Yes, I went to Bangkok for some senseless shopping and cafehopping once again to celebrate my new found (1 week's worth of) unemployment!
This time round, I found another interesting looking boutique hotel, Cacha Hotel, located around the Pratunam area, along Petchburi Road and about 15 minutes walk from Ratchathewi BTS. Though not conveniently located at the 'best' area (eg. in the middle of pratuman market), you can still get to major shopping places like Pratunam and Siam area on foot.
But we did cabbed to Pratunam Market on our last day in Bangkok (to save time) and it cost us 40 baht on meter.
And true to some reviews I've found along the way, the concierge isn't the most welcoming one you can find, but they're also not the most lacking in courtesy I've experienced. Something to note is the luggage deposit right beside the concierge counter. There's no form of acknowledgement or registration to deposit or withdraw your luggage and on both times we collected our luggage, the staff at the concierge didn't even bother to give us a look. So, to be on the safe side, keep all your valuables with you while you leave your belongings at their luggage deposit.
Didn't get to try their in-house cafe food as our reservation does not come with breakfast. But due to their location, there's really no need to get their breakfast as there's a cluster of hippie eating places right beside Ratchathewi BTS and if you believe your stomach is strong enough, you can try out the entire stretch of roadside stalls that lined the way from the BTS station to Cacha Hotel.
Cacha actually means "elephant" in Thai, which explains the hotel logo and many other motifs of elephant all around the hotel. The hotel was converted from an old shophouse, and combines the unique style of the industrial look of modern Thai design with the rustic charm of wooden logs taken from an old railway, which were used to build their hand-drilled bed heads, floors and rooftop.
To create a truly unique and atmospheric art hotel, Cacha collaborated with 7 renowned SEA street artists to create the beautiful artwork featured in all the rooms and public areas of the hotel.
Really love the motif on the wall.
And the rustic bedside lamp that is on a rotating hinge.
The bathroom comes equipped with shower gel and shampoo, but no shower caps, toothbrushes or toothpaste were provided.
The hot water was exceptionally easy to tweak, and the temperature transition smooth and comfortable. I know how exasperating it can be when the shower either wants to cook you alive or freeze you to death.
Other than having no bathtub, one item we wished we had was the mini fridge. Other than not being able to have icy cold drinks at any time we fancy, the deluxe room we had was really nice, clean and comfortable. Although there's no fanciful selection of TV channels on the TV, we were still able to enjoy clear channels of HBO, AXN, and Discovery (however, with the programmes dubbed in Thai).
The room also got slightly too dim at night (there should be another ceiling light above the bed for a more comfortable LUX level) and we cannot possibly keep the curtains opened as we're only on the 2nd storey and our balcony faces the driveway of the neighbouring building, stationed with a security guard/traffic controller all ready to make eye contact and wave hello at you.
But, just the slight dimness and lack of cold drinks readily available doesn't minus off much brownie points Cacha Hotel has earned with their unique blend of art, modern Thai design and timeless local culture, and the tranquil peacefulness of the whole hotel in general. T really appreciate the tranquility of the place after staying at Baiyoke Sky Suites during his previous Bangkok trip. (Hint: Snatching places in the lift with tons of rowdy Chinese tourists)
Cacha Art Hotel Bangkok is located at 156/5-9 Petchburi Road, Ratchathewi.
For more information, visit their website HERE
For booking of Cacha Hotel, visit booking.com, hotels.com, agoda.com or expedia.com for better deals!
Till then,
Mia Foo