Hotel Crush: S15 Bangkok

Bangkok is one of my favorite cities in the world and I’ve loved exploring the different corners of it, from reveling in the backpacker ghetto that is Khao San Road to staying in trendy hostels in Silom to trying out residential life with friends way out in the suburbs.

But my favorite area to stay in the city continues to be Sukhumvit. I’ve tested out a few hotels in this area already — The Aloft, the Four Points, and the Shama Suites — so when Asia Rooms asked me to review S15, I jumped at the chance.

The Location

Location is S15’s greatest asset. Sukhumvit is ground zero for Bangkok’s shopping, restaurant and nightlife scenes — there’s no better place to be in the city. S15 lies in the heart of Sukhumvit and just steps away from both the BTS Asoke stop and the MRT Sukhumvit stop. Anyone who has ever wrestled with Bangkok traffic knows what an asset that is!

The Reception

S15’s lobby is minimalistic and chic — and within moments of walking in I was texting my mom a photo of the chandelier, which was also in our hotel in Reykjavik! One feature I really liked about S15 was that I arrived incredibly early in the morning — hours before check in — and was shown to a waiting room off the lobby with a shower, air-con and wifi where I could wait for my own room to open up.

The Room

I love that moment of anticipation when you breeze off an elevator and skip down the hotel corridor (why walk when you can skip?) and get to open a hotel room for the first time. I was impressed — the room was spacious, with a large desk and a nice couch. As I was spending most of the weekend in my room working, I really enjoyed having multiple places aside from the bed to lounge.

The bathroom had a separate shower and bathtub, which I can confirm was the perfect place to unwind after a long day traversing the city!

The Restaurant

I’d have to say that my favorite thing about staying in nice hotels isn’t the comfortable bed, or the unlimited air con, or the trendy designs. It’s the free breakfast — no doubt! I gorged myself on S15’s spread, which included an omelet station, several Asian dishes, and your typical Western breakfast fare.

The Extras

S15 boasts an on-site spa, which I didn’t visit — but I was sorely tempted by the serene music an lovely smells that wafted by when I walked past. WiFi is free, and conference and meeting rooms are available.

Room for Improvement

While the rooms and location and the key selling points for this hotel, there is room for improvement. The lack of rooftop pool or bar puts it at a disadvantage compared to other comparable spots on Sukhumvit. Also, the gym was pretty much a joke — a space smaller than my hotel room with a broken treadmill and a bike that wouldn’t adjust positions. WiFi unfortunately was not strong enough to maintain a Skype call, which was unfortunate as I was trying to catch up on work that weekend, but might not be an issue for the average traveler.

Anyone have a good Sukhumvit hotel recommendation? Or for another part of Bangkok?

Book a stay at S15 here. Many thanks to AsiaRooms.com for their hospitality. You can check their website for more discounted hotels all over Asia or you can join their resourceful travel community. As always, all opinions are my own.