Montien Hotel Bangkok

Montien Hotel is an old, worn hotel spread across two enormous wings. The lobby appears to have once been grand but is now past its heyday, with worn wicker furnishings and stained tan sofas atop faded multihued patterned rugs that give it a 1980s vibe. Soft piped-in piano music is a calming touch, but the enormous Thai murals on the walls and the ample use of curlicue brass in railings is far from soothing. While the lobby feels bright, the hallways leading to rooms are dark and can feel eerie. The hotel attracts domestic and international tourists alike, with lots of guests from Japan and the United States. 

This hotel is located in the southern reaches of Bangkok's Pathum Wan neighborhood, an eight-minute walk east of Lumphini Park and four minutes on foot from both the Sam Yan and Si Lom metro stations. The Sala Daeng BTS skytrain station is about seven minutes away on foot. The area is busy, with a Burger King just out front and tons of restaurants, shops, and other hotels in the immediate area. There are also plenty of embassies nearby, and both the British and the United States embassies can be reached in under 15 minutes by taxi. The Jim Thompson House takes around 10 to 15 minutes to get to by taxi, while the Grand Palace and Wat Phra take around 25 minutes to get to, traffic permitting. Both the Don Mueang Airport and the Suvarnabhumi Airport take about 40 minutes to reach in medium traffic.

This hotel offers five types of rooms spread across smoking and non-smoking floors, all with balconies. Superior Rooms measurie 30 to 33 square meters/323 to 355 square feet and Deluxe Rooms measure 56 square meters/603 square feet. Corporate Superior and Deluxe units are the same size as their counterparts but add perks such as Club C lounge access and an hour of boardroom use in the hotel's business center. Junior Suites measuring 70 square meters (753 square feet) are also available and come with the same perks. Decor in the Superior and Deluxe Rooms is dated, with old blue carpets and light-wood furnishings, though Thai accents such as embroidered silk bed runners and matching cushions are a nice touch. Corporate Superior Rooms are much more spruced up, with fresher furnishings and medium-wood parquet floors. Amenities found across categories include safes, coffee- and tea-making facilities, minibars, and flat-screen TVs, plus free Wi-Fi (for up to two devices). Minibars in Deluxe Rooms and higher also come with full-sized bottles of liquor (for a charge). Bathrooms are similar across categories and predominantly clad in marble, with black shower/tub combos in all but the Junior Suites (which offer separate tubs and huge walk-in showers). Hairdryers, basic toiletries, and slippers are provided, but robes are not. Rooms overlook the city. 

This hotel is gargantuan and has a ton of facilities to boot. There's a large outdoor pool on the third floor that gets a fair amount of sunlight, but the area around it is narrow and there's not much space for lounge chairs.  There's also a fitness center on the same floor with a few older pieces of cardio and weight-training equipment. Dining options are extensive, and include the 24-hour Ruenton Coffeeshop, which serves Thai and international food and offers room service. There's also a bakery with breads and pastries. The Cantonese restaurant, Jade Garden, is open for lunch and dinner. Nightlife options include Garden Lounge, which offers live music in the evenings, and Dancing Oasis a dark nightclub that's open for a few hours every evening. 

For business travelers, there's a business center with two boardrooms along with a huge assortment of meeting spaces and ballrooms, the largest of which, Rajmontien Grand, can accommodate up to 1500 people. There's also a corporate lounge, Club C, with free coffee and tea for guests in Corporate Rooms and Junior Suites. The hotel is a popular venue for weddings, and can accommodate upwards of 500 wedding guests. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.