bANGKOK FREE AND EASY: Mercure hotel National stadium

Mercure Hotel. The room is spacious. No bathtub but there is no need for one when you are at Bangkok because massage and spa are all around.

There are universal plugs so not a need for adapter. 

The view from my room

The Swimming pool

 The view from the swimming pool

The difference between Mercure and Holiday Inn is the room size. Mercure room size is bigger and spacious. It has only a swimming pool at the top floor which is free for people staying at Mercure.

The best thing about Mercure and holiday Inn is that it is just beside the train station and there is an escalator going upwards. It is good for people who intend to take the train and not the taxi.

Bangkok free and easy : 2 days itinenary 48 hours

Nice skies.

Planned a very short trip to Bangkok with my sister.

We want this to be a more an more interesting trip so we visited some new food places.

We took the train everywhere, firstly because we dislike bangkok traffic jams and there are some bad taxi drivers.

Our plan is slightly affected due to the curfew at 10pm

Day 1: Arrived at Airport around 730pm

1. 8pm-930pm : Bought Sim at Airport

                     Took Airport express and tuktuk to hotel (supposed to take BTS) 

2. 930pm-10pm: Check in.

3. 10 pm - 1130pm : Mookata ( but settled for snacks from 7-11)

DAy 2: 

1.  8am-11am : Train to Chit Lom: walk to Patunam Market 

                                         Breakfast: Any interesting food along the way.

2. 11am to 3pm : Cross the overhead bridge to Platinum mall

                                              Lunch: Fuji Japanese restaurant and sharkfins and birdnest at foodcourt  at                                                  Platinum mall

3. 3pm - 4pm : Massage at Foot master

4. 4pm-5pm : Back to hotel to put down shopping and a short break.

5. 5pm - 7m : Audrey cafe and restaurant

5.7pm-830pm : BTS asoke for Terminal 21 and night market (close early due to curfew). Have to leave at 8                          plus as last BTS at 9pm.

6. 9pm to 930pm: Siam square shopping and we walked back to our hotel

Day 3: 

1. 7am-830am : Bought breakfast at nearby market and enjoy it at the comfort of hotel

2. 830am - 12 noon: Chatuchak market

3. 12 noon to 1 pm : Bath, pack and check out

4. 130pm-230pm: MAssage at bodytunes silom

5. 230pm - 5 pm Silom complex:   High tea at Peony tea house, supermarket shopping and robinsons.

6. 5pm-630pm Siam square shopping

7. 630pm -8pm: Pick up our luggage and set off for the airport

8. 8pm - 9 pm: Have a quick meal and shop at 7-11 before catching the plane back home.

BAck in Singapore at around 12 midnight :D

1. When we reach Bangkok, it was the first day of the military takeover, we just manage to catch the last airport train. However, we did not manage to catch the last bts. Had to take a Tuk tuk to our hotel. 

There was someone who was helping tourist flag taxi and tuk tuk at the station.

 Ibis siam at NAtional Stadium

Take the train to Phaya Thai and change Bts to Siam square and then to national stadium.

It is slightly troublesome, but as it was just two girls. We thought it will be much safer than taking the taxi.

The BTS station is just right beside the hotel. You can see the hotel before exiting the station.

One thing I like about national stadium BTS is that it was never affected by protests and there is an escalator leading to the train station. There is also a nice little market nearby.

The negative thing is that it is not the interchange so we do have to change trains at siam square.

We choose ibis as it is quite value for money.

Around $60 per night.

There are no frills but frills and space are not important as I will be out most of the day. I like new hotels as I 

things look better and are in better working conditions. There is a cupboard and a long table to store my things. 

There is ample space under the bed to store your luggage.

The room is not very big but is quite reasonably sized.

No bath tub but a shower head. 

Our only complain is the water from the shower is a bit weak.

I will stay there again because of the price and how new and clean it is.

Drinking water, coffee and tea are available too.

Walking distance to siam BTS: 5 to 10 minutes

Actually we planned to go for Mookata but due to the curfew. We settled for grilled pork stick and lots of snacks from 7-11.

Breakfast bought while walking to pratunam market.

Thai Milk tea and grilled yam balls.

Was never a fan of yam balls but bought it because it look so cute

I feel in love with the grilled pork while I am there. It is grilled so well. Still tender on the inside. Can pick your own stick so can choose the less fatty ones.

Pratunam market. Go in the morning before it gets hot. There is no air con. Prices are definitely cheaper than platinum mall although some of the designs are not as good.

As we were at Platinum mall and feeling very hungry, settle for a normal resturant. 

Just can say the food is average, not fantastic and not very cheap

Cheap shark fins and birdnest. Not sure about how authentic it is, but we just have it for desserts while taking a break.

WEnt to massage at Foot MAster at Amarin Plaza.

Was so disappointed so the masseur thought I was asleep and tried to slack through the massage. He was just randomly pressing around gently.

Decide to visit this beautiful cafe.

