Riva Surya Bangkok

This hotel is a little gem; a peaceful, well-run oasis to come back to after the wonderfully chaotic and colorful feast for the senses that is Bangkok. Located right on the Chao Phraya river where all the main attractions are located, one can purchase an all day pass for under $7 USD and spend the day visiting the main attractions via the river taxi with Pier 13 located under 100 meters' walk from the bar of the hotel. The rooms were extremely comfortable and tastefully appointed in a monochromatic decor. The front desk was run very well, day excursions and general questions were answered quickly and fully. The pool area, the bar and the restaurant were well run and when I was too tired to go out for street food their menu satisfied nicely. Honestly, there isn't anything that I found fault with. Excellent place.

Really...nothing. I upgraded to the best room the hotel offered for my last night and when I go back (and I plan to) I'll stay in one of those because I found the spacious balcony with sitting area overlooking the river really added to my overall experience. That being said, the basic room that I stayed in my first two nights overlooking the street also had a smaller balcony with two sets of sliding doors that almost completely shut out any street noise. The tiny bit that did get in was so small it was not significant enough to bother me at all. This room had the same decor as the larger one and was very tastefully done and very comfortable. I just loved stepping out with a glass of wine and taking in the river and to also be able to spread out in a large room with sitting area, so for me the value up the upgrade was worth it.