Best Western Premier Sukhumvit

The upper-middle-range Best Western Premier Sukhumvit is a chain property with only six stories. Amid the sea of towering Bangkok hotels all around, the low-rise structure is unique for the area. Through the sliding glass entrance doors, guests first see the dapper Qube Bar, the hotel's lounge, with a wooden floor, a long white couch, and purple mood lights. From here, a white marble floor leads into the lobby area, where a black and gold patterned set of metal panels line the walls and ceiling above reception. There are some stylish black armchairs here, with a wall-mounted flat-screen TV tuned into the BBC and a few computer terminals available for guests, but there aren't enough chairs for the number of guests coming and going during the hotel's busiest times. The hotel is popular with a range of travelers, from business to leisure, all going with a trusted brand name. The hotel sees a large number of medical tourists, as swank Bumrungrad Hospital is right next door.

The Best Western Premier Sukhumvit is located in a small dead end road -- Soi 1 -- off of busy Sukhumvit Road. Soi 1 is quite lively itself, as there are a lot of hotels, eateries, shops, and massage parlors nearby. The hotel's proximity to Sukhumvit Road's eating, drinking, and shopping makes it convenient, and the Ploenchit Skytrain staion is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Internationally renowned Bumrungrad Hospital has its entrance right next door, making this hotel a great option for those coming to Bangkok for medical tourism. While the red light district of Nana Plaza is a 15-minute walk away, it is far enough away that families wishing to avoid that area will feel comfortable here, and Soi 1 doesn't have the seedy vibe that plagues some of the nearby alleys. The historical sights around the Grand Palace are a bit of a hike from here, and will take at least 30 minutes to reach by cab. The ferry along Khlong Saen Saep docks at Nana Nua, a 10-minute walk from the hotel, for an authentically local way to travel the city. Both airports -- Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi -- take 30 minutes to reach in the best conditions, but given Bangkok traffic, travelers should budget up to an hour for their commute.

There are 145 rooms at the Best Western Premier Sukhumvit, and for this part of the city, they are all quite spacious. Even the standard Premier Rooms come with 32 square meters of living space, with large windows allowing for plenty of light. The look is sharp and sleek, with wood-veneer tile floors, patterned area rugs, granite surface, contemporary angular fixtures, and simple modern furniture. All rooms feature iPod docks and speakers, 40-inch flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and safes with laptop chargers. There are minibars and electric kettles for coffee and tea as well, plus decent-size contemporary bathrooms with walk-in showers. The Studios feature an extra sitting room with a couch and second TV, and they also have microwaves, while the still larger Suites have a separate living space, a full sofa, and full-size refrigerators. Unfortunately, none of the rooms have balconies and views in general look out to the hospital or Bangkok construction projects. All rooms come with free Wi-Fi.

The Best Western Premier Sukhumvit has a decent range of facilities for guests. Up on the rooftop, there is a swimming pool, which has a children's partition in it, plus lounge chairs at either end. Next to the pool there is a small fitness center with a handful of cardio machines plus free weights. The Edge is also on the rooftop; this bar and restaurant is located right next to the pool, with comfy chairs out on the sundeck. The more elegant Qube Lounge is downstairs, which has fine cocktails and wines, imported beers, and both an indoor and outdoor seating area facing out to the street. For dining, Tasters restaurant serves free buffet breakfasts to guests and a la carte dining for lunch and dinner, with a menu featuring both Thai classics as well as international dishes. The hotel doesn't really have a business center, but there are a few computer terminals for guests to use for free in the lobby; there's also a small function room for business travelers and group meetings. Wi-Fi is free throughout and the free on-call tuk-tuk makes trips to Sukhumvit Road throughout the day.