ChefkochB

This must be a fairly new build…everything looks pretty fresh and clean.
Got to my room. They are quite small, but fairly well laid out.  Downsides are that it has a mini bar with regular exorbitant hotel prices.  I’d much rather an empty fridge and I’d stock it myself.  It also only has one drawer and that’s located in the bathroom by the clothes closet.  So storage is almost non existent.  I’ve kept most of my crap in my suitcases and littered the tv stand with the rest. It’s also quite dark in the bathroom.  Aside from those things it’s fine.  Lots of electrical sockets and has modern hookups for the TV if you want to hook up your streaming gear.  I don’t know how good the wifi would be for that though.
I figured I didn’t get an upgrade, but it turns out I did.  All the room’s except the suites are the same size.  My room was considered an upgrade because it has a good view. Half of the rooms have a totally obstructed view because there is a condo very near to it on one side.
 

Just checked in here after my first three nights in town at the Mercure.
I did some contact work this year and was in a Marriot hotel for about two months. This gave me enough points to become a Marriot Bonvoy Platinum member and I’m using all those points to stay here for eight days.
My first impressions are very good. Seems quite nice and has a good vibe to it. Check in was fine, but my room was waiting for final inspection so I’m writing this as I wait for it.
 I’m not sure if it’s because of my status or because I had to wait for my room to be made up, but they gave me a voucher for a free drink at the pool bar.
The pool bar area is nice, but quite small. I estimate the pool is at least 20 metres, so I can get some laps in (provided I’m the only one using it, but I probably will be as I like to swim in the mornings).  It gets all the morning sun too which is a bonus…the Mercure pool area is a lot bigger, but doesn’t get sun until the afternoon.
I was expecting a basic drink as my freebie, but the bartender Nan made me a legit Long Island iced tea. So far so good. There isn’t a smoking area on the pool floor (10) so I came down to the eighth floor for that.  
I’ll add more to this review as I check out my room and the gym and what not…I just wanted to get it started while I’m waiting.
Oh, and here’s a bonus…taking a lovely lady home from the CIB Christmas party is going to be a quick trip, lol
 

When I was in Bangkok back in July, I visited Soi Thaniya in Silom, which is only 300 meters down from Patpong Road. Amazing how many times I had been to Patpong but didn't know about this place they refer to as 'Little Tokyo' or 'Little Japan' due to the entire street being lined with awesome Japanese restaurants, from Japanese BBQ, sushi, ramen shops and plenty of others. An entrance to BTS SkyTrain Sala Daeng station is just on the corner of Soi Thaniya.
I just visited during the day for lunch but heard it is lit up like the streets of Tokyo at night. I just had a ramen noodle soup at a restaurant called Uchidaya Ramen. 270 baht for their Kyushu Tonkotsu 'Special' ramen. Best ramen I have ever eaten!
If you love Japanese food then put this on your list of places to visit in Bangkok. Go there for dinner, then head down to Patpong to pick up your dessert.
They do have some girlie bars here, located in the top floors above the restaurants at street level. I heard they are very much like the 'hostess bars in Tokyo'. These places cater to Japanese business men. I heard like in Japan, they pay a fee for a girl to sit with them and laugh at their jokes, tell them how wonderful they are and pour their drinks. I been to a few hostess bars in Tokyo and never saw the point of them as you can't bar fine the girls there in Tokyo but I believe you can bar fine the ones in Bangkok but at ridiculous Japanese prices, something like 5000 - 6000 Baht. Screw that! Get down to Patpong to pick up what you fancy for the night, GG or LB at proper Bangkok prices.
Definitely worth a visit if you love Japanese food.
 

I stayed in CITADINES soi 11 last august. The hotel is located in the heart of night life close to the all bars and night clubs. The room was clean, spacious, with small kitchenette, workig desk and sofa. The bedroom was separate with movable partition. LCD TV in the bedroom. The window is situated to the small soi and there´s no noise from the street so I could sleep very well.
Wardrobe contained ironing board which makes me happy, coz last times I could find someone who could iron my shirts
Staff was lovely and helpful. I took 2 guest 2 times via undergroung parking directly to the room /both of them had a car/
On the top floor is small gym and nice swimming pool with view to the ALOFT hotel /LEVELS club/, which is located oposite and President palace on the left side.....
Next to the reception is a MULLIGAN´S pub. I recommend this place......
 
 
 
 

Many years ago, it's a solid hotel. Look at booking.com the ratings always worked for me.
But If you want to visit the LB bars, why a Hotel at Soi 2. Better one at Soi 6, 8, 10 or 11.

I stay very close to Soi 11, so working through the huge selection of restaurants.
Had a Pork Katsu Burger at Artisan Craft Burgers, just a few doors down from Bang Bang Burgers (which I prefer) across the road from Hillary 11. The pork burger for 330Bant, not cheap, was so so. Nice slab of deep fried pork and some coleslaw which was pretty tasteless. I might go back and try their classic beef burger but plenty more restaurants to try

After lots of fucking about I settled on a 2000 baht test at Dr Donna Robinson's clinic. I called to make an appointment but was told to do it online, medconsultbangkok.com
The online booking system won't accept bookings within 24 hrs so I called back. No problem just turn up as a walk in, pretty sure I've read they are doing appointment only but I'm up for trying.
If you do the test before 10am it is results that evening, between 8 & 10 pm
15 mins walk from Phrom Phong BTS and I'm there at 08:40. Bit busy and manic as  a couple of large families are just in front of me but as I'm a walk in there's an online application to make. After that join queue to pay and although it clearly says cards and electronic payments only they are definitely taking cash. By  the time I've paid I'm straight in to get one swab up one nostril and it is done.
So out of there in 20 mins and negative result, which is a good result, in my inbox at 17:15
No fucking about and no extra charge for fit to fly paperwork shit.
Highly recommended.

