You would only stay here because of the location, otherwise for the price you'll pay you're better off staying elsewhere. Yes, this hotel is as close to Siam Paragon as you can get but as a trade off for service, style and comfort it seem like a monumental sacrifice.

This hotel is massive and the staff seem harried and uncaring. There was always a queue to get served. You'll get better service at the 7-11 on the corner near Siam Paragon where the staff smile and seem pleasant.

The poor service at hotel manifested itself in many ways including:
1. Messing up my reservation. After a nine hour flight the last thing I wanted was to be told my room wasn't available. I was given the crappiest room instead. The bed was hard and the decor in the room substandard. Then bathroom looked like it was from a motel, not a so called four star hotel. I was not given a discount but instead offered free breakfast. Why was I charged for a King sized room when I received a room with a single bed?

2. On the second day after being told that I would be moved to the correct room, yet after spending the day working I returned to the hotel to be told that my room wasn't ready. The staff seemed to not to not know anything pertaining to my previous issues and it took more explaining to someone with poor language skills that I wanted the room that I had booked. It was very frustrating.

After much fussing I was finally given a room that I don't feel was ready to hand over - there was still crap from the previous guest in the closet, the bottle opener and LAN cables were missing.

3. Most irritating of all was the fact that the WIFI only worked intermittently. Upon explaining this to staff I was told that it did in fact work, which it patently did not. I was in BKK to do work and this was not possible. I finally decided to move hotels but even this was an excruciating process as the WIFI dropped out every 10 to 15 seconds, like a seagull dying and gasping for it's last pathetic breaths.

4. It took 4 phone calls to get a bottle opener. I know the staff probably don't care but I have stayed at other hotels in BKK where the staff seemed responsive and friendly. What's the deal with staff at the Novotel - are they beating them or just under paying them?

Other issues with the Novotel on Siam Square
1. The pool is not clean. There is visible algal blooms - not so great for people with allergies.
2. I asked for a taxi to the Impact Stadium to attend the 49th Bangkok Gem Fair. The fare cost 1500 baht, which I thought must have been a reasonable fare as it was organised for me by the hotel staff. Imagine my chagrin when I caught a taxi home from the Gem Fair and was charged only 180 baht.
3. The view from the gym is totally ghetto and depressing
4. The towels at the pool are gross - they are scratchy and weird beige colour.

On a positive note - I did enjoy the free breakfast I received. The buffet is obviously a big draw card as everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves - there is an orgy of choices - Chinese, Japanese, Indian, American, Continental style breakfasts were all available. I can't eat too many carbs but the mini pastries did look very cute and appetizing. I loved the fact they had something called 'The Egg Station'.

In conclusion I would say "Don't stay here". It is the accommodation equivalent of MacDonald's - convenient but low quality. If you have any kind of feeling or a sensibility for quality use your imagination to seek other accommodation.

Good things first: centrally located in Siam with access to BTS. good service, superb breakfast with a variety of choices for typical Bangkok visitors (Indian, Chinese, western). Has swimming pool and gym which is not typical for business hotels.

What annoys me are these: sometimes internet is slow and interrupted; bathroom is not shiny and impeccable as there are residual smudges on the fixtures and tiles; AND cable does not have CNN, while everything else are there. Totally no movie channels as movies are to be watched with fee.

Bed is also too firm.

Will I go back? Only because it's the company's usual business hotel. If there are other choices, I'd think twice.

Best location in bangkok as all the happening shopping places are nearby. Surrounded by shoppings, food & massage shops. The room itself is nice but not very spacious. Nice interior, comfortable bed & LCD TV. The only complain that I have should be the very weak WIFI signal in the room. Very often we have to bring our iPad standing near the room's door in order to get WIFI signal. This is certainly not a pleasant experience. Hopefully the hotel management will make an effort to improve this matter.

Stayed 3 nights in a superior room in October 2011. Good location close to shopping centres such as the Siam Paragon which has a great food court and the BTS train station. Room refurbishment was occurring on several floors whilst we were there, so there was some noise and paint smells during the day. Attentive staff and probably the best choice of breakfast dishes that I have seen in Asia.
One special comment - the bed was so comfortable that I would have loved to have shipped it back to Australia.
Would definitely stay there again.