Audrey cafe and Bistro

Something different from our usual itinenary

More on Audrey cafe

Drop by Terminal21 as it was near to Thong Li. A few stops down.

There is a big supermarket at Terminal 21 which I bought snacks and sweets for my lovable students.

Terminal 21 was having some desserts fair. Lots of cake, cupcakes and etc.

Was too full to eat anything

Business as Siam Square as usual except it is not as crowded.

Miltiary guarding the train station but everything else was peaceful.

Lots of people were taking photos with the soldiers.

Woke up to a beautiful sunset view from our hotel. Ask them for the room facing Siam Square.

Visit this small market near our hotel. SElling mainly food, fruits, vegetables and seafood.

No live poultry.

What we bought for breakfast. 

Grilled pork stick with sticky rice.

Thai version of You Tiao. ( Small and Cute)

Thai version of Soya BEan ( They add a lot of ingredients inside)

Enjoying our breakfast in the comfort of our hotel room.

Shopping at Chatuchak.

Bought iced coffee and some desserts.

It was not really delicious but is good for the hot weather

Went for another massage at bodytunes silom as my previous massage was so disappointing.

Cross over to peony tea house for high tea

More about peony teahouse

Went shopping at Robinsons and Tops supermarket.

SAw them selling fresh sashimi and bought some to try.

Delicious!!

Shopping at Siam Square. Spotted this and can't resist buying a stick. They really know how to grill their food. Not too dry but crispy on the outside. They will ask you if you want chilli, it taste good with chilli but for people who are not good with chilli. Have some milk by your side, my sister and I were tearing while eating

Taking Airport express back to airport. Good thing about taking the train is good scenery, no traffic jam and no bad taxi drivers and definitely punctual. The bad is have to take bts to transfer, have to carry you own luggage and may have to stand for the ride

fell in love with chiangmai food because of a trip last year to chiangmai.

Chiangmai curry noodles and glutinous rice with mango at S & P airport cafe. Will not say is cheap but reasonable pricing. The good is not bad.

Can try it out if you are the airport.

Sometimes, there is quite a long queue outside the cafe

Saw TWG inside the airport transit area. Could not resist getting some Macaroons to try.

Think it taste normal. 

Pricing should be slightly cheaper than Singapore

The end of 48 hours in Bangkok.

Bangkok Accomodation reviews: Holiday Inn Express, Lud d, Pathuwan Princess hotel and hostel

I tried out the newly opened Holiday Inn express located less than 5 minutes away from the national stadium BTS station. A few minutes walk from Lud b.
Lub b can be seen from the station so just walk down the stairs and walk towards lud b and a few more buildings down is the holiday inn express.
National Stadium station is located 10-15 minutes from Chinatown and is just a station from Siam Square.
I usually walk home after shopping at the street market outside siam square.

Holiday Inn Express room. The room is spacious.
There are at least 3 universal charging socket so there is not a need for travel adaptor.
Two kind of pillows available, firm and soft.
There is no bathtub but the only bad thing is the shower water and temperature is hard to control. The water flow is pathetic and the temperature is hard to control.
Ample lightings around the room too.
Will stay here again as the price is almost same as lud b but much cheaper than pathuwan princess.
However, there are so many upcoming hotels. I will be tempted to try them out.

The reception. There are 3 lifts that go can very fast speed.
Two computers for use.
Free wifi is available but for two devices only.

Breakfast.
There is slight variation for the cooked food. Bread, pastries, fruits and fruit juices are available.
The plus point is the bread and coffee can be packed to be eaten in your room or while walking to the train station

  

I stayed on 21st floor. The view from my room

Night view from my room

The building

The housekeeping was extremely neat. She placed my items neatly and even folded my clothes and arranged them nicely.

The lobby and corridor.
They have vending machines for people who need a midnight snacks.
A trolley and also bellboy (security guards) who will helped you call for taxi and carry your luggage.

The view from the entrance of holiday inn express.

Girls Hostel

Lud b is more of a hostel. I book a bed at the dormitory and also a ensuite room.

Free wifi but limited to 1 per pax. 

I don't really like the staff, i asked the staff for help to make a phone call to book a massage. The person said they can't do that for me. I asked for the cost of using the public phone and he told be something like 20baht.

You expect me to pay like s$0.80 for a local phone call at a public phone. They were not very friendly to me and my friends. 

There is no lifts.

The ensuite room has two small cubicles, one for bathing and one for toilet business.

The sink is outside of the two cubicles,  the water will spill out at times and the room is a bit small.

Their  concept is interesting with facilities like movie room, washing machines and cute slogans but holiday inn express is more value for money as they provide breakfast.

PAthuwan Princess. Welcome drink and big and nice reception. The lift is much slower than Holiday Inn express.

The room. Spacious and clean.
With a bathtub. Power water supply and easy to control temperature.
I did not booked the package with breakfast as it will cost $20+ more, decide to just find my own breakfast as the room is already quite ex.
The toilet with the see through window but no worries, there is curtain.
Quite like the brightly lighted room as I don't like dark rooms.