Sawasdee Hotel @ Sukhumvit Soi 8 in Bangkok

Terrible Experience – Incompetent and Rude Staff!

I can’t even begin to describe how awful my stay was at this hotel, mainly because of the appalling behavior of the reception staff. I rarely leave reviews, but after the way I was treated here, I feel compelled to warn others to stay far, far away.

Upon arrival, we were met by the receptionist who clearly didn’t want to be bothered. No greeting, no smile—just a cold, uninterested look. He barely acknowledged us as we walked up to the desk, and when he finally did, he acted like checking us in was the last thing he wanted to do. I tried to make small talk, and he couldn’t have been more dismissive if he tried. It honestly felt like I was interrupting his personal time, not checking into a hotel.

To make matters worse, once we got to our room, we had a problem with the hot water and the air conditioning. When we went back to the front desk to report it, the same receptionist barely looked up from his phone. He muttered something about “maintenance coming later,” with zero sense of urgency or any sort of apology. No offer to change rooms, no acknowledgment that we were inconvenienced—just complete indifference.

I asked to speak to the manager, and that’s when things went from bad to worse. The manager’s attitude was as if we were the ones doing something wrong by requesting basic amenities be functional. When I explained the issues, she just shrugged and said, “It’s not our fault. You should’ve checked the room better before you booked.” Absolutely no empathy, no professionalism. She made it clear that they weren’t interested in fixing the problem or even trying to make things right.

It’s honestly hard to believe a place with such awful customer service can even stay in business. The hotel itself is fine, but the staff—particularly the receptionist and the manager—are the worst I’ve encountered in years of traveling. If you want to be treated with respect and actually get what you paid for, do yourself a favor and avoid this place at all costs. There are far better options in the area, and they’ll actually value your business. This one clearly doesn’t.

Sawasdee is located on Soi 8, Sukhumvit, about 750 meters from the main road in a quiet neighborhood. For the low price quoted on various hotel booking platforms, it offers decent value. However, the rooms do not match the images shown on the booking sites. While the room color and bed linen are clean and pleasant, the rooms are not suitable for families or couples with luggage. They are cramped, with little space to store luggage, as the room is filled with beds, leaving only a narrow passage between them. The wardrobe door cannot be fully opened due to the limited space.

It’s quite unpleasant to find the wash basin immediately upon opening the door, something not typically seen in a decent hotel room. The bathroom is narrow but manageable. These rooms seem to have been designed for single occupants, and the space is inadequate for two people with luggage. However, it’s ideal for solo travelers with a backpack or small suitcase for a short stay.

The staff is inflexible, and the rudeness of both the manager and receptionist is noticeable. Oddly, they charge an additional deposit for issuing a second room key. The management tends to avoid giving direct answers to customer service issues, often being dishonest. Be cautious when booking low-budget hotels like this, as they may not deliver what they promise on reservation sites.

The hotel offers an electric buggy service, but it only operates until 6 p.m. The breakfast is fair, though the menu remains the same every day. All plug points are the narrow 3-pin type, so phone and laptop chargers require adapters, which the hotel does not provide.