading to the outdoor pool area, the restaurant, and the wine cellar. This hotel gets a variety of guests, including business travelers from elsewhere in Asia and tourists from Europe and Australia. Plenty of families also stay here since Mermaid allows guests with large families to bring more than two kids without having to book additional rooms. 

Hotel Mermaid is located just off the main road in Sukhumvit, in a lively nightlife area with lots of restaurants, bars, street food vendors, and massage parlors that run the gamut from therapeutic spas to thinly disguised brothels. Phrom Phong and Asok skytrain stations are equidistant from the hotel and each takes under 10 minutes to reach on foot. Most of the tourist attractions are located to the west of this neighborhood. Jim Thompson House is about a half-hour away by skytrain (with a bit of walking at the end), and getting to the Royal Palace takes about the same amount of time to get to by car. The iconic Wat Arun is a bit trickier to reach by public transportation, but it's about a 35-minute taxi ride away (though it's faster if you're willing to brave a motorbike taxi). Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang Airport are each around 45 minutes to an hour away from the hotel, depending on traffic.

This hotel offers four types of room, ranging in size from 24 to 43 square meters (258 to 463 square feet). Entry-level Studio Rooms have queen beds, while the next category up, Deluxe Rooms, have either kings or queens. Some of the rooms in these two categories also have futon-style sofas that can be converted into beds for extra guests. The hotel offers Corner Suites (that can interconnect to Studio Rooms) and slightly larger Junior Suites; both categories have king beds along with balconies. All rooms have similar tasteful decor, with accent walls in different soft shades, dark-wood furnishings, and simple modern wall art. Bedside mood lighting that can be changed to different colors is a lovely touch. Amenities include flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars, kettles for making tea and instant coffee, slippers, and robes. Wi-Fi is free in rooms and throughout the hotel, but it can be slow at times. Bathrooms are sleek and elegant, with lots of cream-colored marble and walk-in showers, plus windows out into the main rooms. Bathrooms in suites add deep soaking tubs. While rooms are well-insulated to prevent noise from other units, they can get some street noise from the busy nightlife scene below until well into the night.

The star feature of Hotel Mermaid is arguably its outdoor saltwater pool which is a little narrow, but certainly long enough to swim laps. It's flanked by padded lounge chairs, and there's a small connected kids' pool on one side and a small upper deck for shaded lounging. There's also a Brazilian-themed restaurant, Green Parrot, with pub food and a well-stocked bar. Breakfast (included in room rates) is served here, but it's of low quality and the pickings are slim. Three's also a wine cellar (unusual for a Bangkok hotel) that can be rented for private functions (expats can also rent wine storage drawers if they so desire). A small meeting room is located on the 11th floor. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel though it sometimes gets a little slow. There's plenty of free nearby parking for guests who need it. Tours and airport transfers can be arranged through a privately run tour desk at the base of the lobby.