Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
Asia Lodgings
Clearly, this is, by no means, a comprehensive guide to accommodation in Asia. Instead it's some of the places I've stayed in the past few years.
There are clearly more comprehensive guides available elsewhere on the internet, however this guide may give some suggestions of places to stay or, more importantly, avoid if you are considering visiting a particular location. I have given each hotel a subjective score out of five
In some instances the establishment has replied to my comments, where this has happened I have include, for fairness, their response.
Listings are alphabetical listing by country.
Hong Kong
Cosmo Hotel, Queens Road East 4/5
Located close to Happy valley racecourse and a 10 minute walk from the Causeway MTR station.
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The hotel is described as a Boutique Hotel, I would call it, or at least the rooms, bijou.
Apparently the rooms on the upper floors offer stunning views but they, of course, come at a premium. We were on a lower floor and whilst the room had a window it was frosted glass and did not open, so it allowed natural light in, more or less as squinting through the glass one could make out the wall of the building opposite must have been 3-4 feet away.
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The room was small but we only wanted it as somewhere to sleep and, in relation to that requirement, it fulfilled its need.
The hotel doesn't have a restaurant but the nearby Dorsett Hotel is a sister hotel and breakfast can be taken there for £14 a head, in truth there are plenty of places to get a cheaper breakfast in walking distance.
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I would describe the hotel as functional rather than luxurious but it's reasonably priced and in a good location.
Japan
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Kyoto
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APA Hotel Kyoto Ekikita 3½/5
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I had been warned before travelling to Japan that Japanese hotel rooms can be small, nonetheless this one was a shock with an incredibly small room. Thankfully we were travelling relatively light, had we arrived with full size suitcases I’m not sure how we would have fitted them in the room.
The room was so small, one side of the double bed was against the wall, meaning if the person on that side of the bed needed to get up in the night, their partner would be disturbed as well.
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The pillows were typical Japanese, very thin and filled with buckwheat.
After a sleepless first night I went to reception to ask if they had any western style pillows. After being asked how may I wanted and replying two, I was feeling optimistic, only to have my hopes dashed when she returned with two more Japanese style pillows.
The one plus point of the hotel is it is centrally located and a short 10 minute walk from the main railway station.
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One other thing to watch out for is the hotel is located near the main hospital so expect to hear sirens 24 hours a day.
Toyota City
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Prestige Hotel 3½/5
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To access check-in you have to take a lift from street level to the first floor.
The hotel has the typical compact rooms, resulting in one side of the double bed being against the wall – which is not really practical.
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The beds also come with typically thin Japanese pillows.
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However, in the reception area there is an amenity wall, which has some western style pillows, which can be claimed on a “first come first served” basis.
One idea I did like is the bathroom comes without all the usual sewing kits, toothbrushes, shaving kits etc. etc. etc. but the amenity area in reception has all the bits and pieces you may have forgotten and you can help yourself as required.
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Breakfast is included but it is geared towards Japanese style breakfasting, which may not be to western tastes.
Tokyo
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Hotel Ann Asakusa 3½/5
Typically compact Japanese hotel room, although thankfully you can get out of a double bed both sides – just.
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A new hotel in the Asakusa area it is conveniently located for various subway stations and a good base for exploring the city.
Breakfast is included but has to be taken at a nearby Denny’s ….. choices are limited but the food is reasonable.
As a base for sightseeing the hotel s fine but it’s not the sort of hotel where you could kick back and chill in your room and it felt too claustrophobic.
The Royal Park Hotel, Haneda 4½/5
Located in the International Terminal building access to the hotel was subtlety hidden, although this was not helped by ongoing building work.
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Check-in was quick and efficient, with the staff, thankfully, speaking excellent English.
The room was compact by Western standards, although spacious by Japanese standards.
The room was well equipped and, of course, came with the obligatory all singing, all dancing (or should that be all washing) lavatory.
