Riva Surya Bangkok

When choosing where to stay for a couple of days in Bangkok, I was looking for somewhere central (Rattanakosin island), nice and with a swimming pool – Riva Surya was one of only a few such places. Overall, I’m happy with my stay, although there were a few downsides I wish I was aware of before booking. Location is ideal for seeing all the major sites on Rattanakosin and along the river, since the hotel stands just a few steps away from a boat pier and within walking distance of the Grand Palace (20 min). The interior is nice, the swimming pool is of generous size – you can really swim, not just soak there. They have a very good restaurant on site – everything we had there during the course of 3 days was exceptionally good.

It would have been a 5 star stay if not for one thing: noise in the room. I chose the one facing the street, and the street, unfortunately, is lined with cafes and bars that have live loud music every night, making it really difficult to fall asleep. Had I known this, I would have probably looked for another place to stay, because good night sleep is very important for me when travelling. Of course, the hotel has rooms facing the river too, but they are, obviously, more expensive.