Airy Suvarnabhumi Hotel

Airy Suvarnabhumi’s two low-rise buildings stand alone at the far end of a relatively isolated residential street. This is a simple hotel that's a decent place to bed down before or after a flight, and frills are few. Inside the narrow lobby, decor feels a little thrown-together, with jewel-tone velvet chairs set up against floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light. Everything looks well kept, and there's a simple white desk where guests can have a seat and browse through the travel brochures available. Hallways and stairwells (there are no elevators) are likewise bright and simple, with white walls and floor tiling accented with purple trim. The smallish, cafeteria-like restaurant is similarly no-frills, with polished wooden tables and lavender walls. It extends to a more design-inspired terrace with slightly mod, white seating. Those looking for refined interiors won’t find them here, but it fits the bill for a bright, clean stopover hotel for guests who are mostly international couples coming and going from Suvarnabhumi Airport. 

Location is Airy’s primary selling point, yet it’s also one of its major drawbacks. It's a 10-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi Airport, making it convenient for those with early or late flights. However, there's almost nothing to do, buy, or eat in the immediate area and it's not exactly great for strolling in the evening. The main road is a 10-minute walk away, and there's a shopping mall a 10-minute drive away. The hotel runs a shuttle to the Lat Krabang Rail Link station, which is a 15-minute drive away. From there, the train takes about 20 minutes to reach central Bangkok, though the train doesn't run 24/7. A cab into the city will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. 

Spacious rooms, on the basic side but comfortable enough for a short stopover, come in two flavors: worn Superior Rooms in the hotel’s older wing, and fresher Deluxe Rooms that were new as of 2016. Rooms range from 300 square feet (28 square meters) for double and twin options to 409 square feet (38 square meters) for triple and family options.

Superior Double and Twin Rooms have comfortable beds with wood-panel headboards, and small built-in bedside tables with tacky artificial flowers. Purple accent walls are hung with simple modern canvases, and purple velvet chairs at narrow desks look a bit haphazardly chosen. Small, basic bathrooms are wet-room-style affairs, with black floors and white wall tiling, freestanding sinks, and power showers with pull-around curtains.

Deluxe Double and Twin Rooms are housed in a newer wing and are modern, though generic. Deluxe Triple Rooms have three single beds. Deluxe bathrooms are similar to those in Superior Rooms, and Deluxe Family Rooms (with one double and one single bed) have both bathtubs and separate walk-in showers, though the tight shower entrances feel poorly thought out.

Standard amenities include individually controlled air-conditioning, flat-screen cable TVs (small in Superior Rooms), phones, free Wi-Fi, electric kettles, and minibars. Only Deluxe Rooms come with proper safes (Superior Rooms have lockable closet drawers). All rooms have hairdryers and free basic miniature toiletries, plus small empty balconies; some have pleasant canal views, though some guests report problems with mosquitoes. 

Airy's features are limited, and a bit underwhelming. There's no pool here, which is a problem in steamy Bangkok, and many other features require fees. Reliable two-way transfers to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport are available, though these cost extra. Guests are allowed to use bikes for free, and there’s a free shuttle to a nearby shopping mall and the Airport Rail Link station -- some travelers opt to save a few baht by taking this and then carrying on by train to catch their onward flight. Breakfast costs extra, and the restaurant provides simple meals until late evening, including room service (though neither are 24/7, a pitfall given there are no nearby alternatives). There is a small "spa" room, with three easy chairs for chair massages, and a game room with a billiards table. A minimart was also about to open when we visited in September 2016. There are internet terminals for guests to use in the lobby, and there’s good-quality free Wi-Fi throughout.