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Shanghai Inn
Having stayed at the Burasari, Patong, I had high expectations of its sister hotel in Bangkok. A check at the hotel website [--] also sucked me in due to its gorgeous photos.
After a taxi ride from Suvarnabhumi airport which cost 380Baht (but should have cost 300Baht), we were warmly greeted by the bellboy who had been expecting our arrival. As the lift door opened I was wowed as the hotel looked exactly as in the photos. The bellboy showed us to our rooms and true enough, the decor was contemporary shanghai chic. Absolutely gorgeous... Excellent use of space in one of the most overcrowded cities in the world! I would give them an A for cleanliness as well.
A word of warning though... friendly as they may be, do NOT allow the bellboys to plan your itinerary for you. It appears there is some kind of conspiracy between the bellboys and the tuk-tuks/taxi drivers. They may give excellent recommendations but it is pretty obvious they get some commission from their so called "friends".
The strategic location of the hotel means you are never very far from the must-sees of Bangkok. A one-way ride to the Grand Palace should cost about 300Baht by tuk-tuk or 500-600Baht by metered taxi (depending on traffic). I wouldn't recommend hiring a tuk-tuk by the hourly rate of 40Baht as you should be prepared to spend hours enjoying the splendid temples of Wat Phra Keow, Wat Po and Wat Arun (all within the Grand Palace vicinity). It is easy to catch a tuk-tuk/taxi back from popular tourist areas.
While on the subject of tuk-tuks/taxis, beware that some of them will talk you into dropping by a jewellery wholesaler/tailor which is supposedly cheap. These shops are actually "sponsors", meaning for every customer who spends 15 minutes in the shop, the tuk-tuk/taxi fella will get a stamp for free gasoline. Also, always check out the opening hours of some tourist centres so that you won't be fooled by the tuk-tuks/taxis who will tell you that it is not yet opened and therefore use it as an excuse to divert you to other commission-earning outlets.
Should you tire of haggling with tuk-tuks/taxis, an alternative is to take 10-15 minute walk to the Hua Lamphong MRT station. Bangkok does have one of the better rail systems in South-East Asia. The air-conditioned stations and coaches are a true reprieve from the heat and polluted roads.
Back to the hotel location. As expected, a hotel smack right in the middle of Chinatown surely means cheap and authentic food. An absolute must have is "Hao niao mam buang" (Mango with sticky rice). Find it around the corner to the left of 7-11. Somewhere along the middle of the block is a guy with a stall outside a shophouse. You'll never miss it, just look out for the yellow and juicy mangoes laid out on his table top.
You may also find Thai massages for 200Baht an hour. I personally recommend it. You'll need it after all that walking. With a map, good shoes and minimal navigation skills, you will also find the Temple of the Golden Buddha (Wat Traimit) and a typical Chinatown market all closeby.
All in all, it is difficult to put a general rating on this hotel. I would give it a 10 for location; 9 for decor; 8 for cleanliness/room service; 4 for facilities (no pool, tiny restaurant) and a thumbs down for conspiring bell boys.
