Novotel Bangna, Bangkok

Advantages: Brilliant Atmosphere, Realxing, fun, In the centre of everything, Different!
Disadvantages: Maybe not for the kids

...On arriving in the big bustling city of Bangkok, a taxi is normally the first requirement. After driving what seems no time after the flight, you arrive at the Novotel Lotus. On first appearance, the road it's situated on seems a bit downhill, and you won't even notice the hotel until you're driving into it. After stopping outside the front doors, you'll barely have time to say "wow this is nice" when your taxi door will be opened from the other side by one of the many men with hats (can't remember their true name ha-ha).Your bags will be taken and all doors opened for you into the cool interior of the Novotel Lotus. The lobby, with excellent water features, has a relaxing feeling and you must be careful not to sit down to long, with the fear of falling asleep. Check-in is swift and pleasant, and not to ruin the surprise but the orange... Read review

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Advantages: friendly, cheap, buzzing
Disadvantages: dirty, traffic

...though. Never more than 30 minutes from all the big attractions. Novotel beats everything else in the vicinity at only £20 a night per room!. Plenty of attractions to keep you going in Bangkok. The weekend market is huge with everything under the sun for sale. The palace is brilliant but don’t forget to wear trousers, have your shoulders covered and a strap on the back of your shoes, otherwise you ain’t getting in. Floating markets are not really worth it, just full of tourist tat.If your there for shopping go to MBK in Siam Square.It will take you eight hours to navigate it. Jim Thompson’s house is ok if you’re into Thai Silk and Teak furniture. Beware the touts and tuk tuk touts when walking round Bangkok. There just there to con you into buying a naff suit or worthless gems. Tuk tuk drivers get you by promising... Read review

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Advantages: Price, station location, popular late bar
Disadvantages: Packed with smokers, Modern plastic feel

...If you imagine that hotel chains can be like food chains, the Novotel group would hover somewhere around McDonalds in terms of its ethos and approach. I've stayed in one or two over my time, including those located in London and France, and the occasion in Leeds left me without any illusions. Overall, Novotels hover around the 3/4-star mark, with facilities usually pushing them into the 4-star category. However, I reckon that once you take the quality of what's being provided into account, the experience is definitely more basic. In fact, the Novotel chain is doing its own bit to push 3-star hotels into the category of 'bloody waste of time for the price you end up paying - better off upgrading to 4'. The context? My work apartment access key had been left at home in London and cue realisation of this after office hours, when... Read review

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