Grand China Hotel
215 Yaowarat Rd., Bangkok, 10100, Thailand
Why We Like It
There isn’t a ton to love about this hotel but there’s just enough to like. The Sky View bar and restaurant is stunning and the Chinese food at Siang Ping Loh is spot on. The rooms are musty, but views help mask the smell the higher you get. While slightly overpriced, you’re paying for the location. The hotel is walking distance to major attractions, museums, palaces, and temples, and is right in the heart of Chinatown where you’ll find dozens of excellent bars, restaurants, and shops.
Fodor's Expert Review
Hard to find, and in the middle of an insanely busy area, the Grand China is part mall, part hotel, and acts as a landmark for one of the oldest neighborhoods in Bangkok--Chinatown. Crowded and musty, the slightly overpriced property is ideally located if you want to visit the crème de la crème of Bangkok attractions as it’s generally walking distance to the Grand Palace and the biggest temples in the city.
You Should Know The reception area is sort of hidden as you pass through an overpacked mall with standing room only in order to make your way to check in.
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Room
Regardless of smoking policies, it’s clear that smokers come and go with abandon no matter what room you’re in. The rooms are dark, have green carpeting, and higher floors have views. All accommodations come with free water, coffee and tea makers, and slippers.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms feature shower/tub combos and black countertops.
Lobby
There’s not much of a lobby, more just a waiting area to check in to your room. Just outside the lobby, however, is a mall and a Starbucks--so that’s something.
Pool
The outdoor pool has incredible city views and slightly wraps around the building in a crescent shape. There’s only a few loungers for sunbathing, so you better get them quickly.
Spa
Lavender Spa is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and features four aroma and two Thai massage rooms. Additionally, there are several foot massage chairs.
Dining
There are several dining options at Grand China. Siang Ping Loh is the traditional Chinese spot with dim sum, Szechuan, and Cantonese dishes, as well as private karaoke rooms. The best spot of the hotel is on the 25th floor where you’ll find Sky View 360°--a hotspot for dining and drinking with epic views.
Drinking
Sky View 360° is the main drinking den of the hotel and features insane views of the city. There’s live music here every night and stellar signature sips.
You Should Know If you bring your own wine, there’s a 500 Baht corkage fee.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
Right in the heart of Chinatown and directly on the uber-busy Yaowarat Road, the hotel’s location is a hot bed of foot and street traffic with sights, smells, and sounds that are a microcosm of the entire city. Tightly compacted, you’ll be brushing against cars, people, motorbikes, and tuk-tuks everywhere you go. Mind your wallet in busy crowds, but mostly you won’t have any safety issues.
Whatever you do, do not get into a car in this area (unless it’s pre-7 a.m. or post 8 p.m.). The traffic around the hotel is literally insane, packed to the gills with taxis, tour buses, and lost tourists. Your best bet is to walk, or risk your life on the back of a motorbike taxi. There’s no public transit in the area.
Restaurants
If you can look past any animal right’s issues, you should head into Chinatown and try Lao Li Shark Fin (8-minute walk), which is well-known for its eponymous shark fin soup, as well as other seafood-related oddities. For more Chinatown fare, check out Texas Suki (8-minute walk), a Cantonese spot with bird’s nest soups and other ‘interesting’ dishes at cheap prices.
Bars
There are a few great bars on Nana Road just on the east side of old Chinatown. Teens of Thailand (12-minute walk) is a claustrophobic bar that’s locally famous for its gin & tonics. Another solid choice is El Chiringuito (12-minute walk), a fun tapas bar straight from the streets of Madrid.
Photos
Quick Facts
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