A Simple and Easy Guide to Renting a Service Apartment in Bangkok, Thailand

What are the best areas of Bangkok to rent?- 24 Hour Security
What facilities and services can I expect from a- Room Service/Errand Boy
Bangkok serviced apartment? What are the best4 Facilities That Should Be Included
and worst serviced apartments in Bangkok? Read- Restaurant
on to learn the answers to these questions and- Gym
much more in my simple and easy guide to- Pool
renting a serviced apartment in Bangkok for- Convenience Store
expats and travelers.The Loopholes: Length of Stay, Deposits and
Bangkok is the Center of Southeast AsiaElectricity
As the commercial center of Thailand and the hubIf you are staying for a month or year, the
of business and leisure travel within Southeastserviced apartment may charge you for
Asia, Bangkok has exceptional hotels of all kindselectricity. Make sure that you negotiate this price
catering to the business elite and casual traveler.to 6.5 Baht/Unit. A lot of times the apartment
Recently, a new kind of accommodation hasowners will charge 8 Baht/Unit for more profit.
gained favor with business executives on shortThey only pay 3 or 4 Baht/Unit.
stays in Bangkok--the luxury serviced apartment.Be careful when signing leases; most require a 2
With increased commercial expansion over themonth deposit, and if you move out before your
past several years, serviced apartments arecontract is finished you forfeit this deposit.
quickly becoming the favorite choice of living styleMake sure the serviced apartment has a laundry
for their affordable luxury.service, either in house or out of house. Most
What is a Serviced Apartment?serviced apartments have coin operated laundry
The serviced part of the equation usually refersrooms as well as pick up services. More deluxe
to the daily or twice weekly cleaning of yoursuites will have washing machine in the room. Note
room, the furniture, kitchen amenities and so onthat most places do not have dryers.
that normal apartments do not include. SomeHow much Should I Pay?
service apartments also function as hotels, andThis is a difficult question to answer, but the
these are called Aparthotels.more facilities a serviced apartment has, the
What's So Special About Bangkok Servicedmore it will cost. If a serviced apartment has a
Apartments?pool, gym and also functions as a 24 hour hotel,
Real estate and relocation agents believe Bangkokthen the monthly price will be above 30,000 Baht.
has the most number of sophisticated apartmentsLocation also has a large part to do with cost of a
the world has to offer. There are not just one orbangkok serviced apartment. If you are staying in
two luxurious apartments, but close to 50. This isan area not close to skytrain or subway access,
because skilled labor is cheap in thailand, and theyour price will be much lower. Conversely, staying
city itself is a major business hub for thein the business districts of Silom or trendy spots
southeast asia region.like Ekkamai or Thonglor will raise your monthly
Renting a serviced apartment in bangkok can berent.
a daunting task for several reasons--the primaryWhich Serviced Apartment Should I Choose?
one being there are so many 'fine print' and extraThe serviced apartment market in Bangkok is
costs involved when signing a weekly, monthly orlead by three groups, The President Group, The
yearly contract.Ascott Group, and Centre Point. Most of them
I have been living in Bangkok for a few yearsoffer first class accomodation and have a decent
now, and have gone through several servicedsystem of serving their customers. However,
apartments, learning on the way which 'services'there are numerous independent serviced
are included and what to expect from your stayapartments to choose from.
in Bangkok.
Bangkok's City PlanThe 2 Worst Serviced Apartments in Bangkok
The Bangkok Jungle has several meanings, one of- Ascott Bangkok Sathorn
them being that the city was never built with aThere have been several articles written in trade
city plan or urban design in mind. The city is ajournals about the decline in service at the once
sprawling landscape, a montage of residential andfamous and most prestigious serviced apartment
commercial buildings juxtaposing one another. It isin Bangkok. Once known for attention to
home to 10 to 15 million people, depending on whocustomer relations, their lack of it is now glaringly
is arriving from the rural country and abroad. Theobvious to everyone who stays there. This place
people as well, from poor to affluent, live side byis an example of a chain serviced apartment
side.becoming too much like a corporation with no
The city itself is lopsided; if you look down anyhuman touch of service.
major road in bangkok, you will see that both- Lebua
sides of the road arent balanced, building heightsRumor is their staff is very untrustworthy. Read
are different, and there is an overall lack ofthe trade journals and 'google' the residence for
symmetry. This is what makes Bangkok uniquereviews.
and charming. And what makes it a jungle.Top 2 Most Luxurious Bangkok Serviced
The Best Areas To Live In BangkokApartments
Bangkok contains inexpensive to exclusive- Siri Sathorn Apartments
apartments, but the best ones are found in theSiri Sathorn is a five-star luxury `boutique`
following regions of Bangkok:property which epitomises private and elegant
- Sukhumvit, the main road or artery of Bangkokliving in a residential setting. It is a concept of the
- Asok, one of the most exclusive and expensiveperfect home which appeals to international
areas to livetraveller. This place caters to Japanese clientelle
- Thong Lo, the chic and fashionable street,but of course is open to everyone.
- Sathorn, the business district of Bangkok- Fraser Place Urbana Langusan
- Silom, another business and red light districtThey have an exclusive 45-metre driveway
- Ploenchit, business districtleading from the main road to the serviced
- Chit Lom, business districtresidence for great privacy. They also have some
The areas listed above are all within easy accessof the best services and customer relations I
to shopping, dining, entertainment, trains,have ever experienced, pampered is the only
skytrains, and expressways. If you choose to liveword that comes to mind
in one of these areas, you will experience life inBest Value Bangkok Serviced Apartments
the center of Bangkok's thriving business and- Silom Convent Garden
shopping centres while indulging in an ultra privateNewly built in November 2006, this chic serviced
serviced apartment in Bangkok. I personallyapartment is located in the Silom-Sathorn area but
recommend Asok and Chit Lom, as they are thehas some of the cheapest rates for this business
classiest areas of Bangkok, but if you are lookingand night market district. For 36,000 Baht/$1000
to be close to the night markets Silom is perfect,a month you can have a 38 square meter, 1
and Sukhumvit is always a colorful experience.bedroom, fully furnished luxurious apartment
Facilities and Services of Typical Bangkokcomplete with full kitchen, washer machine, flat
Serviced Apartmentsscreen tv, and rain shower. The only drawback is
These vary between the different types ofthe place doesn't have a pool or gym, but thats
apartments and condos, but a standard ofthe reason the price is so low and why its one of
excellence has been establlished from thethe best values in Bangkok.
increasing competition among servicedIf you are still undecided whether to have a stay
apartments. Facilities and services are upgradedin Bangkok on your next trip, it was just recently
regularly to keep up with rival residences.announced that the Bangkok Metropolitan
However, before investing in a servicedAdministration (BMA) plans to make Bangkok a
apartment, be sure to check if these services"paradise" city. The article from the Bangkok Post
and facilities are available.states the BMA will establish a fund to address
5 Services That Should Be Included Free oftrash, pollution and traffic problems. Now is the
Charge:time to take your next vacation or business trip
- Room Cleaningto Bangkok, as life couldn't get any better in the
- Water/UtilitiesCity of Angels!
- Internet Usage