Turning in for the night - Merlin Lodge Hotel

Upon leaving the Rock Pub, I made a quick call to the Merlin Lodge Hotel, upon suggestion by my girlfriend, who had stayed there previously.

Merlin Lodge Hotel

The Merlin Lodge is a small budget hotel and guest-house on the corner of Sukhumvit 64 (a road you will get to know VERY well if you ever come to Bangkok.). The owner, Ken, is and Indian expat, speaks English, French, Dutch, Thai, Mandarin and Hindi, and is the highlight of your stay there. Not only is he an invaluable source of information for a new arrival, he is also helpful above and beyond the call of duty.


As one guest said of him, "He was immediately likeable and over the few days we stayed there he was always available and full of helpful local information, far more than the standard tourist stuff.". Couldn't have said it better myself.

Entrance to the lodge.

As it stands, the entire hotel is undergoing a tediously slow renovation, the first floor is being upgraded with an internet cafe / sandwich shop, and the top floor is being renovated into a bar / entertainment area.


The rooms are standard fare however, single or double bed(or the dorm rooms), cable TV, en-suite bathroom with hot water, and free wi-fi. Rooms are non-smoking due to new regulations by the Ministry of Health. The lower floors used to be non-smoking, but the top floors were smoker-friendly. If you want to grab a midnight fag you'll have to climb up to the 6th floor onto the roof. The view at night is still something to behold amongst the tools and laundry.


The location during the day is perfect, as it's right outside the Punnawithi BTS, so you can zoom to almost anywhere in town at the drop of a hat. Getting back after twelve however you will have to take a taxi back, as the hotel is quite a ways down Sukhumvit. If you want to explore the area, head down to the Siam Paradise Night Bazaar, night market and Beer and Food Garden.


My rating: 7/10
If you're new to Bangkok and are staying for more than a week or two, I would highly recommend you make this your first stop - if you don't judge a book by it's cover. Take the time to share a beer with Ken and he'll put you through a crash course of do's and dont's, teach you some basic Thai, and give you a list of place to check out, both on and off the beaten path.