Bussaba Bangkok

Bussaba Bangkok may be far from the city, but it does greet visitors nicely. It sits on a quiet dead-end street with plenty of bamboo, leafy greenery, and white flowers around the beige-brick and white-sided buildings. The hotel's lobby has lots of open windows and whirling ceiling fans, and looks out on the hotel's small koi pond, lined with more greenery and a wooden deck with colorful low-lying seats. Beautiful hand-crafted rattan sofas and chairs are set about the lobby for guests to relax, and the walls feature vivid paintings by local artist Jatuporn Trisuwan, who also painted all the flowers on the walls in each of the rooms. There are also large handmade vases here, plus a wall display with photos of guests, both adding even more touches befitting a small boutique spot. The hot pink elevator bank, decorated with small butterflies, also contribute to the atmosphere. A small restaurant, which doubles as a bookstore, is also in the lobby. It's a pleasant place to sit, surrounded by titles in both Thai and English, and with a collection of guidebooks for those who may have forgotten theirs. This is a hotel for guests of all stripes who don't wan't to deal with the urban grit of central Bangkok, or who have an early or late flight out of Bangkok. 

The Bussaba Bangkok is not convenient for guests wanting to tour central Bangkok's sights over a multi-day itinerary. Trips into the center of town take 45 minutes to an hour, though this depends on traffic, which is a beast in Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok's main international airport, is a 15-minute drive from the hotel. The easiest way to get around from is via taxi (15 minutes) to the Lat Krabang Airport Link Rail station, which gets to the center of Bangkok in just under 30 minutes. The skytrain is available from there, with connections to the metro. Additionally, the hotel's immediate area of Rom Klao Road is sprawling and not very walker-friendly, and there's not much of a selection of restaurants or bars to choose from, although there are a couple of large supermarkets in the vicinity. The area is decidedly local, but the lack of tourists mean less hassles like overcharging tuk-tuk drivers.

Rooms are divided between two buildings, one of which has an elevator, and one of which does not. Each room is named after a flower, and features walls painted by local artist Jatuporn Trisuwa. Rooms have large windows and get plenty of light, and include hardwood floors, contemporary furniture with minimalist lines in light or dark shades, and modern Thai decor. They are charming and have plenty of personality, while bright patterned fabrics and paint jobs make them feel stylish. Some rooms in each category have balconies. Standard features include 32-inch flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, DVD players, mini-fridges with bottled water, air-conditioning, and electric kettles, but no safes. Bathrooms have open shower stalls, colorful mosaic tiling, bathrobe and slipper sets, and hairdryers, while Deluxe Double Rooms have double vanity sinks. The Deluxe Bualuang Family Room is the most luxe option, offering a large wooden terrace with modern wicker furniture and potted palms, plus an extra living area to go along with two large double beds. For their size and decor, the rooms here are a good deal, especially for those not concerned with the location. 

As a small boutique hotel, the features aren't deep here, but they are done well. The hotel has a small restaurant in the lobby where breakfast is served. Thai lunches and dinners are also served here, which is a good thing, as there are few restaurants in the neighborhood. The restaurant also doubles as a bookstore, with a selection of both Thai and English titles available for purchase. In the lobby, there's a single computer for guests to use for free. There's also a pleasant outdoor terrace to sit on, plus some seats in a small garden. There's a pond here full of large koi, with some artsy hand-crafted stone seats. The hotel offers a free shuttle service to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport with advance notice.