Hotel Royal Bangkok

• On Yaowarat Road in Chinatown
• Wat Mangkon MRT about 5 minutes on foot
• Rooftop pool with a pool bar
• Coin-operated launderette on the 9th floor
• Family, triple and apartment suites

Essentials

Hotel Royal Bangkok stands on Yaowarat Road, at 409-421/4, in the thick of Chinatown. The hotel’s website puts a nearby MRT station about 5 minutes away on foot, and the nearest one on that stretch is Wat Mangkon on the Blue Line.

The road outside is the district’s main food and gold street, so most of what you came for is on the pavement. The rail link is what lets you leave it: the Blue Line reaches Hua Lamphong and the old city temples without a taxi.

Overview

Rooms come in seven types: Superior, Deluxe, Deluxe Triple, Premium Deluxe, Premium Deluxe Triple, Family Suite and Apartment Suite. Beds are twin or double, except in the two suites, which list a double. The triple and suite rooms are the practical ones if you travel with a companion who needs a separate bed, or if you want room to spread out on a longer stay.

The hotel calls itself a lifestyle hotel with a modern residential look, and its tone is more practical than boutique. It is a sound base if you want a pool and laundry in the same building as your bed, and it is less suited to anyone who wants a quiet room, because the road is one of the busiest in the district. Hotel Royal sits next to Grand China and ASAI in hotels in Chinatown, Pratunam and the old city.

Tip: Keep a handful of small coins for the 9th-floor launderette, which is coin-operated. On a stay of a week or more it saves a trip to a laundry shop.

Food and drink

Golden Cafe International Cuisine

The cafe is on the mezzanine floor and serves international dishes in what the hotel calls a casual yet elegant setting. It is the sit-down option when you do not want to go out onto Yaowarat Road.

Royal Sky Lounge

On the 14th floor, with an a la carte menu of Thai and international food plus cocktails and wine. The hotel’s website also lists breakfast here, so a morning meal with a view is an option.

Rooftop Pool Bar

Light snacks, selected dishes, cocktails and wine by the pool on the rooftop. The Lobby Lounge on the first floor serves draft beer and cocktails if you prefer to stay at street level.

Amenities

The swimming pool is on the rooftop (R1), with a pool bar next to it. A fitness club, a business centre and a launderette are also listed. The launderette is on the 9th floor and has coin-operated washing and drying machines, which helps on a stay of a week or more.

Parking is valet, and the hotel’s website notes a height limit of 1.70 m. An airport shuttle is available for a surcharge, and a one-way airport transfer package appears among its offers. The pool, the Royal Sky Lounge and the launderette are all on upper floors.