Malaysia Hotel — Hotel in Thung Maha Mek Subdistrict

I want my hotel to feel a little like my home. I want to have some fond attachment to it. I want to feel that it’s my cosy retreat from the hectic confusing and alien outside world. I want the staff to be my new friends and some kind of bond to the new environment. It needs to be more than just a room to dump a bag and grab some sleep. All of which is a big ask I appreciate. This is pretty much how I feel with most hotels that I choose to stay in. With the Malaysia Hotel I wanted even more. I chose this hotel because of the incredible history of the hotel. I have over the years often read fascinating historical information regards the hotel. Such stories appear in literature and numerous Bangkok history videos and posts. I didn’t need or desire expensive luxury and modernity. I needed a window onto an old Bangkok. A Bangkok that I used to know when I first visited in the 1980’s. I wanted a time travel back to the 60’s and I was keen to really revel in that feeling of nostalgia. The hotel was built in 1967 and although there have been some structural and design changes the hotel still has that old Bangkok feel. In fact, they filmed scenes of the famous movie Good Morning Vietnam here. To know that Robin Williams was here shooting that Hollywood movie all adds to the fascinating history. ||The hotel is situated on Ngam Duphli Alley and you turn into Soi Si Bamphen which is packed with lovely cafes, bars and restaurants all of which have not changed much in many years. Again, this whole area has a long and fascinating history and a step away from the rapidly changing and developing Bangkok. Such traditional venues, that appear to not have kept up with changing times will appeal to a certain kind of tourist and traveler. ||There were numerous aspects of the hotel that I liked and sort of met the nostalgia I was yearning for. One appealing aspect was its location. When in Bangkok I usually stay quite central along the most popular streets of Sukhumvit. I like to be close the bars, shopping centers and entertainment and this is partly due to my relationship with the area. Sometime ago I used to live on Sukhumvit Soi 12 and that is my old neighborhood. Thus I’m connected and walking the streets is always a constant emotional journey down memory lane. So, I wanted not only a change of scenery but also a reason to be in this little pocket of Bangkok. Situated below the Lumphini Park and to the right of Pat Pong and above the glass and steel of Silom. ||I would strongly recommend you investigate this whole area more and not just see it as a place to retire to after being out all day exploring the rest of Bangkok. And if you are keen to get your retail shopping modern Bangkok fix you are right below the new landmark shopping center One Bangkok. Not only are you near great restaurants and bars but the transport links are pretty good with the Lumphini Park MRT being a short walk away connecting you with the whole of Bangkok. You also have a charming little park a short walk away to truly escape the hectic Bangkok streets. ||The rooms are exactly how I imagined and expected them to be. This is not the hotel for you if you are wanting high end luxury. It is what one may term as old school and that’s exactly why I chose it. As mentioned, I wanted to go back in time and get my old Bangkok nostalgia fix. The rooms are decorated in that old style that I love and am so familiar with. Everything in the room worked and met my needs but you need to be comfortable with that traditional design and décor. If you want brand new and modern high-end luxury it’s not for you. The room was cleaned daily and all to a satisfactory standard. Ample cupboard space and although the bathroom and the décor were all somewhat dated it worked and it was an environment I wanted and am keen to experience. There is a lovely small pool at the hotel with easy chairs to relax on. A chance to sunbath and cool off. ||The hotel thus ticked some of the boxes and I got little of my old Bangkok nostalgia hit. But then it sadly let me down overall. Twice I had breakfast in the hotel, and the service was quite poor. I became frustrated not only with the slow service, but the level of politeness and friendliness was lacking. It felt that the staff simply had lost the will and interest to offer kind, friendly and efficient service. The breakfast food itself was lacking in quality and presentation and once again it felt tired. As if the staff felt they didn’t need to truly make an effort. ||I feel the hotel should value and make use of its incredible history. It must capitalize on its fascinating past and maximize that to its advantage. If there was some effort made to celebrate that history in the hotel lobby or even in the rooms. The hotels unique selling point would be that charm, untouched history and for sure much of that would appeal to so many travelers. It’s a museum and you get to actually stay there. Instead, I felt it was tired, and the staff lacked the desire and energy to make your stay memorable and comfortable. I would love for the hotel management to realise just how incredible the hotel is and the enormous potential. To then inject new energy and passion into the hotel and give it a much-needed lift. Then results I feel would be tremendous. ||A special mention to the man sat outside who helps guests with taxis. He was always fun to chat with and had a sense of humour and good energy about him. ||So, I really do like this hotel, and I will return I’m sure and stay again. I would also recommend others to stay here who enjoy Bangkok’s history and want to immerse themselves into a bygone time and keen to connect with a more historical Bangkok. But I do hope that the management see how its sadly falling short of being the truly incredible hotel...

My recent three-night stay at the Malaysia hotel was an absolute delight. From the moment I arrived, the warm and genuine hospitality of the staff made me feel incredibly welcome. The check-in process was swift and efficient. The Room: I stayed in a room on the 2nd floor. The room itself was spacious, impeccably clean, and thoughtfully designed. The king-sized bed was exceptionally comfortable with high-quality linens, ensuring a restful sleep. The room was well-equipped with all the necessary amenities, including a large flat-screen TV with international channels, and excellent, reliable Wi-Fi. The air conditioning was efficient and quiet. Facilities and Amenities: The resort boasts two stunning swimming pools, both immaculately maintained and surrounded by lush tropical gardens. Loungers were plentiful, and fresh towels were readily available. I especially enjoyed the tranquility of the smaller, lagoon-style pool tucked away in a quieter part of the resort. The on-site spa offered a range of traditional Thai massages and other treatments, which were both relaxing and rejuvenating. I indulged in a Thai massage, and the therapists were highly skilled. The hotel also has a well-equipped fitness center, although I didn't have the chance to use it during my stay. Dining: The restaurant has a wide array of both Western and Thai food. Service: The service throughout the hotel was consistently excellent. Every staff member I encountered, from the front desk to the housekeeping and restaurant staff, was friendly, attentive, and eager to assist. They were always smiling and willing to go the extra mile to ensure a pleasant stay.

Whether you're looking for a peaceful getaway or a base to explore Bangkok, I would highly recommend this hotel. I will certainly be considering the Malaysia hotel for any future...

The room in my photos and of my review is of the type "Superior Double Room". It is room number 321, the date is June 2019.

Negative: The room and the furniture is very old, not renovated, no kettle and coffee in the room, no additional power sockets to charge the phone at the bed. The room had a broken and removed light switch where a hole in the wall remains, and old quick paint fixes. The TV had just s few channels and a relatively bad picture quality, maybe because of a bad antenna signal. The WiFi was slow and instable. Often it was not possible to surf at all. There were no supply items except liquid soap in the bathroom. From the look into other rooms on floor 3 (a lot of doors stood open during service hours because the rooms were not rented), the other rooms looked similar.

Positive: Kind and friendly staff. Inexpensive, large room, two bottles of complimentary water per day. Good a/c and a big fridge. Good room service. Nice Swimming pool. Nice Restaurant with good food for a reasonable price. Indeed very good coffee!

Bottom line: For the price the room is appropriate. If only the photos in the internet showed the real appearances of the rooms, then I would not have been a little disappointed about the true appearance of my room. With all the shiny photos that I saw on the intermet I had a different and higher expectation. My room (number 321) was nowhere near that shiny photos that are published on Google and elsewhere. Even just a decorative pillow on the bed (like they show in all the photos) would have helped already. But the nice outdoor pool and the good room rate compensated for some of the room's slight...