First off, The Thomson Residence is not a hotel, it is a serviced apartment. So you can't compare it to a standard hotel, nor should you expect your stay to be that of a hotel. Serviced apartments are great for families, especially those with young children, or for those needing a home away from home for an extended period of time, or for those people who simply want something more in a hotel. It is exactly as described - an actual residence, that gets serviced daily. You can choose from any size, from a small studio apartment to a massive 4 bedroom. Each apartment has a full kitchen with cooking and eating utensils, a clothes washer, ironing board and iron, microwave, free internet, table and chairs, etc. Basically everything you would expect if you were moving into a fully furnished apartment, except that this apartment gets cleaned every day.
As we were on a tight budget, we chose a studio with separate beds and a baby cot. That made for a cozy stay, but overall we were quite comfortable. We had a two-burner stove, normal size clothes washer / combination dryer, a good sized refrigerator, large microwave, some pots and pans, and place settings for two (two small plates, two large plates, two bowls, 4 glasses, plenty of silverware and cooking utensils). They also had a hot water maker and upon request brought us a small rice cooker.
The bathrooms in the studio are a bit small, but nicely and stylishly equipped. My only complaint with both the kitchen sink and bathroom sink is that whoever built the place didn't pay much attention to which direction the faucets should turn. So when you thought you were turning the hot water off, you were actually turning it up and vice versa. And the cold water was the opposite. Very confusing.
We had a beautiful large screen TV, free wifi internet that was decently fast, and a table with two chairs. Again, ideal for traveling with kids. We were able to buy baby food and other things from the grocery store and eat at home. The biggest plus was the washing machine - it made things so easy. Baby messed up his clothes? No big deal, throw it in the wash. They even included a hanging clothes dryer that we used on the balcony.
Service was very good, from the security guards at the gate to the young ladies working the front desk. Always helpful, smiling, and ready to assist.
The drawbacks:
Thomson Residence is located in the Bangna district of Bangkok, pretty far from downtown. A taxi to downtown would be rather expensive and take you quite a bit of time through traffic. Taxis to On Nut BTS station run about THB 100+ and that's the best option for getting around. However, once the new BTS Skytrain stations open up, you should only be a mere 5 minute taxi ride away from the newer BTS station. It is almost within walking distance to BITEC, the big exhibition center, so for those businessmen out there it would be a very convenient option if attending a trade show at BITEC. The very nice Central Mall is only 5 minutes away by taxi which is good for shopping and other things; they have a Tops grocery store on the bottom floor, a very nice movie theater on the top floor, and tons of restaurants and shopping in between. You are also only about 10-20 minutes away, depending on traffic, to the even larger Seacon Square mall, and only about 20-30 minutes away from the airport.
Another drawback is that they are right next door to a very popular outdoor Chinese-themed restaurant. Not a big deal, except this restaurant has a very loud dinner show nightly, that starts around 7pm or so and lasts until 9pm. Luckily we were out most of the time and only getting home at 9pm, but when we were home early it was a bit annoying, although not too bad with all the windows closed. Just something to keep in mind for those who retire to bed early.
Also, I assume because they are fairly new and business is a bit slow, the front desk is not staffed at night. Once 8pm rolls around, the only help you have are the security guards. They are very helpful indeed and will let you in, help with bags, flag taxis, etc., but their English skills are limited.
Other than that, this is an excellent choice for those looking for a serviced apartment that won't break the bank. Or for those looking for a convenient location near BITEC or the airport and don't mind taking a long BTS or taxi ride into downtown.
