Bangkok's Cha Da Hotel Review

Bangkok's Cha Da Hotel is located in the Huay Kwang District, just a few miles away from the edge of the popular Sukhumivit District in central Bangkok. It is a hotel that puts you away from the noise and traffic yet close enough with the use of the MRT subway station 300 meters away.

It is a highly recommended family friendly hotel in Bangkok despite the fact that the area has a cluster of men's only massage parlors known as 'soapies'. But all the seediness does not spill out onto the streets at all and families with young children will not experience any monkey business all.

A popular local night market in Huay Kwang is a great place to explore street food and perhaps a little Thai style shopping. I recommend walking around the night market so you can get a glimpse of how where the local Thais shop and dine. And there are plenty of local restaurants to enjoy a Thai dinner near by Huay Kwang.

The hotel's lobby still looks fresh and modern thanks to a recent refurbishment. Check in at the Cha Da hotel was quick by the very polite and friendly staff. The hotel requires a credit card imprint as a deposit so make sure you have one on you. My request for a non-smoking deluxe room was honored and I was given a room on the sixth floor.

Everything looked good so far. Though there are quite a few good points for the Cha Da Hotel there are also a few misses that I have to point out.

Bangkok's MRT subway systems officially shuts down at 12am. However, the station may refuse you entrance around 11:30pm. If you don't make it in time to Petchburi MRT station you can take a taxi to Cha Da hotel from there. The fare should cost around 100THB. Still cheaper than a taxi direct from the airport.

If you are packing light and have cleared customs before 10pm I recommend taking the Airport Rail Link into the city. Take the commuter line which cost less than 45THB for a fare to Makkasan station. The ride should last about 15 minutes.

Then you have to transfer to a subway train, so you have to look for Petchaburi MRT station. There are plenty of signs to show the way and it will require a 10 minute walk to the station. At the station buy a fare heading to Huay Kwang MRT station, it should cost 20THB and is a short 3 stations away.

From Huay Kwang station look for exit #2. Once you take the long escalators out of the station make a left turn. After a short walk you should see the Swissotel Le Concord. Continue walking down another 300 meters and you'll find Bangkok Cha Da Hotel.

If you are interested in staying at Bangkok Cha Da Hotel, check with Agoda.com first. They are a popular hotel reservation agency. I booked a deluxe room including breakfast and taxes for $55USD this month of December which is the high season for hotels in Thailand.

The Cha Da hotel's website at the time was charging $64USD for the same room type.

The hotel charges for internet access, which might be a deal breaker for most. A full day of Wi-Fi access cost 200THB and for 1 hour it's 50THB.

There are 2 computers with internet access for guests to use in the lobby for free.

The room I stayed in was #605 and it was big, around 30 to 31 sqm., and very clean. So there is plenty of space for luggage and room for at least 3 people. Though you can easily tell that the hotel was renovated because the bathroom style was a bit old style. A clue was the bottle opener right by the sink.

I wouldn't say that the room has been modernized like a lot of the newer hotels in Bangkok. There were plenty of lights in the room. But when I turned all of the lights on it was still dim at night. The desk was located a bit far from an electrical outlet for charging my notebook computer and you'd have to either unplug a lamp or a television.

There is a nice comfortable armchair and a Thai style daybed that adds a nice touch to the room and perfect for a family.

However, the mattress on the bed was hard and the pillows didn't help at all either. I can usually fall asleep on almost anything but their mattress was particularly uncomfortable for a big bed.

The bathroom as I mentioned before is dated, though very clean. I was scratching my head a because the bathroom was very bare, save for the towels, liquid soap and shampoo by the shower. But there was no shower cap (not that I use shower caps), toothbrush, comb or even the small round shaped soaps you'd usually find by the sink. Though oddly there was a soap tray by the sink. So I was confused whether or not the hotel is on the cheap or housekeeping forgot to stock the toilet. Either way, that's not a good sign.

The room rate I booked included American breakfast, which I was looking forward too since I enjoy western food. What can I say? I'm an eggs and bacon guy and enjoy eating. The Cha Da hotel is big so I was expecting a big spread. But I was let down by the very limited options. Just a smattering of hot Thai dishes and bits of odds and ends like french fries. There were quite a few guests eating at the moment I was there so maybe I missed out on a bigger spread. Luckily the scrambled eggs cooked to order saved the day. But there was no bacon...

The hotel has a pool on the roof top but the doors were locked so I did not have the chance to take a look. And the fitness center was more like a 'fitness closet' because it was a tiny room. Funny thing is that there is a huge air condition unit inside making the room feel like a meat locker.

The hotel is a great place to stay for a family visiting Bangkok because the rooms are very spacious. The location is okay, but not the greatest in my opinion. There are many places to eat especially if you walk towards to the Big C supermarket area, which is a 10 minute stroll. you can ask the hotel reception to point the way.

But because there is an MRT subway station nearby, guests at the Cha Da can have easy access to most of Bangkok popular city's shopping centers. And since Bangkok's taxis are so affordable it is also a good option to use for exploring Bangkok.

I liked the Bangkok Cha Da Hotel and enjoyed my stay for this review. It's a good hotel that I can recommend to families looking for a clean hotel with spacious rooms and most importantly affordable room rates. However, the hotel in my opinion could do a lot better.