Breakfast was included although it was very much geared towards being Japanese style which may be something of a culture shock to first time visitors to Japan.
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There is an automated checkout system which makes the process simple.
Is it value for money, that’s subjective, for an airport hotel and the convenience it probably is - just.
Singapore
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Yotel 5/5
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An amazing, quirky hotel which we really enjoyed.
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OK the rooms were not huge but they are functional and comfortable and the views from our top floor room were stunning.
The adjustable bed was really comfortable and we had an amazing nights sleep.
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The floor to ceiling window in the bathroom was a little disconcerting at first but you soon got used to it ...... definitely a room with a view.
Breakfast was good with a wide choice and the robots delivering room service were brilliant.
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If you're looking for five star luxury this is probably not the place for you, however if you want a fun, quirky, modern hotel this is worth a visit.
The location is good with a metro station a short five minute walk away.
However the unique selling point has to be Yoshi and Yolanda - who are they, well it's more like what are they? as they are two robots who provide room service for the guests. The first time one of them joins you in the lift is a little disconcerting but you soon get used to them. It's also a cunning marketing ploy as having a robot deliver your room service deliveries as people will be more likely to use room service, if only for the novelty value.
Thailand
Bangkok
Miracle Transit Hotel, Bangkok Airport 1/5
This is as hotel reserved for transit passengers who have along stopover in Bangkok.
Rooms are rented on a six hourly basis, which for an eight hour stopover was ideal, although the hotel is tricky to find.
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I would describe the staff as efficient rather than friendly, not the warm welcome you normally expect in Thailand.
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You are also left with the feeling your suspected of having criminal intent. You have to pay a refundable deposit for a room key and in the room there is an inventory listing all the contents and how much you will be charged for any item that disappears.
The room was noisy and had a really weird floor, which bounced as you walked across it.
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The room was spacious and the bed comfortable and the blackout curtains did the job they were designed for.
Is the hotel value for money, it is expensive but in the context of an eight hour stopover and having somewhere to grab some sleep during a 27 hour journey it served the purpose and was infinitely better than hanging around elsewhere in the terminal for eight hours.
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Was the stay “enjoyable” – a resounding no.
Wyndham Menam Riverside 5/5
The hotel is located outside the main city centre but it isn’t an issue as there is a free shuttle boat to nearby Saphan Bridge where there links to the main public transport networks.
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We had an executive room which meant we had a separate check-in area on the 15th floor. Check-in was flawless, we were asked to sit down and relax whilst they did all the formalities, they even gave us a refreshing pot of tea, which was welcoming after an 11½ hour flight and the transfer from the airport.
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Our room, on the 14th floor, has a river view and was spacious with a comfortable bed and the room had everything you could need for a relaxing stay.
There is an executive lounge for guests in executive rooms where you can have breakfast if you wish, instead of using the main dining room. This was a great option with a good choice and fantastic views. The executive lounge also offers complimentary afternoon tea and complimentary cocktails between 18:00 – 19:00 for executive room guests.
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Without fail the staff were friendly and welcoming, a really nice touch is the staff in the executive lounge remembered your name.
The hotel is a five minute walk from the Asiatique entertainment centre. They advertise a free tuk-tuk transfer but it didn’t seem to work as we waited 20 minutes by the tuk-tuk for the driver to turn up before giving up.
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A great hotel, which I would thoroughly recommend and would certainly stay in again should I return to Bangkok
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Hotel Response
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Thank you very much for choosing to stay at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Bangkok Menam Riverside and for taking the time to share your recent experience with us. It is lovely to hear that you had a memorable time and that our associates were very helpful and met with your satisfaction. Also, we are glad that you enjoyed our services and facilities at the Executive Lounge.
Kindly accept our apology for the inconvenience caused to you while you were waiting for TUK TUK transfer from the hotel to the Asiatique. Your consturctive comment has been passed to our Front Office Manager's attention and for improvement.
We look forward to welcoming you back during your next visit to Bangkok.
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