SAM E Hotel Bangkok Sathorn

Rooms come in twin, king, triple and family set-ups, and several of them have a city view. Each layout suits a different group, from two travellers in a twin room to four guests in the deluxe triple or deluxe family rooms.

Several rooms have air conditioning and a private bathroom with a shower and a hair dryer. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms, and streaming services such as Netflix are offered at the hotel, with flat-screen TVs in some of the rooms. The deluxe triple and deluxe family rooms sleep up to four guests.

The front desk is open 24 hours, and there is a concierge, an elevator and daily housekeeping. A laundry service is available, and the hotel has a convenience store and shops on site for snacks and everyday travel essentials.

Dining includes a restaurant, with breakfast served in Asian, Continental, American and Western styles, and bottled water is also available. Free parking on site is available, and the hotel has a business centre with Xerox and fax facilities.

Free Wi-Fi covers the rooms and the public areas, and streaming services such as Netflix are offered. The hotel also has soundproof and allergy-free rooms, a chapel on site, and staff who speak English, Thai, Hindi, Burmese and Nepali.

SAM E Hotel Bangkok Sathorn stands in the Yannawa area of the Sathorn district, one of the city's main business quarters, where office towers sit alongside older streets and a number of temples. It works well for travellers who want the skytrain and the river close at hand.

Surasak BTS Station is 100 m from the hotel, on the Silom Line, and the next stop, Saphan Taksin, links to the Chao Phraya river ferries. The Blue Elephant Thai Cooking School is a well-known place for Thai cookery classes, and Asiatique The Riverfront, 2.5 km away, is a riverside night market and shopping complex. The Grand Palace, 4.7 km away, is Bangkok's best-known royal complex, and Chatuchak Weekend Market, 9.5 km away, is a large weekend market with stalls selling crafts, food and clothes.

A full day could start at the Grand Palace and continue with a boat trip along the Chao Phraya, then move on to Asiatique in the evening. Ferries run from the Saphan Taksin pier, a short skytrain ride from the hotel, so the riverside sights are easy to add to a day without a car. Many visitors end the day on the water, watching the lights come on along the Chao Phraya before the skytrain back to Sathorn.