Smart Suites

Smart Suites is a low-key little find tucked back along Sukhumvit Soi 11. From the outside, things are fairly nondescript, and it almost gets lost amid all of the tall high-rises towering over this part of Bangkok. Inside, the lobby is modern and bright, with a skylit entrance, gleaming white tiled floor, a glittery gold column, and lots of windows. The white front desk is illuminated from above and below. A bright-orange modern sofa gives guests a place to sit, as do a couple of fuchsia chairs and orange stools. While it's not necessarily the kind of place anyone would hang out, there is a big-screen TV, newspapers, and magazines, which might be a good thing since there's no other common space in the hotel. As such, this makes the hotel a fine place for those looking for a clean and attractive place to refuel while they sleep, but not for those looking to mix and mingle with other travelers. The hotel's low rates and location close to nightlife and a skytrain station combine to draw in all sorts of guests, including groups of friends, individuals, and couples.

Smack in the middle of Lower Sukhumvit, there's a lot to envy about this hotel's location -- especially at this price. This hotel sits at the quieter residential end of Sukhumvit Soi 11, meaning there's peace at night. However, there are plenty of restaurants up and down the road, and it's only a 10-minute walk out to the lively chaos of Sukhumvit Road, which is lined with all manner of international restaurants, coffeeshops, street food, stores, and malls. The area comes alive at night with a massive night market that can be seedy, and some of Bangkok's most notorious nightlife can be found in the alleyways branching off of Sukhumvit. Still, it's only a 15-minute walk to high-end shopping at the massive Terminal 21 mall, and there's plenty to do in the area. Additionally, the Nana Skytrain station is also just 10 minutes away on foot, and connects to CentralWorld or Siam Paragon malls in 15 minutes, the trendy and vibrant Silom area in 30 minutes, and the fabulous Chatuchak Weekend Market in 35 minutes. Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport are about 25 to 30 minutes away by taxi on paper, but traffic is horrible in this area and travelers should budget at least an hour.

Rooms come in four categories -- Standard, Superior, Deluxe, and Executive -- though the look across all is fairly spacious. While entry-level Standard Rooms aren't huge by Bangkok standards, the 20-square-meter floor plans (215 square feet) are more generous than at other hotels in the Sukhumvit area. However, it's worth noting that some rooms lack windows. Decor is modern and fresh, with neutral color palettes of tan and cream accented by pops of royal red, emerald green, sapphire blue, or burnished orange. Wood furniture is clean-lined, and decoration is minimalist, with primarily just a stone accent wall and carved wood panels behind the bed. Executive Rooms are the most spacious, and add a lounge chair, while seating in other rooms is limited to desk chairs. All rooms come with electric kettles for coffee or tea, mini-fridges, free Wi-Fi, safes, air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms are small, but modern, with black sinks, rainfall showerheads, magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, and toiletries. There's almost no counter space in them, and walls are done in faux-stone tiles. 

The hotel doesn't have much in the way of features, although an internet corner in the lobby has two computers for guests to use 24/7. Laundry service can be arranged, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.