https://www.pulse-clinic.com/syphilis/
Went there for HIV Test (500THB) recently, the counseling lady advised me to also to take a Syphilis Test (500THB as well for basic  Test).
HIV was negative but to my big surprise Syphilis was positive (I didn't have symptoms or better said I didn't recognized them as symptoms)
The proceedings were very swift and straightforward (they don't want people saying they will come back later and then not showing up), basically its a 1-stop Shop.
Some more details
1. I showed up on a weekday without appointment (you can make an appointment via their website), downstairs is a reception where you have to register (just name/age/email)
2. They ask what Test or Counseling you want and then you get a paper with a queue Number (just like when you got a Bank here)
3. Downstairs is also a very cozy lobby where you have to wait before being called upstairs where the Counter is, Counselors are and Tests etc are taken, the lobby looks more like a pub with dimmed lights. There were TVs on with educational info, when I was there they showed a program about PreP (in English) and also one about gay boys and practicing safe sex (in Thai).
4. After 20 min I was called upstairs and led by a young lady to a counseling room (no windows, very discrete), the lady asked me a couple of questions regarding my previous experiences, tests and recent sexual encounters, all info was put in a computer.
5. After agreeing which test to take another lady came to take blood (just from fingertip), within 10 min the test results came back.
6. After the results were told to me another Counselor joined to discuss treatment (antibiotics) and further blood testing (VDLR/RPR).
7. Besides the blood test I also took an allergy test for penicillin (that would be the antibiotic for treatment)
8. Results of the VDLR/RPR blood test would be emailed the next day and the results of the allergy test were checked on my arm (a punction was made there) and was negative.
9. Shortly after that I was given the penicillin injection in my buttocks (the first of 3, each on weekly rotation). Before the injection they gave me some pills to would suppress the side effects of the injection.
10. The whole procedure took less then 60 minutes, it was from my point of view very professional, medical license info was also visible.
11. Cost for the tests and 1st injection were 3300 THB, the 2 follow up injections are 1300 Baht each.
12. When I was a the counter upstairs I also witnessed 2 'patients' who (probably) took a stash of Prep with them (14-15k THB) for 3 months it was I think, it was very visible around there (posters etc) that Prep was available for sale.
13. I saw 1 farang(M)-Thai(F) couple, the other 'patients' were single (gay) males,about 80% Asian would i say.
My advice: If you plan to got a clinic for a STD Test then consider including a syphilis test as well.
Cheers
T.
P.S. I'm not affiliated with this clinic, have no commercial interests in it and only wrote this post as informational without judgements or offending anyone; prices / procedures can also vary so please don't tie me on it.
Also I will not disclose more specifics on my case (please don't ask), it should suffice that my impressions and the procedure are described.

If I'm in the mood for a simple and quick lunch I like to go to Ippudo for some of their excellent Ramen. There are a number of Ippudo restaurants across town, I like the one on the 5th floor of the Emporium Mall best. The spicy gyoza is fantastic and the Tom Yum Ramen is memorable...  http://www.ippudo.co.th/en/


 
If you like Spanish food and you like dining with a view than look no further than Uno Mas. It's located on the 54th floor of the Centara Grand hotel at Central World ( BTS station Siam Square). They have a stunning array of tapas and a Spanish wine selection that is more than excellent at very competitive prices. Best is to order 5 or 6 different tapas as the portions are quite generous and forget about the main dishes. I dined here just last week with Shyguyuk, a fellow foodie, and we were both more than impressed   http://www.unomasbangkok.com/
 




 
Probably my favourite restaurant in Bangkok is No Idea in Sukhumvit soi 22. It labels itself as a 'gastro pub' but I reckon they're too modest with that description. The place is run by owner Dave, a Kiwi who is a retired 747 captain with Cathay Pacific, and his wife who does the cooking. The atmosphere is very relaxed, the food is outstanding and the selection of wine is one of the best in Bangkok. They have great wines by the glass like Alexana, an excellent Pinot Noir from Oregon, as well as a huge bottle selection of both New World and traditional wines. The cheeseboard here for me is the best in Bangkok, 590b for a selection of 8 different cheeses is truly great value for money.  http://www.noideabkk.com/
 

http://www.dhotelpattaya.com/

Ok so I know this in the Bangkok forum but I thought it might be useful to post a hotel review of a place in Pattaya for those who are interested.

For the size of the room, the cleanliness etc the place was pretty cheap I thought. Below are the standard rates but was a bit cheaper online.

 
There is a 2000THB deposit when you checkin, to be honest I had completely forgotten about it when I checked out and they reminded me which was nice.

It was very ladyboy friendly, I only ever took one at a time and there was no fee.
 
The room service (food) was ok and it was close to all the action on Soi Buakhao. There are frankly ladyboys everywhere in this area.

There is a laundry directly opposite the hotel (it was cheap enough but not as cheap as the one on soi 4, Nana that charges per bag instead of per item).

You get a couple free bottles of water each day, and if you get up too late for room cleaning they leave fresh towels and more water outside your door.

There are a couple of convenience stores nearby, as well as a Tesco and TT Exchange place.
It is actually hard to think of anything negative.

I didn't use the pool so can't comment on that but looked good.




 
Shower is electric but was fine:

 
I stayed in two rooms at the hotel and both had a balcony with a table, chairs and ashtray that could be taken outside(I don't smoke but useful if you have a ladyboy that does).

 
No mini bar but coffee...


 
Free Wifi was fine.

 
Safe was big enough for a laptop:

 

Fogus from Sensations that is just round the corner who I spent most of my time with: