Nana Hotel

[bob4you]

Dynasty Hotel gets my vote and business. Easy enough to walk across the street to the disco or Nana parking lot for action.

[Ulysses G.]

i prefer my rosy world of university educated Thais and The Emporium

There are tons of knocking shops all around Washington Square and the Emporium that aren't bad, but the "University (of Patpong) educated" girls are not any more attractive than in the Nana area. I guess to each his own.

Edited March 29, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[howtoescape]

Nana Hotel is an absolute flee pit, i stayed there 1 night a few years ago and had to check out first thing as the room was a tad too smelly, the bar attached to it is the best place in the world for people watching IMO.

I stay at the Nana every time I visit Bangkok.

Clean rooms with a fridge, good aircon and English TV, a nice, clean swimming pool and huge jakuzzi and huge, free buffet breakfast for about 1,300 and right in the middle of everything and crawling with freindly girls.

Nowhere else comes close for the price!

It does sound more appealing when you put it like that all for 20 quid.

Other people have told me the same thing maybe the room i got was just a bad one, but it was enough to put me off for good.

[Ulysses G.]

In general, they are very clean, but slightly run down. If you need a brand new, modern hotel room, you would want to look elsewhere.

I look for clean with the convienieces that I enjoy at a reasonable price before anything else.

[realmadrid25]

i have been to ratachada many times and have never had anyone walk up to me on the street and offer me sex. i'm not sure which non tourist areas you are talking about where this happens. what do you mean "major restaurant vicinities"?

All I can say to that one is, you are either walking in the middle of the road, or as ugly as a bent shovel.

I'm no oil painting, but I get propositioned in MBK, Emporium on the Skytrain and on just about every street in Bangkok.

By way of a change I stayed out at a small Thai hotel a while ago in the back blocks of Pahonyathin, and there wasn't a foreigner within miles. I got back to my room late, and the floor duty maid asked where was my girlfriend. I replied I didn't have one and was here on business. "I can have one here in ten minutes" she said.....I was closer to eight when she arrived

No matter where you go......You will get asked!!!

Yes I do stay at the Nana on occasions

propositioned on the sky train huh? lol

[chiang mai]

i have been to ratachada many times and have never had anyone walk up to me on the street and offer me sex. i'm not sure which non tourist areas you are talking about where this happens. what do you mean "major restaurant vicinities"?

All I can say to that one is, you are either walking in the middle of the road, or as ugly as a bent shovel.

I'm no oil painting, but I get propositioned in MBK, Emporium on the Skytrain and on just about every street in Bangkok.

By way of a change I stayed out at a small Thai hotel a while ago in the back blocks of Pahonyathin, and there wasn't a foreigner within miles. I got back to my room late, and the floor duty maid asked where was my girlfriend. I replied I didn't have one and was here on business. "I can have one here in ten minutes" she said.....I was closer to eight when she arrived

No matter where you go......You will get asked!!!

Yes I do stay at the Nana on occasions

propositioned on the sky train huh? lol

Just because a female says, excuse me, that does not constitute a proposition - but given you were only eight at the time, I think I understand your confusion.

[Ulysses G.]

Just because a female says, excuse me, that does not constitute a proposition

In Bangkok, it usually does.

Are you sure that you've really been there?

[realmadrid25]

lol, you guys are probably popping the viagra before the plane even lands. so how often do the flight attendants proposition you for a quickie in the bathroom? with so many options, you'd think i'd see you every now and then with someone who didn't so closely resemble swamp thing. sadly, i am mid twenties and athletic, thus too ugly and unacceptable to be offered a whore in the emporium. such a pity as i could really kill some time during movie previews.

[mbkudu]

tons of Thais speaking broken english to tourists trying to sell them stuff

kids coming up to you with flowers when they should be in school

an above average number of beggars missing limbs, etc, since its a tourist area the begging mafia sets up all the hard cases and the women who has a different baby every other week who has a new puppy every other week

the smell of urine

unattractive, abrasive young women yelling at you.

one tout after another offering you sex

too many tourists walking around drunk talking about what they did last night, or what they are going to do shortly when the BTS security guard interrupts them to say that they have to throw away their beer leo before boarding the train.

too many tourists stumbling around with girls who look miserable next to them.

All the Thais in this area are there to make money off of tourists. it makes for a nauseating experience.

You forgot to mention the survey idiots that are relentless. Just put your phone up to your ear when you pass them and pretend you have a call. They won't say a word. works for me every time.

[chiang mai]

lol, you guys are probably popping the viagra before the plane even lands. so how often do the flight attendants proposition you for a quickie in the bathroom? with so many options, you'd think i'd see you every now and then with someone who didn't so closely resemble swamp thing. sadly, i am mid twenties and athletic, thus too ugly and unacceptable to be offered a whore in the emporium. such a pity as i could really kill some time during movie previews.

The operative word being, "sadly".

UG, don't you have an appropriate title you could mail order the lad?

[chiang mai]

tons of Thais speaking broken english to tourists trying to sell them stuff

kids coming up to you with flowers when they should be in school

an above average number of beggars missing limbs, etc, since its a tourist area the begging mafia sets up all the hard cases and the women who has a different baby every other week who has a new puppy every other week

the smell of urine

unattractive, abrasive young women yelling at you.

one tout after another offering you sex

too many tourists walking around drunk talking about what they did last night, or what they are going to do shortly when the BTS security guard interrupts them to say that they have to throw away their beer leo before boarding the train.

too many tourists stumbling around with girls who look miserable next to them.

All the Thais in this area are there to make money off of tourists. it makes for a nauseating experience.

You forgot to mention the survey idiots that are relentless. Just put your phone up to your ear when you pass them and pretend you have a call. They won't say a word. works for me every time.

Why the anguish, effort and masquerade? Why not just keep on walking and ignore them?

[Spaniel]

Overall it's a bit of a dump. The buffet breakfast is pretty good and included in the price of the room which I think now is around B1200. For the sex tourist it's heaven. It's been many years since I've stayed there but I remember the first time in 1968 it was B70 a night and they gave you a glass of coke when you checked in.

[taxexile]

1968 it was B70 a night and they gave you a glass of coke when you checked in.

back then it was a classy joint.

Edited March 29, 2008 by taxexile

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

I guess I risk sounding both nerdy and boring (and if you know me, you know I do not care about that), but I find the Nana area to be very tired, filthy and unattractive. I hear the Nana hotel has a very nice breakfast buffet, but I cannot comment, since I have only stayed there 2 nites in 1983. If you like the nitelife around Nana, I think the Nana Hotel (The Mothership) is for you, nothing wrong with that. Otherwise I would recommend going just a few sois up, to Ploenchit road. No hookers, no tailor touts, no tourists, basically clean and quiet. For many boring, for us: Bliss!

[chiang mai]

Just to be clear that we're all on the same page, this thread is no longer about the Nana Hotel but has moved on to examine realmadrid25's fantasies and to offer appropriate advice and guidance as to how he might once again be able to lead a normal life so please be supportive.

[Ulysses G.]

lol, you guys are probably popping the viagra before the plane even lands. so how often do the flight attendants proposition you for a quickie in the bathroom? with so many options, you'd think i'd see you every now and then with someone who didn't so closely resemble swamp thing. sadly, i am mid twenties and athletic, thus too ugly and unacceptable to be offered a whore in the emporium. such a pity as i could really kill some time during movie previews.

The operative word being, "sadly".

UG, don't you have an appropriate title you could mail order the lad?

How about "1,001 Fantasies for the Socially Inept"?

[howtoescape]

i am mid twenties and athletic

There are ony 9 people on the internet who arent mid twenties, athletic with a 6 figure salary and i know 4 of them.

[t.s]

i don't know how anyone could stand to go anywhere near lower sukhumwit. absolutely disgusting.

Why?

i live and work on lower sukhumvit. i am also raising a daughter there.

thankfully, my experience differs from yours.

that said, there are plenty of other places to stay that offer the same value for money. it all depends what you are looking for

Edited March 29, 2008 by t.s

[IMA_FARANG]

following on from a previous thread concerning stereotypes and prejudices my mind wandered to this much maligned landmark, a truly unique hotel in terms of its patrons, race colour creed or religion are irrelevant visitors drawn from all over the world, meeting, mixing and coexisting in a common purpose that must be the envy of the united nations, proving indeed that man can live side by side, perhaps even serving as a role model for many of the worlds trouble spots.

now my question is, when you hear someone is staying at the nana hotel, what is your first reaction,

a, a smirk followed by a wry smile.

b. omg, a cheap charlie how can you stay in such a dump, is this based on hearsay or actual experience of the hotel? lets remember for some visitors its not exactly cheap, and the true cheap charlies would probably be stuck in some flop house or flea pit hotel resembling uncle rays guest house,(for those who dont remember, it was located at the back of the dynasty inn) another now long gone retreat for the financially challenged

c. sex tourist?, bear in mind the hotel was there before the fantasy world of the nana plaza.

d. oh you poor thing?, get out of there asap, and take it up with your travel agent when you return home, they have no scruples if they sent you there.

i must admit, my initial reactions would be a followed by c, does this make me a bigot, do i need some sort of professional therapy to cure me of such prejudices?

are there any other reactions i may have missed?

I wouldn't stay in the Nana, mainly because I don't care to keep beating off the touts, pimps, and such that are all around.

For one thing, I am in my middle 60's, where as the saying goes it takes me all night to do what I used to do all night.

But remember, I'm the one that corrected the post about going into the Thermae through the toliet. Many nights spent there.

There are/were a lot of hotels lower than the Nana however. Friend of mine had his Thai wife pick out a hotel in BKK for a one night stopover before they went upcountry (they were from Korat). She didn't know BKK, but she knew he wanted a cheap hotel. Without realizing it, she got him one of those 1 hour specials (rooms rented by the hour). He arrived from the airport and when he got to the hotel he was very surprised at what she had picked. She had a lot of explaining to him of why she picked that hotel.

[cathyy]

As another fat, middle-aged western woman let me tell you what I think about staying at the Nana with my husband.

The location is marvelous. It's close to BTS, the US Embassy, a Villa, several of my favorite places to eat, and close to the expensive shopping should I ever come unhinged enough to like shopping. The rooms are acceptable, a bit run-down as previously mentioned, but clean. The food in the restaurant there is quite good. The breakfast is included in the room cost, and is the typical buffet sans cook making eggs to order. (A failing I'd love to see addressed, actually.) You get a coupon for a free drink in the bar when you check in. All the taxi drivers know where it is. It's easy to get to going either direction on Sukhumvit if you know the shortcut through Bumrungrad.

The lobby is the best part of the Nana to me. If you stay regularly you'll get to know some of the long term visitors living there. They'll chat with you and are quite nice people. Others have their sex radar scanning at all times, and simply don't see you, if you are not a target. Others do a blatant ignore thing, even to a civil greeting, because they are afflicted with the Western-woman hatred thing. It's quite an interesting variety of people there, and that's just the sexpats. There are ordinary tourists, too, families on holiday there. I really enjoy staying there.

[zzdocxx]

Just to be clear that we're all on the same page, this thread is no longer about the Nana Hotel but has moved on to examine realmadrid25's fantasies and to offer appropriate advice and guidance as to how he might once again be able to lead a normal life so please be supportive.

A recurring theme (obsession).

[cobra]

tons of Thais speaking broken english to tourists trying to sell them stuff

kids coming up to you with flowers when they should be in school

an above average number of beggars missing limbs, etc, since its a tourist area the begging mafia sets up all the hard cases and the women who has a different baby every other week who has a new puppy every other week

the smell of urine

unattractive, abrasive young women yelling at you.

one tout after another offering you sex

too many tourists walking around drunk talking about what they did last night, or what they are going to do shortly when the BTS security guard interrupts them to say that they have to throw away their beer leo before boarding the train.

too many tourists stumbling around with girls who look miserable next to them.

All the Thais in this area are there to make money off of tourists. it makes for a nauseating experience.

Well don't sugar coat it, tell it like it is,

[Monroe]

Sex and suggestive behavior don't seem all that bad to me compared to violence. Yet, there seems to be some sort of societal taboo against them--even in places where violence is relatively acceptable.

Do I find the Nana to be horrible and unbearable? Not really.

Have I been to the Nana hotel? Yes, back when I was 14 or so and I found it alright.

It's not the cleanest place ever, but it looks nice at night and the bathrooms are clean. I've been to the Four Seasons and the Mandarin (not just in Thailand =), but there's more fun to be had down on Sukhumvit. That is, unless you're into putting on airs.

[Ulysses G.]

As another fat, middle-aged western woman let me tell you what I think about staying at the Nana with my husband.

The location is marvelous. It's close to BTS, the US Embassy, a Villa, several of my favorite places to eat, and close to the expensive shopping should I ever come unhinged enough to like shopping. The rooms are acceptable, a bit run-down as previously mentioned, but clean. The food in the restaurant there is quite good. The breakfast is included in the room cost, and is the typical buffet sans cook making eggs to order. (A failing I'd love to see addressed, actually.) You get a coupon for a free drink in the bar when you check in. All the taxi drivers know where it is. It's easy to get to going either direction on Sukhumvit if you know the shortcut through Bumrungrad.

The lobby is the best part of the Nana to me. If you stay regularly you'll get to know some of the long term visitors living there. They'll chat with you and are quite nice people. Others have their sex radar scanning at all times, and simply don't see you, if you are not a target. Others do a blatant ignore thing, even to a civil greeting, because they are afflicted with the Western-woman hatred thing. It's quite an interesting variety of people there, and that's just the sexpats. There are ordinary tourists, too, families on holiday there. I really enjoy staying there.

Sounds like a Western woman who is well worth having around!

[grantbkk]

I know some tourists that will only stay at the Nana Hotel and never have a bad experience. Personally it is a bit spartan for me but others seem to like it. The number one reason I think is the location. Right in the middle of a nightlife area with access to others. I live in the lower Sukhumvit area and the touts do become tedious at times. I can see why the born again English teachers are outraged after they settle down with the BG the probably found in my neighborhood. Pure guilt. They don't want to be reminded that they once were out there having fun too.

[chiang mai]

As another fat, middle-aged western woman let me tell you what I think about staying at the Nana with my husband.

The location is marvelous. It's close to BTS, the US Embassy, a Villa, several of my favorite places to eat, and close to the expensive shopping should I ever come unhinged enough to like shopping. The rooms are acceptable, a bit run-down as previously mentioned, but clean. The food in the restaurant there is quite good. The breakfast is included in the room cost, and is the typical buffet sans cook making eggs to order. (A failing I'd love to see addressed, actually.) You get a coupon for a free drink in the bar when you check in. All the taxi drivers know where it is. It's easy to get to going either direction on Sukhumvit if you know the shortcut through Bumrungrad.

The lobby is the best part of the Nana to me. If you stay regularly you'll get to know some of the long term visitors living there. They'll chat with you and are quite nice people. Others have their sex radar scanning at all times, and simply don't see you, if you are not a target. Others do a blatant ignore thing, even to a civil greeting, because they are afflicted with the Western-woman hatred thing. It's quite an interesting variety of people there, and that's just the sexpats. There are ordinary tourists, too, families on holiday there. I really enjoy staying there.

Sounds like a Western woman who is well worth having around!

Agreed 100%

[siamamerican]

As another fat, middle-aged western woman let me tell you what I think about staying at the Nana with my husband.

The location is marvelous. It's close to BTS, the US Embassy, a Villa, several of my favorite places to eat, and close to the expensive shopping should I ever come unhinged enough to like shopping. The rooms are acceptable, a bit run-down as previously mentioned, but clean. The food in the restaurant there is quite good. The breakfast is included in the room cost, and is the typical buffet sans cook making eggs to order. (A failing I'd love to see addressed, actually.) You get a coupon for a free drink in the bar when you check in. All the taxi drivers know where it is. It's easy to get to going either direction on Sukhumvit if you know the shortcut through Bumrungrad.

The lobby is the best part of the Nana to me. If you stay regularly you'll get to know some of the long term visitors living there. They'll chat with you and are quite nice people. Others have their sex radar scanning at all times, and simply don't see you, if you are not a target. Others do a blatant ignore thing, even to a civil greeting, because they are afflicted with the Western-woman hatred thing. It's quite an interesting variety of people there, and that's just the sexpats. There are ordinary tourists, too, families on holiday there. I really enjoy staying there.

Sounds like a Western woman who is well worth having around!

Agreed 100%

Never stayed there, but always is my first stop after getting in on the 1am flight from the US. The taxi drivers always know where it is and it is an interesting start to my vacation. Great place to people watch and wind down after the long flight. Met some interesting people that I probably wouldn't associate with back home, but in Rome...

[zorro1]

As another fat, middle-aged western woman let me tell you what I think about staying at the Nana with my husband.

The location is marvelous. It's close to BTS, the US Embassy, a Villa, several of my favorite places to eat, and close to the expensive shopping should I ever come unhinged enough to like shopping. The rooms are acceptable, a bit run-down as previously mentioned, but clean. The food in the restaurant there is quite good. The breakfast is included in the room cost, and is the typical buffet sans cook making eggs to order. (A failing I'd love to see addressed, actually.) You get a coupon for a free drink in the bar when you check in. All the taxi drivers know where it is. It's easy to get to going either direction on Sukhumvit if you know the shortcut through Bumrungrad.

The lobby is the best part of the Nana to me. If you stay regularly you'll get to know some of the long term visitors living there. They'll chat with you and are quite nice people. Others have their sex radar scanning at all times, and simply don't see you, if you are not a target. Others do a blatant ignore thing, even to a civil greeting, because they are afflicted with the Western-woman hatred thing. It's quite an interesting variety of people there, and that's just the sexpats. There are ordinary tourists, too, families on holiday there. I really enjoy staying there.

Sounds like a Western woman who is well worth having around!

Agreed 100%

Never stayed there, but always is my first stop after getting in on the 1am flight from the US. The taxi drivers always know where it is and it is an interesting start to my vacation. Great place to people watch and wind down after the long flight. Met some interesting people that I probably wouldn't associate with back home, but in Rome...

Met a bloke down at the beer garden who is A CEO to the largest company importing high quality industrial equipment INTO China. He Stays at the Nana. Spent a week with my G/f in his 1.5u.s mill Penthouse in Kamala. You can never judge a book by its cover. Its an amazing ,strange and interesting bunch of people in that foyer just walk up and have a chat. I could stay at the Marriott next door but how boooooring...

[polecat]

free buffet breakfast for about 1,300

So it's not free then, is it. Were you that guy who got a free flight to LAX with a 40,000 baht packet of peanuts?

By the way, I'm with the Lower Sukhumvit is a stinky garbage-dump gang.

PS - I'm sexy as hel_l, and I've never been propositioned on the BTS. Dammit.

[dumspero]

I've never stayed at the Nana either. Usually stay at the Amari over across the road because it assuages my Western guilt to be snubbed by the Arabs in the elevators. (I also used to like it when my ex-wfie couldn't get in the hotel until I came down or they called me and I said it was ok. Needless to say she wasn't as impressed.)

But I do enjoy strolling over to the Nana Hotel. And have to confess to pouring beer and rubbing grime on my clothes so I have enogh cred to claim to be a guest there.