I recently contacted the hotel to arrange an event for a very special occasion. I live in Bangkok and called a couple of days ahead to set the appointment. I was told the date for the event I was looking at was not available but the previous night would be. As I was keen on the place for the event, I re-arranged my plans to suit. On my way there, I called again to confirm and make sure I had the directions right. I should have been concerned right from the start at the tone on the call: blank - nobody knew I was coming. When I arrived, I was asked to wait and when a manager of sorts finally appeared, I was told off at least three times for not making an appointment and disturbing the guests. Although I repeated that I'd called and understood the "do not disturb our guests" policy, I was starting to get upset at the sheer rudeness of the man. So much for customer service and guest relations. When I finally was shown the event venue, the attitude of the staff involved was a very clear "We can't be bothered". The icing on the cake was when I was eventually told that the date I had re-scheduled to was now also booked. A nice way of putting the fact that my event was clearly not wanted. I have lived, worked and studied in Thailand for many years and this is by far the worst treatment I have received. It was a huge disappointment which unfortunately is not an isolated incident in "exclusive" places such as this. My advice to visitors to Bangkok: take your money elsewhere. That's what I've done with my event and so far have been treated very well & with great respect for my special celebration. There are other quirky little places in Bangkok to allow you to have a great holiday int the Land of Smiles without having to deal with the contempt on display at this "Villa".

Charming hotel with excellent service and great location. Perfect for those who want to stay away from the growds and still be at the heart of the main tourist attractions. If it wasn't for this hotel our experience of Bangkok would have been completely different. This hotel allowed us to switch off from the hustle and bustle on the streets of Bangkok and escape into a tranquil and peaceful pradise on the bank of the river. Our room was tasteful and unique it had been beautifully designed in a morrican theme with every attention to detail given. I would highly reccomend this hotel for couples or families looking for a place to stay in Bangkok and want a relaxing time in beautiful surroundings and the chance to escape into a blissful haven. If you want a relaxing re-treat in the centre of Bangkok look no further !!!

Chakrabongse used to have no sign on the gate - it was very hard to find. I noticed on my second visit here that they now have a sign - things are changing!

There's a lot of history to Chakrabongse which you'll find on their website. The story is fascinating in itself.

Chakrabongse is unique in Bangkok - a royal residence just a short distance from the Grand Palace and overlooking the Chao Praya River. I would describe it as like staying in a rich relations' private house - it's quite unlike staying in a hotel. Staying here is an experience in itself - so different to a hotel stay.

They've added some new rooms in the past year or so. The rooms in the main building are small (in fact very small - 12 square m) - so bear that in mind if you need space. In my opinion though, these rooms are OK and offer a more cost effective way to stay in this great little boutique hotel. 12 square metres is half the size of a small hotel room - so bear that in mind though!

For better rooms, go for one of the villas. The Chinese Suite is especially large and ideal for families - it features some great antique furniture.

Love the RIver View Suite - what a great terrace to relax on and watch river life go by. I really like the Thai House as well - it's got bags of character.

The pool is a good size - if there's only a couple of people in the hotel, it's like having your own private pool.

Then of course, there's the restaurant overlooking the river. What a romantic place for dinner. Food is excellent - it's not cheap, but for a romantic dinner it's hard to beat in Bangkok.

For anyone looking for a special place to stay in Bangkok, Chakrabongse is a wonderful choice but bear in mind that it's not a hotel in the traditional sense.

We stayed two nights here in late july 2011. It's a really special place with tons of character but it's not for everyone. It's not a full service hotel, the river view room has little configuration quirks (like the two big steps down from the bedroom into the bathroom and the steep shallow steps that you walk up to get to the room) . None of the quirks are bad, they add to the charm but this isn't the peninsula (and i didn't want it to be) The location is great to see Wat Pho, and Wat phra kaeo. You are steps away from those sites AND you are right on the River. In the other direction there is the flower market and great street food. You also are within walking distance to nice little places to eat like Coconut Palm and Chote Chitr. The staff can't be more friendly and helpful in whatever you need. We stayed in the River View room. Great room with a private deck that overlooks the river and a nice little sitting room. AC, wireless internet and a firm but comfortable bed. The room was very clean, as it should be for the price. Expensive, yes but I felt i got my money's worth.
The only reason i don't think it's for everyone is that there is no spa, no fitness center and the restaurant on site is not always open. Don't come here if you are looking for that type of place. There are only 7 rooms in the place so you can't expect a chief to be at your service at all hours. You are not going to get room service when you want. Breakfast was included and good but if you sleep in you can not just walk down to the buffet and get something. I also think the River View room is a few notches above the other rooms. The other rooms don't have river front views with the private deck so some of the magic might not be there. Still we loved every second we were there.